Themed Engagement Photos

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of themed engagement photos.  Some I think are spectacular!  Others are slightly questionable.  Overall though, I think it is a really fun way for couples to be creative together especially if they tend to have a bit of a dramatic flair!  

One thing to consider though when planning themed engagement photos is what you will do with them.  Are you going to incorporate them in your save the dates?  Will they tie in with your overall wedding theme?  Would you want these pictures around five to ten years from now?  Being creative with your photos is wonderful, but not if you aren't going to use them. 

Below are some over the top themed engagement shots I thought I would share since they are pretty amazing!

Little Red Riding Hood theme 

Photo by Three Nails Photography    Shreveport, LA

Alice in Wonderland theme

Photo by Three Nails Photography    Shreveport, LA

And finally, my favorite, The Notebook theme

Photos by Blushing Bride Studio  Montreal, QC Canada

What do y'all think?  Love the idea or is it too over the top for you?  Or if you have any themed engagement photos you would like to share, send them to info@arkansasbride.com.  

Noir or Blanc?

Photo from New York Times

So let's be honest here.  I love Arkansas with all of my heart, but as for being a trendsetting state within the world of fashion, we aren't typically known for that.  However, after looking at Vera Wang's Fall 2012 bridal collection, maybe that is a good thing.  

To any label-lusting bride, Ms. Wang's creations are known as the upper echelon of wedding dresses.  She sets the tone for the industry and creates dresses that celebrities such as Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Chelsea Clinton, Ivanka Trump clammer to wear. 

But Vera Wang is trying to set a different tone this year since her most recent fashion show featured multiple black wedding dresses. She has stated that after the royal wedding and the Kardashian wedding, she was ready to go in a different direction. She is quoted in the New York Times as saying, "I did take it to a witchy kind of place.  For me, it helped build a sense of mystery that I was hungry for.  And it added this sensuality and sexuality, and a little bit of severity, too.”   One quote that seems to sum up the whole black wedding dress trend is from Jung Lee, a founder of Fête, an event-planning company in Manhattan.  He stated, "The bride who chooses the black dress does not care about etiquette."  Well, I couldn't have said it better myself.  I will admit that I don't really care for trendy picks for weddings.   I tend to lean towards traditional, sophisticated, and classic when it comes to my own personal wedding style.  I suspect though that most trendy brides will not be turning to black wedding dresses anytime soon either. 

I mean in Arkansas if you are really wanting to step away from traditional, just wear a blush colored wedding dress. You'd have all the 80+ year old ladies talking in my church!

What do y'all think about Vera Wang's black wedding dress? Yes or no? Let us know!

Game Day Favorites

Goodness, y'all.  I'm sorry for my lack of posts, but Fraz and I have been on the MOVE!  You know why?  Because college football season is upon us!
Whether you are a Razorback fan or not, this is the time to cheer on your favorite team and get a little tailgating going on.  Frazier and I made the trek two weeks ago down to Dallas to cheer on the Hogs against Texas A&M which resulted in an excellent win.  We then headed up to Fayetteville to watch them defeat Auburn.  Lots of visiting with friends, enjoying the traditions, and trying to look cute for the games.  Okay, maybe that was a bit more me trying than Frazier on that last comment.
Anyways, I thought I would share some of my favorite Razorback game day items with all our brides.


Below is a way cute dress from E.Leigh's online boutique.  Love that look, and their website has a whole Game Day Attire section!

Next item is a sterling silver Razorback charm from James Avery.  Perfect for a charm bracelet or to hang from a necklace.  And last, I LOVE this Razorback cookie cutter from Eggshells here in Little Rock.  I have one myself and not only do I use it to make cookies, but display it by my stove when it's not in use.    

Let us at Arkansas Bride know of any other game day favorites you have found, and by all means add them to your registry!

Meet our child, Beau.  Well, child with fur that is.  Yes, this almost two year old Golden Retriever is the closest thing to a kid that Frazier and I can happily claim.  We bought him right before Christmas in 2009, and he has been a wonderful addition ever since! 

Of course we have all heard that before you have a baby, you should get a pet in order to hone your parenting skills.  I don't know if that has been the case with us though.  I mean what child can you leave alone for 24 hours straight?!  Plus, Frazier and I are definitely both dog lovers, and we mainly just wanted a dog to love on and possibly train for hunting.  
Yet, Beau has brought out somewhat of a parental side in me perhaps.  Let's see...I love to talk about him and show pictures.  I make sure he take his medication.  I get very protective of him when other dogs are mean.  I punish him when he tears up my socks.  Yeah, yeah I know.  I can hear parents everywhere laughing hysterically right now!  


If you are thinking of getting your own pet, I would say go for it!  A study from the University of Buffalo revealed that pets add enjoyment and happiness to couples' relationships.  It also said they “have closer relationships, are more satisfied in marriage, and respond better to stress than couples who do not.” 

What do y'all think?  Do you think pets add stress or happiness to your relationship?  Are they teaching better parenting skills?  Comment on the Arkansas Bride Blog!

The "Good" Wife

So I ran across a pretty hilarious article about being a good housewife in 1950's.  There is a bit of controversy of whether it came from a textbook or magazine called "Housekeeping Monthly", but either way, I had to share some of these interesting suggestions.

Here are my top five:

• Be happier and a little more interesting for him.  His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.  
• Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking.  He has just been with a lot of work- weary people. 
• Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes.  Speak in a low, soft, soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax and unwind.
• Things to avoid: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner.  Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.
• Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables.  Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order.

Of course, when I read these to my husband, he said, "Man, I wished I lived in the 50's!"  Just kidding right, Frazier?  

With so many women in the working world, I think some of these suggestions are just plain silly and don't stand up to the test of time.  I mean touch up your make-up and be fresh looking for when your husband gets home?  Yeah, right!

It's also interesting to think of how the role of a wife has evolved over the past few decades.  Thankfully, I think most grooms and husbands have a bit more realistic expectations as well!  

What do y'all think makes up "good" wife nowadays?  Comment below!

Changing your last name

I had a co-worker the other day email me about changing her last name, and I sent her all the information and links she needed.  I contemplated about turning it into a blog post and ran the thought by my husband.  He quickly shot it down and said that it would be "the most boring post ever."
However, I think it would be somewhat helpful, and I'm choosing to ignore his comment.  So here is the "most boring post ever."

First step: Social Security Card
To make your last name change legal, you will need to get a different SS card.  You will have to fill out an application on the official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration.  You can find that application here:Social Security Application
Once you fill the application out, you will either have to mail it or drop it off along with your marriage license and birth certificate.  These will have to be originals, NOT COPIES.  If you choose to mail, all your original documents will be mailed back to you.  I chose to drop my documents off at the Social Security building in downtown Little Rock and will say they did not ask for my birth certificate so who knows.
You can find where to take or mail your application here: Take or Mail
Your new social security card will be mailed to your address afterwards.


Second step: Driver's License
You will NOT be able to get a new driver's license until your new social security card comes in.  Once you receive it though, you will need that and your marriage license again and take to your local revenue office.
Click on the link to find your local revenue office: Arkansas local revenue office
The new license will cost $10.00, no more than $20.00.  No forms to print out and take with you either.


Third step: Passport
Well this part gets tricky since there are at least three options.  However, this link will help you figure out which one you fall under: Passport
You will have to once again fill out an application and mail back your old passport.  (If you have never gotten a passport, obviously this wouldn't apply to you.)  It's a bit more of a hassle, and to be honest, I still haven't changed mine!


Really, the first two steps are the most crucial unless you travel internationally frequently.  If so, then you better get on all three!  After you receive your new social security card and driver's license, then you will need to update your name on your bank account, credit and debit cards, insurance, etc.
There are also name changing kits for sale, but to me, it just seems like a waste of money.  All the forms are free online, and all it requires is just a bit more patience to navigate through it all.
Hope this information helps and send me any comments or questions at dedwards@abpg.com!

More date nights

Just a quick post since we have been so busy unpacking in our new house!
I cannot take credit for finding this cute and fun website: ICTOAD.  A friend on Facebook made a post about it, and it stands for I Can't Think Of A Date. You go to the website and pick a category for the type of date.  You can also pick the price and duration.  It isn't specific to a certain area of the country or zip code either.  SUCH a great resource for thinking of fun things to do with your significant other!!  

Frazier and I on a date a few months ago at the Capital Hotel in Downtown Little Rock.

Share your fun date nights or date ideas with Arkansas Bride at Info@ArkansasBride.com or comment below!

Moved In

Whew!  Moved into the new house, thankfully!  I couldn't have done it without the help of our whole family. Big thanks to Frazier's sister Stephanie and her husband Sam though.  They definitely helped with the moving part and unpacking.  Obviously, my parents deserve much credit too.  I'm extremely blessed to have such a great family to help in this transition.  

Beau taking a nap...the move wore him out.  :)

We still have a lot of work to do, but it's fun work.  It is nice to have your own place to take pride in and spend money on!  I'll be better about blogging too.  These past few weeks have been crazy!!

SOLD!

Well, exciting news everyone....Frazier and I closed on our new home today!  We are officially homeowners and are moving in this weekend!  I feel like the whole process took a while, but honestly, we moved through pretty quickly.  Remember when I posted a month or two ago about placing an offer on a house but the inspection showed some costly repairs?  If not, then click here: Searching for the Nest.
Yeah, so that house didn't work out.  Some major items in the house need replacing along with a few repairs, and the costs were starting to climb.  We didn't expect the seller to pay for it all, but they weren't even willing to meet us halfway.

Obviously, that was not the best choice, and we chose to walk away.  Fortunately by that point, I think we were ready to move on since we had spent a few days going back and forth.  I knew to not get attached to a house, and I tried to think of it purely as a business deal.  I also did not stop looking for houses so when we walked away from that house, I already had about 5-7 other houses I wanted to go visit.  Frazier and I viewed a few more, and then found one house in West Little Rock that seemed to stick in our minds.  It was newer (about eleven years old), didn't need a ton of work, and in a good location/neighborhood.  We talked back and forth about it, and after a few intense discussions, decided to place an offer.  After the seller countered, we managed to meet in the middle!

However, once again, we weren't celebrating since we had the dreaded inspection coming up.  The inspection showed some repairs might be in order but not near to the degree that our previous house needed.  The seller also surprised us and quickly agreed to fix the issues.  After choosing a title company and signing away our souls (well at least it felt like it!) in paperwork, the house is now ours!!

I am by no means a home buying expert, but I'll just share a few thoughts that might be of some help to any first time home buyer.

• Get pre-approved.  That will eliminate a lot of "what-ifs" and stress.  It will also help you know your price range to start looking.
• Crunch the numbers.  Just because you get pre-approved for a $300,000 loan doesn't mean you should go buy a house for that amount.  We tried to be as conservative as possible so that we could still save plenty and have some disposable income.  
• Talk to your lender about your loan options and rates.  If they seem unhelpful, annoyed, or pushy, they probably aren't the best lender for you.  This is what they get paid to do so you are not inconveniencing them.  
• Ask for advice from people you trust and are financially sound.  I definitely asked my parents' opinion since they have bought four houses and sold three.  
• Don't get attached to the house until everything is completely checked out.  For some people that may be a bit more difficult, but trust me, it will help you tremendously in the long run.  Just remember that it's an investment for you and your spouse.  
• Use the inspection report as a bargaining chip to get important items repaired or prices lowered.  

Now it's on to packing up some more, getting ready to move, and celebrating a new address to call home!

Thanking

I think I may be done.  Hallelujah!  I'm not talking about a 500 page thesis or month long work project.  I'm talking about thank you notes for all my wedding gifts.  That's right.  I got married in April, and it's August.    I have no idea why it was so hard and difficult for me to finish them.  I never dreaded thank you notes like some people do.  If someone has taken the time and used their own money to purchase me a gift, the LEAST they deserve is a heartfelt thank you.
I was moving quickly through my list, taking time for each one to be sincere.  But once I was a month away from April 9th, it started getting a little hectic.  Thank you notes were replaced by parties, showers, and planning.  Once I returned from Mexico, the pile had substantially grown.  I started on the long list again, but the numbers slowly started to dwindle.  Then I ran into a problem when I lost a part of my list.
However, I eventually found it and found the time to finish.  Yet, if you are reading this, and you didn't receive a thank you note, just know that I either a.) didn't manage to write your gift down, b.) you didn't attach a card to your gift, or c.) the note got lost in the mail!

• Some tips for writing thank you notes to any bride would be to keep your list in the same notebook.  Don't take one notebook to a shower and then take piece of paper to the next party.  I ended up misplacing a few pages that way.  
• Another tip would be to keep the list right by the front door.  Once gifts start arriving, it's easy to quickly write them down.  
• Try to write at least five notes a night.  I tried to only write when I knew I would have several hours available.  However, if I would have just done a few whenever I had a brief moment, I could have covered a lot more ground.  
• Write meaningful notes no matter how many more you have to go!  Seriously, even if someone bought you a $5 candle, they still made the effort to give a gift.  

The gifts were fun to receive, but I am definitely glad that the thank you notes are wrapped up!

$20 Date Night Challenge

One of continuous things you hear about newly married life is being low on funds.  Now whether that is true or not (I would think having kids would make you strapped for cash rather than being newlywed but I wouldn't know, now would I?), I decided to take the challenge of a $20 date night.  
The rules were that it had to include dinner and an activity, both could be under $20 but not over $20, and no special elite deals.  For example, say your great uncle Terry worked at the movies and slipped you in for free.  That deal would obviously not apply to everyone so it doesn't count.  
Frazier and I began with deciding on dinner and chose to be creative.  Since Frazier had worked at a pizza parlor in college, he has developed a knack for creating unique and yummy pizzas.  However, making a homemade pizza can obviously be easily done no matter what your skill level.  One can start by purchasing either a crust that is already made, dough in a can to roll out, or mixing water into a pizza crust kit.  We decided to buy the dough that you can roll out, and we managed to buy the that, the sauce, pepperonis, and cheese for under $8.

The next step was our "activity".  We could have cheated and say rented a movie, but we went to a minor league baseball game instead.  Tickets were $6 each to the Arkansas Travelers game, and goodness, was it hot!  But it wasn't bad once the sun faded down, and it was so nice to cheer on the Travs while enjoying the downtown Little Rock skyline.  We barely made it, but we managed to scrape by spending exactly $20.  A lot of fun rolled into just $20 which is fairly hard to accomplish!

 Anyone have any ideas for more date nights?  Send them to me at dedwards@abpg.com.  I'd love to feature them!  Oh and stay tuned for next week...I think we may have to have a giveaway! 

Mexican Fiesta: Taco Ring Recipe

Today’s post seemed like a good time to share some recipes.  I chose a recent favorite from Pampered Chef called a Taco Ring, and Frazier and I have made it several times.  It tastes amazing, but the best part is that it’s SUPER easy and quick!  

Here’s all the ingredients you will need:

·  3/4 lb lean ground beef

·  1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

·  1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

·  2 tablespoons water

·  2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

·  1 can of pinto beans 

·  1 (8 ounce) can of corn

·  1 green bell pepper

·  3 cups lettuce, shredded

·  1 medium tomato

·  1/4 cup onion, chopped (optional)

And here’s the recipe for the delicious taco ring:

1. Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium heat 7-9 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain.

2. Turn heat down to low and stir in taco seasoning mix, cheese and water.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F.

5. Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles.

6. Arrange triangles in a circle on cookie sheet or pizza stone with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward outside. (There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in center.)  You might want to spray some Pam on the sheet as well.

7. Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (Filling will not be completely covered).

8. Bake at 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Shred lettuce and chop tomato, bell pepper, onion, and bell pepper (if desired).

10. Drain corn and pinto beans from the cans.  

11. Add the toppings to the center of the ring and finish with more shredded cheese and sour cream if you want and enjoy!

Send me some recipes of your own at dedwards@abpg.com, and I’d love to feature them on my own blog here:  http://edwardsnewlywednest.blogspot.com/

Or comment below and share them with all the lovely brides and newlyweds of Arkansas Bride!  

Searching for the Nest

I have wanted a house for quite some time now since I have moved every year since I was 18.  That includes moving into a dorm room as a freshman, in and out of my sorority house, into a duplex with some friends, into an apartment, moving back into my parent's house, and now into a rent house with my husband.  WHEW!  I think the main reason my dad may have been excited that I was getting married was the fact that he wouldn't have to be the only one hauling my stuff around all of Arkansas anymore.  

Well, once Frazier and I returned from our honeymoon and got back into the groove of life, we began our search for our first house.  I felt sure that I knew the market since I had grown up in Little Rock.  I also was confident in gaining knowledge from my parents since they have bought four houses over the years and sold three.  
Yet, I was at a loss of where to begin the actual process of buying.  Frazier and I talked about it, and we wanted to get pre-approved for financing.  We began shopping around for interest rates with several mortgage lenders, and finally ended up with Simmons First Mortgage.  Our lender has known my family for awhile now, but he has also been in the business for many years so we felt confident in his expertise.  

Once we were pre-approved, our next step was finding a house that we would be happy to live in for at least five years.  We found one in the neighborhood of Sturbridge where I had grown up.  Frazier and I extended an offer through our realtor, excited that we were making progress!  However, the seller countered, and then we countered back again.  The seller issued another counter so we began listing the pros and cons of the home.  Finally, my husband and I decided we wanted the house and accepted the offer.  But we weren't celebrating just yet.  Our offer was contingent upon the inspection of the house which we just had done this past week.  The report showed some slightly major issues that would not necessarily be hard to fix, just expensive.  

I mean really?  We are so close, yet so far!  Anyways, we are waiting to hear back from the seller.  So I may have a new house by the end of July or I may have to go all the way back to a new search.  I will keep everyone posted on our house hunt as it proceeds along, but in the meantime, if you have any house hunting tips, please share them below.  We need all the advice we can get!

Kate Middleton aka "Duchess of Cambridge"

You definitely would have to be living under a rock to not know that Kate Middleton married Prince William.  It was called the wedding of the decade, of course!  However, Kate has been making headlines for quite some time for her wonderful sense of style.  Well, I mean if I had a royal income and a personal shopper, I could look pretty good myself.  But Kate had  pretty good taste before she was engaged.  Here are some of my favorite outfits that she wore during their North America tour.  Love these!!

Below is also video from the Today Show that shows how to dress like Kate on a more affordable level, her casual yet elegant style, and how to copy her look from the photos above.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Turquoise

I LOVE the color turquoise.  I don't know why.  Maybe because it's a happy color.  Or maybe because it reminds me of the beach.  Either way, I love it.  I found some fun pictures to share from the House of Turquoise blog.
Maybe we'll all be inspired to do a bit of decorating!

Family Time

One of the best things or worst things about getting married is the part of gaining a new family into your life.  Luckily for me, my experience has trended towards the positive side.  My husband’s family has brought two additional siblings: Frazier’s older brother and older sister.   Both of them have made me feel welcomed into the family and have been extraordinarily nice to me.  However, I will admit that I was pretty excited to gain a brother.  Since a horrible accident took my own brother (he passed away before I was born), I have never experienced a protective older brother or an annoying younger one. 

Once Frazier and I started dating, the fun of meeting his family began.  I don’t exactly remember my first meeting of his older brother, but I do remember being nervous.  Frazier had warned me that he and Grant were definitely different from one another and that he was a policeman.  So you can imagine what images were going through my head!  Yet, everything went smoothly, and we began to get to know one another over the next couple of years. 

I think things really began to change though when his long term relationship abruptly ended.  Grant called me and Frazier to talk it over, and we offered up the best advice that we could give.  I remember thinking, “Should I say this?  I’m not really his sister.  I hate to comment when I should just mind my own business.”  But I decided to be honest and told him my true opinion.  I think it shocked him how outspoken I was since he even commented on my opinionated self in his rehearsal dinner speech!  Yet, when he thanked me for speaking up and giving some clarity to the situation, I knew that I had made the right choice.  Family is family no matter what, even if they are your own or your spouse’s. 

Grant is now an owner of a Chick-fil-a in Tennessee and has already created success within his business.  Frazier and I are both so proud of his accomplishments, and we were happy to have him come spend a weekend with us last month.  Plus, I look forward to meeting/critiquing his future girlfriends.  Just kidding!!  Well, sort of.  

Hopefully, everyone has wonderful families on both sides, but I know that’s not the case.  However, I encourage you to take a deep breath and try again.  Creating a family takes patience, and you never know how much your words of encouragement or support can mean!

P.S.- Since Grant IS on the market, let me know if you have any single friends or family!

  Just kidding!!  Well, sort of.  :)