Making Photo Books

Don't you just hate it when someone goes and messes up a good thing. 

Before the wedding, I created our guest book using Sam's Club's Photo Center online. 

It was so easy. The book turned out great, and it was rather inexpensive. 

Fast forward a few months later and I am ready to make a few similar books with our wedding photos. 

I would really like to have a getting ready book, a ceremony book and a reception book. 

I know that's overkill but it sure would be nice! 

However, my beloved Sam's Club has since "update" their photo centers online photo book making situation.  I am less that thrilled. Sure, it was more high-tech... I guess in some people's point of view that is a good thing, but y'all, I just like to keep it simple! 

Does anyone have any simple/inexpensive ideas/sources for photo book making? 

What have you used before? 

Although my mother would be devastated for me to use anyone other than Sam's Club I am on the prowl for what is easiest.  

Here is what I am looking for:

-no backgrounds

-no picking from 8 million layout options

-no butterflies

-no bubble font 

-a full-photo cover option 

Rawr, why do people have to mess up a good thing?

Thanks in advance for help! 

xo, 

Mrs. H 

The Time C's Truck Got Stolen

Yes, you read that title correctly. 

I have been meaning to post about this for weeks now, 

but I have been a little busy with life. 

It is so unfair that no one ever really told me that being a grown-up isn't all that easy. 

Mrs. Charlotte had a nice little chat about this little fact the other day. 

I am so glad someone else can relate. 

Back to the title...

The Thursday morning after Mother's Day.. I believe May 8th or 9th..

C walked out of our front door to head to work and found that his precious truck was not where he had left it the night before (our driveway)! It simply was just NOT there. 

The strangest thing that has ever happened to us. 

The night prior, I arrived at home around 10pm from sorting through wedding photos with my mother. When I got to our house C's truck was in the driveway so I parked in the yard beside him knowing that he would need to leave for work a tad earlier that I would the next morning. Hindsight sure is 20/20.. maybe if I had parked behind him it would not have been stolen.. OR maybe my car would have been instead! 

Regardless, I called the police. They came. We filed a report. C called the insurance company and got the ball rolling on filing the claim. Hopefully it will not be much longer before we receive a check for the missing automobile. It seems that the insurance company likes to give the local authorities an entire MONTH to find the thing before they will count it as a total loss. In the meantime, C has been driving a lovely rental car, a Chevy Impalla, and car shopping online every 15 minutes. But, boy, is it hard to shop when you have no idea how much money you will be getting from insurance/ when that check will arrive! 

I know, it is some crazy shit. Life sure is never boring being married to this one. 

Hide yo cars, hide yo trucks, you never know when there are gangstas on the loose in your hood. 

xo, 

Mrs. H

F21

Well, oops.

Seems like I have fallen off the Wedding Recap bandwagon.

Promise I will get back to that soon-ish.

In the meantime, I fell like I have got to fill yall in on a dirty little secret:

my favorite place to shop.

Forever 21.

I know, I know.

But really, y'all.

Sometimes they have really great shiz.

Recently I have been on the hunt for some cheap summer "thow on, go anywhere, do anything dresses" and let me tell you what. There is no better place for this than F21.

Here are some of my recent finds!

here

here

I got both of these gems in the mail last night. Love them both and you seriously cannot be the price. BOTH are under 16 bones. SIXTEEN! Can you even believe that?

I also got this guy in the mail

here

Although very cute and cheap. The cut was less than flattering.

I plan on swinging by there after work today to return this little number and scope the racks.

Wish me luck!

xo,

Mrs. H

My Wedding Day Part Four?

I'm starting to lose count of wedding posts. 

Sorry, about that. 

I really want to make sure I write down everything I remember! 

Feel free to blow through the abundance of wedding blah. 

Guests were arriving.

So, the wedding guild members had come for my mom and my maids. 

I met my dad at the end of the stairs, and we walked down through the breeze way to the side door of the church. In front of me were my bridesmaids lined up and ready to go. 

Perpendicular to them, 

C's groomsmen lined up and ready to go. 

Our priests (yes, we had two), our awesome bagpiper and other members of our full processional were also on standby. It wasn't long before I heard the music that I had chosen for the seating of the mothers start up. 

If there is one thing that I loved about our church; it is the organ. Y'all that thing can make some music -- some loud, beautiful music. Thinking about hearing those songs I listened to on YouTube so, so, so many times being played by that organ, the sign that things were really getting started, gives me chills. 

side note: my sweet 10-year-old nephew sat my mother. 

It was really sweet. 

Then the bagpiper's tune began. Boy, was it awesome. He played Love Divine, one of my favorites. He played as he processed down the aisle, finished his tune in front of the altar, and then escaped from view out of a side door. 

Next, the bridal party's march began and slowly the groomsman started to disappear from my view.

My girls began to turn around, blow kisses, wave goodbye, whisper "I love you", and start their procession to the altar. Soon, all that was left was my sweet big sister, my Matron of Honor. 

A wedding guild member escorted us out of the cold and breezy breezeway, and we made our way to the aisle.

We stopped. 

I locked eyes with C, well, because I was pretty sure it was the only way I was going to be able to make it down that aisle. For those not-yet-weds, I don't know how to explain this moment. Literally, all eyes are on you. I mean look, my dad's eyes are even on me at this point. I had to keep my eyes on C. I had to keep my eyes on the prize; 

and we were off, 

all while I was whispering to Dad "slowly, daddy, very slowly".

The sequins on my shoes were sticking to tulle of my dress! 

Somehow, we managed to make it up there. 

Dad did such a great job, and he even remembered his line: "her mother and I do"; he had a hard time with that one at rehearsal. 

We exchanged traditional wedding vows from the Book of Common Prayer. 

We had two lesson readings and one Gospel reading. 

We prayed. 

We exchanged rings.

And we were married!

We marched on outta there, and C only tripped on my dress once!

We escaped to the back of the church, made this thing legal with a few signatures, and ran off to take photos. The formal shots our photographer got of me at the altar are amazing. I may love them more than my bridals. 

Our church is located only a block from the most beautiful place in Charleston, the College of Charleston's Cistern Yard. The entire wedding party walked over to take photos there, and I think the photos from our little jaunt are the cutest!

 

After the photos were done; we headed to the trolley. We took photos of just the two of us at the very end, so at this point our bridal party was waiting for us aboard. We were greeted by this!

Cheers!!

We were officially husband and wife. It was time to get this party started, and what better way to begin a classy occasion that with some ice-cold Natural Lights?

Before we knew it we were at Society Hall. I handed my beer to my Mama and we loaded off. 

My sweet groom lent me a hand. 

xo, 

Mrs. H

My Wedding Day Part Three

The trolley arrived at the church for us to find that we were locked out.

I specifically remember our wedding guild member telling us to go to this exact door,

but it was locked. A mild freak out and a few phone calls later, we were finally in.

We headed up stairs to get ready, while the trolley headed to pick up C and his boys.

We walked into the bridal suite to find our flowers waiting,

I am still in awe of how beautiful they were.

My Zeta ladies worked extra hard to get their pins onto their bouquet wraps :)

Really hope they all remembered to take them off that night... 

My bouquet must have weighed 30 lbs, but it was worth every second of the arm strain.

Seriously, so pretty. 

It was a serious group effort getting me dressed.

I know I have been doing a lot of talking so I will let the photos help...

Mom zipped me up and did my corset.

Alex tackled those silly buttons.

Ladies, one piece of advice... don't forget to bring a crochet needle!

I love this photo of Lucy holding my arms up while my sister tries to adjust the sides of my dress.

I especially love my mom, dad and nephew in the background.

Mom putting on the veil.

 

After we were all dressed and ready, Lucy took on her duties. She ran downstairs to make sure everything was as it should be and to deliver my gift to C.

Love this of the two of them.

And then she brought my gift up to me.

Exactly what I wanted; my new monogram.

Meanwhile, my stomach is still hurting/dying.

I actually recall telling my mother:

"I may throw up on the altar".

Thank God above, that did not happen.

It was not long before the guild members were upstairs telling my mom and then the rest of my girls it was time to go. Then, they were back. For me this time.

I met my dad at the bottom of the stairs and it was time to go.

xo,

Mrs. H

Our Wedding Photos

I apologize,

my wedding posts have been so out of order and crazy.

I promise to start back up with the detailed day of posts soon,

but I wated to quickly show you some of the professional shots from

the details we have covered already!

Here they are:

all photos courtesy of Manukin Photography