Next Step: Save the Dates

I finally received my save the date library card pockets. They are so cute! They fit into the black and white wedding colors with their white background and black dots. The formal wedding invitations are the exact opposite. They have a black background and white dots.

I am still making the library cards, but I gave up on the DIY library pockets. My pockets always came out crooked. Kevin said he was a little disappointed because all my efforts had been wasted. Maybe but at least the pockets will be perfect!

My Wedding meets My Books

Here are a few of my book ideas for the wedding:



For my save the date cards, I thought I would send out the due date library cards. I am making the library card pocket out of black and white decorative paper, and I have customized the library note card with words about our upcoming wedding. I am really excited, and I love them so much! They are too cute!

Thank you, DIY Bride, for this idea!

I am also interested in having vases made out of old books for the centerpieces.


They are cute, huh? Thank you, Sweet Paul!

There are tons more ideas where that came from, but I do not want to give everything away!

Four Years of Learning

Four years does not seem like a long time to be with someone, but it's long enough to get to know someone...inside and out. In these four years with Kevin, I have found someone that's my life line, my anchor, and my best friend. I would not be where I am without him or even who I am without him. He has taught me to grow and has made me stronger. Not everything has been sunshine and rainbows. We have fought, screamed, not talked for hours, but that's just part of the journey. You have to accept the person as a package deal, flaws and all. I've learned that even when I am so mad I feel like I could kill him, I still love him. I would still never change him. His imperfections are just as much loved as he is.

Soon, we will be getting married and starting a new life together. I am ready, and I am happy. In these four years, I have learned that the rush and the butterflies will fade but the feeling of being comfortable, being loved, being completely myself with him has not. He is my best friend, and I want to spend my life with him.

The Wedding Dress

Today My bridesmaids, mother, sister, and I all went to David's Bridal in search of dresses. I did not really plan on buying a dress, but ended up surprising myself by finding one.

It is really pretty, but the problem is I'm not.

I just don't feel all that pretty. I feel like the dress looks good, but I am just the person in it. The chorus of "you're beautiful", "you don't look fat" is just empty words in my book. Words that they feel must be spoken, but not meant. Even my father's words failed to comfort me.

I also feel stupid.

I feel stupid because of the money spent on the dress. I keep thinking in my head, "That's not just the price of the dress, but the undergarments, veil, and the flower girls dress." This train of thought does little to console me.

Is it normal to feel so sad after picking out a wedding dress? Shouldn't I be happy or at least content?

Here is a picture of me in the dress:

The Bride's Right Hand Ladies

Update: Linda has yet to kill me, and my date is available! April 29th, 2011 it is!

Today I met with my bridesmaids to discuss the wedding and gush about my amazing ideas. The ideas were received well, but the wedding seemed far from anyone's mind. They continued to get off subject! This, while very petty, drove me crazy. I am very business oriented, and there was a job to be done! I eventually got them around to discussing the dresses. At first, they were not as specific about their wants. It was all "whatever you want is fine with me", but then I made a suggestion. No! They were not having it. They wanted something simple, black, below the knee, to the elbow sleeve, no fuss, no crap, and pretty as well as cheap.

With all this buzzing in mind, I finally begged one of them to come with me to David's Bridal Friday. My mother, sister, and I were going anyway to get myself sized and try on a few different styles of dresses (even though I had already spotted the dress of my dreams). Bev agreed as well as my MOH, Jennifer.

Here is a dress I like:

Will they like it? Probably not.

Changing the Date...Again

Kevin and I were originally going to be wed on November 29th 2011, the day of our anniversary. So when we decided to go with Rachel's Garden, we realized that in order for the flowers to be in bloom then we would have to move the date. In comes June 29th 2011 and we were both excited about it.

One night, sitting out on the back porch, Kevin's mother goes,"Ya'll do know that the cicadas are coming next year?"

There goes our date, up in smoke.

No way was I going to allow my guests to sit in the garden with these pesky bugs flying all over them and buzzing so loud that they would not be able to hear us say, "I do." Also, think about the reception! It's also sort of outside (half in, half out). Imagine all those bugs crawling everywhere, crawling in the food!

Now the date is April 29th 2011. Kevin and I are content with it, but we hate having to call the venue to change the date. Linda (our venue consultant) will not be too pleased. I am kind of apprehensive of her reaction because she will have to send out the contract again. *Sigh*

Welcome, World!

Hello, and welcome to the wedding of Christina Nelson to Kevin Graham. I would like to invite you to follow me on our journey through the twists and turns of wedding planning.

My name is Christina Nelson, and I am a confessed bookacholic. I have my own book blog, and I have been reading everthing I could get my hands on since my Dad first taught me. I also love history and wish to obtain a history degree. Of course, I am going to fuse these two loves of mine into my wedding.

Our scene: The Hermitage, Home of Andrew Jackson

Our theme: Books.




This is my husband to be, Kevin Graham. He is a huge gamer and a life long Atlanta Braves fan. When we go on our offical honeymoon next March, we will attend an Atlanta Braves spring training game. I bet he is counting down the days until that.

I hope you stick around and watch as we struggle through the planning stage of our wedding. Maybe you can help us!