parties

BRIDAL SHOWER AND JOINT BACHELOR/BACHELORETTE PARTIES!

On Saturday, May 22, 2010 my friends threw me a bridal shower and Chad and I had our joint bachelor/bachelorette parties! Of course the day started out with rain - what does not start out with rain lately :) But, it cleared up beautifully by the time the parties started.

We all met at my friend Holly's house which had a perfect layout for this party and a brand new deck for everyone to hang out on! The theme of the day was Black & Bling. Actually the full title was "Sonja's Wedding Fling - Wear Your Best Black & Bling!" And everyone looked great! We were an eye catching group when we went out later!

The shower portion of the day was a wine tasting party. All of our wine was from Wisconsin since Chad and I got engaged in Door County. Our friend Andy was even our wine sommelier!

(Andy and I)

(Back Row: Holly, Andy, Kendra, Sonja, Sally and Doreen

Front Row: Amanda, Mary, Julie, Syren, and Jill)

(Our Party Crew)

(Biff, me, & Tena)

engagement photos

HERE IS A SNEAK PEAK AT SOME OF OUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS!

Suzanne Wynveen did a fabulous job! We had a great time with her, even though the weather was something to be desired! Can you believe it was only 47 degrees this day!

Chad and I tease that this one looks like a country music album cover! I pretend I'm Carrie Underwood :) (If only)...

long over due updates

Wow! it’s taken so long for me to update again, 2010 has been a pretty wild ride so far!
First off I would like to say HAPPY NEW YEAR about 5 month late…

Since I have last posted, my family has a pretty great new addition!
Cambell Renee Kittilson was born 5 weeks early on February 7, 2010. One month to the date before my birthday.
She is the most amazing little girl and changes daily. I can never keep up with her tiny world and how much she can take in everyday!
A few favorites of Cam’s are 80s and 90s pep band music, her bobby pillow and my personal childhood favorite: a glow-worm!
Really this is just a small list of things, but they are the best in my book too!

Chad and I have the honor of being Cambell’s Godparents. She was baptized in the same church as her great-great grandmother Julia Flynn and the same church that I will be married in.

Then skipping ahead to May, we had the most entertaining engagement photo session ever!
Chad and I had our engagement photos taken last Saturday. When we booked these we thought May would be the perfect month, the grass is green, flowers are blooming and the weather is finally getting warmer.
Boy were we wrong – that actually just described April. May has been a totally different story. We did have the opportunity to experience all four Wisconsin seasons in one 2 hour photo shoot though.
It was a ton of fun though! I didn’t want our session to end. It was made even better by the fact that Syren came with us as our own personal stylist! (Thank you Syren – could not have done it without you!)

Coming up yet in May is my bridal shower and Chad’s and my joint parties!!! I can’t wait for this one – the weather is actually supposed to be great! Which is good since I will be in a little black dress and heels!

turkey day - black friday!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Chad and I were busy as always starting the day out at his aunt Collette’s house where we were able to hang out with his dad’s side of the family. They are always a fun group with lots of laughs and stories! This was the first time I have seen them since the engagement which made this visit even more special. We then headed for our second round of turkey to my parents house. We spent the evening flipping through all the sale ads for Black Friday and made our game plan!

4am on Friday morning came earlier than expected. But I we were all determined to get out there and get that deal (whatever it was). We love the excuse “… but it was on sale.” I headed straight to Wal-Mart at about 4:30am where I scoped out the store and was ready with our plan of attack once my family met up with me. Our group consisted of: my mom, sister (Jill), aunt (Chris) and cousin (Sara). We were able to get a few of the ‘not hot’ ticket items at Wal-Mart and headed straight to Target in EC. Usually they open at 6am so we have always been there for the baby crying, elbow shoving, evil eye door opening. This year though they opened at 4am! Yep, the exact time my alarm was going off those poor sales associates were fighting the mob back with carts and news crews. By the time we got there at 6am the checkout lines were all the way back wrapped around the toy aisle. Without risking the chance of losing each other we headed back out into the cold and made it over to the mall. This place was also crazy busy – but boy did we find the deals. And I found Chad’s Christmas present!!! Since he may be reading this before Christmas actually comes, I can’t reveal what his treat will be. We were able to hit many more locations and despite the crabby crowd and long lines – we made a haul! Several vehicles were full and so were our bellies after a great brunch at Panera Bread. I think we all got back home around 12:30pm! A full 8 hour work day had been completed by the time we got home. Of course I curled up and instantly took a nap.

I can’t wait to do it all again next year…

say yes to the dress

Sorry it has taken so long for me to get another post out here. The last few weeks have gone by so fast!

The other evening my mom and I went and ordered my dress and accessories. I know you are thinking that seems rather soon and at first I agreed, but… it will take 7-9 months for my dress to come in because it’s coming from England! And then I will need time for the alterations. The dress is an Isabella Chessari with the 2Be Bride Collection (sorry, there are no pictures of it online). I was teasing my friend Amy in Amsterdam that she should swing by England on her way home for the holidays and bring it with her so I won’t have to wait so long! Wouldn’t that be a fun thought, not only my great friend Amy coming home, but bringing my wedding dress with her! Now I just need the shoes!

I also received the best news from two of my out of state/country guests!
Dennis Heifner in Maryland said he will be there which is wonderful. Back in high school Chad and Dennis were called the brothers. So in my email to him, I said Chad could not get married without all his brothers being there.

Amy Frost-White is my friend in Amsterdam. I have been wondering since the moment I got engaged if she and her husband Adam would be able to make it back to the states for my wedding! In a Skype conversation with her the other day, she told me the great news that she will be home for September! This is truly going to be a great celebration with all my family and friends.

It’s been six weeks since Chad asked me to marry him and I am down to really only needing to finalize my selection for invitations! I think I was born to be a wedding planner!
One more tid bit about my dress… The title of this blog is Say Yes to the Dress. Not only because the order has been placed, but because this dress is also available at Kleinfeld’s in NYC and has even been featured on TLC’s hit show Say Yes to the Dress!

baby on board

WAIT WAIT, NO NOT ME!
I am sending out a huge congratulation to my sister Jill and her husband Travis. They are expecting their first baby! My family is so excited for this new addition on the way! We found out about a week before Halloween that she was already 4 months along. The baby is due in March (which of course I think is the perfect birthday month). With any luck, the baby may even be born on my birthday. Right now though the due date is March 11, 2010!

There is another baby in our future as well! My cousin Brad and his wife Darcy and expecting a baby boy in February! This is going to be a very fun year for our family. Congrats Brad and Darcy!

a good thing...

I am having the best time planning this wedding! Everything is coming together just perfectly! I could not feel more lucky with the selections we have chosen so far.

ACT 1: My mom and I were able to meet with Glen Hein yesterday for a tour and Q/A of the Conference Center at the EconoLodge. The space is even better than I remembered! The room was divided into 3 smaller rooms while I was there, but I was still able to get the gist of what it will be like wide open. I also had no idea they had so many options for a lay out. Where do I want the head table? Didn’t know I got a choice! So now, where do I want the head table located! Not that it really matters, there will only be 4 of us at it (haha).
I think I was the most excited about the lighting, during a reception and dance, they don’t use any of the florescent lights, they only use can lighting and they have a dimmer switch for them. As Martha Stewart would say: Mood Lighting is a Good Thing!

Now next Tuesday, Chad and I are meeting with Suzanne Wynveen to select which wedding photo package we want and hopefully to get a date set for the engagement pictures. I’m thinking this spring would be a nice time for them. I’m already looking forward to warm days, green grass and flourishing flower beds! It’s going to be a long winter. Good thing I have a lot to keep me busy!

So I have also purchased my first copy of the knot wedding magazine. I'll tell you the truth: I have admired this magazine for years. I have always wanted my first copy, but was nervous about 'jinxing' the real thing, so I have always held back. Now I have no need to hold back! And can I tell you - it was worth the wait!