today i’ve been busy packing and making sure nothing is forgotten because TOMORROW morning…
…james and i fly home to georgia for the weddin’!
…and i can hardly wait!
a new chapter is about to begin and i’m very ready for it! james is my best friend and the man of my dreams in every way. i feel like the luckiest girl…
i love love!
so, happy wedding week to US!
love, whit
p.s. – newly wed advice?!? haha
I GET MARRIED ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!
back when i told “the proposal” story, i was a little bothered by the fact that i hadn’t taken adequate pictures of that night.
he popped the question at the end of the evening at a surprise location in Emigration Canyon by Salt Lake City. it was secluded, the view was gorgeous and i absolutely love it up there!
as mentioned in my last post, we chose that spot to take our Bridals. James and i drove up there the week before to check it out, and i snagged some better shots.
…this is the old rusted gate that James had pulled up to and so smoothly pulled a key out of the box on the left the night he proposed. we then winded farther on a tiny beaten path to our final destination. sadly, that box is now locked along with the fence making it impossible to get the truck up.
…so we footed it…
…(nice pose, eh?)
…this is looking behind me at how far we’d walked.
….so uh, going by foot was getting tiring, and i kind of refused to go ALL the way to the spot he proposed at. though i took a picture of it!
in this picture, follow the path to the hill on the far right. that’s where we had our “magic moment” : ) ….
we definitely will have to go back again and again. it’s too beautiful not to!
enough pictures of that…
a W E E K from today!
…and i feel the pressure of it. knowing how many people are involved, how much is being done, and how much stress so many other people are under for MY wedding…it stresses me out to no end. the last couple of days i have been so snappy and allowing more than usual get under my skin. poor james. though i’ve been pretty good to catch myself and apologize right away. but i hate it still.
my head is just constantly running with mental to-do lists making sure i haven’t forgotten anything and that no important factor is left out. i wish i could relax, but my head is already nagging me about all that needs to be done AFTER the wedding too.
ahhhhhhhhh!!!
well, i’m very excited too. very very!
my mom just informed me last night that my grandparents wanted to come to my wedding and have found a way along with one of my aunts, uncle, cousins and his family! that news made me SO happy! i had been a little a bummed that no extended family would be at my wedding, as there were at each of my sisters’. so this news was just perfect!
and now…
….the clock’s-a-tickin’!…
flight home on wednesday!
love, whit
just ten days to go!
i don’t even know what to say other than i’m READY already!
here’s a little peak into our Bridals Shoot with Lora Grady Photography…
….look how handsome he is, all candid in his suit!
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i just LOVE the fall look in the last one.
and there’s MORE coming!!
Lora is the greatest!
We drove all the way to Emigration Canyon for this shoot…the very place James popped the question! It seemed fitting.
…
anyway….this is me…SO EXCITED!!!
love, whit
…not that i’m counting or anything.
: )
but, with only 17 days left… it’s kind of “crunch time”
we are SOOO blessed by all the help we’ve been getting. i know back in Georgia, Lana is going above and beyond making sure the reception will be beautiful and everything we envisioned. Mom tells me how beautiful it’s going to be from what she’s seen so far and that Lana has figured out how to incorporate all of my ideas. Lana is the best!
Mom’s been busy making sure the food/catering is taken care of…doing shopping trips with Lana for decor…and getting everything for the pinatas in order. And i’m sure stressing plenty about the herd of people coming in town in just a couple weeks.
We really are getting immense amounts of help! My sister, Dacy, is going to make a fabulous wedding cake. James’ sister, Carrie, is going to make a GREAT groom’s cake (which i can’t wait to see!). Future mommy-in-law, Sheree, is pulling together a wonderful post-wedding luncheon. I’ve asked favors of my other sisters. And who knows how many people Michael has helping get the property prepped for the reception. Just the fact that we’re having it at SUCH a beautiful place makes us grateful enough. I know the Gossling men will figure out the parking, which is appreciated! We even have my future Aunt Lisa who is talented in flower arranging and will be making my bouquets and boutonnieres. Family is such a beautiful thing!
Let’s not forget DAVE and how awesome he is to take charge of our “out of town guest entertainment and lodging”…haha! He’s been great to make sure we all have a fun night in downtown Atlanta before the big event!
It amazes me how willing everyone is to offer a hand when needed. Not with just the “wedding”, but with our becoming a newly-wed couple soon…there are just a lot of things to deal with…and we have amazing friends and family on our side supporting.
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i have few close girlfriends out here in Utah, so i said that no “party” or anything would be necessary.
but look what “the new mrs. chelsea hoer” and elissa have done…
…they make me feel special! (ps – need invites designed? go to chelsea)
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i have also come to LOVE Lora Grady… my favorite photographer/new-found friend! She will be shooting us this weekend again for our Bridals! We cannot thank her enough!!!
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which means i need to get my veil made STAT!
…it’s just these little things that stress me out. especially the budgeting. ayayay! OH, and did i mention how all of the invites we sent came back to us??!?! UGH! i’m pretty sure that is what gave me a cold right now. (my current biology professor pointed out that high stress makes one susceptible to getting sick…explains my current congestion and cough)
we left getting James’ suit tailored to the last minute. though last night we met a funny tailor named Cookie who offered many fashion opinions and was kind enough to waive the “rush” fee as our wedding gift : ) oh, the little things!
i stopped by the Utah Valley Bridal Fair last weekend and ended up meeting the coolest couple/videographers…who, yes, are now going to be a part of our big event! here’s to bethany and matt and BC Film !
we have our Bishop Interviews tonight. the last of the ties in the mail. our wedding “music playlist” to be settled on to give the DJ (one of the few things james and i don’t ENTIRELY agree on..haha)…. and i’m sure there are other things…
…
between the wedding plans, school, finances, and moving in/trying to make this new apartment “home”….i’m just super ready for the end of this month to roll around!
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speaking of the new apartment… here’s a tour…provo living at it’s finest..hahahha!..
(side note – please overlook the random hodge podge of furniture the place came with – nothing really goes together and i see no point in fully figuring it out until james moves in…)
we’ll start with the kitchen (front door seen on the left…and washer/dryer hidden in closet on the right)
…looking from the kitchen. don’t you love our fine kitchen table and matching chairs??
and the living room…
… (my poor lonely basil plant in the window trying to get sun. he needs a bigger pot)
…
and the two bedrooms… one is like “james’ office space” of sorts for now…
and the other is the actual bedroom (a complete mess right now because i see no need to organize too much when it will all be switched as soon as james is here in a couple weeks, and i’m still not entirely unpacked yet)…
let’s hope a larger bed will be in the budget soon!
and each room has a bathroom like this…
…
so that’s it!…my/our home sweet home for at least the next year. let’s hope that it can be made cute soon enough. james has no doubts that i will be busy “nesting” for a while.
anyway…
that’s the shmupdate for now…
love, whit
a wedding is in planning….for october!
congratulations to the future mr. and mrs. john cheesman…
…
love, whit
today = August 29th 2012
my wedding date = September 29th 2012
me = !!!!!!!!!!!!
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i spent the last week and a half at home in Georgia. basically the only time i had to really get wedding plans coordinated.
(speaking of GA – look how cute! …the things you find on etsy)
i won’t lie…it was more stressful than i had anticipated. though, i don’t believe there has been ANY wedding pulled together where everyone saw eye-to-eye on everything.
though, we are more than blessed with all of the help and support we have in making this happen. i’m trying not to become a “bridezilla” in the process (which i don’t think i have been – i guess you should really ask james or my mother that)…so as to not seem ungrateful or that i’m taking all of the help for granted.
my best friend, London, and her mom threw me a wonderful bridal shower. it was SO nice! the food was delicious and a good crowd showed up. i couldn’t have asked for a better evening catching up with everyone. it made me feel a little uncomfortable being the “center” of the night and receiving all the gifts. but – it is so appreciated! i felt so loved.
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my dress is all ready. mom sewed a sash together for it and figured out the bustle. she’s also letting me borrow some of her jewelry and we picked out my earrings together at the mall. all i lack is figuring out a veil of sorts – or what i decide to do with my hair.
catering has been selected! – both for the mexican and the southern bbq. so very delish!
and we are even more thrilled now that there has been a more recent addition of SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM to the menu! (thank you, michael / DMOPC!)
the reception location is BEAUTIFUL! so much space it almost overwhelmed me. though it is absolutely perfect. not to mention james and i had fun four-wheeling around it for a bit : )
we also finally had our DJ booked. i’m pulling together a playlist now…requests?!?!
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School started this week.
UGH!
i forgot how much i detest BYU campus during fall and winter. people. e v e r y w h e r e.
i got spoiled over spring and summer, and NOW. yikes. it took me almost 25 minutes to find a parking spot after having dropped james off for his 9:30am class yesterday. Then, we waited a good 30 minutes in line just to get lunch on campus. at taco bell. it’s ridiculous. luckily we both only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. …and I’m definitely packing lunches for tomorrow.
i’ve decided to switch my major YET AGAIN!
..i know, i know. but, Spanish Education just isn’t for me anymore. ha! tomorrow i have orientation and will officially be part of the School of Family Life – emphasis on Human Development. I like it much better…already. Keeping a minor in Spanish though, of course. I’d like credit for that.
poor james is taking a semester-load of classes that make me cringe. though he’s much better at handling it than me. between my being on birth control now and his possible upcoming school stress – we might just become the crankiest newly-weds yet!
speaking of birth control…i’m no fan. it hasn’t quite been a week yet and i’ve already been overly emotional. …every. day. i don’t need my tears to come this easy 24/7. ew ew ew! i know james is not a fan either. i’m kind of a mess.
(again… photo cred to Lora Grady)
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OK, so..
one month to go, and i still need to finish getting invites out. goodness.
and i’m currently living out of a suitcase at Elissa’s place in Cottonwood. she’s the best for housing me so much.
so sick of the suitcase though.
but come Saturday, I’ll get to move into our new apartment in Provo. finally!
we’ll see how i handle living by myself for a month until James gets to move in after the wedding. i think i’ll handle it fine. so fine that he might mess up my feng shui when he does move in! haha. jokes.
(a bedroom like this would really do great things for my chi…)
…wishful dreaming. (restoration hardware)
“setting up house” gets me excited though : ) i’m such a girl.
but now…time for homework…blechk!
.
love, whit
6 weeks to go until the big day.
summer classes ended. finals over and done with. i’m all moved out. and i was on a flight home to GA yesterday.
i have about 10 days in town to figure this wedding stuff out before i’m back in UTAH for fall classes to start. james is busy being a world traveler right now in Argentina – visiting friends from his mission. i wish i could have gone with him, but the budget wouldn’t permit it.
budgets. booooo!
anyway… my first night/day home has been successful. Mom and I did some thrifting and found a few “gems” to use at the reception. then we ate ourselves sick of tacos from a couple places. though taste testing to find the best carne asada is rather fun! salsas and dips and chips…my tummy is happy/full. also, i’m pretty sure we found our winner.
…
seeing as we want to have more of a “wedding party”…
this little guy that we found at Mercado Jalisco will be joining us:
…yup, that’s a pinata!
i thought he was cute. a green bull!
he’ll really bring the FIESTA into it.
things are coming along nicely. i promise it’s all going to come together very well! – our country rustic bbq/mexican theme. Ha! odd? nah… we’re incorporating james and me very well into this. it’ll be a blast!
dress & shoes = puchased and perfectly fitted
suit & shoes = purchased (such a steal too!)
invites = printed… and now the fun fun addressing and stuffing needs to happen
menu = coming along nicely but needs some work still
cakes = it’s great having talented sisters and now sister-in-law!
decor = needs to be finalized with Lana
lots of little details to work out still…but i feel things are pretty under control and in good timing.
i’m excited for james to get home. and to go out and see Michael and June’s property (James’ brother+wife) where the reception will be held. i’ve seen pictures and have heard how ideal it is — finally i’m in town to see it!
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bridal shower tonight!
i’m so blessed to have such great friends. My bestie, London, and her mom are throwing this for me. i feel very loved and grateful. can’t wait to see so many faces i’ve missed so much!
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james needs to make it home from Argy not shot or robbed, plzkthanx…i miss him…
love, whit
p.s. – remind me later to tell you all about how i’ve decided to cut out all processed foods from my diet. hahaha…
…just look at the handsome man i’m going to marry!
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…and just look at how happy we are!
…
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there are a TON. and i’m kind of obsessed with them.
our photographer, Lora Grady, is phenomenal.
Check out more of us on her blog:
Lora Grady Photography: Whitney and James Engagements
the wedding is inching closer. september is just around the corner.
right now i’m dealing with moving out and packing. finals. and wedding planning shenanigans.
also, helping out and getting ready for Miss Chelsea Vose’s wedding coming up next week.
Then couch hopping for a bit since I will be temporarily homeless.
And finally, flying home to GA for a bit before Fall classes start.
James flew home to GA today. Then he’s headed to Argentina for a little over a week. I miss him already.
…
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loved this!…
“With our human frailties, we can do what we can do. But you will never be disappointed by the Almighty. He will work with you.”
—Boyd K. Packer
love, whit
slowly but surely i will catch up
(sigh…who am i kidding? i never even finished posting about all of my italy trip)
though our (mine and jame’s) roadtrip: GA –> UT was just in june, so i’m not too out of date yet.
the best thing about our trip was that we stopped whenever the heck we felt like it. in colorado – we attended church, swung by the LDS temple, took a stroll alongside the Colorado River, and went on the MOST BEAUTIFUL HIKE EVER (hanging lake – click for post)
a few of the pit stop foties:
at the Denver, CO LDS Temple
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then later along the CO riv…
…ha… pose.
and of course, our hike later that day…
…
“we was here”
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ok, so…
we’re on day numero cuatro of being engaged.
wedding date selected: SEPTEMBER 29th! in atlanta. (there were complications with october – and any later only means colder weather = booooo)
reception will be the night BEFORE – sept 28th. – less stress and we will enjoy it more this way having a party we won’t be counting down the minutes to leave (if you know what i mean)
we’ve been blessed to have ALREADY found an ideal place to live here in provo for fall. two bedrooms/washer and dryer/furnished/covered parking/close to everything. i’ll be living there solo from sept 1st until we be wedded… then i’ll make space for james, i suppose.
i think i may have settled on my “color scheme” and have some wedding dress shopping scheduled with miss chelsea vose in SLC on saturday.
and that’s the news for now.
love, whit
