Bridesmaids!!!

Saturday was one of my favorite wedding planning days to date!

11am -- Mani/Pedi
2pm -- Shopping for bridesmaids dresses
4pm -- Hair Appointment
6pm -- Engagement Photos

It was an absolutely wonderful day, thanks in large part to my beautiful bridesmaids.  And now... to introduce them to you!

Meet my Maid of Honor - Meredith

No explanation needed here.  She's my sister.  I wouldn't want anyone else in the world to be my Maid of Honor.  Plus...she always makes things pretty interesting.  And if you need proof of that, just read here.

Bridesmaid #1 - Shawna

Shawna and I have been friends since high school....although we can't remember just how we met.  Shawna and I went to rival high schools, but we were both in music....somehow our paths crossed!  Plus, she dated (and then married) a good friend of mine from high school.  Shawna was integral in the "Let's-Trick-Lauren-To-Get-Her-Engaged" plan.  I absolutely adore her!!!  (Things will never be quiet with the two of us together.....bring your earplugs!)

Bridesmaid #2 - Allison

This picture is from soooo long ago!
I discovered I have more pictures with Allison's kids than with her!

Allison and I were first year teachers together.  She was my art teacher, and I was her music teacher.  We laugh about our first year a lot -- we spent at least every other day crying in each others' classroom.  Allison is hands down the best elementary art teacher I have ever met.  She is phenomenal!  We haven't taught together for the past four (I think) years. So you can imagine how excited I am to know that we'll be reunited next school year!  We're back to teaching at the same building!!  In any case, I have loved Allison and her family for the last seven years, and I am so blessed to have her share these memories with me!

Bridesmaid #3 - Courtney

Courtney and I have known each other since elementary school -- seriously.  We grew up going to the same church.  Courtney likes to tell the story of us singing a duet together in our children's choir Christmas program.  I even sang in her wedding!  Courtney has been my spiritual rock.  She is absolutely in love with Jesus, and is the wisest 30-something I have ever known.  I absolutely love her, and I treasure our friendship.  (And her little girl, Georgia, is going to be in the wedding, too!)

Saturday's Fun:

My philosophy on bridesmaid's dresses is this:  wear something that looks good on YOU!  Having said that, I knew the most important thing to me outside of my girls feeling comfortable in what they wore was the color.  Our colors are blue, white and ivory.  I want my bridesmaids dresses to be all different shades of blue.

Looking at color swatches

These are the blues I chose:  Windsor Blue, Cornflower, Sapphire and Sailor

 I warned our consultant that we were going to totally overwhelm her.  We all have BIG personalities!  And we've never been accused of being too quiet.

Shawna and Courtney waiting for the fun to begin!

 So once I had determined the colors, I knew which designer offered those colors and in which fabrics.  I showed the girls the section of dresses they could choose from and the fabrics (chiffon and satin).  Then I basically said, GO! and they were off to pick out whatever the heck dress they wanted to wear.

Pinning the dresses to try on later

I think they pinned every chiffon and satin one there was.

 My girls were absolutely WONDERFUL!!  Poor Courtney is 36 weeks prego and went right along with the fun while we shoved her into dresses.  That's why I love them so!!!

This was round #1

More dresses!

Finally, we narrowed it down to our top four-ish dresses.....

We were really struggling to make a decision.  When it came down to it, though, it seemed that everyone really liked the same dress.  (Seriously?!  I tell everyone to get whatever the heck they want and they all like the same one?!)  


And the winner is....

The girls all looked so cute in this dress!!  It really was a no-brainer.  I'm so excited to see it in all of the different blues!  The little flower on it looked kind of sad, so we'll be spicing that up with a rhinestone broach.  (I found some classic/vintage-y clip on earrings at Charming Charlie that we're going to sew on.)  

And if I haven't said it enough in this blog already....

                 I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE these girls!  

I am SO blessed!