we were chosen! please vote for us!

so here it is! the secret i've been keeping [and it's been killing me]! well i guess i should say that there are a few secrets i've been holding on to. in the midst of all of the wedding planning and joy, my parents have decided to get divorced. sighs. this was not something that i planned on sharing, but either way, it has made planning a wedding [on top of everything else] very very hard. due to the financial implications, it has made discussing a wedding budget very awkward and at some point, we had to decide exactly what was to be sacrificed since we don't want anyone we love to struggle anymore than necessary when making a huge, life-altering decision. we don't ever want a day that's supposed to be the best day in our lives to be a day that brings those we love any stress or sleepless nights. we just want to be married and spend our days together always. whether that's in a courthouse or a farmhouse, us being together and celebrating our love with those we love is all that matters.

so when i saw that the amazingly talented vendors throwing the notwedding here in atlanta were having a contest for a free wedding, i figured that it was worth a shot [especially after attending this event last year and being blown away]. with the amount of stress that jason and i have been under, we could really use the help of having some awesome professionals plan our wedding, but of course i never thought we'd get picked. well guess what - we are in the final 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i got a call today confirming that we were in the final round and that now it's up the public to vote!

i believe voting starts tomorrow at http://thenotwedding.blogspot.com so please vote for me and jason! we are so grateful for this opportunity and if chosen, we want to share this experience with all of you! if you want any information or have any questions about why you should vote for us, please email me or post a comment and i will respond immediately!

i hope you can forgive the secret-keeping, but hopefully you will vote for jason and me! i believe voting starts tomorrow so please go to the NotWedding blog and vote for jason and nicole! i promise that your vote will not be taken forgranted and that we will be eternally grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! please spread the word! i have appreciated all of the blog support that i have received in the past few months and i feel so lucky to be a part of this radical community that has inspired me every day. we love you all! xoxo

"the purpose of our lives is to be happy” - dalai lama

p.s. here's the first picture of jason and i right after he asked me to marry him. good times! story to come soon!

finally

woods and water are always a wonderful wedding combination! i love this wedding for it's amazing flower girls [can you ever go wrong with tutu's], the bride's adorable [short] wedding dress, and the awesome backdrop!











[all images via maggiemac photo's flickr site]

p.s. sorry for the small pictures!

so i have some amazing news! jason and i finished phase 1 of working on the house! the must-do repairs are completed, hardwood floors refinished, walls and trims painted, and everything has been cleaned! we finished late last night and it couldnt feel better! it is such a hugggggge relief that it still doesn't seem real! we start moving in on wednesday!!! you will have pictures very soon...i promise! i took a bunch last night and i can't wait to share!

anyways, today i am in orlando, fl for a convention for work. sighs. it is probably the worst time to be traveling but that's typically how it does, right? regardless, it'll be nice to relax a bit today and the weather being super sunny doesn't hurt!



so i have a confession - i have been keeping a secret in an attempt to not get my hopes up. i have some majjooooooorr news to share with everyone! it's VERY exciting and i can't wait to spill the beans! i hope you've all had the best weekend! stay posted...and check back very soon!

santa barbara wedding

so i decided to start off this wedding post with a picture of the couple sans their wedding attire first. with the antlers, exposed brick, and red velvet chairs - you know you're in for a treat [i mean come on]!

most of the pictures of this santa barbara wedding include priceless shots of the couple, but with a couple so cool and good-looking it should be a given. i should mention that i love the fact that their wedding seems uniquely traditional (is this an oxy-moron?) and fancy in their attire, but their table settings and locale are super laid back. the red and white checkered picnic table cloth really works surprisingly.












[all images via azuree wiitala's flickr]

i can't not get enough of her dress and hair. freaking awesome.

walk, don't run

[image via lorenzodom's flickr ]

"freedom is nothing but a chance to be better" - albert camus

flowers

this wedding is amazing! i can't get over the setting [yay for farmhouses!], the dress, the happy and stylish couple, the flowers, and the patio lit with paper lanterns! this wedding is so intimate and fun. i even love the haystacks showing through the windows of the barn! this fall wedding has so many elements that i can only dream of for my day. fingers crossed!












[all images via anne lape's flickr site]

by the way, did i mention how amazing the groom's suit is? holy. yeah.

precious

i will admit that my owl obsession has dwindled [gasp]. i started collecting owl items a few years ago in college and i have some great pieces that i will never part with [ i'm convinced that one day my grandkids will ask their parents what's up with grandma and all those damn owls - haha]. oh well. although i have had too much of my share of owls - i will always be a lover of all things bird-related and therefore this custom invitation by matthew bowers is right up my alley! so cute!

[image via matthew bowers]

tunes to get me through

after the grind of working on the house this weekend - i never want to paint trim again as long as i live. regardless, none of this makes being at work any easier today. but i will put on my ipod and i will carry on.

i'm excited about wednesday! jason and i are taking somewhat of a break from the house [ok, well maybe not all evening] but we are going to see phospherescent at the drunken unicorn venue in downtown atlanta! not only are they from athens [my college town] but one of my best friends, scott, is in the band and i haven't seen him in many years! if you haven't ever listened to them, you should definitely check them out.

in the meantime, here's a greatttt cover song to help get you through this manic monday. enjoy!