Secret Cheers

I've written about this before, and seeing as how we are LDS...that means weddings galore every Spring/Summer time. This summer we had the pleasure of attending Callie & Jesse's wedding in the San Diego temple and Aj & Rachel's wedding in the Los Angeles temple. I'm super happy that we just happened to be working in California this summer which meant that we were able to attend both of these weddings, score! I love visiting the temple because it brings such peace to my heart amidst the whirlwind of life and I also love being able to share in the joy that is my friends being eternally bound to their sweethearts. To be honest, I'm always a little selfish when it comes to my friend's weddings...because I secretly always cheer to myself "Hooray, for more married friends! I get to put together even MORE awesome parties and group dates! Muhahaha! {I don't know why there is an evil laugh, but there just is}."
Well, it's not much of a secret anymore...

Cardstore Goodies

I had the opportunity to review any card of my choice from Cardstore, with any special customizations or additions included. I liked the site so much that I just ended up purchasing an additional card! They have such an adorable collection of birthday, wedding, various congratulations cards, and more. You can customize the inside of the card with your own personal message, and even add pictures! The site is extremely user-friendly, reasonably priced {$3 average, with envelope included} and the delivery is lighting speed. After I put in my order, it was delivered within 3 days. Seeing as how I had a wedding this past week and another next weekend, I was excited to peruse the wedding card selection and I was not disappointed! 

Go on over and check out Cardstore :)

*One card was courtesy of Cardstore. All opinions are my own.*

The Story of Us: The Dress + A Father's Blessing {Part 17}

We flew down the 3rd weekend of February and had a jam-packed 2 & a half days planned!
Wedding dress shopping, a dermatologist appointment, and Ryan asking permission from my dad to marry my awesome self.

My wedding dress shopping experience was interesting to say the least. I had tried on a couple of *ahem* "modest" dresses in Utah and was horrified with the fit. These "modest" dresses obviously didn't like to accommodate a bust-line, which I obviously have. Suffice it to say, I looked like a stuffed sausage or like I was wearing a potato sack and was therefore discouraged with dress shopping.

Luckily, my mom had done some prep work before my weekend in CA {of course}, and found a Vera Wang line of dresses at David's Bridal that was inspired by the movie "My Fair Lady" featuring Audrey Hepburn {my absolute favorite movie of all time & one of my absolute favorite designers}...so it was pretty much meant to be! I took my mom and Aunt Carol, tried on the first dress and that was it. DONE. I tried on a couple other dresses just for fun...but the first dress was definitely it. It complemented my shape PERFECTLY and looked like it had been made just for me. The only issue? It was strapless.

I was encouraged by the non-LDS saleswomen to wear a bolero with the Vera Wang dress...over my dead body. I may be overdramatic, but what is the point of purchasing a gorgeous dress then ruining the integrity of it by throwing a cheap bolero over the top?! Despite my disgust with the idea of a bolero, I still needed sleeves on my dress to make it appropriate in order to be married for all time & eternity in the San Diego temple. Thankfully, my dress was saved by a extremely talented woman in my home ward who had offered to add sleeves and to do alterations on my dress as a wedding present. She even has a post on her sewing blog about how she did it, it's super cool!

After procuring the dress, I had a dermatologist appointment to attend. They did the typical "you're butt white and we need to look at the bazillion moles you have on your body" test, when I noticed something strange on my right forearm. I pointed out the suspicious mole to my doctor, then he scraped it off and sent it out for testing.

We are now almost to the close of our weekend...we are leaving Sunday afternoon and I'm still wondering when Ryan was going to ask my dad for permission {yet again, I'm lacking some major patience}. He randomly disappears Saturday night...and it hits me, THIS IS IT. My dad had cornered Ryan upstairs and I was sooo tempted to creep up there to eavesdrop on what was being said. What the heck was going on?! After almost 3 hours, they both walked into the living room all smiles :) Permission had been granted under many conditions, one of them being that Ryan would make sure I finished my college degree {like that was ever in question??}.

After our short & productive weekend we jet our way back to school to start making more plans...but how much planning can I even get done without a ring on my finger?!

a vintage carnival wedding

I'm gonna guess real quick what you are thinking right now:

"Bri. What the crap. Another wedding post?!" 

Think about it though...

I'm Mormon.

It's summer time.

And we like to get married in between school semesters.

That's whats up.

If you were also thinking just how many weddings I've been in?

 Zannie's at the end of April in Las Vegas.

Alexa's the beginning of August in Phoenix.

And just recently {as of last Saturday} Nikole's wedding in Provo :)

They got married under a gazebo, in a cute 'lil park with a wooden bridge, duck pond, and river.
Nikole's brother played the guitar as the little ring & flower boys dressed as vintage page boys walked down the aisle tossing petals, then they were followed by Nikole in her gown.
The ceremony was touching and just so tender & sweet.

I even saw Ryan tearing up...shhhh, don't tell him I posted that ;)

Their theme?

A vintage carnival wedding.

Filled with lots of purple and cream colors.

Tulle poof balls, purple roses, lace, pinwheel boutonnieres and bouquets, and suspenders.

Too cute!!!

Plus, Nikole...MY NEW SISTER, looked absolutely goooorgeous in her gown :)

The bridesmaids dresses were all from Modcloth.

We each decked them out with our own little touches!

 Mine were some lace-up espadrilles, a sparkly gold belt and a sparkly gold Francesca's necklace.

It made for the casual/vintage feel.

I totally loved the dress & can't wait to wear it more in the fall with some tights, boots, and sweaters!!!

Can you tell that I'm already excited for fall weather?!

We are soooo excited for the new Rios clan & are so happy for them!

Wahoo for more married friends!

<3 Bri

Ring Switcheroo

 

{San Diego ring which I wear when I'm feeling blingy that day}

Thank you all so much for your support from yesterday's post!

I went to my dermatologist appointment with husband and brother in tow, got all my angel kisses checked out, and there is nothing alarming as of right now.

Phew!

I took the picture above a while ago, recently ran across it and loved how it photographed!

The pic is my wedding ring...ok, one of many.

I'll explain :)

I have a few different rings I go between.

The vintage aquamarine & diamond ring that my mom gave to me when I was young, the Wal-Mart ring Ryan proposed to me with, and a ring he got me in San Diego last Christmas.

 

{Ring Ryan proposed with, which I wear when I'm feeing gangsta}

Pretty much we are going to be poor college students/newlyweds for a while and I could not see any reason for going into $5,000 worth of debt over some sparkly thing on my finger.

I figure it'll be way fun on our 5th anniversary to be on vacation and be proposed to all over again with the ring of my choice!

In the meantime, I'll improvise :)

Maybe I'll have to pick up this ring next...

Would you rather have your dream ring right now and be in debt, or wait?

<3 Bri

Benexa Wedding Part 3

Part 1//Part 2

After a truly awesome vacation in Phoenix, it was time to head home.

I consumed about 5 of those delish McDonald's cones pictured above during our Arizona adventure.

They taste that much more amazing in 100 degree heat!

On the way home we got some pics of us in front of the Grand Canyon.
So gorgeous in person!
This vacation was one of the first times in a while where I have really been able to relax.
Ryan, after the trip said that he enjoyed me in "vacation mode" because I seize the day or just enjoy the moment.

So, now I'm working on enjoying the moment everyday :)
Two days after we got home from Arizona, I packed up my bag and hopped a plane to California.
 Can't wait to share my Cali pictures with all of you!
HAPPY WEEKEND! 

<3 Bri

Benexa Wedding Part 2

 

I'm pretty much gonna attack you with some more wedding pics, cause who doesn't like that?

Here is Part 1 to the Arizona trip!

One of my best friends Alexa got married to her bestest friend Ben in the LDS Mesa temple.

It was...get this, 108 DEGREES OUTSIDE.

GROSSSSSSSSSS.

No one really cared about the heat because the new Mr & Mrs Tateoka came out of the temple all glowing and smiles!
Finally a married couple!!!
Woot woot for more married friends! :)

Here is our little car pool group: Cody, Alex, myself and Ryan.
Seriously one of the funnest groups to hang with!

We had ourselves a blast: eating at IHop at 1 in the morning, frantically searching JCPennys for suspenders, showing up late to the wedding and to the luncheon, then showing up early to the reception, dancing our bums off on the dance floor, exploring Downtown Phoenix, listening to live music, eating delish breakfast burritos, and chilling in the pool with the hot as hell temperature. 

The reception hall was absolutely stunning, it completely embodied the Spanish theme that Ben & Alexa were going for, very very classy!

I totally bawled during the father/daughter dance, loved the nostalgia of Benexa's video telling how the met, fell in love then how Ben proposed, and definitely enjoyed Ben singing Chicago's "You're the Inspiration" with background dancers to Alexa.

For sure one of the best wedding's I've ever been too :)
Stay tuned for the last installment of the Benexa wedding!

<3 Bri 

Benexa Wedding Part 1

If you haven't noticed, I've been gone for ohhhhhh about 5 days.

At least from the blog world!!

I was a tad bit busy carpooling 10 hours down to Phoenix, Arizona, hitting up the wedding, checkin' out Phoenix nightlife and food, sleeping, poolin' it up, and driving back to Provo, Utah.

Other than that it's been pretty boring.

Ryan & I carpooled with a choice group and had a blast on the way down.

We stopped in Kanab at a 'lil cafe called Rocking V.

We all decided to try out the Buffalo Burgers, they were absolutely deeee-lish but at 18 bucks worth?

Pretty much almost had a heart attack when I got the check.

GUL!

We continued on our journey through Southern Utah, Flagstaff, then finally landed in Phoenix around 7pm on Wednesday night.

Thursday we took it easy because we knew the wedding festivities of Friday would kick our butts.

So we chilled in the pool, went to JCPenny's for suspenders, took naps, ate yummy breakfast burritos with the soon to be married couple, and then Thursday night we decided to drive around Downtown Phoenix to check it out.

We drove by this huge blue tornado lookin' thing and heard some pretty rockin' musica, so we knew  we had to stop!

Ricky Martin and John Mayer covers galore!

All in 90 degree heat.

Yes, AT NIGHT.

I swear I was sweating 24/7, it's a really hot look.

{so punny!}

Then we drove through Mickey D's for some DC's and headed home to hit the sheets to prepare for the wedding festivities to come :)

<3 Bri

Ooh-la-la!

This is the invite I made for Nikole {my future sis-in-law's} bridal shower.

I'm not a computer whiz or graphic designer by any means, but I'm pretty dang proud of it!

I even downloaded different fonts to make it all cute, look at me go; being all nerdy.

It's gonna be a Lingerie Party, which of course can turn out kinda kinky...

but it's gonna be in a classy way! 

The theme of Nikole's wedding is Vintagey-carnival.

Way cute, huh??

The colors are purple & creams, which would look way cute with a mustard yellow accent. 

I am planning lots of burlap flags, purple flowers, fondue, games, and a friend sent me this way cute cake topper idea.

Any cute ideas any of you can throw my way?

Games, DIY decor, or thoughtful gifts?

<3 Bri

P.S. Totally loved all your comments on the Cleopatra post, it was way fun to read them all & see where your stance is on scrimp vs. splurge with your hair! :)

Dedicated to: All You Brides Out There

Jack Frost is leaving for the year, the daffodils are starting to grow back, the sundresses are starting to come out, also known as wedding season.

I know you brides are stressed, overwhelmed, and wanting to please everyone...so I figured I would give you a few pointers to keep in mind whilst planning.

I really wish I had someone tell me these things when I was planning!

I'm going on about a year of marriage, so I know what you girls are going through, and I want to help.

Think of me as the bridesmaid who loves you, but is giving you the reality check you really need :)

What do I say if a bridesmaid is throwing a fit about what bridesmaid dress I choose?

First, you tell them that you are sorry they are upset, but remind them that it is your wedding.

You would love for them to be a part, which means purchasing the dress/shoes/jewelry.

The exception to this, is if the dress is hideously out of anyone's price range.

It's not fair to ask them to pay for not only a dress they will only wear once, but to pay for travel fare also.

Everybody is trying to force their wedding opinions on me, what dress/shoes/flowers/music/food/etc. I should pick,

what do I say to them?

If it's your close family and friends, tell them that you appreciate their input, but that it is your wedding. You will take their opinions into account, but ultimately you are going to pick what is best for you.

The exception to this, is if your parents are paying for the bulk of the wedding, then their input matters cause they are funding the event.

My fiance is helping out with wedding decisions, I want him to be a part but his ideas have the possibility of turning out uber tacky.

How do I deal with this?

Ok, I know that you are deeply and eternally in love with your fiance, and you looove his opinion on absolutely everything....

BUT, if he is picking out heinous colors/tuxs/cakes or really anything wedding related, then you need to find a way to incorporate his idea and preference, but not so much that it becomes tacky.

{Example: Ryan wanted absolutely everything possible to be paisley.

If I did everything in paisley, the wedding decor could become a disaster.

So, the groomsmen wore paisley ties, and there was paisley print on the cake. Still classy & cute!}

Jacket, Jeans, Earrings, Scarf: Forever 21//Boots: Magic Step//Long Sleeve Top: Loft

I'm so scared of becoming a bridezilla, but I don't want to be a doormat either. Help!
Know what you want and stand up for it.
It's not being a bridezilla, it's having a backbone and not being a doormat.
You start crossing into bridezilla territory once you start snipping and yelling at everyone.
There is always a nice way to let your family & friends down softly when they offer up ideas that aren't particularly your style.
Just say "I really appreciate your input, and I'll give it some thought. Thanks!"
See how easy that was?!

If you have any wedding related questions, email me at easybreezydays@gmail.com
Good luck! :)

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The Peck Reception

I'd like to welcome you to 

 Mr. and Mrs. Peck's wedding reception :)

{If you missed the wedding post, click here.}

Ready for picture overload?

Keep in mind that all the quilts, desserts, and decor was all made and set-up by family & friends. 

When you have tons of family, why would you hire a wedding crew?!

Such a DIY wedding to the max, and look how beautiful it turned out!

{The sign-in table}

{The candy bar}

{For favors they had little boxes that you could take and "stache" candy in for later}

{The reception line}

{The gift table. Zannie's mom, April, made that quilt on the left, so gorgeous!!}

{Me, Evan, and Jesse just chillin'}

{Zannie handmade all these flower balls out of crepe paper, there was 1-2 on each of the 9 tables. Crazy!}

{The dessert tables, so cute!}

{My 'lil dessert plate}

After the cutting & smashing of the cake, pictures with Zan, and tossing of the bouquet...

they left for their honeymoon in Santa Monica, CA. Hooray!

What was your favorite DIY wedding idea? :)

<3 Bri