Thursday, December 27, 2007



My two Maid of Honors went with my Mom and I to do my final fitting for my dress (Jinny's Bridal in Huntington Beach) and to try on their dresses! My Friend Molly flew down form Arizona to be with me! I have known her seince birth.... Our friendship started in the crib as she says :) My friend Nikki I met in Pre~school at age 4! Tight ever since! I have been through so much with these girls and I absolutely ADORE them and I am so happy that they will be standiing by our side! (I have 10 brides maids and my Mom is my Matron of Honor!) The colors I chose for them are Fuschia pink and black. Their dresses are a Marilyn Monroe style dress... the one where the air is blowing her dress up :) SUPER cute and the flowers they will have are going to be fuschia. We has SO much fun trying on dresses... I could not help but feel like a princess when I put my dress on!
Hope everyone's Christmas was beautiful! Ciao for now
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

Thursday, December 13, 2007



D and I went registering! SO FUN!! First we headed to Bed, Bath and beyond and I could not get the scanner gun out of Darins hand! He was runing all over the place scanning everything! He was scanning some weird things lol... They gave us a list of things to keep in mind and some of these things were things I we would NEVER think of! An electric knife?! We decided to pass that one up and scan a couple extra fluffy pillows and a cool lookin' pancake maker thingy :) It's a good idea to have an idea of what your looking for because otherwise you will go into shop overload like us! Next we were off the Crate and Barrel. Super Market sweep! We tried to stay focused and keep our eye on the ball but we ended up goofing off and taking forever. So fun... that's how it should be right?! No strees! :) Last we went to Z~gallerie.. Wanted to give people some options :) This place is cool! The scanner gun was not working, so after prying D's hands off of the "non~working scanner gun" we wrote all the barcode numbers down by hand. By the time we were done we had actually not registered for too many things but we were so exhausted (Darin nearly passed out on their comfy looking bed!) we decided to head home. Another thing off the list. This is SO much fun!
Talk soon!
Love, Kel
www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

Tuesday, December 11, 2007


Hi I wanted to introduce myself to all of you. My name is Keleigh Ferrari and My fiances name is Darin. I am a hair stylist in Huntington Beach and Darin is a firefighter for LA City. We met at the fire station on Thanksgiving day. My step Dad was Darins Captain at the time and once we were introduced that was it :) The pictures below are of the Cruise we were on to the Mexican Riviera where we got engaged! Darin proposed to me at the Captains Ball on stage in front of a couple thousand people. He asked the Cruise Director if he would introduce him on stage before we went to dinner. He set it all up.. so cute! The film crew got word and filmed the whole thing! They showed the video in everyones rooms so we felt like celebrities the whole trip ha ha ha.. SO AMAZING! I will try and put the video up asap... Below are just a few pics of us on the cruise after we got engaged. I am so excited to be able to journal our journey to our big, exciting day with all of you!






www.getchicmail.com at ChicBlvd.com

Monday, December 10, 2007

Meet Keleigh... Chicblvd.com's newest Bride to be

Welcome Season 4 of Reality Internet- Meet Keleigh


Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Wanna Be on TV????

CMT Network is airing a Valentine’s Day TV special featuring an engaged couple—and they’ve asked us to help recruit YOU.

This is a positive “premarital counseling school” that truly wants to help couples merge their two worlds as they surround them with a team of experts--to ensure they have a long lasting happily ever after marriage.

Would you like to be featured… and win the GRAND PRIZE: A GREAT HONEYMOON PACKAGE!
Does he find it a challenge to be romantic? If so, CMT will take you both on a romantic picnic and show him how it’s done. Does your man find that you have a hard time even cooking Mac N Cheese? If so, CMT’s experts will bring in a famous chef to give you some tips.

Taping will be on January 3, 4 and 5th. Please email a photo, where you live, and a brief description of yourself to contactus@chicblvd.com before next Friday, December 14th.

P.S. We are also taking applications for the next ChicBlvd.com Bride to Be!
Sign up for ChicMail!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The Honeymoon




Chris and I went to Costa Rica and had the most amazing honeymoon!! It was relaxing and adventurous! We layed out at the pool some days and then went zip-lining through the rainforest, horseback riding, ATV-ing on the beach....everyday was incredible....and it was absolutely wonderful being in another country and completely focusing on nothing but my wonderful husband!

Thursday, August 9, 2007

The Wedding: Reception




When we got to the reception site, the Fox Theatre, Chris and I took some pictures outside---we had our names put up on the marquee!! After pics, we met up with the wedding party to line up for our introductions.....right after that, we did our first dance to John Legend's "I Will Stay" then we had to cut our cake immediately because it was starting to collapse!!! We weren't too stressed out about it; honestly, it still tasted fine.....and it was the only thing to go wrong the entire day, so we were fine with it!!

We rented a photobooth as our favors and everyone seemed to have a great time with it!! Even Chris and I got in the booth (see above pic!)

It took us over an hour to make it around to all of the tables, and I felt like we really didn't get to spend much time with anyone! But I'm sure all of our guests understood!! And of course, as we were warned....we didn't get to touch our food!! But our caterer was nice enough to wrap it up for us and we munched on it later that night in our hotel room!!

Everyone danced and had a good time! My dad even paid extra to have the ballroom for another hour!!

It was such an amazing night....most people told me that I wouldn't remember much...that the whole night would be a blur....but I remember every minute of it!!

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

The Wedding: Ceremony



The day of the wedding went by so fast!
First, I woke up at 7:30 because my nerves were really getting to me. I just could not relax! At 11:30, the girls and I walked up to P'cheen for brunch---this was thier bridesmaids' luncheon...ehem, "bruncheon." I was still so anxious and nervous that I could barely eat my breakfast!!
When we got back to my house, my friend Mikka came over and did my hair and my little sister, Maddie did my make up. Then at 4:00 Kelly and I left to go to the park (the ceremony site) where we met the photogrpaher, Ricki Chester (she is SO great, by the way!!) Then, the next 2 hours went by sooo fast.....we did a lot of pictures....me, the bridesmaids, my family, etc. Then at 6:00, Chris and the groomsmen arrived for their pics, so I had to hide in the room so he wouldn't see me! Then at 7:00, it was time for my father to eascort me down the aisle.....its strange, all throughout the day, I cried like a baby---overwhelmed with excitement and nerves and I was so afraid I was going to be a sobbing mess up there, but I actually did fine! No tears!
At the end of the ceremony, instead of a unity candle, Chris and I released 2 white doves....it was beautiful!!

Monday, August 6, 2007

The Rehearsal & Dinner


Its hard to believe its already over!! I got sick about a month before the wedding, so that did not make the planning any easier!!

On Friday, the day before the wedding, I took the entire day off work and went to the spa....I got a Jurlique body scrub and wrap---very relaxing! Then I got a mini-facial (in a "mini" they do not do extractions----who knows how your face will react, and who wants to risk having a RED face on the day of their wedding!!) After that, I got a pedicure--French to match my nails I had done after that appointment!!

After the pampering, I went back to my house where all of my bridesmaids met me. We hung out and then got ready for the rehearsal!
The rehearsal went smooth, but boy was it hot outside!!! I totally forgot to bring the marriage license for the Pastor....but I did remember my ribbon/bow-bouquet!!

Immediately after the rehearsal, we headed to Shout for the rehearsal dinner. It was so great to have everyone there. Chris' father gave a toast, as well as his step-father and grandfather and several of his groomsmen! Then my dad gave a toast welcoming Chris to our family---it was very touching....I cried and so did a few of my bridemaids!!!! Also, as a girf, my bridesmaid Bonnie made a slideshow of pics of Chris and I when were were younger, as well as once we've met each other....it was awesome! She did a great job on it!!

After the rehearsal dinner was over, we went back to my house and my bridemaids spent the night with me....I made sure to say goodbye to Chris since we decided not to see eachother until the Ceremony!!!

Monday, July 2, 2007

My Lingerie Shower




This Saturday, three of my bridesmaids threw me a lingerie shower. We had such a great time! We played a game where the girls split into 2 teams and had to make a wedding dress! I had to judge the best dress! As you can see from the pictures above, they were very creative!!

The girls showered me with lingerie....some naughty, some nice! Some of the girls thought outside of the box---Mikka got me a spa wrap with my NEW initials monogramed on it--so thoughtful! And Bonnie got me some sexy bedroom slippers!

We played another game where Ashlee, Mande and Kelly had asked Chris 20 questions to ask me.....like What was Chris' first car? His first pet's name? The questions got harder, and each one I got incorrect, I had to put a piece of bubble gum in my mouth! I ended up with 6 pices in my mouth and could barely close it!!

It was so much fun! I'm truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life! I can't belive how quickly the BIG DAY is approaching!!!

For more updates on my journey, sign up for www.getchicmail.com

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Wedding Planner Meeting


Today Chris and I had our meeting with our wedding planner, Natalie and her assistant. Since we are having our wedding at park in Atlanta, there's not a designated person who will keep everyone organized, so we hired Natalie of Georgia Wedding Directors to direct our ceremony.

We learned a lot today and realized how many more decisions we have to make!! I think some of our hardest decisions will be choosing songs for the processional for each family member, etc.

A good tip the wedding planner told us to do was to bring our marriage license with us to the rehearsal to give to our pastor......that way, its one less thing to worry about on the day of the wedding!!

And then she brought up the dreaded question "What if it rains?" Of course we have a tent on reserve just in case, but we are praying we don't have to use it!!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Bachelorette Party!

Chris had his bachelor party a few weeks ago, but mine won't be until July 6th! I am so excited! One of my bridesmaids, Bonnie is throwing it.....I'm not sure what she has instore for us girls, but I hope she watches Bridezillas this Sunday on We! Kaileema's bridesmaids throw her an awesome surprise bachelorette party! I won't spoil the surprise, but I think having one of these at my bachelorette party would be a blast!!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Showers


Last weekend my sisters (my maid and matron of honor) threw a bridal shower for me. They made it a Feng Shui shower and gave everyone little red chinese take-out boxes with little goodies in them! My cake was chocolate with vanilla icing and it had the chinese symbol for "happiness" on it! They served sushi, fried rice, edemame, and sake! It was so much fun!

I love shower themes! I'm constantly checking out other sites for ideas. The ChicBlvd wedding section has lots of great ideas for planning. Check it out: http://www.chicblvd.com/wedding/wedding.html

Next weekend.....I'm having my lingerie shower!! I can't wait!!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Wedding Themes

Coming up with a wedding "theme" isn't necessary, but it sure does make the wedding planning more fun! My fiance, Chris and I decided that we wanted to stick with a theme of "bright colors." Our bridemaids and groomsmen are wearing different color dresses and ties....a rainbow of fuschia, pink, peach, yellow, green, blue and lavender! Even our cake will be bright colors!!

As I was watching the exclusive preview of Bridezillas Episode 2, I really liked one of the "Zilla's theme......she decided to do a Tiffany & Co theme! Everything from her cake to her bridesmaid dresses are Tiffany blue! And for wedding favors, she does something so cute, I wish I had thought of it!!

For our wedding favors, Chris and I have rented a photobooth that guests will be able to go in and take unlimited photos! I think it will be a hit! Plus, we're setting out a table for guests to sign and leave copies of the pics for us!

Friday, June 15, 2007

BRIDEZILLAS ARE COMING!!!



My favorite show is BACK! Thanks to WE tv, I've been given exclusive previews of this season and I have to say.....its going to be a good one!!!!

I love watching it and getting ideas for my own wedding....like how to wear my hair, decorations, etc. Oh yeah, and how NOT to treat my bridesmaids!!!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Bridesmaid Gifts




I think I've decided that I'm going to get my bridesmaids these adorable MadieDeluxe (www.madiedeluxe.com) bags as bridesmaid gifts!
I'll be using the JaJa clutch in True White to carry a few things on my wedding day and when I showed a few of the girls, they absolutely loved it!!

I'm going to get Mande, the pregnant bridesmaid the Mommy Tote! I think I'll get the other bridemaids a different tote and fill each one up with some goodies!!

Cute Stamps!





As I mentioned yesterday, I mailed out our invitations last week. Because they were so heavy, we had to put one $0.41 cent stamp and one $0.26 cent stamp on the envelope. With the rate change, I couldn't find the cute LOVE stamps we used for our Save the Dates, so I went to Zazzle.com and personalized our own stamps! I used the ones created ny The Knot, but you can even put your photograph on them!
I think I'll use one of our wedding photos and make stamps for our Thank You cards!!!

And the great thing about Zazzle is they sold me the stamps at the old rates ($0.39 and $0.24 cents!!)

Check them out!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Things to Do:

Well, now that I have less than 2 months to go, I thought I'd put my To Do list into perspective.....here it is:

2 months before wedding:

Address invitations and send them out DONE!! Mailed them out last week! Later tonight I'll post a pic of them...and our personalized stamps!!!

Check on vendor’s progress and confirm arrangements with each one. In progress! Last week we had our caterer dinner tasting!!

Select gifts for each other, attendants, parents and other helpers. Still haven't decided on a girft for Chris....I think we're sending my parents to a bed & breakfast for a weekend get-away as their gift!! And I'm not sure what I'm getting my bridesmaids and other helpers!! Chris is getting his groomsmen personalized bar signs....a really unique idea!!

Order and/or pick up rings and make sure they fit. We've ordered the rings, but haven't picked them up yet!

Finalize Ceremony Details. We're finishing that THIS week!!!

Stay on top of thank you notes. I've been great about our Thank You's...I try to respond with in 2 days of receiving a gift!

Confirm transportation arrangements and honeymoon plans. Honeymoon is set! We're going to Costa Rica!!!

Start work on favors if you or the wedding parties are making them. We're renting a Photobooth as our wedding favors! So fun!!

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

The Nightmares have Started!

I haven't had crazy dreams like this since the first month I got engaged, but now that I'm less than 2 months away from my Big Day....they've started again!

Last night, I dreamt that I showed up to my rehearsal dinner in my wedding dress!! And once I got there, I realized that I needed to change before everyone saw me in my dress---especially Chris!! In the dream, I remembered that I hadn't bought Chris his gift and card and I felt awful! Plus, the caterer came to tell me that I only paid for 150 guests and 200 were there!!
I was so relieved when I woke up!!!

I'm sure I had that dream because:
#1 I don't know what I'm getting my groom yet! Ideas, anyone?
#2 We're getting ready to send out our invites so our guest count is still in question!
#3 Tonight we are having our tasting for our wedding dinner! We're having chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms, cheese and spinach. Our sides are garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley. Yum!

I guess to avoid these dreams I'm going to have to stay on top of my checklist!

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

First Shower

For Memorial Day weekend, Chris and I went to Ohio. His mother, aunt and cousin threw me a beautiful shower! It was in a private room at a restaurant. Almost all of the women in his family made it to the shower---I felt really lucky!

We played games---one where they asked me to leave the room and everyone had to write down details about what I was wearing, etc. The person with the most correct details won a prize. Another game was "What's in Your Purse?" where they listed about 10 items each worth different points (birth control 10 pts, lipstick 1 pt.) The person with the highest points wins!

I was pretty nervous before the shower, but after I got there, I felt great to have so many wonderful people supporting our upcoming marriage!!!

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Bridesmaid Cards



I wanted to ask my girls to be my bridemaids in a unique way, so I made each girl a card with a handmade dress on the front and wrote a special note inside. The cover said "Will You..." and on the inside said "Be My Bridesmaid?" It's an inexpensive (but a little time-consuming) keepsake for the girls to hang on to!

Bridesmaids dresses are in!!!



My bridesmaid dresses came in today (which I think is pretty fast, since the girls just ordered them in March!) I'm glad they came in early since that will give my newlywed---and newly prego bridesmaid, Mande plenty of time to turn her dress into a maternity one!!! The dresses are Alfred Angelo and each 'maid will be wearing a different color....fuchsia, light pink, peach, butter yellow, lt. green, sky blue and lavender!! And each groomsmen will wear a coordinating tie!

Monday, May 21, 2007

The Gown!

So, Saturday I got fitted for my wedding gown. My dress is a big white, poufy princess gown! It weighs about 7 lbs and has a long cathedral train!! I really wanted a dress with straps, but after I got to the tailors, I took the staps down "just to see" and I fell in love with it as a strapless! So, my tailor is removing the beaded straps for me. He's also taking the dress in an inch--apparently, you're not supposed to breathe in your wedding gown!! I go in for another fitting in a few weeks!

My flower girl (my 4 year-old niece, Lily) will be wearing a mini-version of my gown. She refers to it as her wedding dress and insisted on getting a pair of glass slippers to complete her look! She's going to be a riot at the ceremony!

I haven't found my shoes yet.....but I have decided that they must be high! Chris is 6 feet tall and I'm only 5'3!!

I also thought it would be cute idea to paint the bottom of my shoes blue. That will be my "Something Blue!"

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Bride to Be Season THREE: Meet ASHLEY


Hello! My name is Ashley and I'm getting married this summer!! My fiance, Chris and I have been engaged since November 29th and will tie the knot July 28th, 2007.

I work in the fashion industry, so it is very fitting that I met Chris when we were set up by a mutual friend to take him personal shopping. We went shopping on a Wednesday night and the next day he asked me to dinner for Friday.....and we've been together since that date!!

Chris is from Ohio and I'm from Michigan, but our home is now in Atlanta, GA, which is where we've decided to have our wedding. Since our families will be traveling so far for our Big Day, we want to make sure they have a fun, memorable time!

We've always wanted an outdoor wedding, so we chose Atlanta's most well-known park, Piedmont Park for our ceremony location. The ceremony will be held up the road at Atlanta's historic theatre, the Fox Theatre. We know that the venues will be memorable, but we still plan to add tons of little details to make our wedding day special!

I look forward to blogging with everyone! Please feel free to email me with any questions, comments and suggestions!!

xo, ash

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Bride to Be Season TWO- MEET Melissa

1/20/07
Wedding Recap:
Well, the wedding has come and gone and so has the honeymoon! Sorry it took me so long to get back to update all of you but things have gotten pretty crazy! I had to move and get settled into our new place which took a bit longer than I had anticipated!

The wedding was perfect! I had such a blast that I can't believe it is really over. The day started off with me getting up semi early (I seriously couldn't sleep) and a little while after waking some of my bridesmaids started showing up for hair and makeup. We got ready together and the photographer (Jim Kennedy Photography) and videographer (Ashley Video) were there taking pictures and video of the day. Once we got in the limo to head to the church everything started to go by in a blur. We had a really fun ride over with all the girls...playing music really loud and driving down the coast. I will always remember how much fun we had that day :)

Once at the church I got my bouquet and basically waited for no more than 20 minutes before it was time to walk down the aisle. I met my dad at the door of the church and the wedding director had us wait for a minute before she pulled the doors open for us to walk down.

Everything seemed to go as planned and it was so beautiful. I remember as my dad and I started walking down the aisle I saw how beautifully decorated the church was and saw everyone smiling at us. As soon as we got up to the front and Matt took my arm it was time for the vows. We had a soprano soloist who sang a couple classical pieces and she was amazing!

After the ceremony we had our reception at the Turnip Rose in Costa Mesa and I must say, they really went above and beyond my expectations. The food was great (although I barely ate any of it!) the service was great, and the room was beautiful.

Of course we did all the "typical" wedding traditions such as bouquet toss, garter toss, cutting the cake and for my family the Tarantella. For some reason that didn't really go as planned though and it ended up being an improvised dance circle that was seriously fun :)

Our DJ Bruce Battleson did a great job of keeping the crowd going the entire time.

Again, I really can't believe that it has come and gone! I will never forget my wedding or the planning of it and I am so greatful that Chicblvd.com let me share in this journey with all of you. Please enjoy the pictures from the wedding that are below and I can't wait to see where life takes me next!

Love,
Melissa

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12/28/06
Well, there are only 2 days left until my big day! I can’t believe how quickly this wedding has come up. This week has been full of a lot of last minute things such as pulling together all the wedding favors and picking up my bridal gown. My fiance and I also finished our pre-marital counseling this week and made final decisions about the ceremony such as what songs we want played and also which passages from the Bible we want to have read at the ceremony. I am really excited about this wedding and also really nervous at the same time.
Tonight Matt and I took our third dance lesson which was a ton of fun. We started this week and managed to put together a first dance with a really cool instructor named Jillian. I hope it goes as well at the reception as it went at the lesson!
Tomorrow we have the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. I also still need to pack for our honeymoon! I can’t believe I waited this long to pack, but I really haven’t had much time!!
Well everyone, it has been a ton of fun being the Bride to Be here at Chicblvd.com! I have loved sharing my journey to marriage with all of you! When I get home from my honeymoon I will write in about the wedding and let you all know how it goes!!

Talk to you soon,
Melissa

12/15/06
I had my second fitting appointment this week for my dress and it looks great! I can't believe I will be wearing it in only a couple weeks now! It was a really cool day because my mom was there with me and then my aunt and cousin came as well and they brought me flowers so I would have a real bouquet to hold when I tried my dress on. I have pictures of me in the dress, but of course I can't post those before the wedding!! :)

I also had my trial hair and makeup appointment. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my hair, but the woman who will be styling it for the wedding had some great ideas and together with my cousin's help we picked a great style :) I will be wearing a tiara style hairpiece that matches with my dress...My hair will be in a twist style that almost looks like a flower...it was really cool! The makeup is going to be very natural, but with fake eyelashes to make them stand out in pictures. The girls in my wedding will also be getting hair and makeup done as well.

Well, I thought the countdown was on before, but it is REALLY on now! Only a couple more weeks and I will be a wife!

12/06/06
I am a Chain Starter for the 1st Carry a Tin for AIDS program hosted by HintMint and Chicblvd.com! My tin arrived to me this weekend and I am really hoping to get it all the way to the office of YouthAIDS/PSI in Washington DC, on or before January 1st!!

I have created an email address TinNumber10@hotmail.com and would love it if everyone who receives the tin would email me at this address and let us know who got the tin, where it was given to them, and any inspiration they would like to share with us!

Raising awareness of AIDS is so important and even if you are not a tin starter or participant you can play an important role in the lives of these children. Send an email of hope to a child in Africa through Compassion’s site! Let’s bring a little sunshine to these precious children’s lives and let’s all make a difference!!

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12/03/06
Well, my wedding dress came in earlier than I expected! I got to try it on this week and I LOVE it! I can’t believe it is already here! At the beginning of all the planning the dress shop told me that it might not arrive until 2 weeks before the wedding…I was having all sorts of nightmares about that, but it is here now and I have no need to worry any longer!

It almost fit perfectly except for the length, so there won’t be much to do for alterations which is great news. I have to go back in a couple weeks to try it on again and then my final pickup for the dress will be 5 days before my wedding.

Last night I did a lot of “last minute” wedding shopping. I had to get a guestbook, ring bearer’s pillow, necklaces for my bridesmaids, a cake topper and I am still trying to figure out what I want to wear for jewelry on the big day! My dress is diamond white with gold embroidery, so I am thinking about wearing pearls but I am not sure. I am a white gold or silver kind of girl, so I didn’t want to go buy gold jewelry because I probably wouldn’t wear it again. Not that I will wear my wedding dress or veil again though, so maybe wearing it again shouldn’t be the deciding factor after all! Haha
Any suggestions that you might have would be appreciated of course!

I am seriously starting to feel my stress levels rising as the day approaches! As soon as I am done with this entry I am going to go relax and light some candles and read a book! I got the best smelling candle from Ciao Bella. It is Vanilla scent and smells like freshly baked cookies…I love it! They also sent me some great bath products as well which would make great bridesmaid gifts.

Well, I am off to go relax now…Please feel free to leave me a comment about the jewelry ideas!

~Melissa

11/27/06
Well, My Bridal Shower has come and gone and I can't believe how fast it happened! I seriously feel like it went by in 10 minutes even though it was more like 3 hours! We had a lot of fun though! My friends from Chicblvd were there with me and got some of the shower on film which we will be posting to the site soon! I can't wait to see how it turned out! Here is a quick replay of the events of that day:

I got up kind of early on the day of my shower (a Saturday) and was actually kind of nervous...Not nervous because of the shower necessarily, but nervous because this shower represents that I am REALLY getting married....Of course, I want to get married, but there is just so much that I have left to do!!

Once I got to the restaurant where it was held things just flew by! We played some bridal shower games and they were a lot of fun :)
The first game we played was the guests had to guess how many M&Ms were in this big vase full of silver and white M&Ms. We chose to use M&Ms because we are Matt & Melissa :) Cute huh? ;)

The next game we played was Bridal Scattergories, but I actually didn't see this one being done because while my guests were playing I was being suited up into an aporn with 28 kitchen utensils attached to it! They were all tied on and I had to walk around the room while everyone tried to memorize what was attached to my apron. I then left the room and they had to write down what they could remember as best as they could!

After we were done with the apron game it was present time! I got so many amazing gifts, I couldn't believe all the stuff that I ended up with! My fiance and I are set as far as our new home goes!

We had a great time and even though it went by in a blur I will never forget my wedding shower or the people that made it so special :)

11/15/06
Matt and I finally got to taste the food choices we have for our reception! The place we are having the reception at had an event called Open House where tons of couples who are planning a wedding at their facilities got to come and check it out and try the food. There were so many good options, I am not sure what we are going to go with yet! We were having a hard time deciding whether we should have a sit down dinner or if we should have a buffet style dinner. There are a lot of positives with both…The sit down seems more elegant and is a bit more organized, but you get more choices with the buffet which might be good for our picky eaters…Ahhh I just can’t decide what to do!! We don’t have to make the final food choices until 2 weeks before the wedding so I am sure we will have it all figured out by then :) Either way, I am sure our guests will be happy because the food was EXCELLENT! We are having a cocktail hour to start the event off and they are letting us pick 5 different hor’dourves to serve during that time. I am sure it will be very elegant!

Today I met with the coordinator who is helping me get everything together at the reception site and we went over the linens and table decorations. My mom came with me and we had a lot of fun just chatting about the wedding and trying to decide on all these little details that you never really think about at first when you are planning a wedding. There are just so many little things to think about…table linens, chair covers, seating charts, centerpieces…the list goes on and on! Luckily I have quite a bit of help getting all these things in order :)

11/13/06
Matt and I just picked out our wedding bands! It was so much fun going shopping for rings together ☺

My ring actually matches my engagement ring, but Matt wanted me to check and make sure that it was the one I wanted…it definitely was!

The most fun part of the day was picking out a ring for Matt. He found a really cool brushed metal looking band that looked FANTASTIC on him. Matt has never worn a ring before, so it was a new feeling for him to try these on. I am so glad that he found something that he liked! Seeing both of our hands with wedding bands on our fingers was such a cool moment. Not that I didn’t realize this was actually happening, but seeing the rings really made it that much more real. So exciting!!!

Let’s see…other updates…I now do not have a flower girl! Kind of a big dilemma to deal with last minute! I have no idea what to do about that little problem, but I am sure it will work out somehow right??? I need to find a girl to be in the wedding AND order a dress for her! Yikes…this is going to be difficult.

My wedding shower is this coming weekend! I am really excited about it! It will be nice to be with my family and friends this weekend, talking about the wedding and Matt ☺

Well, as things progress I will be continuing to keep you all posted! Any last minute suggestions from our readers would be appreciated! Just post a comment here on the blog if you have any wedding stories or suggestions you would like to share!

Love,
Melissa

11/01/06
It is officially less than 2 months until my wedding!! I can’t believe it. I feel like there is so much left to do and absolutely no time to do it! I guess I have most everything taken care of at this point. I picked a florist a few weeks ago and I am really happy with what we have designed so far. The florist is called Elementals and they have the cutest shop in Los Alamitos! So far the plan is to have lots of white and red roses and an arch that goes over the doorway at the church with flowers wrapped around it. We will also be having flowers on the pews and candles lighting the aisle. I am so excited! This is exactly what I imagined my wedding would be.
The other day I had to go to the bridal salon where I ordered my dress because my veil arrived. I got to try it on and it really hit me how soon this wedding is coming up! I also got an update on my wedding gown…it looks like it will come in at the beginning of December rather than just two weeks before my wedding which makes me a little less stressed out.
So the only things are left to do are: final floral decisions, getting my dress altered, getting all the bridesmaids dresses altered, PICKING A FLOWER GIRL!!! (can’t believe I haven’t gotten to this one yet, final decisions with the DJ, getting the tuxedos ordered, still need to send out invitations for the wedding, deciding on favors for the wedding tables, picking a hair stylist and makeup artist for the big day…wow this is actually a pretty long list and I bet I have forgotten a few things!!

10/25/06
As many of you know, apart from planning my wedding I am also pursuing a career as a songwriter! (See my blog below for more details about my music)

Playing and writing music has been such a great way for me to get away from all the demands of planning a wedding for a while...I love spending time working on my music and sharing it with others...Please check out my music at the following link to my page on myspace:

www.myspace.com/lissawilliams

Add me to your friends page and say hello!

~Melissa

10/23/06
So far I have been having a blast planning my wedding with my friends at Chicblvd! I have also received some awesome gifts along the way!

Pretty Girl Makeup sent me an amazing kit of beauty supplies that have definitely come in handy! Their products smell so good! I love everything that they sent me, but my favorite item is their Sugar Scrub…You should all check it out!

My Little Pretty sent me the beautiful necklace that I will be wearing in my wedding shower. I would highly recommend their jewelry for any occasion!

Speaking of gifts…Matt and I are currently in the process of registering for our wedding gifts. There are SOOOO many choices! I have been making most of the decisions on the basics because Matt is away all the time for work. It’s funny though because he had a definite opinion on silverware. It was seriously the last thing I would think a guy would care about, but he was certain of the type that he wanted. I don’t know why but I just thought that was really cute.

Most of the gifts that we are registering for I am just picking online which might not be the greatest idea without seeing the items in person, but I have been SO busy these past few weeks that the last thing I can imagine having time for is going shopping! With work, my relationship, and this wedding to plan I barely have time to sleep anymore! I don’t really mind it though because everything is running fairly smoothly and Matt and I are in love…so that is all that matters!

10/16/06

Ladies--check out paperbyolga.com!

Nikki Gutshall, ChicBlvd.com co-founder, used their invitations for a bridal shower last year and it was the hit of the party. Nikki LOVES paperbyolga.com and would recommend them for the most unique, handmade invitations.

Here's more about the company:

Paper by Olga makes sure your invitations capture the love and excitement of you and your fiancĂ©! Designer, Olga McMurray makes handmade wedding invitations while creating unique designs that give any event from casual to formal a personal touch. Each invitation is created using natural materials from cotton rag to abaca plant parts then dressed with exquisite ribbons, pressed flowers and unique & whimsical adornments. She loves to create custom one-of-a kind invitations that set her apart from the “traditional” wedding invites. Your invitations are your first connection that you make with your guests. So set the tone with handmade wedding invitations!

Visit her site www.paperbyolga.com or email her at info@paperbyolga.com to talk with her about your wedding needs.

Mention ChicBlvd and she’ll give you 25 free thank you cards with your invitation order.


Gotta love it, Girls! :)

10/09/06
I met with the most amazing photographer for my wedding photos! His name is Jim Kennedy and he is located in Huntington Beach, CA. I was planning on meeting with a few different photographers but after meeting Jim I booked him for my wedding.

I think picking a photographer is a lot like picking out a wedding dress. When you find the right one you just know it.

He has a great personality and I just felt very comfortable with him right away. Another huge plus was the fact that he is being so cool with our schedule since Matt is in the military. In fact, we just got our engagement photos taken this past week since Matt had a day off.

Man…was that engagement session FUN!! We did a bunch of water shots which was hilarious because we were in our clothes. I wore a black dress with polka dots and Matt wore a white button down shirt and jeans. The pictures started out with us just near the water…the scenery of the beach in the background…But, as time went on we inched closer to the water until we were literally rolling around in the sand with the waves crashing over us. I will never forget that day!





10/09/06

1. How did you get started as a musician?

I got started as a singer when I was pretty young, but I started taking the whole musician thing seriously when I was in high school. I started out singing for a band in high school and eventually was writing lyrics for them as well. The band fit more into the ska/punk genre which was huge at the time, but I had really been inspired by the whole girl with guitar genre and was listening to a lot of Lisa Loeb, Alanis Morissette, and Joan Osborne. I had been writing songs in that style during the whole time I was singing for my band but never played them for anyone.Then after fate broke apart my first long term relationship I wrote this heart wrenching song that at the time I thought was fabulous. I got the courage I needed to play my originals for others and soon after that my career as a singer/songwriter was born!


2. Have you always been a songwriter, and how did you learn to
write your own music?

I would say that I have always been a songwriter because even as a child with no clue about what I was doing technically, I would write lyrics all the time! I had boxes and boxes of original lyrics that I used to try and make up melodies to. I also used to sit in my bedroom as a child and sing along with all my favorite artists, making up music videos in my head and pretending I was the star. As a young child my parents had put me in piano lessons which (thankfully) had permanently engrained basic music theory in my mind. When I started playing guitar later on I took a few group lessons and then bought myself every teach yourself book on guitar I could find. My first songs could be best described as flowing from thought to thought songs without a true structure but with a heck of a lot of emotion. As I started performing and meeting with industry folks I learned how to say what I wanted to say but yet put it in a musical format that was more listener friendly. I would say that most of what I learned sort of came with experience and by attending conferences and most importantly listening to great writers!

3. What's it like being a female musician? Do you feel like there's
a difference between male & female musicians, and if so, what kinds of differences are there?

Being a female musician brings with it some unique challenges that our male counterparts don't have to deal with. I think the most important difference that I have had to deal with is gaining respect from the industry. There are stereotypes that paint a picture of a female as naive and not savvy when it comes to industry protocol which in my experience is just not true! As a female musician I would just encourage other ladies to learn about the industry and know everything you could possibly know about your genre. There are a few people out there who look to take advantage of those they believe to be weaker or unwise and it is really quite sad. Fortunately there are more great people out there than bad ones, but we always still need to be wise when it comes to dealings with others.

4. How has Music inspired you?

Music has inspired me in so many ways that it will be hard to narrow it down to answer this question! It has inspired me to believe in myself and others, to always look deeper into lifes meaning, to love, to live after losing love, to question, to have faith, to search for God, to love God, to know that there is more to life than whatever I am going through, to continue to search for that perfect song, to relate to others and most importantly to see the beauty in all the seemingly insignificant details that make each of us unique.


5. What's your biggest goal as a musician?

My biggest goal as a musician is to be a positive influence on young people everywhere. I hope that my music gives people hope, entertainment, and also someone to relate to. I love it when someone from my myspace account or someone who has been to a show emails me and lets me know that a certain song reminds them of a personal situation they are going through or gave them some sort of inspiration. It is a confirmation that I am doing something important. In my opinion, if it doesn't make a difference in someone's life then it isn't worth doing.


6. Do you have any advice for girls who want to learn how to play
music and write their own songs?

Just start writing! Even if you never show anyone the first 100 songs you write at least you will be getting some practice! I am a big fan of workshops and lessons as well. I taught voice lessons all through my college years and I have to say that it is amazing to see the progress that students make when they put their mind to it! If you want to sing then you really should take voice lessons. Even if you are a natural vocal talent it is so important that you know how to take care of your voice so that it will work for you for years and years to come. Also, keep in mind that whatever inspires you in life is going to help you as a songwriter. Anything you read, anything you see, anything that makes you think will help you write! Don't be afraid to ask for advice from other writers who have more experience than you do and try to get out and see as many performers you can!

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10/02/06


Myspace Layouts

I picked a DJ for our wedding while Matt was out on a training trip. I know he is going to really like this guy though! His name is Bruce Battleson with Battleson Entertainment.

The day I met with him I had both my parents come with me and it was seriously so much fun. His approach to making sure that I had the right fit for my wedding was very unique and entertaining. He asked me a lot of questions about my expectations for the wedding and then asked my parents for their expectations. Too bad Matt wasn’t there…I know he would have enjoyed being a part of this whole experience.

Bruce sent me home with a whole book of things to do before the wedding. I had no idea how organized the music for a wedding is! We get to have a list of songs that we definitely want played at the wedding and a list of songs that we do NOT want played at the wedding. I know Matt and I will have some differences of opinion when it comes to those choices! The other day Matt and I were in a store and this REALLY annoying song came on and Matt said “We should play this song at the wedding.” I said “No way, are you SERIOUS.” He didn’t understand why I was so against this awful disco song…haha…sorry to any of you disco fans out there…it just isn’t my style really. So, yeah, I can’t wait to make these lists with Matt.

Apart from all the regular songs we still need to come up with a first dance song, a garter toss song, and a bouquet toss song. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

9/25/06

Myspace Layouts

Picking bridesmaids for a wedding can be tricky. You don’t want to leave anyone out whose feelings might get hurt, and you also don’t want to have the entire female guest list standing up at the alter with you…

Luckily for me I had an easy time of it. I have a younger sister who is my maid of honor and her best friend who has been in my family for years, two cousins, my brother's lovely girlfriend who has also been a part of my family for years,a friend I have known since I was a baby, and another friend who I have known since I was about 12 or 13. I feel so blessed that all these lovely ladies have agreed to be with me on my special day.

As any bride knows…if picking bridesmaids is tricky then picking a bridesmaid gown is near impossible. First you have to pick a color and you just pray no one will complain (too loudly) about your choice! Second you have to pick the dress! So far all my ladies have had great things to say about the dress and color (so let’s hope they really like it!!)

The dresses my bridesmaids will be wearing are long satiny gowns in the color claret which is a rich, dark red. The gowns are long and have a little crisscross design on the front with a rhinestone pin that looks like a snowflake. I loved this dress the minute I saw it because my theme is wintery with snowflakes! They will also be wearing long red gloves. I am so excited!

The only bridal party attendants left to be determined are the flower girl and ring bearer. Matt has the groomsmen already picked out.

I can’t believe how quickly things time is moving by! I got engaged on August 5th and even though I have gotten a lot done in the last month and a half I feel like I still have a zillion things left to do! I am sure it will all work out though ☺

Talk to you all soon!

Melissa
9/20/06



Brides... check out this site: mylittlepretty.com. I just got a necklace from them and it's GORGEOUS!

My Little Pretty has a great treasure trove of gifts for us brides, our bridal parties and our "mother of the bride". The designer Kristy Nuttall is awesome. Her sense of design and creativity even goes beyond bridal (I would wear my necklace any day!!). She has created an exclusive line of sterling silver, pearl and stone pieces--it's a contemporary-classic combo look. I found out she works with brides to come up with a necklace to match any neckline and dress. Ladies, check out her collection of necklaces, bracelets and earrings at mylittlepretty.com. You will love them! Or email her to set up a time to talk about your needs - kristy@mylittlepretty.com. She's great and will treat you well!
9/18/06


Myspace Layouts

Wedding dresses take MONTHS to come in! If you are a fellow bride planning a wedding, then please read that sentence again! MONTHS!
I ordered my dress right after Matt asked me to marry him and it is due to arrive 2 weeks before my wedding! That means alterations and fittings will all need to occur within a 1 week time period! Scary huh?
I have to say that dress shopping has been my favorite part of the planning so far. Maybe it’s because I am a clothing fanatic or maybe it is the excitement I felt when I saw myself for the first time in a long white gown, but I just loved dress shopping!
My mom came with me the night we went looking for dresses and I tried on about 7-8 gowns. The first gown that I tried on I thought was the one for me, but around gown 5-6 I really found “my dress”. They say that every bride knows her dress the minute she puts it on, and in my case I would have to say that this is true. Funnily enough as I was standing there in my ballroom, strapless, VERY long train, diamond white with gold embroidery gown I overheard a bride in the next dressing room over say, “Well, I guess this is fine. Most brides don’t fall in love with their gowns anyways right?” My mom, myself, and my salesperson all looked at each other with a look that just said “not true!!” I couldn’t believe it! I hope that bride next door ended up finding a gown that completely knocked her socks off, because I know my gown did!
Buying a dress also includes finding a veil and I found the “perfect” one! Long with little crystals on it and a small crystal headpiece that goes with it… I am in love with my wedding attire! For jewelry at the wedding I have not decided 100% on what I will wear, but right now I am thinking of wearing a white gold heart with diamonds that Matt gave me on Valentine’s Day and then these beautiful white gold and diamond earrings that were left to me by my grandmother. I still have time to decide on these smaller details, but at least I have the dress picked out!!
Speaking of dresses…I also picked out my bridal shower dress! It is a beautiful ivory dress with hints of gold in it. For jewelry on that day I will be wearing a beautiful necklace by My Little Pretty. It is sterling silver with Swarovski crystals and white and tan mother of pearl beads.
I am getting so excited talking about all the clothing and jewelry for the wedding I think I am going to try on my bridal shower dress right now!!
I will be writing back very soon!

~Melissa

P.S. As a bride... I have many questions! So I recently asked Amy Nichols, founder of Amy's Guide to All Things Bride (www.amysguide.com) and owner of Amy Nichols Special Events (www.amynichols.com):

What is one thing brides usually forget on the day of the wedding?

Here is her answer:
Melissa,

That's a great question. A few things that I'd recommend to any bride would be to most of all, smile, relax, and try to be aware of the moment and take it all in. It is a day you've been planning for months, so why not enjoy it!

Also important - remember to EAT both before the wedding and during the wedding. Ask your caterer to make sure there is a dedicated server bringing hors d'oeuvres to the bridal party during photos.

Another thing you might want to bring is a stool without a backrest which you can sit on before the ceremony -- have a couple of your maids help lift your dress over your head, then sit down on the stool, and then they can delicately let your dress back down. This way, you'll be able to sit without wrinkling that gorgeous dress!

Lastly, make sure you have a day-of emergency kit with anything you might need - some painkillers, bandaids, breath mints, etc.

Amy


9/10/06
Planning a wedding always begins the moment a young girl catches her first glimpse of a bride...she starts thinking about colors and flowers and cakes...and then eventually, as she gets older about the groom. At least, that is the way I always perceived it. I began planning my dream wedding when I was about 8 years old but had yet to know who my groom was going to be until August 5th, 2006. My boyfriend and I had talked about marriage many times...I had hinted at my desires (ever so un-slightly) as far as timing, rings etc... I will never forget the moment that Matt, my fiance...(I just love typing that word...fiance) asked me to marry him, or the moments leading up to that event. :)

The prior weekend to our engagement, my boyfriend Matt had text messaged on Friday night to say that he would be home on Saturday if I wanted to get together. He is in the military and gone quite a bit so the unexpected moments that we get to share together are some of the best times we have. I was having coffee with a good friend of mine when I received the message and from that point on I just had this "feeling" that we were getting engaged. I drove to San Diego on Saturday morning really expecting to get engaged and although we had a lovely day together it didn't happen. However, some "hints" were dropped that I felt meant the following weekend, when he was officially home from this particular block of training, might be the day.

As that next Friday night rolled around I was so very excited. We were going out to dinner together and I had high hopes of engagement rings and wedding bells. Matt, knowing that I expected to be proposed to, decided to try and throw me off a bit by telling me that he loved me very much and that he knew that someday we would get married, but that were just weren't there yet. Needless to say I was kinda upset!

On Saturday my dad and Matt spent the afternoon together and when they got back Matt asked me to go out to dinner with him. We got all dressed up and he took me to this great little Italian restaurant where there was a piano player and it was so romantic. After dinner we went to the beach and were watching the waves crashing on the sand when suddenly Matt looked into my eyes and said, "Melissa, I love you so very much and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
Of course I said yes!!!

Now, getting engaged is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to wedding plans! There is so much to do in the days ahead...ESPECIALLY since my fiance and I have decided to get married in 4 months! I am just amazed at how many things there are to planning a wedding! I am excited, scared that things won't get done in time, and did I mention excited!!

I know we will get there...to our beautiful wedding day...this diary will be the story of how we make it...I am really looking forward to sharing the journey with all of you!

Love,
Melissa

Meet Melissa- Diary of a Bride to be.... Follow us along this journey!