1 Day

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Here I am.

I will be married tomorrow forever after. I am not nervous, but the butterflies in my tummy are Amazonian.

I feel so many, many things.
I am happy to tears constantly; I am so excited; and I am so sure of Shawn and Me.

I just know that Shawn is the right man for me; everyday I am reminded when we discuss everything from having kids to what to eat for dinner. It helps that we agree on most things, but it is nice that even if we don't agree we always work through everything in a respectful and loving way.
We have worked so hard for so long at this wedding that we are strangely ready to be over it! Don't get us wrong; we are looking forward to the wedding more than anything we have anticipated thus far in our lives, but we're ready for the marriage. We want life to be quiet again so we can snuggle down like bunnies with our animals and watch Adult Swim at night until we fall asleep.
Honestly, we're just ready to take our life back from wedding planning! Before wedding planning, being bunnies daily was our Common law Status. After we're married things will go back to that status but we'll be able to do things we want to do like fix up our (soon-to-be found)New House together and get scars from it. We want to have babies and raise them into big people. We want to walk together, holding hands forever. We'll be living just like it was, but now it's in 3-D! WE are not changing, the status of the RELATIONSHIP will be.
We are making a promise to be together forever no matter what. Just as people change, feelings change; you cannot simply marry for emotional reasons alone. It is not enough. Marriages go through periods of YEARS where things might be just "not the same as before" but the couples who stay together during those rough spots usually fall in love with their spouses all over again.
My only advice to married people: love the other person as you want to be loved, and stay together. For better or worse.
You swore!

So on this day, my last day as a single lady, to all my single ladies: Just don't rush your life to get to any point, whether it be married or any other status. Waiting forever for Mr. Right is better than having a beautiful short-lived wedding with Mr. RightNow.
And always remember that everything happens for a reason! Everything.

I love you all, and all your words of support and kindness have really changed my life. I wish I could hug you all in person and share what you each have personally given me. You're beautiful!

Big Mo' is Flooding, but it's all good!

Although our specific venue location is undisclosed for another 8 days(!) I have shared that it is on the Missouri River. Well, folks when all the snow melts, where do you think it goes? In the river!

Photo by Josh Korth for KVNO

Due to the incredible amount of snow and rain we have experienced in our region, the Missouri River is expected to rise to a depth of around 36 feet by the end of June. There is a landing near our venue that is currently flooded! It has been shut down and all its events through July canceled. We are so lucky that the flood gates line the area directly between that landing and our venue! They are designed to hold the water that is surely and swiftly coming!

Photo by Josh Korth for KVNO

We are also in the upstairs of the venue so we are on higher ground and will not be flooded out! We are so fortunate because I have heard of area brides having to move their venues already.
Keep Calm and Marry On, right?!

2 Weeks Until We're Married Bunnays!

14 Days Until We're Married!

Our Birdcage cardholder is done! This was Shawn's Grandma's birdcage from her canary, Tweety. It was destined for garbage last summer until I spoke up and took it, not knowing at the time what it would end up as. Now look at it. Shawn is entirely responsible for the cleaning, drying (with the air compressor!) and painting the whole thing.

He even cut out a cardboard circle for the bottom because he thought it would be more stable. All I did was literally hot glue a few things on it.

The moss bunnies are done, also! They started out with green gingham ribbons around their necks and pink flower eyes. They're HiLLjO+Shawn-licious now! Shawn's mommy painted the eyes and noses and I glued on the bow ties.

I got my Bride's bag in the mail!!! I ordered it from etsy shop Pinkvelvetpress. They made me a custom listing for my order and it was here on time! The bag is only around $12 and they have it in all different colors. You can even customize the color and style of the font! I was very happy with my bag!!!

16 Days to Go!

2 Weeks and 2 Days Until Bunnays is Married!



Favorite Things : Etsy's Unfound Treasures

artfuldesignsbykarin.etsy.com

I love etsy! It's definitely no secret. But did you know there's special searches you can do on etsy? One search function I really enjoy is the one where it takes you to shops that haven't had a sale yet. One shop I found was artfuldesignsbykarin. She makes the most beautiful shell ring dishes! They would be perfect for a ring warming ceremony accessory.



They are so dainty and lovely! They would be a great substitute for a ring bearer pillow as well at a beachy wedding! Perfect for the summer coming up!

So if you're in need of a nautical ring holder for any reason go and see artfuldesignsbykarin.etsy.com!!!

So Much to Update!!!

This weekend was again a very busy one. We took a cue from last weekend and weren't quite so rough on ourselves. We also took some time out for a bunnytime date on Sunday night to see Bridesmaids! Shawn really is my BFF for taking me to that movie on a date! It was surprisingly funny, though!
Friday I received my lilafrances hanger that says "mrs finley" for my wedding dress. People, I cried. I opened it and just ran my hands over it. It was made just for this future mrs finley and no one else has it! It is for my wedding dress alone. It's one material possession that transcends a material meaning.

We also went out on Saturday seeking to purchase Shawn's wedding band once and for all. We went to the mall, tried on each and every men's ring in the whole mall until we found the one that Shawn liked best. It looks so amazing on him and next to mine as well.

We attempted to dye my crinoline yellow... not so good. It didn't take very much dye!!! My cardigan I dyed along with it to match turned out lovely, though. I'm going to attempt to overdye the crinoline bright yellow again tonight. There are more updates but I'm going to be writing about more throughout the day!

Stay tuned!

I'm keeping this FOREVAR!

You can see this on the left sidebar below!!!

...The final countdown.



1 Month to Go

Anne Nguyen

So many things are going through my mind right now.
And I'm happy.

Flower Girl Baskets - DIY Tutorial #7

I finally got my rear in gear and finished an easy DIY.

For supplies:

2 flower girl baskets

Yellow Grosgrain Ribbon

Hot glue gun + sticks

Fake flora

Instructions:

If your flower girl baskets are shoddy quality (like mine unknowingly were!) secure any loose panels/handles with hot glue and apply light pressure.

Next, practice placing the ribbon on your basket so that it will lay flat all the way around. Place a dot of hotglue in the center of the front and attach your ribbon there. Add a glue spot to the middle of each side while you wrap your ribbon around it to make sure it's secure.

Next, make your bow stylistically. Meaning: don't make a real bow, just one that looks supernatural-perfect.

So first make a little loop and secure it with glue. Then cut a piece to cover the middle. Then position it so it is perfectly in the middle. Wrap the edges and secure them with hot glue.

You should have something like this:

Then just glue this guy onto the basket ribbon.

So cute!!! Not quite done, though. Add some fake flora (not too much!!!) and you're good to go. I'm storing mine in the bags they came in so that they stay nice and safe! Plus it recycles the bags!







Terra Cotta Bunnay - DIY UPDATE!

Shawn's momma Donna just MMS'd me these photos of our Inity Ceremony planter!!! OMG it's perfect!!! She also would like to put our names + date on the bottom! So cute!
What do you think between before and after?!


BEFORE



AFTER



LOOK AT THAT BUNNAY LIP!!!

I know it's silly but this is the planter of my dreams!!! It's one of those magical details that just makes this truly my dream wedding. I just love this. 

Pre-Wedding Solah Shringar

Solah Shringar is a beautifying process that Hindu brides go through before their wedding. I am starting my Solah Shringar before the wedding by a month. It's my little beauty regimen to keep myself on track while the stress from everything is trying to push me off of it!
About 2 weeks ago I started washing my face religiously. EVERY night no matter how tired I am I will wash my face and put my hair up to keep it off my face while I sleep. NO exceptions after May 10, 2011 which is the 1 month to-go point. I have also made a rule that I am not to pick at my nails after this time! This is especially hard for me because I always pick my nails and cuticles. I'm going to help myself with this by buying a nail file to smooth and snags right away. That way I won't pull at them and lose all my progress.
I have also started to moisturize my skin more completely in addition to my well-moisurized face. If I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I reapply moisturizer to my face while I'm up! Try it!

You may/probably do not know that I don't use shampoo! I am what they call "no-poo." Basically if I use shampoo my scalp gets VERY dry from all the sulfates that irritate the sensitive skin up there. So every two days I use a mixture of baking soda and water to make a "shampoo" paste that I scrub my hair/scalp with. It is what the Egyptians used to make for shampoo I learned! After I rinse it with super-warm water I use a regular store-bought conditioner. In between washings I brush my hair with a natural bristle brush twice a day to distribute the natural oils.

I want to give my hair a nice shine, smell and feel on my wedding day. I've been looking for sulfate-free shampoos and found a shampoo and conditioner set this past weekend at the Omaha Health Expo. It has NO sulfates in it and contains cherry bark, almond and ostrich oil. It smells wonderful; I can't wait to use it!
I also have scheduled a body polish the day before the wedding, a facial for 2 weeks before the wedding and two tanning sessions at level IV for 4 days before and 2 weeks before the wedding!
The best thing is most of this I saved for and it's already paid! The second-best thing: My procedures I had to schedule are all under $100. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Royal Wedding Watching Party

So I haven't been the most interested person concerning the hubub about the Royal Wedding... until today. I naturally wokeup and posted the first pics early, but we did have a party. Me, Mama Kitty, Ava and Lucy all attended.

Great Capture by the Cameraman. She's just taking it all in...

As are Mama Kitty and Ava, on the couch next to me.

First full view of the back!

Lucy demanded VIP seating directly in front of the TV.

Finally together... after 4 minutes walking down the aisle!!!

Kate holding her Dad's hand. Artful bouquet shot, no?

I'll only be obsessed today, but boy is it fun to be in love with this wedding like the rest of the world today.

Kate's Dress!

I  had the... ah, urge to wake up this morning at around 4:40 AM so I decided to stay up and wait to spy THE dress! Here it is!

I love her veil!!! Her tiara is perfect and her dress is classy, beautiful and stylish.

Love her bouquet full of ivory and green fluff and fillers. Looks awesome with the dress.

I LOVE inspiration boards!

I absolutely love gray + anycolor. When my old friend Megan told me she was getting married, I made this up for her with my custom google search results and google images!

This one is fresh!

Citrus Twist Moodboard

Happy Earth Day!

I coudln't resist my favorite toy, the BHLDN moodboard maker. Today I was inspired by citrus colors, textures and shapes. Chunky, round and citrus-colored, I hope you enjoy my latest inspiration!

50 Days

I can't believe time is going so fast that it's already the 50-Day mark.

It seems like we just mailed out the invites.

Now we're already starting to get RSVPS's back!

Be sure to check for new Weddzilla later!!!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!! ENDS 4/30/11 at 11:59 CST!!!

HOJASU IMAGINATIONS

Hojasu Imaginations is a freelance company owned by Josh Gray whom specializes in professional video services. Professional video projects range from commercials, trailers, movies, TV shows, art features, news features, professional wedding videos, music videos and more!

Anyone who is in the Omaha, Nebraska area should seriously contact Josh for any videographing/video editing needs. Not only does he have the latest and greatest software, but he is a great guy and friend to our family! He will be videographing Shawn & I's wedding so you know I think he's good! Stop by his link here and give him a visit!

Welcome, Josh, to the Daisy to Sunflower sidebar!

DIY Wedding Dress Details

So I missed the 75 Days point... 'scuse myself!

Depending on how often or how much you read, you may know I am customizing the bizingo out of my wedding dress. Besides the tailoring of the front hem, the dress is finished. So here is the consolidated list and latest progress on the Dress DIY Styling front.

1. The crinoline was removed and prepped to be dyed. If you missed that hilarity, you can still read here.
2. The lace-up ribbon has been purchased.
3. The bunny doilies that are to be attached to the train are made!

They are the newest addition to the pile of  DIY stuff that I'll wear. So far in that pile is the Headpiece, the garter, the Something Old Hanky, and now the bunnies! I have to keep it on the shelf because Ruined DIY due to kitties=Bridezilla Hilljo. It's as if Mama Kitty and her kitts have wedding project-seeking radar used to find sleeping locations. No matter; it's on the shelf!

This Week's Pre-Summary + BHLDN Favorite Things

Hi, all. I sincerely apologize for my lapse of posts this week ahead of time. Shawn was sick from Friday and on through today still. I thought he had food poisoning so I took a vacation day off work Friday and stayed bed-ridden with him all weekend. So I was around his coughing and sneezing and fluids... and now I suspect he had the flu, as I am now starting some symptoms. I am also moving to a new department in my company this week. So I'll be busy, busy, busy 'til it is Friday once more!

For now, I will let you know: BHLDN has started a moodboard function on its website similar to Style Me Pretty's (although NOTHING is like Style Me Pretty boards!!!) where you can upload your own inspiration, and then go nuts with their product. I tried that avenue this morning with two very different boards. One is april showers-inspired and one is may blush colored flowers-inspired.

April Showers

Bring Blush Colored May Flowers

GO LOOK AND MAKE ONE!!!

Mason Jar Centerpieces

My mother in law, Donna went with me on my first wedding-related DIY shopping trip back in August/September. We went to Hobby Lobby because I was so overwhelmed by where to start planning that I couldn't come up with anything! SO not like me (I'm lucky my mom and my future second mom are both crafty)!
We were focusing on table decorations first. I knew I didn't want flowers on the table necessarily, nor anything else that impedes conversation due to size.
Luckily Donna asked the Million Dollar Question: "What do you like?"
I answered simply, "Mason Jars."
"Let's do jar centerpieces then."
"Okay!"
They're short enough to talk over, easy to find and afford, and you can customize the bizingo out of them. How would we choose to customize them, though?
Donna said she had experience glass painting so we went to the book section and found a book on hand painted glasses.

We liked the look of one design on stemless wine glasses.

She thought we could swap out the flowers in the design with sunflowers to make it match. We also thought a candle would be nice inside to bounce off the glass later in the evening and double as lighting! She added a ribbon around the threads and it was perfect.

When we went to the venue to look around and eventually book it, the venue coordinator, Kari, shared with us that she had centerpiece accessories. They ended up being perfect for our jars. Kari has table mirrors and clear pebbles to use on the tables! For no charge! YEE!!!
Over the last 6 months Donna has bought everything to make the centerpieces and ended up painting a case of Mason jars+ and also painting tiny sunflowers on a truckload of blue pebbles.

They look so amazing.
I can't wait to see how amazing they all look together on the tables!