Not only was our visit full of time with family, friends and enjoying too much food…we also used up all of our giftcards from our wedding registries at Durham’s Hardware and DreamBaskets. SO much fun!

On top of that, we also had the opportunity to unwrap a few late arrival wedding gifts!

Philip and I LOVE art. We own several pieces of original art and have a handful of prints from Hatch Show. (We buy one for every show we see at The Ryman!) We’re excited to say that we have a beautiful new piece of original art to add to our collection…a picture of us on our wedding day from friend and artist Chelsea DeVillez:

This painting is inspired by her “hat lady” art. It’s nearly as tall as I am! We didn’t know whether or not we’d have a wall empty enough for it, but we found the perfect spot. It’s hanging directly above my glass-encased brooch bouquet. I’ve known Chelsea since kindergarten. We have a long, beautiful history of friendship. Although we live hours away from each other and don’t get to visit often, we get together and it’s like no time has passed. Chels, we’re so grateful for this unique, personal, heartfelt gift. SUCH a conversation piece. Thank you!

We received another piece of art from cousin Beth on my mom’s side of the family. Thankfully we don’t have to find a wall to display this one.

Beth created a lovely handmade quilt for us! I feel like quilting is becoming a lost art. I have a few handmade quilts that have been handed down to me and I’m so happy to have this quilt that was made just for us. I know it will provide warmth and comfort for many years to come. (We’ve already used it a few times these past few days!) Beth, thank you for sharing your quilting talent with us and gifting us with this treasured handmade piece.

From our friends Loyd and Deeann, we received a beautiful silver cake stand and candy dish: (This isn’t a photo of the exact gift…unfortunately between the Christmas clutter and bad lighting I couldn’t shoot a photo I liked…but this resembles the cake stand closely!)

We’ve been friends with Loyd and Deeann for about 3 years now, I think. (Time flies!) We were in small group together at Journey until they moved to Atlanta shortly after their wedding last year. Read all about Deeann and Loyd’s wedding here. Thank you two for these beautiful entertaining pieces! So pretty! Now I just need to make a bundt cake or something so I can show it off.

What a Christmas! We’re so blessed with the friends and family we have. It’s hard to believe Christmas has come and gone and 2011 is almost here. More wedding goodness on the way!!

Back in late July, I had the honor of being a part of my bridesmaid Stephanie’s bridal shower. Talk about an event! Wow! The Greeks know how to throw down! The shower was at the University of Chicago’s Quadrangle Club in the Hyde Park area. Thanks to Stephanie’s sister’s fiance, Chris (who is also the Executive Chef for the Quad Club), we got an incredible deal on the food and the event space.

(Hey, it pays to know people. And a wedding is always a great time to look for those kinds of hook-ups. People are usually willing to help…so long as you don’t make a habit of asking…)

The Quad Club was beautifully decorated by the bridesmaids (Kudos to sister Mindy for the beautiful flower arrangements and crafty eye!), although all I really did was tie bows around the wine buckets and help with a few finishing touches…so I can’t take much credit!

Not a detail was overlooked! The flowers, the favors, the pink wine (my fave!), the adorable napkins…it was all so elegant and perfect. Thanks again to Stephanie for choosing me to be a part of your wedding party. Stephanie and Kyle’s wedding is coming up next!

I’m oddly proportioned…and I don’t believe in spending a lot of money on swimwear. That criteria alone greatly reduces options.

Thankfully the water gods were looking out for me tonight as I was looking for a new swimsuit for our honeymoon. As I was browsing through a sea of swimsuits at Dillards…the one and only swimsuit in my size, a flattering color against my pasty white skin and remotely in my budget actually fit…and looked great! If you’re a woman, you know what I’m talking about. Typically it takes me an entire day of wading through swimsuits to find the perfect one. This took less than an hour!

It’s a coral Kenneth Cole tw0-piece with ruffled detailing. Check it out:

Sorry for the poor lighting. I had to share my cute find with you and this was the best I could do for tonight. I’m off to catch some zzzz’s. We’re less than 10 days away from our big day! Still a few details to wrap up…stay tuned! I’ll be posting more tomorrow!

A little more than 2 weeks ago, we realized that our honeymoon plans for Destin may not have been such a good idea. After talking with several friends and watching the news, we decided that, thanks to good ol’ British Petroleum and their ever-expanding oil spill, our trip to Destin may not prove very enjoyable. (Believe it or not, I’ve never been to the beach as an adult. I know. Sheltered. I’ll be danged if I’m going to spend my honeymoon on an oil-covered beach!)

We canceled our plans just in the nick of time and decided that our new honeymoon destination would be Hilton Head, SC. Not only had neither of us ever been there, but we’re staying in a larger condo for an extra night and saving money! Way to go, Philip! (He’s been organizing honeymoon plans. Thank goodness. Brides, make sure you get your fiance involved. Seriously. There’s TOO much to do to NOT divide up the plans and responsibilities.)

So thanks to Philip, our honeymoon plans are back on track…and even better (and more cost-effective!) than they were before. YAY!

Here’s my latest honeymoon dress purchase! It was an absolute steal. I can never wear these dresses. They’re always too long on me. This one, however, fit perfectly.

If you’ve been to Hilton Head, I’d love to hear some tips/suggestions/recommendations for restaurants and such. We’ve never been, so any info is great.

Before I conclude today’s post…if you’re a local bride, make plans to check out the Kristen Steele Photography Launch Party! The event is this Saturday, May 22 at The Factory in Franklin (our wedding venue!) from 1pm-4pm. Kristen, your work is lovely! It sounds like one heck of a time! (I’m all about cupcakes.)  Here are the details:

Have a fantastic Thursday everyone! Talk with you tomorrow!

As my parents and I walked through the French Quarter, I kept seeing neat little window advertisements for this place called Fleur de Paris. I HAD to check it out.

Once we found it, I walked into the boutique and realized I could be there for hours trying on all the pretties on display. Chic hats, intricately beaded purses, gowns to die for and a multitude of amazing accessories. (I’m sure it was probably a nightmare for my Dad. Hehe.)

Again, if I were a New Orleans bride, I would TOTALLY shop there for me and/or my (soon-to-be notified and announced) bridesmaids.

If you’ve read my previous posts, you may recall that my parents and I traveled to New Orleans a few weekends ago. While we were there, I was taking note of all the possibilities New Orleans offers a bride and groom.

Yes, we’re having a Nashville wedding, but since Philip and I have been engaged and I’ve been out of town the past three weekends, my mind has been racing with ideas and I’ve been gleaning inspiration from everywhere I traveled in that short amount of time. I wanted to share my findings here for those of you who may be looking for a great place to have a wedding celebration.

We took the Amtrak passenger train from Carbondale, IL to New Orleans, which took about 14 hours. Whew! The great thing about a train, however, is you don’t have to worry about directions, restrooms or food stops. Everything is on board! I really enjoyed the ride.

You have a variety of options for getting to New Orleans from Nashville. If you’re interested in taking the train, drive three hours down to Memphis and then board at the Memphis Amtrak station for an easy 8-hour train ride. According to Google Maps, it’s about an 8-hour car ride from here or if you prefer to save some time, Southwest Airlines can get you from Nashille to Nawlins on a 1.5 hour nonstop flight.

New Orleans offers all the amenities a wedding party needs to throw a perfect, fun celebration. The city offers a multitude of outdoor activities, historical sites, boutiques, antiques, music, food and more!

A location I can specifically recommend for a wedding party is the Bienville House – a beautiful boutique hotel located in the French Quarter.

The Bienville House is a Three Diamond hotel that was voted the Best Boutique Hotel by City Search in 2007. It occupies two 18th century warehouse buildings and is located in the heart of the French Quarter, only three blocks from Bourbon Street and 20 minutes from Louis Armstrong International Airport.

I felt like royalty during our entire stay at the Bienville House. From my experience, their staff is amazingly attentive and keenly focused on serving your every need, expectation and desire. Looking for a good coffee shop? They can help you get to the closest one. Need your clothing pressed? They’ll get it taken care of. They offer a complimentary continental breakfast with Starbucks coffee every morning, but if you want a delicious, hot breakfast, they’ll make a reservation for you down the street.

Not to mention, my room was beautiful, spacious and very comfortable. With its high-ceilings and comfy, complimentary robes (Free to use, not to take, of course.), I can only imagine how luxurious their suites are! Here are some pictures of one of their suites:

If we were having a New Orleans wedding, you bet I would call on their Director of Sales and Marketing, Erin Boreros, to help with the planning. I have no doubt that Erin and her team at the Bienville House would make my rehearsal dinner, honeymoon accommodations or reception a huge success.

Erin, thanks for making us all feel very welcome and comfortable. You certainly have my business on our next trip to your beautiful city.

Have questions about my experience in New Orleans or at the Bienville House? Leave a comment here or email me – becomingmrsdial | at | gmail | dot | com.

Want to get in touch with the fine folks at the Bienville House? Call their front desk at 1-800-535-9603 or get more info by visiting their website here.

I’m definitely looking forward to visiting The Crescent City again soon.

I caught you up on Chicago, but I still have to catch you up with my trip to New Orleans. So let’s go!

When Mom and Dad told me they were going to New Orleans, they asked if I wanted to go with them. I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve been once. I was 18 months old. That hardly counts.

Really early Thursday morning of last week, we boarded the Amtrak in Carbonale, IL and proceeded on our 14 hour train ride down to New Orleans.

We had a blast! Bourbon Street is interesting…to say the least. I’ll just leave it at that.

We had a wonderful trip. I have the most amazing parents anyone could ever imagine. I thank God every day for blessing me with my parents – the best role models, teachers and friends a girl could wish for. More pictures posted below…

One of many alligators we saw on our swamp tour!

My amazing, wonderful Daddy. I love you!

Neat decorated car we saw down from our hotel in the French Quarter.

This was so fun! Cartoons by one of the artists in Jackson Square.

Enjoying our cafe au laits and beignets at Cafe du Monde. Deliciouso!

I have more to tell about New Orleans, but stay tuned. I’ve gotta go get packed for our flight to NYC tomorrow morning. Happy trails!

In addition to our wonderful time with Stephanie and Kyle, Philip and I also enjoyed the sights and sounds of the city.

Nearly all day (Saturday, July 25) Philip and I enjoyed strolling along Michigan Avenue window shopping and browsing many of Chicago’s finest stores. We enjoyed Giordano’s Pizza for lunch, after which I felt like I had a 20 pound weight in my stomach. But it sure was good.

Our whopping 10 inch pepperoni and sausage stuffed pizza at Giordano's. Whew!

After spending all day on our feet, we hitched a free trolley ride over to Navy Pier to watch the evening’s fireworks.

Our beautiful view of Chicago from the edge of Navy Pier.

The following day, Philip and I saw the Real Pirates at the Field Museum and explored the rest of the museum. So many neat things! Including this eerily familiar looking sculpture in the Egypt area…

Do you see the Michael Jackson resemblance too? Or is it just us?

We didn’t have nearly enough time to see everything the museum had to offer, but we’d definitely like to go again next time we’re in the Windy City. I hope “next time” comes again soon.

(Philip, Stephanie…did I leave anything out of these posts about Chicago? Please feel free to refresh my memory if there was a significant moment I forgot to include. You won’t offend. Yes, there’s one moment I intentionally omitted. More on that later. Love you both.)

Philip and I on a bridge over the Chicago River in front of the Chicago Sun-Times building.

Last weekend, Philip and I enjoyed a wonderful visit to Chicago. After a short 1 hour and 15 minute flight (sure beats a 9 hour car ride), Philip and I boarded the train to be taken into the city and dropped off just a few blocks away from Stephanie and Kyle’s apartment.

Stephanie met us in the lobby and took us up to their lovely home on the 12th floor of a building in the heart of Chicago. The view from their place was amazing. An entire wall of their living room is nothing but windows. We could literally see everything the city had to offer – amazing shopping, impressive skyscrapers, the Chicago River, crazy cab drivers and more.

Immediately upon arriving, I could tell Philip and I would really hit it off with Kyle. The man can COOK! When Stephanie opened their door and led us inside, a waft of delicousness spread throughout the entire hallway. Kyle had whipped up chicken breasts with a red wine sauce and perfectly baked/smashed potatoes. Mmmm. I can taste it all over again. We topped the evening off with a glass of wine and delightful conversation. Thank you to Kyle and Stephanie for not only treating us to some scrumptious homemade goods, but also for taking us to the Greek Islands Restaurant (The skordalia and saganaki were fabulouso!) and directing us to several other tasty locations.

I’m pretty sure one of the biggest highlights for Philip was going to Wrigley Field. I’ve never been a sports fan, (Give me a gun or a fishing pole and I’m set.)  but thanks to Philip’s patient explanations and tutorials about strikes, balls, RBIs, etc. I really enjoyed the  baseball game. (Seriously Philip, that would have been miserable without you. Thanks for being the bestest.)

Another highlight of the weekend was catching up with Sunny, a long time gal pal of mine and Stephanie’s. I also got to catch up with Rebecca, a native Chicagoan and amazing lady friend of mine whom I met at Belmont.

I have more photos to post and more stories to tell, but I’m saving that for my next post this evening. Stay tuned! Happy travels!