Wedding Goodness (Beach Cookout Installment)

Sorry it's taken me so long to get around to posting wedding stuff! It was all a little overwhelming at first, but now that it's been a month, it is exciting to re-live everything!

This is the first installment of photos (taken by the amazing Sherri Aagenes). I apologize for the high-resolution-ness of them, but photos are so much more lovely when they are big. ;) Anywho, we did a beach cookout instead of a rehearsal dinner because... well... there was nothing to rehearse! We had no wedding party and we wrote the ceremony ourselves, so there was no need to have a big shin-dig to practice the ceremony.

Ryan's parents hosted a beach cookout at the Hunting Island State Park pavilion (next to a very old and very cool lighthouse) that started at 3:30 pm on Saturday, May 15, 2010. The weather was perfect, the food was amazing, and the company was great!

the beach at Hunting Island is littered with driftwood and fallen palm trees

the perfect setting for some pre-wedding photos

ryan and I - and our respective parental units

i got the idea for our "guestbook" canvas artwork on the offbeat bride tribe

each guest got a square to color as they so chose

the food was fantabulous - lowcountry boil & BBQ

mom & me

It was a fabulous day at the beach! :)

Oh Happiest of Days!

Of course I will write more later (many details and photos to come, I promise), but I just wanted to say that Ryan and my wedding was as wonderful as a fairytale. I couldn't be happier!

As I said, more details later! Now, I need to organize our house!

Beautiful Beaufort

Well, we're here in Beaufort, SC prepping for the wedding. I can't believe it's already here! Only a few days and I'll be a married lady. Hot dog! The weather is gorgeous and there are no bugs to be found! Yahoo! But, anything can happen between now and Saturday, so keep your fingers crossed! Each time I check the weather for Sunday it says something different. Ugh. One minute it says partly cloudy and the next is shows that ominous dark cloud icon that I hate so much. But, che sera, sera, right?

It will be a little while before I post again... you know... I'll have a few things going on. Hehe. So, arrivaderci for now and wish me luck!

~ Mari

April Garden Soiree

Ryan and I had our first couple's wedding shower/party - hosted by Marilyn Anderson. It was such a blast and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. They predicted rain all week... and then it was sunny, beautiful, and cool. Perfect weather for a garden party!



Look familiar? This is what I made the rosemary lemonade for! I also mixed it with some sweet tea and made "swamp water."

Did I mention we had a GARDEN soiree? And what a gorgeous garden to have it in! One day Ryan and I will have a yard like that... one day.... :)

The wedding is so close now! I can't believe it! I hope there's not a let-down afterward... I've been planning so much and putting so much of myself into getting ready for the actual event. I'm sure it will be great, though. I'm not worried. Even if it rains, we'll have a good time!

~ Mari

April Shower Photos

Personalize your own ecard

38 Days

There's my mom...standing in the spot where Ryan and I will be standing in only 38 days (weather permitting, of course) and taking the plunge! :) I'm so excited! Everyone has RSVPed and I have a wedding shower planned for this weekend. Yahoo!

Also, I'm a member of the Offbeat Bride Tribe (the social network for the Offbeat Bride website) and they just featured a tutorial that I wrote on how to make a Twig Ball Bouquet! :) Check it out here!

Anywho, it rained all day (boo...), but I can't really complain because it's been gorgeous the last few days.

:) Mari

Mary Bland

I can't believe I'm getting married in less than 2 months. I'm really excited about it (of course) and am updating my checklist regularly (oh yes, I have a checklist). One thing I have really enjoyed about the whole wedding process is that, though I had a few influences along the way, no one told me, "You MUST do this, this, and this!" Thankfully, I (and the future hubby) got to make almost every single decision. I wonder if Mary Bland (my grandmother - photo above) had that luxury? Though her wedding was years ago, I'm sure some of the same social norms exist today that make it difficult for brides to actually enjoy their wedding and wedding planning experience. One thing I can say for Mary, is that she looks absolutely stunning in that photograph. I wish I could have met her and that she could be at my wedding in May. From what I hear of her, she had a great sense of humor and was an excellent cook (two traits I admire in anyone).

Well, I'm off to enjoy the rest of this beautiful spring day by eating bison burgers (yummers...if you haven't had one, I would highly recommend it) made by my dad (who learned to cook from Mary Bland).

:) Mari