I think it's safe to say

We finally paid the deposit on the Champion House. And just in time, too. There was someone else who had plans to mail in their deposit and snag it out from under us! So, I think we can start spreading the word that the reception will be held on Sat, May 31 at 2 pm at the Champion House in Thomasville. No invitations will be sent, so it's up to you to remember! :)

2007 was a heck of a year

Arthur fussed that I hadn't blogged enough in the past month, and here I go blogging everyday!

The Thomasville Times has changed their setup so that unless you have an online subscription, you can't view a full article on the web until it is at least two weeks old. So, for those of you who can't pick up a copy of the Times and can't wait another two weeks to see what Arthur wrote, I was allowed to have a copy of his column for this week. Somebody please tell me that I'm not the only one who cries when I read these things!!

2007 was a heck of a year.
It started with my father lying in a hospital bed. He died 12 days later.
And what else can I say about that? I've known I was going to write a column like this for a couple of months now, and the words are no easier to come by now than they were then.
He was my daddy. I loved him. He loved me. He was a good man, and I still want to cry when I think about him. I know I'm no different from you for feeling this way.
It's been hardest on my mother. The two were inseperable. My sisters and I have tried hard to be there for her this year, but as anyone who's lost a family member knows, the road beyond a loved one's death is an individual one.
And yet, despite this shattering loss, something else was slowly at work in my life.
During that difficult time, I was receiving the love and support of a special woman. Over the ensuing months, we grew ever closer and she's had a profoundly positive impact on my life.
With Bridgett's help, I kicked the smoking habit in April of this year. And again, with her taking on more roles than I can count, we opened a photography studio in August.
In November, we became engaged and now we're planning our wedding.
In between there's been the usual ups and downs of life like any other year, but we've been through them together.
And as if to bookend the year, Bridgett lost her grandmother just last week.
The only constant is change, they say. And I have no doubt 2008 will offer still more change in our lives. Thankfully, at the start of 2008, I am hopeful for the future.

It's official

Well, we can't back out now. I just paid for airfare and hotel for us to go to Montreal. We fly out of Atlanta on Thurs, May 22 and return on Wed, May 28. I don't know if I should provide too many details on here, so we'll leave it at that! haha I may not want EVERYBODY knowing how to reach me during my honeymoon! ;) Now maybe I'll start making more decisions since the big stuff is finally nailed down. Ok, am I the only one getting nervous here?????

wedding trends for 2008

Art said I needed to write something in my blog, so he suggested I talk about something I pointed out to him today. I was reading an article on the wedding trends of 2008 and boy are we on top of it! Antique heirloom rings are all the rage---guess what! I have one! Using the internet for blogs, polls, websites---you've got it! Wine and cheese stations are popular for the reception---we'd already thought about it! Metallic is still a hot choice-but steel gray is the new brown/black.....can you live with silver? White is also making a comeback (check!). And the number one trend-switching up your clothing and hair between the wedding and the reception. Well, I can guarantee that since the wedding and the reception will be on different days that there will be some differences! But of course the chances of you seeing me both days are slim to none! So, in case you were wondering if this truly would be the wedding of the year in Thomasville, according to the trends, we'll be close! :)

Wedding website

I have a wedding website at www.bridgettandarthur.weddings.com but it's still pretty bare right now. But you can go sign a guest book, rsvp for the wedding, read about event details and all that fun stuff. It will probably be more useful as we get closer to the date, but I thought I would go ahead and announce that it exists. Isn't technology just the coolest? :)

and the gift registries begin.....

Of course, it makes perfect sense that Arthur and I have lived alone long enough to have "furnished" our households fairly well. So, it's not like we need all the "normal" wedding gifts of young couples. But we gave in to the tradition yesterday and created our first gift registry at Target. I'll admit it's pretty random with some out-there gifts, but what did you expect? It was still fun creating a wish list though. We checked out some items at Dillard's and will go register there as soon as we have another free afternoon in Mobile. But all the decision making at one store was enough for me to endure in one day! We will probably register at the local gift shops in Tville/Grove Hill as well for anyone who doesn't want to travel out of town or go online for gifts. And of course, since we do have so much stuff between the two of us, we always welcome monetary gifts as well (for those who were wondering). Hopefully, we have provided a plethora of options for everyone out there who has plans to "shower" us with their love during this time of celebration!

engagement photos