Wedding Recaps Con't: Boots and Bows Bachelorette Weekend!

I was so blessed with such awesome friends who threw me the perfect low key bachelorette party the September before we got married - it was the end of September and the only time that worked with my travel schedule and our football schedules!

It was actually an entire weekend of events, but I will recap my beautiful Sunday afternoon shower in another post.

The theme for the entire weekend was "Boots and Bows" which was just absolutely perfect! Stuart has called me Boots for years and he bought me my first pair of cowboy boots for my birthday a few years ago. I had requested a bachelorette party that was more fun and preppy than something black and pink and full of "typical" bachelorette items - although a few of those things made it in there ;). They even based the colors off of the tridelta Lilly print!

I ended up heading home the Thursday night before my bachelorette weekend because Heidi flew in from Atlanta and I am SO glad she did - it wouldn't have felt right without her! Friday we just kind of piddled around and hung out around Hampton - my sister and my mom went up to Richmond to get things ready and Saturday morning the rest of the gang followed.

They had rented rooms in a Marriott in downtown Richmond that was a quick walk/cab ride away from everything and it was awesome! When I got there, the room was adorably decorated and I was handed a shirt to change into (as was everyone else :) )!

We headed into Carytown for mani/pedis and then to Nacho Mama's for lunch. There may or may not have been mimosas in the adorable cups my sister designed for us that we carried around with us everywhere. After a late lunch, we headed back to the hotel to relax, hang out and get ready for the night! I think we may have even taken naps :).

They put together a little lingere shower for me before we headed out for the evening - only bag pictures shown here!

Before heading out for the night! My adorable girls - all in their dresses and boots!

Hev

Heidi

Sista sista

Kelley

Coley

Kylee

My sweet, sweet, BFFs!

We had dinner at this amazing place downtown, Sine, and I seriously had THE BEST time there! There are very little pics from the rest of the evening - ha - but my favorite thing ever happened at Sine!

We were the only bachelorette party there at the time and came upstairs to the bar after eating dinner. The leader of the band saw my bride bow/button and my veil crown and asked if there was a bride-to-be in the house. I was DYING of embarrassment at this point and all of my friends pushed me up towards the front so he could see me. He asked me my name and Stuart's name and proceeded to sing a reggae song themed on Stuart and I and our impending wedding. See that bongo above? I spent much of the time he was singing banging on the bongo, laughing hysterically and just had the BEST TIME! He even lead the crowd into a round of "HAPPY" "WEDDING DAY". Seriously, so out of my comfort zone and SO MUCH FUN!

We headed to Tobacco Company after Sine and spent several hours just dancing and enjoying some beverages. I got to grind to old school Usher with all my best girlfriends and two sweet girls that I know that live in Richmond came to join in the fun as well - Caitlyn, my sister's best friend since birth and a girl who is like a sister to me, and Alexandra, a girl from Tech that Nat and I both know!

The rest of the evening ended in a blur, but it was the perfect bachelorette weekend for me! Low key, with my best girlfriends and full of laughs and good times.

Wedding Recaps Continued: Tailgate Couples Shower

Disclaimer: I know it has been a while :). I am traveling for work and I want to make sure I have recaps of all of our wonderful wedding festivities! I am going to try my hardest to get these done over the next few weeks.

My parent's bffs/my second parents/our "home" church pastor and his wife were so sweet to throw us a couples shower the August before we got married! It was a "house divided" shower - which was SO perfect! Everything was decorated in orange, maroon and navy. Unfortunately, it rained that day and dropped 20 degrees so I had to go out a buy a new Hokie themed outfit - so sad ;).

We were SO blessed with the people who attended and the gifts they brought. It was such a fun shower full of laughs and adding the boys in for one of them made it much more entertaining ;).

The groomsmen who were able to make it - Mike on the end came all the way down from New York! Our DC friends/groomsmen were stuck in traffic for 5 hours that day trying to come down for the shower. They arrived right at the end and we ended up going back to Stuart's parent's house to spend some time with them that night :).

My wonderful sister and MOH!

My "local" bridesmaids who were able to attend :).

Our wonderful hostess holding a board they made for us with "game day" advice :)

Even Miss Hallie made it down with her momma because her firefighter daddy was working that day (and she brought some drool for Stuart's shirt too, haha).

The famjam!

 The "sibs"

Wearing our house divided apparel - me in maroon skirt/orange cardigan and Stuart in navy shorts and a navy and orange checked button down. We tried to be subtle but still representing our teams!

Wedding Recap: My First Shower - Monograms and Mimosas

My first shower was thrown by some of my first friends - my childhood best friend from church and her mom, and the daughters and wife of my dad's best friend growing up (and all around family friends). 

If there is anything I love - it's monograms and they were sweet enough to throw me a "Monograms and Mimosas" shower in August. It was my first shower and I was actually really nervous!

They seriously could not have done a cuter job - EVERYTHING had monograms on it, from the food to the decor. I LOVED it. And I know they are all avid blog readers, so Ky, Jen, Katie, Miss Mary and Miss Sidney - THANK YOU!

I got some adorable stuff that is now hanging up all over our house. One of our friends noted that Stuart would never forget his last name, or initials ;).

Yep, that is monogrammed toilet paper. Should have seen Stuart's face when I came home with that ;). He knows now it is just decorative!

Some of my favorite people came too - unfortunately, I didn't get pictures with all of them.

Nicole, my matron of honor (and Hallie's momma)

Heather, my little bit!

Another Heather, bridesmaid and awesome photographer!

Kylee, bridesmaid and one of the hostesses!

And look who made it, in theme of course (don't worry - that was the first thing I bought for her, ordered from my phone in the hospital room ;) ), Hallie girl!

Another of Kylee and I - she had just gotten engaged. We, of course, have been planning to be engaged together since we were about 5 years old. She is getting married in April and I am lucky enough to be one of her bridesmaids!

I have been so blessed by some of the best friends (and family) a girl could ask for. This was a wonderful shower!

Oh, Hey - We're Married!

So the last time I posted was AUGUST. That's been a while don't ya think?

A few things have happened since then - a promotion, an awesome bachelorette party/bridal shower weekend, plenty of college football, our rehearsal dinner, and oh wait - our WEDDING!

I thought I would go ahead and post some of my bridals that were taken back in August that I just adore :). I got them taken in Blacksburg, ya know, my most favorite place on the planet by an awesome photographer! Laura, from Laura's Focus Photography did a great job and was so sweet and great to work with!

This one is the one I chose to have put on a canvas for our house - Stuart loves it except for the fact that I am not smiling so now I have to choose another one ;). Typical!

My dad got this dog when I was born and my very first Christmas picture was taken with it (when I was 3 weeks old). This was my gift to him. :)

Duhhh - had to get one (or several) in front of Lane!

The football was my gift to Stuart - signed by Mike London, head coach of UVA's football thing. If anything was going to prove my love and devotion to him, that was it ;). 

I have SOOOOO many things to recap that I don't want to forget!!