dotting the t's and crossing the i's

only ten days left. i'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around that spectacular fact. maybe i don't need to wrap my brain around it so much as i ought to just ride the wave.

i've completed just about everything that can possibly be completed ahead of time. still working on the programs. sewing up a few loose ends (literally + figuratively).

i had my "wedding hair trial" the other day with the always fabulous briana. we darkened my hair just a touch + came up with some truly amazing ideas (i didn't know you could DO that with hair in general, much less my hair in specific). i love briana. she's a hair ninja + a fantastically fun individual.

the family tree is finished, as is the "guestbook." we've got costumes galore for the photobooth (though i am still looking for a remote shutter button -- i'm so out of it, i can't even remember the real name of the thing). board games - check. books - check. a mind-boggling array of bud vases, mason jars, votive holders, lanterns, hurricanes, teacups and candles - check. myriad friends baking up all kinds of yumminess - check, check + check.

last saturday, some of the wedding warriors and i set out for the lyndale farmer's market with one objective: pick out the flowers + get them ordered. little did i know how complicated this seemingly insignificant task would prove. abbey, robbie and kari were amazing, though (no surprise there), and we came up with the most beautiful ideas. let me be the first to say: if you can possibly get away with it, buy all your wedding flowers at the farmer's market. we picked out everything we wanted... no scrimping whatsoever + the total was still surprisingly low. i can't wait to see how everything turns out. i have such amazing friends.

OH! i can't believe i forgot to mention this: tim started his new (old) job on tuesday. he was promptly dispatched on a three-day trip to fargo, minot + several other points west. it's a little silly to me that i can spend so much time with the guy but still instantly miss him the moment he's gone. anyway... he has a job. a good one. thank you, God, for your provision + timing!

on sunday we sat down with mike spencer, who will be performing the ceremony, and wrote out the whole service. every single word. well, you know... with the exception of the homily + the charge to the couple. mike has to (i mean, GETS to) come up with that on his own. it was such fun working on our vows. after we had pieced them all together, i asked tim to read them back to me so i could copy them down in one spot. of course, i started just crying. every single word is so chock full of meaning. not only that, but i honestly mean every single word with every cell in my body. it's not like, "yeah... i guess i can agree with that." it's like, "HECK YES! HECK YES! HECK YES!" no holds barred. no shrinking uncertainty. just joy + excitement + hope + peace.

yes, i'm finally beginning to think that everything might just fall into place... yes. yes, indeed.

cake + dessert ideas

i must be hungry today... because all i can think about is what to have at our dessert smorgasbord.

i do want SOME healthy items...

but we definitely need candy.

i mean, this IS tim heaner's wedding.

mmm... snickerdoodles are my favorite cookie

courtesy of wedding warrior, mary nelson

cookies courtesy of wedding warriors

rachel heaner, robbie lewis, and many, many others

fresh apple pie

with grandma kools' crust recipe

you just can't beat it

trying to be healthy-ish

i can't wait to make my first

peach-blackberry trifle

yummmmm

round little brownies

with raspberries or mint

cheesecake courtesy of wedding warrior, emily short

this is called hummingbird cake

so good it makes you hum

courtesy of wedding warrior, rachel cushing

carrot cake is my favorite cake

coconut cake runs a close second

courtesy of wedding warrior, rachel cushing

ooey, gooey cream puffs

you'll need a napkin or three for these

flourless chocolate goodness

for all my gluten-free people

courtesy of wedding warrior

(and honor corps captain)

bridgitte showell

oh wow. i just can't wait to see all the sugared-up kiddos running around. tim will be chief amongst them.

only 39 days, my friends!

just because it's friday...

i thought i'd post some lovelies to celebrate the end of the longest week in the history of the world. good grief, i'm glad it's friday!

enjoy...

okay... so, normally i'm opposed to cutting up perfectly good books.

but some of mine are beginning to show mold spots.

this would be a lovely way to repurpose them

rather than just throwing them away.

plus, come on... seriously?

books + plants = gorgeous

the most adorable garden stationery suite i've ever seen.

+ wouldn't that butterfly bouquet be PERFECT for a flower girl?

* sigh *

so lovely + whimsical.

i love the shapeliness + simplicity of the vases + the white

so airy.

original cake ideas rock.

this is tim's IDEAL wedding cake.

such a fun idea!

trees are old friends.

wouldn't it be fantastic to be able to pull something like this off

at an indoor venue?

long, swirly veils = love

this is going to be us in less than a month + a half!

happy weekend!!!

hot, sunny days = pent up creativity

it's a beautiful day in minneapolis. sunny + 85 (it was 30 three nights ago).

i want to be outside. by a lake. on a blanket. drawing or reading. sunglasses at the ready (to reduce the white-paged glare that often disturbs the outdoor reading/writing/drawing thing).

instead, i'm auditing claim after claim in a stuffy office building. the office atmosphere isn't stuffy... just the air in the building. i am grateful to have a job. but... there are honestly days where i'd rather be doing anything else.

so to stave off i'm-stuck-at-the-office blues, i'm posting some ideas that i stumbled upon during the weekend. hope you enjoy!

i really like the color scheme + bell jars. the old clock is adorable.

yummy summer-y treats!

i think i'll do something akin to the image on the left

with the tall cocktail tables at my reception.

though, i'll use a different color ribbon...

hello?

vegetables as centerpieces = genius

*sigh*

my friend, abbey, sent me this photo + the next

of some lovely summer arrangements she made.
love.

love, love.

love, love, love, love...

LOVE!

some more lovelies

i've been finding FANTASTIC ideas online. places like
http://apartment34.blogspot.com/,
http://greenweddingshoes.blogspot.com/,
http://bklynbrideonline.com/,
+ my personal fave http://www.i-do-it-yourself.com/.

i thought i would share some of them. even if i don't use them in my wedding... they're just too gorgeous -- hafta spread the love.

umm... hello?

what a simple, inexpensive + completely ingenious idea!

*sigh*

there's something so soothing + lovely about candlelight.

i appreciate the mismatched lanterns

on the shepherd's hooks.

what is it about muted colors and beautifully bound books?

i like that the stem part
(i'm sure there's a really snooty official word for this,
i just don't happen to know it)
of the bouquet above is so slender.
not a fan of the bouquets that feel like
you're carrying a football.


okay...
not a slender stemmy-bouquet-thingy.
but i adore the embroidered handkerchief.
adore.

i'm not sure if i've made it clear that we're back to an evening wedding.

yes.

7 p.m.

you can now mark your calendars in ink.

we're going to do the reception right at the church. i had thought about trying to do it at some really cool loft or art studio in northeast, but the expense + the time commitment for the attendees were major deterrents.

we are still planning on a humongous dessert buffet.

none of the pictures below quite capture what i'm thinking of,

but they give the gist.

i'm open to new thoughts and ideas. or tweaks on what i'm showing you.

let me know if you've seen something totally wonderful.

i LOVE brainstorming!!!