Southern Sweethearts: All the Small Things

"As a journalist, the details always tell the story. "
James McBride

Oh, how I completely understand this quote! (I am a journalist, photographer, and self-proclaimed perfectionist. So details are kinda my thing.) And that's why I had details galore in our wedding! Many of them were DIY details that I'm sure some of you have been waiting a looong time to see in action.

They'll be plenty more details in coming posts, but here's some to get you ready for the main event: our ceremony! :)

First, my lovely DIY flowers!

At first, I wanted an all white peony bouquet. But when our colors changed, I decided on a pink bouquet and I absolutely loved the way my bouquet came out!

My something blue!

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to gather family photos for my special locket. My Mom had recently moved and all of her stuff was in storage, making it extremely difficult to get to the photos in time. :(

I loved ALL of my bouquets (bridesmaids, flower girls, mothers, and toss)...

...but I put a little more effort into the matron of honor bouquet. Hers was a mix of all the flowers used, and it had its own cameo to distinguish it from the others.

Do I spy Loubies?

Why yes I do!

I had the shoe clips custom-made through an Etsy seller using the "alchemy" request. The clips were originally a different design but when she sent them, they were too small! There was some trouble with the redesign, shipping, and communication. But in the end, they turned out fine even if they weren't quite what I wanted and I almost had a heart attack thinking they wouldn't be done in time. And to top it off, I ended up losing one of the clips on the way to our reception site! :(

If you recall, my Louboutins were missing most of the wedding day. Thankfully, they were located before the ceremony. But they still weren't on my feet just yet...

And since I'm showing off the bling, might as well show off the DIY ring dish I made for them to chill in on the way down the aisle.

Remember my DIY wreath and my DIY mason jar/magnolia aisle liners with the "faux" water?

How about my semi-DIY double duty program fans?

And the last little detail wasn't one I had planned on. Best man Don snuck in some mini-liquor bottles for some ceremony "tailgating" if you will.

Just a small indication of what's to come!

What are some little details you're going to include in your wedding? Will any of them be DIY creations?

Previously on Southern Sweethearts:

• Southern Belles Do Tea
• A Rude Vendor Interrupts Our Rehearsal
• We Have Dinner on the Savannah River
• A Spooky Ghost Tour and My Last Fling
• Our Wedding Trailer
• Becoming a Blushing Bride
• I Slip Into My eBay Wedding Dress
• The Fellas Get "Sessay"
• He Got Boudoir, I Got Bling
• An Unplanned First Look
• Our Wedding Party...and Paparazzi

Next Up: We Get Hitched!

*All professional photos by Lindsi Jones Photography. Some images may have been slightly altered by moi.

Southern Sweethearts: Our Wedding Papa...Paparazzi (and Party)

Apparently Mr. Lab and I are kind of a big deal. Look at the paparazzi that showed up for our wedding!

So what if we tipped them off ourselves. Don't celebs do the same?

Okay okay! We paid them to be there! :P

But we also had a member of the paparazzi in our wedding party. GM Jimmy caught some "behind the scenes" action for us.

BM Brittany sipping on a Sofia mini.

Best Man Don STILL getting ready. I told you the guys took forever to get dressed!

I thought this was funny. The boys took forever to order their suits (do you see a trend here?) so they didn't have time to perfect fittings and had to improvise.

Mama Lab. :)

FMIL Lab taking charge and showing the wedding party where to go for photos.

Everyone began making their way to Forsyth Park for formals.

Newly married BM & GM Brooke & Jimmy.

A little motherly love:

Look who's finally dressed!

Soon enough, it was time to take photos with my gals who've been with me through thick and thin.

Special love to MOH Amanda! Friends for over a decade!

Clockwise from top right: Ashley, FSIL Leslie, MOH Amanda, Brittany, & Brooke

Remember these? Yeah, I finished them less than 48 hours out from the wedding!

Now it's the boys' turn to work the camera!

Clockwise from top right: Little Brother Lab Phillip, FBIL Jay, BM Don, Trey, Jimmy (Side note: The order of photos matches with the girls' photo to show who paired up down the aisle.)

Mr. Lab doing a little last-minute flirting with my gals. ;)

While the boys were off getting their photos taken, I asked our second shooter to capture my FMIL putting on my "something borrowed" necklace. I was so thrilled to be in on the new tradition of handing down FMIL's engagement diamond to the ladies in the family getting married!

Now that my wedding ensemble was 90% complete (STILL missing my Loubs), it was time to take group shots.

The first time I looked through my pro photos, I literally LOL-ed at this one.

No, that's not my brother getting fresh with a BM. I've never seen that kid before in my life!

Okay, okay! I kid, I kid! That really is my little (well, not so little anymore...) brother who had double-duty as a GM and my escort down the aisle.

Speaking of the aisle, our ride was waiting to take us there:

I was about to take my last ride as a single gal! But I didn't want to walk down the aisle barefoot! Would my Louboutins show up in time?

Previously on Southern Sweethearts:

• Southern Belles Do Tea
• A Rude Vendor Interrupts Our Rehearsal
• We Have Dinner on the Savannah River
• A Spooky Ghost Tour and My Last Fling
• Our Wedding Trailer
• Becoming a Blushing Bride
• I Slip Into My eBay Wedding Dress
• The Fellas Get "Sessay"
• He Got Boudoir, I Got Bling
• An Unplanned First Look
  

Next Up: All The Small Things (Or: Details, Details, Details!!!).

*All professional photos by Lindsi Jones Photography. Additional photos by GM Jimmy. Some images have been slightly altered by moi.

Southern Sweethearts: To Look or Not To Look?

After I became a blushing bride and the boys got sessay, it was time to start photos.

During the planning process, there were very few things on which Mr. Lab went out of his way to voice his opinion. For instance, he wanted seafood on the menu (he practically picked the entire Lady & Sons menu) and he wanted me to wear a veil (didn't happen but now I wish I had at least worn one for the ceremony).

But the biggest one? He didn't want to see me before the ceremony.

Freeze frame from our wedding movie trailer.

My photographer was against this from the get-go (and to be honest, so was I), but it was what Mr. Lab wanted. This was his wedding, too, so I said okay after he stated his case. We knew we'd be up against a "diminishing light" factor for our formals because the ceremony was set for 4 pm. Sunset begins about 5:30 pm in November with complete darkness at 6:30 pm. But we knew it could be done because our friends had a similar situation with the no first-look/light factor and it worked out well.

I let our photographer know that we wanted to get as many of the photos done before the ceremony (me with my girls, him with his guys, me with my mom, him with his, etc.) so we could reserve as much of the post-ceremony photo time as possible for me and him plus the entire wedding party and family as possible. We don't have huge families anyways, so from my experience with FSIL Leslie and BM Brooke's wedding, I figured we'd have plenty of time.

We also planned to replace the "first look alone time" through our post-ceremony carriage ride and eating a quick dinner together while guests enjoyed the last part of the cocktail hour.

So it was settled. I would have my hair and makeup done in time for formal photos to start around 2 pm with no first look. Mr. Lab and I wouldn't see each other until 4 pm when I walked down the aisle.

My hair flower placement bugs the mess out of me. Ladies, make sure you take a moment to check your final look in the mirror before photos!

But as you've probably figured out from the screen shot, that didn't happen (like a lot of things on our wedding day - *le sigh*).

We began thinking about nixing that idea the day before the wedding. Out of the blue, Mr. Lab told me he wouldn't be devastated if we had to do a first look. So we decided to kind of play it by ear. We had two photographers for the entire day and a DOC who we had confidence in to roll with the punches if needed.

But long story shorter, hair and makeup ran over because FSIL booked my hair appointment across town without telling me how far it was so I could plan. And then it took FOR.EH.VEEEEER. to get Mr. Lab and the guys out of their hotel to meet us for photos because they kept waiting for a no-show second shooter to arrive for their getting ready shots.

So we ultimately made the decision to nix our plans for no first look to ensure we'd have enough time.

My photog and I planned to do a mini bridal session while the guys headed over to the Mansion. Even that was squashed after the staff told us we couldn't shoot photos there unless I was a bride getting married on their property! Um, heeello?!? We stayed there the night before and made them well-aware of my intentions to take photos! (The Mansion gave us quite a few troubles to be officially reviewed at a later date.)

So we snuck outside and took a few shots anyways. The videographer was already set up at one spot, so we chose it for the big reveal.

Catching a glimpse of the car with Mr. Lab and the GMs. Thankfully, we didn't see each other then!

I rushed back around the corner where my BMs were waiting so Mr. Lab could get into place.

And then I started slowly making my way towards him.

A tap on the shoulder...

Mr. Lab turns around to check out his bride in the dress I'd kept a secret for so long. I geeked out and couldn't quit cheesing. I had good reason. This moment was 4 years in the making...

And then Mr. Lab did something I've only seen him do one other time: HE CRIED.

I couldn't help laughing at him because I was caught off guard. I really didn't think he'd cry! Then for a second I wished we could have saved that moment for the ceremony. But looking back, he probably would have fallen apart if he didn't get it out of his system! LOL

(Btw, the only other time I'd seen him cry before that was at a showing of Marley & Me. And he's only cried once since the wedding when our Dixie baby passed away. Mr. Lab loves his Labs, Mrs. Lab included. ;) )

After our first look, we headed across the street to Savannah's famed Forsyth Park to take more photos.

I was still without my precious Loubs, so I had to walk barefoot through the park.

Pretty soon, we were joined by our wedding party to take all of our formals before Mr. Lab and I made this thing official!

What are your feelings about first looks? Anyone have a successful non-first look?

Previously on Southern Sweethearts:

• Southern Belles Do Tea
• A Rude Vendor Interrupts Our Rehearsal
• We Have Dinner on the Savannah River
• A Spooky Ghost Tour and My Last Fling
• Our Wedding Trailer
• Becoming a Blushing Bride
• I Slip Into My eBay Wedding Dress
• The Fellas Get "Sessay"
• He Got Boudoir, I Got Bling
  

Next Up: Our Wedding Party...and Paparazzi.

*All professional photos by Lindsi Jones Photography unless otherwise noted. Some images have been slightly altered by moi.

I'm So Official.

We interrupt these Labrador recaps to bring you some breaking news.

This gal is officially OFFICIAL.

Yes ladies (and gentlemen who may have gotten lost on their way to the sports boards), nearly 9 months after my wedding, I finally changed my name.

I am now a "Golden Girl". Betty White, you're no longer alone!

So what took so long?

See, what had happened was...all the same things that are keeping me from being on top of my recaps. You know, finishing school, getting a job, moving, buying a house...that sort of thing.

Oh yeah, that reminds me! We bought a house!!! And we've been busy "working" on the house.

Teasers:

Before:

After:

I have a lot more to share about our new dwelling, but for now here's a little taste of our 4th of July housewarming party:

The Labrador "children" getting their patriotic on in the front yard!

Anyhoo, the actual process of changing my name wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. I used MissNowMrs to fill out all my forms (using a coupon I found for half off). Then I spent an hour and 15 minutes waiting in the social security office just to spend 5 minutes at the actual counter changing my name. Apparently I was the most prepared person of the day? Why the heck would anyone visit any government office and NOT be prepared?!?

Then I headed over to the DDS to update my driver's license along with Mr. Lab (who was updating his with our new address). Same story: waiting...waiting...waiting...done in 5 minutes. I even updated my voter registration while I was at it.

All that's left is mailing off my notification letters to various companies (like my bank) to let them know about the name/address change (really the only reason to use MissNowMrs because they automate those forms for you).

So yeah, I'm officially official now. Some people grow humans in the amount of time it took me to change my name, but hey, it's finally done! I'm proud and Mr. Lab is even prouder. :)

Anyone else take forever to change their name? Longer than me?