We're Married!

"Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear."

-John Lennon 

Hello my lovelies! I'm thrilled to be back here with all of you as a married woman! I can honestly say that our wedding was everything we wanted it to be and so, so much more. I'm still riding the high from the outpouring of love and support that we experienced, and every time I close my eyes and think about the day I can't help but smile. There was laughter and happy tears in abundance, an adorable red wagon (that I even got to sit in for a bit), an impromptu horah, a gentleman in a kilt, and the wave even made an appearance to spice up our meal time. We left feeling like everyone had been brought closer together, which was our dream come true. Needless to say, I have so many stories to share with you! So as not to leave you totally hanging while we take Europe by storm and await our pro pics, here's a couple more teasers courtesy of our adored photographer:

It's Friday, and I'm In Love

"I'm trying to keep my feet on the ground.
I'm getting to like this feeling I've found.
I'm getting to love
The thought of having you around.
And I will never let you down."

- Never Let You Down by the Verve Pipe

This week has been a whirlwind of blissful emotions, as well as a time of reflection upon the events and people who have shaped our lives. It was when I took the time to browse through some childhood photos of Mr. Tartlet and myself that the weight of this moment really hit me, and I sat with silent tears streaming down my face, thanking whatever higher power is out there that we managed to find our way to each other. It's a sobering thought to consider that Mr. Tartlet and I could have easily passed each other by had either of us made one decision differently, which only makes me more thankful for all the experiences we've had. There were a handful of photos that I was particularly drawn to that showcased our similarities and differences, even at a very young age.

Mr. Tartlet apparently had an attachment to this stuffed bear. Not to be outdone, I was particularly fond of two:

All The Small Things: Spoiling Our Guests!

One of the first deadlines I set for myself when we started planning our wedding was to have everything done by the Tuesday before. And, if it wasn't done by then--then by golly, it just wasn't going to happen. Period. It's been a steady pace to the finish line, but thanks to the help of our amazing friends we made it! All of the little details that we wanted to incorporate to make our guests feel even more special are complete, such as the out-of-town bags:

I purchased some medium kraft bags from our local Michaels and jazzed them up with the same stamp and ink pad that we used for our wedding programs. We stuffed these babies with the following goodies:

Gifting the Girls

Continuing on the train of thankfulness and having far too much time on my hands during our long engagement, I've also been continually on the prowl for bits and bobbles I could include in my bridesmaids' gift bags. Although I gifted them the jewelry they'll be wearing for the wedding day (thanks to a killer deal on Ideeli), I really wanted to go above-and-beyond for the ladies who have been there every step of the way, and who are currently keeping me sane.

Images via Ideeli (no longer available) / Jewelry by M. Grazia Musi

Gifts for the Groom

I adore buying presents for people, but generally have an incredibly hard time buying gifts for Mr. Tartlet. He'll probably say the same thing about me, which is why the majority of our "gift" giving typically revolves around grabbing a bite to eat. I've had two full years to concoct the ultimate gift package for him, though, and I'm wickedly anticipating his reaction when he sees what's in store for him. I'll give you one, evil sneak peek Mr. Tartlet: