'Nuf said

YES!

Tired

Man, time is FLYYYING and it's making me dizzy.

I had a nice series of blog posts lined up and now I've plumb forgotten them. I have a feeling that's how things will go from here on out.

We have 44 days until the wedding, and we received the keys to the little house last night. I am so excited but also severely torn between two major to-do lists: WEDDING // HOUSE.

Sigh.

Almost a month ago, I made the decision to say "No" to anything new that came up: volunteer opportunities, trips, projects, plans, etc. This was to protect my time in the last two months. To quiet myself. To focus.

It's been nice to test all things against that. It's a relief, actually.

Because I'm tired.

Bless,
BTB

RSVP

The RSVPs are rolling in!

With great excitement, I log onto theknot.com to check our guestlist dashboard a few times a day. At this point, there have been no real curve balls as we have a pretty good grasp on who may not be able to attend.

Therefore, this particular RSVP came as no surprise... but its medium did!

Our dear friend James sent us this video message on Monday. It's funny to imagine him sitting on his couch two blocks away while a particular dog named Prudence and a roommate nicknamed The Fizzle looked on.

Nonetheless, James is the lead singer of what we typically refer to as "the band." Ironically, said band (The Dirty Guv'nahs) have recorded at the home and studio of Levon Helm, drummer and vocalist of The Band, in Woodstock, NY, while playing The Midnight Ramble twice.

After moving to Knoxville in 2008, I fell into community with several members of the Guvs due to connections at church. Friendships have deepened, countless shows been attended and late night rides in the Blue Bullet and this monster have been taken.

Adam even received permission to propose on stage during their Bijou concert in September. Thankfully, Sara talked him out of that one. (I. would. have. died.)

All of this to say, Adam and I love and support and believe in the pursuits of The Dirty Guv'nahs. While we are sad that James (and Doody!) can't be at the wedding, we are so excited he'll be chasing after something equally as God-given as marriage: a calling.

Don't forget to RSVP, y'all!

Peace,
BTB

Linen Stitches

There's no turning back.

The invitations are out!


I've been holding onto these sweet little things since December. They were ordered along with our save the date postcards from Wedding Paper Divas, and we couldn't be more pleased with how both items turned out.

The 5 x 7 invitation is on a textured 110 lb card stock. It looks and feels amazing; just enough weight with a dimpled surface that gives it a fibrous and organic feel.

Invitations are said to set the tone of the wedding, and I believe my "Linen Stitches" hit the nail on the head. They're rustic yet refined, and have an air of shabby chic femininity.

They beckon you one step closer to a garden wedding with white-washed grapevine wreaths, linen table runners and antique glass watcher pitchers.

Paired with my DIY direction cards (in a complimentary peach tone) and the newly issued "Wedding Roses" commemorative stamp, the invitations were hand-addressed by my mom - who was a Kindergarten teacher for 35 years and has perfect penmanship ;)
We directed guests to RSVP online via our wedding website which did away with the need for RSVP cards and their matching envelope (plus postage!). From what I can tell over the last five days, this decision has made my life a living heaven.

But more on that later!

xo,
BTB

Band of Grandmothers

I went from being a girl who didn't want a wedding band to one who now has two.

Yes, two.

Here's how.

Over my Virginia weekend, my mother and I were rooting through her jewelry - the family heirlooms, if you will - when she pulled out my paternal grandmother's wedding band.

I couldn't believe my eyes, thinking, "WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE??"

Shoved under the bed in a lock box, that's where.

While it was several sizes too big, it snuggly fit against my engagement ring when I pinched it back - a quality I had yet to find in almost every band I tried on.

I ran around the house showing everyone, apparently making weird alien hand gestures (pictured above) saying "Can you believe it? I just can't believe it! It's just perfect!"

So, here I am with two wedding bands - one plain knife-edged band and then my grandmother's white gold band with six diamonds (one of which is being replaced).

I've chosen to look at it this way: my original band is a symbol of my covenant with Adam; the family we are becoming. My grandmother's band represents the family from which I have come.

The ring belonged to my father's mother and its six diamonds can represent my mom and her five sisters - the six Woodward daughters - who have all been forces in my life.

As one of my favorite Jane Austen quotes explains, "I have always maintained the importance of Aunts as much as possible."

It's funny how this has come full circle - both literally and figuratively.

I just can't wait to get all those rings on my finger.

Love,
BTB

Cohabs

We're getting married AND moving in together!

That's how it works, right?

I've been so wrapped up in planning the wedding that I overlook this fact most days. But that's definitely how it works, and we have a house to prove it.

It's an adorable yellow cottage in Fourth & Gill. While we're sad to leave Old North, we're only moving one neighborhood over.

Our prayers were answered in finding this dog-friendly, two-bedroom house with a yard, largish kitchen (with a dishwasher!) and hardwood floors all within biking distance to downtown. We'll still be living in community with our friends, plus we'll only have to haul our stuff exactly 1.1 miles down the road.

Oh, and there is a ginormous walk-in closest.

We were sold.

The story behind this house is pretty great.

Adam and I have been house hunting for, oh, five months now. We originally fell in love with this little yellow number, but it wasn't meant to be.

We scoured Craigslist and drove in circles through neighborhoods we dreamed about until the process began to drive us crazy.

Then, while on a run, Adam saw a FOR RENT sign in front of a cute house in a great location.

Turns out, the house wasn't big enough, but after learning what we were looking for, the landlady mentioned she had another unlisted rental property down the road.

One thing led to another, and with two months until the wedding day, we're now able to plan for the Great Cohabitation of 2011.

Get your game faces on!
BTB

Bach Party

Following the Derby Shower, my girlfriends and I headed to Staunton for a little bachelorette celebration - not a classical music party (see above).

Sara and I couldn't get over how we shared a room in the same hotel with our dates during a sorority formal in 2006.

For the record - I would say I had more drinks at that dance than I did during my bachelorette. Ha!

Does that mean I'm getting old? Maybe we really did listen to classical music that night...

What I can tell you is that I fell asleep in my "last fling before the ring" v-neck after being surprisingly tickled by the "Bride-to-Be" tiara and sash which I wore all night.

Thanks stocking my delicates drawer, ladies!

xoxo,
BTB