As I write the above words I can't even fathum how fast time as passed by. Just 2 months away! WOW! I remember when David and I first got engaged and we had over 275 days to plan for the start of our life together. I remember finally getting past the 200 day mark and thinking ... "Gosh, it's so far away." And I feel like it was just yesterday that I posted on facebook "Only 99 days -- yeah, we are in the double digits." Everyone told me time would fly by and I'm here to report: Yes it has.
In the time that David and I have been engaged we've bought a house, I've gotten a job promotion -- and been passed over for a promotion, David quit his job with the church and he started working for the school system. I feel like life has taken a complete 180 turn from where we were when I first got the ring. But it's a true blessing. God led us to the perfect home that will be home to our family for years to come. And he's provided the income to not only stay in that house but continue to cover the mortgage of the Murfreesboro condo which still has not been rented out.
As far as wedding planning is going -- things are pretty on track. I still haven't tacked down a hair dresser and the deposit for the table clothes still hasn't been put in stone. That's really the only planning stuff not done yet. Still I feel like there is so much to be done and for some reason I'm behind. The other day I looked down at my phone which has a wedding countdown on the front. So as soon as I turned it on I saw "69 days" and briefly had a moment of panic. Luckily -- like I said it was brief. Not even 5 seconds passed and I realized how much I've gotten done in comparison to most brides at this track. I have faith that everything will work out the way it's suppose to. And I have even more faith that my Youtube friends coming in from out of town -- who've I put in charged of decorating the reception hall -- will be very helpful not only on my wedding day but the days leading up.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Wedding Woes (Our Engagement Photos)
If there's been one piece of wedding meltdown so far it's been the engagement photos. When David and I decided to get married I was pretty set on who I wanted to be the photographer. My friend Trina had recently gotten married (I was a bridesmaids) and I really liked her photographer. Not only was she enjoyable to work with on the wedding day, but her prices were unmatched for the quality and skill level she had. I don't know what it is about wedding photographers but I think they've secretly banded together to gouge newlywed couples out of any money they possible could have. Anyways ... this girl must not have gotten the memo -- so I'm glad.
When we first booked we didn't have a venue set. I was so fearful we wouldn't get the photograher it was literally the first wedding planning I did. So when I talked to her I said the wedding was Oct 20th which is the date we really wanted. Unfortunately ... they were booked. They insured us that they had an associate that could do the wedding and after seeing his work I was okay with the idea. Then I finally booked the venue, and of course they didn't have the 20th available .... whoomp whoomp. But don't get too upset, because once we did finally solidify a date with the venue and moved our wedding to the 28th ... THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS FREE!! yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh We still plan on using the associate since he was the one orginally booked but we are using him as a 2nd shooter and our original pick as the first shooting.
If you thought that was the end of my wedding woe, you're wrong! Then begin the fun part. We booked our engagment photos 4 months in advanced -- only to get cancelled a day before because the photographer had gotten pink eye. We rebooked -- only to get cancelled again because they didn't realize they rebooked us for Memorial Day. So we rebooked agin -- only to get cancelled a 3rd time because of a family emergency with the photography. I won't go into detail -- but it truly was an emergency. Of course I didn't know that when it happened. All their booking lady told me was that they needed to re-schedule AGAIN. When I got off the phone I cried and cried and cried. We were going through a heat wave in Tennessee and the place we had choosen to shoot the pictures had all of these beautiful flowers ... which I knew were going to be dead now. Luckily David calmed me, called the photographer, got the full story on why the shoot had been cancelled for a third time and I felt all better.
FINALLY, the day for our photo shoot arrived!! I had read articles saying you should plan to bring props. So after much research on pinterest I was geared up with some cool stuff. Overall we loved working with our photographers and even though it was hot I thought the pictures turned out great. They sent us 60 photos and there were only 2 I didn't like. David on the other hand found about 7 more he didn't like. I'll put some of them below. ENJOY!!
When we first booked we didn't have a venue set. I was so fearful we wouldn't get the photograher it was literally the first wedding planning I did. So when I talked to her I said the wedding was Oct 20th which is the date we really wanted. Unfortunately ... they were booked. They insured us that they had an associate that could do the wedding and after seeing his work I was okay with the idea. Then I finally booked the venue, and of course they didn't have the 20th available .... whoomp whoomp. But don't get too upset, because once we did finally solidify a date with the venue and moved our wedding to the 28th ... THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS FREE!! yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh We still plan on using the associate since he was the one orginally booked but we are using him as a 2nd shooter and our original pick as the first shooting.
If you thought that was the end of my wedding woe, you're wrong! Then begin the fun part. We booked our engagment photos 4 months in advanced -- only to get cancelled a day before because the photographer had gotten pink eye. We rebooked -- only to get cancelled again because they didn't realize they rebooked us for Memorial Day. So we rebooked agin -- only to get cancelled a 3rd time because of a family emergency with the photography. I won't go into detail -- but it truly was an emergency. Of course I didn't know that when it happened. All their booking lady told me was that they needed to re-schedule AGAIN. When I got off the phone I cried and cried and cried. We were going through a heat wave in Tennessee and the place we had choosen to shoot the pictures had all of these beautiful flowers ... which I knew were going to be dead now. Luckily David calmed me, called the photographer, got the full story on why the shoot had been cancelled for a third time and I felt all better.
FINALLY, the day for our photo shoot arrived!! I had read articles saying you should plan to bring props. So after much research on pinterest I was geared up with some cool stuff. Overall we loved working with our photographers and even though it was hot I thought the pictures turned out great. They sent us 60 photos and there were only 2 I didn't like. David on the other hand found about 7 more he didn't like. I'll put some of them below. ENJOY!!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Making Progress (Our House)
Before David and I got married we had talked about buying a house so that when we started our life together we could start in a place that was ours -- somewhere that we could eventually start a family. We always talked liked it wouldn't happen until closer to the wedding, but then we found a house that both of us fell in love with ... and the ball started rolling sooner then we could have imagined. We closed on the house April 30th and I moved in mid-May. I've moved in first while David continues to live with his parents. After the wedding is when he'll move in.
I've never moved an entire house before. I've always lived in apartments and therefore have only had enough stuff for an apartment. During the move into the house we pulled all of David's boxes out of storage from when he lived in his condo in Murfreesboro and then we added in my stuff. Needless to say we had a lot of stuff -- and a lot of doubles of things. We kept the stuff that was the niciest and put the rest in boxes to go into a garage sale.
Besides all the stuff that needed to be unpacked we were also going to buy a new bedroom set for our Master. FINALLY today it came in. It's a King Bed with matching nightsides for both of us and then a dresser w/mirror and chest.
I actually really REALLY like this room and the way it turned out. I was worried that the colors wouldn't work together, but I think it's not half bad.
And then finally we got the rug that finishes off the living room. We had been looking around for something that we not only liked but wouldn't cost us an arm and a leg. It's amazing how expensive those things can be. Then we found it -- and for half the cost of other places!!
I've never moved an entire house before. I've always lived in apartments and therefore have only had enough stuff for an apartment. During the move into the house we pulled all of David's boxes out of storage from when he lived in his condo in Murfreesboro and then we added in my stuff. Needless to say we had a lot of stuff -- and a lot of doubles of things. We kept the stuff that was the niciest and put the rest in boxes to go into a garage sale.
Besides all the stuff that needed to be unpacked we were also going to buy a new bedroom set for our Master. FINALLY today it came in. It's a King Bed with matching nightsides for both of us and then a dresser w/mirror and chest.
I only have a King sheet set -- no comforter yet
The master bedroom finally looks like a room and not a hodge podge of plastic bins and a random twin bed. Along with getting the master bedroom set I was finally able to move the twin into the guest room and arrange all the furniture in there.
I actually really REALLY like this room and the way it turned out. I was worried that the colors wouldn't work together, but I think it's not half bad.
And then finally we got the rug that finishes off the living room. We had been looking around for something that we not only liked but wouldn't cost us an arm and a leg. It's amazing how expensive those things can be. Then we found it -- and for half the cost of other places!!
It's a great feeling to finally have the house coming together. There's still a lot more that needs to be done especially when it comes to the yard, but the house is finally starting to resemble a home. And it's getting so close. Today marks 4 months till to the wedding!
Friday, June 22, 2012
My Bridesmaids
If you had asked me 3 years ago who I wanted as my bridesmaids I would have replied with the same 4 girls I'm going to have by my side this coming October. I might have added a few more, but I would have always kept the top 4 the same. But it almost didn't start that way ....
Almost immediately after David and I got engaged we discussed who we wanted in our wedding party. Without divulging too much personal information on the Internet -- there was some controversy with the groomsmen ... so David and I talked it over and we decided to keep things simple and small. That meant him having two of his friends and me having just my 2 sisters.
Luckily, it wasn't too late and both Trina and Becca accepted to be in my wedding! So this past Tuesday we went dress shopping. I had already picked out the dresses we just needed to find the right size.
Honestly, I think both of them looked wonderful! All 4 of my bridesmaids have such different body types and I think this dress is flattering on everyone. So I'm very happy. The colors they are wearing are not the real color. It's more of a deep purple called "PLUM" which is the color of the dress on the right. That's Claire my Junior Bridesmaid and also my niece. She already has her dress. After dresses, we had lunch and talked books almost the entire time. We recently started a book club between our friends so it's a hot topic for us.
I'm really happy that things worked out the way it did for my bridesmaids. It's great knowing the people I love the most are going to help me start my life with the man I love the most.
Almost immediately after David and I got engaged we discussed who we wanted in our wedding party. Without divulging too much personal information on the Internet -- there was some controversy with the groomsmen ... so David and I talked it over and we decided to keep things simple and small. That meant him having two of his friends and me having just my 2 sisters.
(Dana, Katie, Me)
I was a little disappointed. I really wanted to have my two friends Trina & Becca but it just didn't seem possible. I knew they would understand and I even found "jobs" for them to do at the wedding so they would still feel involved.
I was at peace with the decision when a couple months later I was talking with a friend at work about my sisters and the bridesmaid situation. She made a great point!! Why do you have to have an even wedding party? We started looking up pictures online of people who had more girls then boys -- or more boys then girls. And some of the pictures were actually really creative and cool. My work friend suggested if I really wanted to have my friends I needed to talk to David about it.
Not even an hour later I got a phone call from my sister Katie. SHE WAS PREGNANT!! And due 1 week before the wedding. Us sisters have always had a rule that we didn't want to be in each others wedding if we were pregnant -- so I assumed she was cancelling on me. In fact she didn't, but wanted to give me a heads up and also ask for permission to drop out if needed when the time got closer. This only solidified in my mind that I wanted to add my friends to the wedding. Because if Katie did have to drop out at the last minute I would only have one bridesmaid.
Luckily, it wasn't too late and both Trina and Becca accepted to be in my wedding! So this past Tuesday we went dress shopping. I had already picked out the dresses we just needed to find the right size.
Honestly, I think both of them looked wonderful! All 4 of my bridesmaids have such different body types and I think this dress is flattering on everyone. So I'm very happy. The colors they are wearing are not the real color. It's more of a deep purple called "PLUM" which is the color of the dress on the right. That's Claire my Junior Bridesmaid and also my niece. She already has her dress. After dresses, we had lunch and talked books almost the entire time. We recently started a book club between our friends so it's a hot topic for us. I'm really happy that things worked out the way it did for my bridesmaids. It's great knowing the people I love the most are going to help me start my life with the man I love the most.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Welcome to "Being Mrs. Jean"
Welcome to "Being Mrs. Jean"
Who am I: My name is Samantha J Smith and on October 28th, 2012 I will FINALLY be marrying the love of my life David Jean.
I'll give you a little background if you're new. I originally met David in 2006 while we were both in college. It was a simple friendship -- seeing each other at school events, I sold him an old textbook once, and even worked as a teacher's aid for a class he took. (Yes, that included grading his homework) It was very innocent, nothing more then friends. Then in early 2011, David got in contact with me through Facebook and asked how things had been. He had seen a recent video that I had posted on Facebook & YouTube as part of my group vlogging channel. The video had sparked his interested, which sparked our conversation. That conversation would eventually lead to a date, which would lead into more dates and long story short ... we fell in love. It's not your typical love story but one that definitely fits our personalities.
David and I both work in media communications. I'm a Producer at a news station in Nashville and he's the Media Director of a large church in Brentwood; as well as holds his own freelance business on the side. Our jobs keep us busy, but luckily since we both come from a busy world it's easy to find someone who understands when your schedule changes on short notice or when you have to cancel a date due to work.
This blog is about our life and that crazy journeys that we are about to take on!
Who am I: My name is Samantha J Smith and on October 28th, 2012 I will FINALLY be marrying the love of my life David Jean.
I'll give you a little background if you're new. I originally met David in 2006 while we were both in college. It was a simple friendship -- seeing each other at school events, I sold him an old textbook once, and even worked as a teacher's aid for a class he took. (Yes, that included grading his homework) It was very innocent, nothing more then friends. Then in early 2011, David got in contact with me through Facebook and asked how things had been. He had seen a recent video that I had posted on Facebook & YouTube as part of my group vlogging channel. The video had sparked his interested, which sparked our conversation. That conversation would eventually lead to a date, which would lead into more dates and long story short ... we fell in love. It's not your typical love story but one that definitely fits our personalities.
David and I both work in media communications. I'm a Producer at a news station in Nashville and he's the Media Director of a large church in Brentwood; as well as holds his own freelance business on the side. Our jobs keep us busy, but luckily since we both come from a busy world it's easy to find someone who understands when your schedule changes on short notice or when you have to cancel a date due to work.
This blog is about our life and that crazy journeys that we are about to take on!
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