God Wants Me to be a Haute Bride

God is watching out for this money-hoarding-bride-to-be! I fell in love with Haute Bride jewelry approximately 1 day after we got engaged. It's just stunning!



I went down to As You Wish Brides in the OC a few weeks ago and was astounded at the shine and the beauty of each and every piece. I had hit the jackpot... SAMPLES FOR SALE!

I love it so much I wore it around the house, doing chores, packing, etc. and the mess that is myself broke the large pearl strand on one side. I hadn't decided what to do about it yet.

Then today, when I should have been working, I stumbled upon a PSA on Wedding Bee. 30% OFF ACCESSORIES SAMPLE SALE! Holy Crap. I'd been eyeing a stunning pair of earrings for MONTHS! But, not being a huge jewelry person, I thought I could get something at a better deal... I mean, this beauties weren't cheap at $160.

The second I saw the post my hand jumped from the mouse to the phone while the other hand quickly pounded out the numbers. "DO YOU HAVE IT!?" and they said "YES!" WOOOOOO! I got my beauties at a discount :-)

I also mentioned my stunning bracelet that I ADORED and that I had already broken. "Send it in now and we'll fix it and send it to you with the earrings". Beautiful jewelry and stunning service. Gotta love it. Love it a lot.

What Matters In The End?

I believe that weddings bring out the best and the worst in people. The perfect, extravagant wedding often leaves the most bitter taste because we get so worked up in the details that we forget what really matters. More on that to come. Trust me, you're in for a ride.

It is in the simple affairs that the true meaning of the event comes out. Chris' grandfather died last week and we spent five days in Boston. Bumpy was a vivacious 82 year old. A die hard karaoke fan until the day he died. He was Irish and created a big Irish family. Us Irish folks know what to do in death... celebrate life! The term "memorial reception" doesn't quite describe what happened after this man's funeral. I would call it the "After Party".

I walked into the American Legion. It smelled slightly stinky... a bit like butt. There were round tables with paper tableclothes, trays of deli sandwiches, cookies, an open bar in another room where lots of people were drinking and smoking (at 12:00 in the afternoon on a Friday) and a cake with his Marine photo. There was a karaoke set up in one corner, the lights were dim (for romanticism?!) and I thought "What the hell is happening here?!".

But it wasn't these details that matter. It was the fact that his friends and family had gathered to celebrate the life of a karaoke legend. Chris' mother was tipsy and running all over the dance floor. There was a male karaoke friend with super long blonde hair that sang a rockin song called "Dirty White Boy" in which you scream "DIRTY WHITE BOY" at the top of your lungs for 3.5 minutes straight. There was also some hair whipping during the instrumental. There were lots of cowboy hats as Bumpy always had one and was thus called "The Wrangler". My favorite had a rattlesnake head and was covered in feathers.

Point is, I think we get so wrapped up in the details of our big life events that we forget what matters. It doesn't matter if my mother wears a veil to my wedding. It doesn't matter if the groomsmen's tuxes don't match. (well, maybe it does, but I'm not going to let it get to me now!). All that matters is that these people are with us to celebrate our new beginning.

I'm super-excited for the ridiculous mishaps, the disasters and the imperfections... because really, who wants to be perfect and unhappy?