hair. hair. hair.

what to do with my hair for the wedding. ugh.

i have medium length hair. that itself sets some limitations. i hate slicked back, barely there hair. i am all about the poof, the volume, and something different. i hate tight ringlets, and hundreds of rhinestones poking through strands of pulled back hair. basically, i don't want it to look like i spent an hour getting my hair done{even if it does take that long}.

I will be wearing a double layer blusher veil...just a little shorter. it measures around 18" in length, and i don't plan to wear it over my face!

Here are some ideas....let me know if you have any great up-do sources, or pictures. i will take any and all suggestions. :)

happy tuesday.

my vacation starts tomorrow. so much wedding stuff to do, i promise i will soon update on this last weekend!

I may, or may not...

..have gotten a new suv today.

so. stinking. excited.

i also...

enjoyed a roadtrip with mom

got our cake stand for the wedding

broke-out like a 13 year old (what the....)

got wedding ribbon, candles, etc...

saw my dad and brothers

missed my fiance today.

more on all of this on monday.

can't wait to catch up with you all.

hope you all have a slendid weekend!!

Slowly but surely...

.....our wedding invitations are getting finished!

A few weeks ago, my wonderful mom and i headed to bismarck, nd. I have an amazing aunt and uncle that live there, and my aunt is talented beyond talented when it comes to crafts. I am so thankful she agreed to help me out. I have always been one that is VERY inspired by beautiful wedding stationary, but i just couldn't justify spending that much money on something most people throw away. so, i looked around. i thought about completely making them myself, but after adding up the cost of paper, envelopes, liners, it just wasn't helping out the bank account. After getting a super cute/simple invite in the mail from a friend of mine, i realized it isn't in how pretty your font is, or the shape of your envelope. to me, the joy of seeing his invitation, was seeing how fun and personal it was. so, we came up with some creative/non-traditional wording, and ordered away. I actually ordered the oversized postcard from VistaPrint for the main part of our invites, and used a regular sized postcard for the directions and information. To finalize, we ordered a business card with the rsvp information on it. With a little help from a graphic designer, we had something personal, something rustic, and definately something that fit our budget. we have never set a "budget" per say, but jace and I both agree on the certain areas of our wedding that we want to spend more on than others.

After placing brown cardstock (50% off at hobby lobby--score!) on the backs of the cards, and creating a little flap that folds open, we were satisfied. To spruce up the envelopes, we purchased a "branchy" stamp, that matched the invite design. we will be printing the names in brown on the front, and have our address on the back flap, also in brown!

When ordering the postcards, they came in amounts of 100 or 250-since we needed 165 invites, we just went with the 250-better safe than sorry.

Total for 250 invites and envelopes from VistaPrint- $105

Total cost of cardstock and stamp from Hobby Lobby- $ 50

Total Cost for each invite with postage- $0.77

I love bargains!

my mom, jodi, helping out with invites.

my dear aunt dee and I-enjoying a relaxing saturday.

main invite and design on envelope.

total package.

Pure. Joy.

I think that everygirl should have the chance to run around in her wedding dress. For no reason at all. Just for the joy of it. and let me tell you---it was pure joy.

i danced.

i posed.

i smiled.

i thought of my fiance.

and i was happy.

best feeling in the world.

that's me. today. just being happy.

my ten.

picture found via flickr.

...while blogging around i found this inspiring quote.

"She packed up her potential, and all that she had learned. Grabbed a cute pair of shoes and headed out to change a few things in this world.."

there are so many things in life i want to do and change in my life.

here's my ten.

what are yours?

1. Become a better friend. Call them more often. Write them letters. Just make sure they know how much they are appreciated.

2. Become successful. I already feel like a successful dental hygienist, but I have more dreams, like...

3. Become a photographer. I'm in the process of putting a small business together with a friend, and I couldn't be more excited.

4. After my wedding, be more drastic with my haircut. I can't wait for something new. Little changes can make all the difference.

5. Be more positive. And less negative.

6. I want to challange myself. Physically.

7. I want to give more hugs to people I love.

8. Give credit where credit is due.

9. Become an amazing wife. And mother someday.

10. I want to donate to a charity this year. The world needs more of that.

Dear Jake,

...if in life, something doesn't work out with my already nearly perfect fiance, i will be thinking of you, and hope you come calling.

also, i am very sorry jillian didn't see that wonderful, perfect, beautiful, charming side of you that would make the perfect husband.

I will forever hold jace up to your impossible standards--and he is very aware of this.

i love you, (through my tv screen, every monday night)

love, awna jade

Simple. Rustic. Fun.

those three words are what i based this whole wedding scheme upon. jace and i are both two people who enjoy the simple things in life...

.kisses. holding hands. going on dates. romantic songs. and of course, laughing.

on my wedding day the two things i am most excited for are--

1. get married to by best friend.

and..

2. to see our closest friends and family come together and have a great time.

so, when choosing our wedding outfits we wanted something practical. something fun. something a bridesmaid, and groomsmen can wear again. so, simplicity it was. the boys will be in jeans, the girls in sundresses. here are a few pictures i snapped while back home a couple of weekends ago. thank god for amazing brothers who like to play dress up, over, and over, and over...

being silly. that's what little brothers are for.

just love it.

and..talk about thrifty. the girls dresses, are from VS for $85.00, they were asked to wear some rustic boots, new or old, i am not picky! and the necklaces were made by my personal attendent, hannah honeyman, as our wedding gift. they turned out great, and tie the little bit of burnt orange into the whole scheme. so total for girls--right around $100 for the whole outfit, and it's all something you can wear again!!

the boys--we got the jeans on-sale at kohls, for around $33.00. the off-white shirt was around $17 from kohls, the brown sweater vests from jcpenny's, were $10.00, the brown loafers are from ae, and are around $15.00 (thanks to a very watchful mother, we caught them on-sale!), and last, my very favorite touch to the outfits...the cute socks. $3.00 at old-navy. can't wait for the photo oppurtunities with those.

so-i'm very happy. everyone's dressed for under $100, can't beat it.

what were your big wedding bargains?

I hope....

...you hugged your daddy today.

i did. :)

happy father's day, dad. i love you....

...even if you pass out on the couch, on christmas, looking silly in all your camo wear.

ps. 90 days until you get to walk this girl down the aisle. can't wait.