Planning is coming along quite smoothly :) Have a lot planned out! Only...364 days to go?? Yeesh...
Anywho, we've found and secured our lodging and ceremony site. I was browsing hotels online and I came across some pictures of a really pretty place. I was looking through the photos and started to think the hotel looked strangely familiar. That's when it hit me, this is the placed I just stayed at! You see, this past December my mom, step-dad, step-brother and myself all went down to New Orleans (my first time). We took a Carnival cruise then came back to spend a few days in the Big Easy. We stayed at this hotel called Hotel Provincial and it was amazing. So you can imagine how excited I was when I realized it was the same place I was looking to have my wedding! The hotel offers their beautiful courtyard for wedding ceremonies so this was a perfect lodging and ceremony site combination.
Robin and I will go down on Wednesday, October 3 to register for the marriage license (it has to be done 72 hours before the wedding). And we'll stay through Sunday morning when we will ship off on our honeymoon cruise. Guests will probably arrive around Friday, October 5, and stay through Sunday morning as well.
The hotel is beautiful and we couldn't be happier about it all :)
Yay! We decided on a color palette for the wedding :)
Cranberry/Slate Gray/Cream
It's so pretty and helps incorporate a more vintage theme, which I'll be adding to quite a bit!
I'm so thankful that my friends recorded this amazing moment :)
Robin's band was playing a show in front of over 500 people when they stopped, he called me onstage, and this happened :)
October 7, 2011
Rockstar Proposal!
Proposal View #2
Proposal View #3
Proposal View #4
So, I've been engaged for 4 days and I've already gone through a cycle of emotions, haha. But in regards to planning: Robin and I have already pretty much decided that we're doing things very non-traditional. I'm not one of those girls who has been dreaming of her wedding since she was 6 nor do I have any interest in being a princess any time soon. I just want a big celebration of our union, and so does he. So, to add to the theme of non-traditional, we're aiming for a destination wedding. I'd been throwing around the idea of a beach wedding in Florida or whatnot when something hit me: what about New Orleans? Robin and I have both been to New Orleans on separate occasions and LOVED it. In fact, I went this past Christmas with my family (before we knew each other) and he went literally a month later with his band. Coincidences :)
So we're pretty set on New Orleans at this point (if I don't change my mind 800 times in the next year). So we have a place and tentative date (next Autumn), now to just finalize some details. I'm still scoping out google and theknot for ideas, and have come across some pretty neat ones. Like any venues, some of the New Orleans ones can range from $1,000 to $5,000 just for a 3-hour reception use! No thanks. I'm banking on the wedding AND honeymoon not topping $5,000 (if even that. maybe $3,000-$4,000). And the honeymoon alone will be around $2,000 (Carnival cruise, baby)
I found a deal where we could get married on a steamboat on the Mississippi River by the captain! Haha, it's too adorable. They're also a restaurant and bar so that would be provided. And one of my friends told me they heard about a deal where you can BAR-HOP through the French Quarter as your "wedding"!! How amazing is that?! xD So yeah, obviously not going the traditional route. I just want everyone to have fun and celebrate our union and all that jazz.
So, back to it!
Yup. Engaged! Off the market. Promised to one. Future Mrs. All that fun stuff :D And what an amazing engagement it was!
A little of the back-story first, though:
My entire life I have been anti-marriage. Yup, anti-marriage. I always thought it was ridiculous and unnecessary. Why do I need the government stepping into my life and telling me how to have a relationship? Why does a certificate deem my relationship "worthy"? Why, with a divorce rate of over 50%, would I ever want to submit myself to that inevitable failure? Yeah, I was a ball of marriage joy. I was actually in a previous relationship of almost 4 years and never had the marriage itch. It was talked about, but never honestly desired. I thought it just plain stupid. And maybe a bit terrifying as well.
Then I met Robin ;) We began dating in late March of this year. We had been together for maybe a couple of months when the marriage jokes began. "When we get married you can't keep doing that, haha" or when he gave me my promise ring my comment to him was "Meet you at the altar ;)" Light-hearted stuff that wasn't heavy marriage promises, but a glimpse into some kind of possible desire for it. He moved in with me early on in the relationship and we never had any regrets. This was different. This felt right. So, we began the cohabitation life this summer. And as we experienced various life episodes together, we seemed to solidify our relationship even stronger. Each fight opened up discussions and learning opportunities. Each road trip offered new glimpses into exciting aspects of each other. We went full speed ahead and never questioned if the brakes worked because, dammit, we didn't need them.
It wasn't long before I would look at him and think, I can't wait to marry this man. And let me tell you, that was mind-blowing for me to even think about. But it was there and I was embracing it with my entire heart. And I knew he felt the same. Those light-hearted jokes became serious "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you" I started skimming wedding articles, we talked about possible future wedding dates, buying a house, having kids, and so on. And in September we started ring shopping together. Through a collaborative effort, Robin and I picked out the gorgeous ring I proudly sport on my finger today. But that was his to keep until it was proposed to me. So, how would that go about, exactly? I'd made it no secret that I thought it would be AWESOME to get proposed to in a big, public forum. Oh wait, my boyfriend is in a band that packs out venues? Imagine the coincidence! :D And with their schedule available online, there were only a few shows coming up this year that would promise a great event.
Fast forward to this past Friday, October 7. My fella's band is playing a big show at a popular local venue. Friends and family are invited. Holy shit, this is about to happen. I meet everyone there and the show begins as usual. The place packs out quickly with close to 500 people crammed in the outdoor stage area. While Robin is being the sexy guitar player he is onstage, I flit around the bar making sure I get to see and talk to everyone. I'm talking to my mom, step-dad, and grandma (yup, grandma even came out!) when the band stops playing. The lead singer says they're going to take a break but, all of a sudden goes, "Heather. Please come to the stage." THIS IS IT!!! Being the graceful damsel that I am, I run through the bar, literally pushing people aside shouting, "Excuse me! That's me! I have to get up there!" I get to the front of the stage and there's a metal gate barrier blocking the crowd from the stage. The lead singer comes over to me and offers his hand to help me over. But, in my frenzied excitement to just get the hell onstage, I clumsily straddle and throw myself over the gate, my dress flying up and undoubtedly giving everyone behind me a view (thank god for black tights, at least) I finally make it up to Robin and I just start laughing. This is the moment I've been so excited for, one of the biggest, most romantic moments of my life, and I can't stop laughing. I was so nervous and excited!
Robin takes a microphone and says to me, "Heather, I'm so madly in love with you. I have been since the moment we met. Every moment with you has been an adventure I run to with open arms and I hope to share many more with you as time comes." The crowd catches on and starts cheering and clapping. I keep laughing, my hands covering my mouth in a futile attempt to calm down. Robin holds up a finger, "Hang on" he says and disappears to the side of the stage for a quick second. He's back, and with a box. A tiny, jewelry box with one of my favorite words on the top: Zales. He opens the box and gets down on one knee:
Will you marry me?
The crowd loses it. I just keep on laughing....Managing a vigorous head shake and a "YES!!!" in between. He helps put the ring on my finger. The second it's in place, I dramatically thrust my hand out to the crowd in a "HOLY SHIT I'M ENGAGED!!!" maneuver and was greeted by a wave of more screams. I went to hug and kiss Robin and he picks me up for a romantic twirl. Only, in the process of said romantic twirl, I managed to kick over a microphone stand and flash some more people with my skirt flying up. But I didn't care. I was engaged!!!
We went backstage and were met by friends, family, and total strangers congratulating us. Women were wiping mascara off their faces saying how they couldn't stop crying. Men were giving Robin the "Atta boy" handshake and back slap. Everything was so surreal. I couldn't stop smiling.
Happiest. Moment. EVER.
Luckily, a few people recorded the event, so I'll always have video memory now of that incredible night. I got the proposal I'd wanted, but even more importantly, I got the man I'd always dreamed of ;)
Ok, so I know it's like over a month away, but I am already ecstatic about Halloween! I've accepted that it's my favorite holiday, even though Christmas has always held that spot. And don't get me wrong, I still get excited way in advance and eagerly count down the days for Christmas still. But I seem to hold more excitement for Halloween. I just love everything spooky about it! Right now my DVR is crammed full of Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, haha. I love that crap xD
And I'm so happy that a lot of the TV channels are starting to air Halloween specials!
And there are so many awesome horror movies coming out! I love horror, but I don't really really get into them unless it's this time of year. I also like to pop in the classics and get geared up :)
Oh! And haunted houses! I'm so excited!
Is it October yet???
Man! What a weekend! Hands down one of my top weekends :)
This Friday my fella's band played at Rev Room in Little Rock. Robin had gone down to Russellville the day before to play a show at Tech. I hate when he's away and I'm at home missing him :( That's a big downside to having a musician for a boyfriend. I absolutely love getting to go to the shows that I can and seeing him do what he loves on those stages. But it's tough when I'm stuck at home while he's rockin' it up somewhere. Ah well, whatever helps pay the bills ;P
So, that Friday I drove down to see him play that night. This was my second Rev Room show but I love how they feel like actual concerts. The way the stage is set up and with the number of people that show it turns into an awesome gig (I don't think I'll ever get used to staring up at my boyfriend onstage like he's some kind of god or idol, haha). And that night did not disappoint! 3 hours of non-stop energy! So much fun :D And the band had their first experience that night. About halfway through, a pink, lace bra came flying out from somewhere in the crowd and onto the stage! Hahaha. It hit the lead singer and everyone just kind of laughed. Then they tossed it around for a bit before the bass player hung it off of his guitar (and at one point strapped it around his head) :P I told Robin I would have gladly thrown my brazier at him, however, I wanted to keep dancing and this would definitely not have happened sans bra xD
The next day was one of their biggest shows yet. They were going to be an opening band for the Fray! UA Fort Smith partnered with a new committee to help host a string of concerts called Festival on the Border. Thursday night was Travis Trent, Friday night was Dierks Bentley (this is Arkansas, y'know), and then Saturday was the Fray opened by my fella's band, Andy Grammer, and Girl Talk (who switched last minute with the Fray and played last).
The stage setup was incredible.
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| Festival on the Border stage pre-show |
And then the boys played! :D
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| Myself, friend, and Isaac Slade (lead singer of Fray) |
After the Fray played an amazing show, it was Girl Talk time. Now, I won't lie. Up until I heard about this concert, I had no idea who Girl Talk was. It sounded like a sister band of the Pussycat Dolls or something. But, to my shock, I found out that it was a DJ specializing in collab-Dubstep styles. I love that crap! So, the more I learned, the more excited I got :)
We were all standing backstage before Girl Talk went one when someone said they were gathering people to go onstage and dance with him! Sooo, of course, I jumped in that group instantly xD There were about 20-30 people (mostly hot blondes, gotta have the visuals!) We all went onstage and just danced. I danced my ASS off for over an hour. I mean, I gave that crap 100%. I was exhausted by time it was over, but I had so much fun it was ridiculous. I ended up being at the front of the stage for most of the time dancing in front of probably 1,000 people. We had glow sticks so I raved around like a lunatic next to some girls in wigs and tutus xD You eventually forgot that you had so many people watching you and just let loose to have fun. It sounds cheesy, but it made me miss performing. I was joking to Robin about how we switched that night. He was the one watching me (on purse duty, bless him) while I was on stage in front of everyone. It was a trip and made me think back to high school when I would sing at our choir shows. I miss it so much :( But getting to do even that made me just so happy :)
Overall, one of the best weekends ever! I am so in love with my life and excited about everything that is to come :)))
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