A visual explanation of some ideas

Happy Wednesday!  Notice any changes around here?  Kristen did a gorgeous blog redesign for me!  I had so much fun working with her on TRL that I just knew she would be the perfect person to do some work around here.  She can redesign you blog too, go visit her to find out more!

I decided today that the best way to really refine our vision is to show you some of the visions that are bouncing around in my head.  I've never seen the kind of the wedding I am picturing in my head... so I did what any self respecting blogger does, and I turned to Pinterest to start to put the pieces together.

First off, the launching point for this entire dream was a photo op idea... I really wanted to have the bridal party doing the tug of war.  Much as I wish I could say it would be the first time it's been done, I can't:

Source: loft3pd.com via Kristen on Pinterest

In my defense, I didn't find an actual picture of this being done until I went looking last night... I really thought that I was doing something really "off the wall".

That sparked visions of this...

Source: ginghamandwatercolors.tumblr.com via Kristen on Pinterest

I really want people to feel like they're on a picnic, complete with yummy food, games, and a relaxed atmosphere.  Sitting on the ground will be optional, though encouraged.

My dress does not lend itself to a traditional veil... and my hair is short, so there aren't a lot of style choices.  Thus, I'm really drawn to something like this...

Source: thedapperbun.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Last, but not least:  a glimpse into food.  I'm choosing to balk the tradition of a wedding cake.  I'm refusing to consider cupcakes.  Instead, I want to have a gorgeous spread of delicious, standard cakes.  Homemade, and the flavors that are family and friend favorites.  Right now, we are searching high and low for the perfect Apple Kuchen, my Grandfather's favorite.  This recipe looks promising:

Source: cakestudent.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Are you starting to see the vision at all?  Stick with us, I promise there are even more twists, turns, and surprises coming soon!

Linking up today with The Vintage Apple

There once was a proposal...

I kinda jumped into our wedding blog with info about the date of the wedding, and the venue.  But really, I was just so excited about it, I was about to jump out of my skin if I didn't tell everyone about it.  It means that this is really happening.  That even if none of the other details come together, at the very least I will have a day and place for everyone to congregate and party.  What's better than knowing that those 2 details are done?

So, since we're all friends here, I know you can forgive me for not yet having told you about how our proposal went down.  It's pretty entertaining, really.  I think you'll laugh, and it'll give you a very good sense of who Ammon and I are.

It was a Friday night.  I don't remember which one.  I guess I could look back at my blog archives and figure it out, but it really doesn't matter.  I got off of work early, and was contemplating buying Ammon an engagement ring.   You see, we had decided to start planning the wedding, even though the proposal technically hadn't happened yet, and people were giving us a hard time about it.  So I figured if I got Ammon a ring, that counted, right?

Well, I decided against buying a ring, but a few hours later, as we were getting some TCBY (If you've been reading my other blog lately, you'll know that we have a thing for the stuff), I told him what I'd been thinking.  Ammon was so giddy about the whole idea.  He thought that was the funniest thing, and was sad I hadn't gone through with it.  I told him that I didn't care if it was a $30 ring from Wal-Mart, we just needed to get engaged and be done with it.  So what does the man do?

He demanded I pull over the car.  He took off his seatbelt, and he got down on one knee on the floorboard of the front seat.  That was my proposal.  In the car, on the way to get yogurt.  I did, in fact, say yes.  And right after we had our yogurt, we went to Wal-Mart and found the prettiest $48 ring in the case.

We told people for the longest time that it wouldn't be the actual engagement ring, or the actual proposal.  But when I think back on it, and when I consider how much I really "need" that expensive ring, this proposal fits us.  It's perfectly suited to who we are as a couple.  It is a symbol of love that we can actually afford, instead of one that would start our engagement in financial ruin.

So, that's the story of how Ammon proposed.  If you've been engaged, or are currently engaged, how did your proposal go?  Was it funny?  Silly?  Romantic?  Well-planned?  Spontaneous?  I want to hear all about it!

Dates and Venues... we are really doing this!

A while ago, when first considering wedding dates, I had targeted August as the ideal month to get married.  It seemed perfect:  It would provide us the maximum amount of planning time.  It would give Ammon a chance to get settled into a new job somewhere.  It would be a summer wedding, since we have students and teachers both in our families.  It really seemed like the best time possible.  Better yet?  We would potentially be sharing a wedding anniversary with my homegirl, Alyx.  It seemed like all signs pointed to August.

That is, until none of the signs pointed to August.

My childhood best friend's wedding is scheduled for the Saturday before the date I wanted.  Ammon's step-mom starts clinicals for her NP.  2 of my cousins are completely unavailable for the entire month.  Excuse after excuse piled up, and I realized that August wasn't going to work.  So one night, over a heaping bowl of the best comfort food known to man:

This is Pho.  It is the best noodle soup you will ever taste.  Try it.

We re-grouped.  We picked 3 other wedding dates that worked for us, and we sent the list around to our immediate family.  Nobody raised objections, so we moved forward with finding a venue that could accommodate 150 people, on the wedding date of our choice. 

Immediately, I found out that finding the ideal wedding venue would be the most difficult decision I would have to make of this entire process.  First off, venues are flipping expensive.  Second, in order to appear workable in your budget, they don't list prices, but post misleading statements, like "Able to accommodate any style and budget."  What they really should be telling you is that "You can have a budget wedding, so long as it's small."  Jerkfaces.  The next issue was style.  I have been envisioning and attempting to create a vintage picnic themed wedding.  It's a broad type theme that can encompass a lot of different elements.  However, I am not willing to budge on having iconic picnic activities like the Tug of War, Cornhole, and 3-legged races at our wedding.  There had to be enough space for the ceremony, the reception, and fun activities if a space was going to make the grade.

Oh, and I wanted to find something for under $2000.

... Yes, you can all roll your eyes at me.  Except, we DID IT!  After a lot of searching, too many emails, 5 or 6 breakdowns, and lots of "are you sure" talks later, we pulled the trigger on our vintage picnic venue on Monday.  Even better, they had our #1 choice wedding date available!  I've seriously never been so happy to pay someone $100 for a deposit on something in my life.

So, Ammon and I are so thrilled to announce that our wedding will be held at

Beautiful Osborn Farm in Loveland Colorado, on JUNE 22, 2013!!!

So we have a date, and a venue.  Guess what???  It's really happening!  We're getting married!

Don't worry, we'll be telling all about this venue in future posts.  But I just had to let you all know the amazing news!

A re-launch

I started this blog forever ago... and then did nothing with it.  My goal was to have this space be a special place to share my craft projects, and all of my successes and fails.

As it turns out, the last year hasn't been too conducive to a lot of crafting.  In fact, I've done a few small projects, but not a single one of the larger project I was hoping to accomplish.  Updating a blog about crafting with teeny-tiny crafts seemed silly.

However, I managed to choose a title for this blog that suits our current station.  Because meet us: 

Kristen, blogger of This Radiant Life, DIY believer, health enthusiast, part-time student, full time Leasing Manager.  Time management expert.

Ammon.  Life partner to Kristen.  Loves woodworking, Chemistry, and all things nerdy.  Lives to learn.  Full time student, part time lab assistant.

Together, we're practically a super-couple that loves to create special, unique, one-of a kind items to enhance their lives.  Well, we would be a super-couple if we actually finished half of the projects on our lists. 

However, now we're getting hitched.

Our budget for our nuptials is low.

Our list of wants is high.  We want to create something special that nobody has ever seen at a wedding.  In fact, Kristen is desperate to have our wedding pinned on Pinterest.  So the ante has officially been raised.  We want to make this happen.  We NEED to make this happen.  Since there are so many cool projects we want to include, we decided to make this blog the official place to share all of the projects and special touches we will be incorporating into our big day.  Kristen doesn't want her other blog to turn into a wedding blog.  Instead, this place will be our place to share our triumphs, our tribulations, our tests and trials.  We are so excited to share with you how we are going to make our dreams a reality!