( : Engagement Pictures : )

So...we got our engagement pictures back. : )

We picked 5, and Nichole threw in an extra 3-4.

Have a look!

I love this one!


My favorite
(The formal shots were taken at Hendrix, site of our first date!)


*~*RAWR*~* (Nichole threw this one in--I rather like it after all!)


Silly Face


Dreaming and Picnicking


Mad Tea Party (another freebie)
Today was the first time we ever saw this one!


Ashley and Zach's Power Puppet Hour?


my ring and the book that brought us together


Scandal in the Stacks

(Courtesy of Nichole Leigh Photography)
http://nicholeatwell.yolasite.com/

Math is and is not fun: School + Us = : ( but Zach + Ashley = : )

Survived our first two days of class (barely). *sigh* This is going to be a long semester--longer than either of us expected. Together we'll make it to the other side (a.k.a. graduation). :)

Zach's mom Beverly came up to Conway yesterday and brought us the engagement ring. I finally get to wear it!! The diamond still looks like a snowflake. A size 5 fits perfectly. It looks even better than I remember. :)

We went to the library and mapped out our seating and table arrangements so we will have everyone prepared who is helping set up. It was difficult trying to figure out how we want things to go, especially since the library was closing shortly after we got there. But I think we planned it out. We also went to Hobby Lobby and rented some pillars for our ferns. I think we are going to run some lights down the aisle with blue tulle and only use a handful of potted ferns. I think it will be elegant, but minimalist. :)

We had our engagement pictures today! We went to Hendrix, downtown Conway, the library, and our sculpture garden outside of Conway for them and took all kinds of photos. Poor Nichole...I hope we didn't wear her out. Getting your picture taken is awkward and we had NO idea what we wanted. But she was great at coming up with ideas on the spot. She posted some samples for us to choose from. I think they turned out great! We selected the ones we liked best, and we should get them soon. I can't wait to see them in person and to share them with everyone! :)

It's in the mail!

Well, we registered at Target yesterday. It took a lot longer than we expected, but it was fun going down all the aisles and picking out what we wanted in our future home. We really like quality items, and we focused on kitchen items since we don't know where we will be (which means no curtains, tablecloths, etc. because we don't know how many windows we will have or if we'll have a table or not). Zach added some Legos, and I picked out some cookbooks. ;)

I got some wide blue ribbon that will work nicely for a sash if knotted and looped over in the back. (I think it will look tacky if it is tied in a bow.)

We also looked at some wedding bands at JCPenney. Zach got sized and found one he really liked that will match my band. (I just want a simple one so as not to take away from my diamond.)

Speaking of diamonds, my ring will be shipped Thursday, which means it will be here Friday, which means I can wear it on Saturday for our engagement pictures! Zach's mom loaned me her ring to use because it's similar, but is in yellow gold, instead of white. But we had decided to not do any close-ups. Now it doesn't matter!

Today we finished the invitations! There are a few here and there that we are waiting on correct addresses, but tomorrow they will be in the mail. Watch out!

Goin' to the L-I-B-R-A-R-Y, and we're gonna get married...

A lot has been going on, so I've had to miss writing a day here and there. We went to Little Rock on Monday and picked up our invitation and flower supplies. Tuesday we stayed in town and got the rest of the invitation materials (white ink had to be exchanged for silver and LR was out of pearls), and we stopped by Faulkner County Library.

We hadn't heard from them, so I felt the need to double-check, in person, that we would still be able to get married there. (I get really nervous about these sorts of things.) Ruth Voss, the librarian, spoke with us again and promised to commit to being there if the assistant librarian could not be. She said it was full steam ahead! We went all around the library again, looking at doors we could use to bring in decorations, food, etc. and how to arrange the chairs--those sorts of details. We also asked if they had a projector and screen for our slideshow, which they do. HUZZAH! We are getting married in a library on September 19th--perfect!

This news also means we can make our invitations this week. We are going to work on them tomorrow, aiming to finish them to be mailed out this weekend. Zach bid on some Tenniel Alice illustration rubber stamps, but we'll probably have to use them on wedding decor or for the reception envelopes because they won't be in on time. We bought a key rubber stamp to use instead of the herald rabbit...and possibly in place of seals. Hopefully the Post Office has King and Queen of Hearts stamps...

Speaking of the Post Office, Zach called them again on Tuesday. Turns out my ring is NOT lost...it has just failed to arrive in Washington yet. Registered mail can take a while to arrive, and until it does, the Post Office will NOT have a record of the package. Whoever was on the phone on Monday was a liar and an idiot who didn't know a thing about registered mail. If you don't know, just shut it, ok? (Nearly gave my mother a heart attack when I told her my ring was lost...)

Erin is assembling my bouquet and making it beautiful. Tasha is planning on taking bridal pix at The Old Mill once I have a sash and everything in order. Our engagement pictures are scheduled for the 22nd. Zach's parents are working on food and flowers. We have figured out the party favors. Zach booked a bed-and-breakfast in Eureka Springs for the 20th and 21st. (We realized that Eureka Springs is three-and-a-half hours away, not leaving us much time to enjoy the B&B if we stayed just the 19th and 20th; we're staying in the area the first night.) :) Everything regarding the wedding is coming along. I just want everything planned and squared away, with as much done as possible before school starts next week.

I'm so excited! I can't wait until we're married!