Wow! So the big day came and went so quickly. Cruising for over twelve hours on multiple flights, we have had plenty of time to reflect on this past weekend.
We are truly overwhelmed by the outpouring support of our close family and friends in Charleston this past weekend. Mell Bell, Sara Cavallon, and Plane Jane went above and beyond to make this a truly special occasion that we will remember forever. Thanks again to each and everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to celebrate with us, even if it has only been a matter of minutes to check in on our blogs (it means a lot, seriously).
Although the wedding has come and gone, the website (like our marriage) will continue on. Please check back for updates as we travel the great island of Hawaii and our lives together
This is the first installment of a Top 10 series we are creating to prepare our guests for their trip to Charleston. I apologize for the awkward start as this is the first time we’ve tried using this camera…and Penny decided to be “helpful” as always 
In this segment, we will discuss the Top 10 things you should remember to pack for Charleston. Enjoy!
Top 10 Recap:
1. Flip-flops (flat)
2. Tennis Shoes
3. Sunscreen
4. Sunglasses (croakies optional)
5. Hat
6. Camera
7. Chargers/WiFi Devices
8. Map
9. Cash
10. Bag
A huge thank-you goes out to Billy’s family on throwing us a wonderful shower last Saturday. On top of the usual stresses of planning such a large event, Billy’s family also went through a move in only two months just to finish in time for this party! With all the boxes unpacked (or cleared for the most part), the Koehler’s welcomed the wedding party and close family friends to a gourmet pasta dinner and open bar… followed by an impromptu tournament of table-top recreation.
It’s safe to say that Billy caught a glimpse of what it will be like on the wedding day. It really humbled him to see a room full of people he’s known since the age of 5… all partying in support of their upcoming nuptials. Whether they met through his father’s work, their country club affiliation, or the neighborhood he grew up in… this was a group of people that Billy has long considered his extended Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, or Siblings. Their display of support and care was overwhelming as some may have had other obligations that they decided to set aside just for us that evening.
At this time, we would just like to thank everyone that was able to attend…and those who were unable (but were there in spirit). Your generosity was humbling…and your gifts (although unnecessary) were very much appreciated.
…I guess we’ll have to get the hang of this thank-you card thing now
…yeah, AppleTV. Definitely was not on the Registry list… but a HUGE hit with Billy. Thanks!
As we near the big day, we’ve identified several large projects we’ve needed to take on to prepare for our lives together. Some are mandated by the wedding date, some are mandated by the Church, and others have been mandated for the benefit of our sanity. Overtime, these have accumulated into an unmanageable pile of wishes that seemed light-years from being accomplished.
Then it happened… whether by a stroke of luck, unexplained ambition, or extra shot of caffeine… we’ve managed to have one of the more productive weeks we can remember. We’ve finished our Pre-Cana duties and wrapped up all of our wedding paper-work for the church. We’ve finalized our linens, menus, and floral arrangements. We’ve selected our playlist (mostly), and started to work toward the completion of rehearsal dinner planning. We’ve booked our honeymoon, bachelor weekend, bachelorette weekend, bridal luncheon, and brunch.
This sudden stroke of productivity reached far beyond wedding planning as Billy set out to purchase a new car (long past due) and finalized the deal within 24 hours. Blyth was able to select bedroom furniture for their master bedroom and set a shipment date in May. It just seems like all of the puzzles are starting to come together. Sure, we still have a few other things to iron out (and some Christmas decorations Billy still needs to move to the attic), but that un-manageable list has dwindled down…and we are starting to feel like we’re finally in a good place…sigh…
Billy's Awesome New Car!
T-minus 4 months and counting… It’s hard to believe that there are only 4 months to go until the big day! It feels like it was yesterday that we got engaged and here almost 7 months have already flown by. Although we have been hard at work with all of our wedding planning, it was nice to take a break from it all and unwind with our family and friends over the holidays.
We spent the holidays apart for the last time as Blyth returned home to Charleston… and Billy stayed at home with his parents in John’s Creek, GA. It was tough spending the holidays apart (as expected), but we do have the rest of our lives to figure out how to split the holidays with our families. Besides, it was nothing that a little iPad FaceTime couldn’t cure
Billy also took some time during his break to update the look and feel of our website with some beautiful photography provided by Richard Bell Photography. If you have a chance, please check out the new site, and as always…feel free to participate with some comments/responses on our blog pages and we will try to respond as soon as possible.
We hope that everyone enjoys a blessed Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!
So more than a month since our last post just passed bye. Yeah… that just happened. Things have just been crazy around here! So I guess we have a lot to catch up on…
For starters…let’s see what we’ve checked off our list since our last post… We’ve selected our florist, bakery, pianist, shuttle services, and band. We’ve finalized our registry (for the most part)…and ordered our “Save the Dates”. We’ve also ordered our invitations, and selected a calligrapher to assist us with getting these things out. All and all, I’d say that we’re finished with most of the hard stuff (or so we’d like to think).
Moving forward, Blyth has several appointments set-up over Thanksgiving break. She will be visiting Bowen’s Island to plan the rehearsal dinner, as well as picking out linens and seating for the reception. Billy will be enjoying a nice break from wedding planning with some turkey and football
Now to the fun stuff… For a much needed break, we spent a nice, long weekend with the Long and Graul families in Boston, MA. Auntie Anne picked us up from the airport on Thursday evening and took us to the Long’s house in Wellesley, MA where we enjoyed some homemade bread and Veal Stew prepared by Uncle Jack. After some much needed catch-up, the conversation quickly turned to honeymoon planning (ah…now we’re talking!). We soon retired to bed late with dreams of 5 star amenities sprawled against Hawaiian beaches that night.
The next morning, Auntie Mary took us by Dunkin’ Donuts for a quick cup of coffee before taking us out to the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. Billy was finally able to see the beautiful campus where Blyth attended college and rowed crew. After touring the campus, we returned to Wellesley just in time to grab some delicious sandwiches from the Linden Store. Later that evening, we ate dinner as a family enjoying Jack’s famous Squash Soup and a Pizza that the Long kids affectionately refer to as “Pizza in a Box”.
Saturday began with a delicious waffle breakfast (at the unintentional request of Billy). Then Auntie Anne and Auntie Mary took us to Cambridge,MA to watch some of the Head of the Charles Regatta. For those who don’t know, this is one of the major regattas that Holy Cross’ crew team would row in each year. I think Billy was a little surprised at just how big this event was. After walking through a large crowd to catch a bit of the race (and buying t shirts from an event vendor), we managed to find our way back to Blyth’s Aunties. From there, we made the short walk to Harvard’s Campus where we used Auntie Anne’s tickets to catch the Harvard/Princeton game (How cool is that!?). The game was certainly a high-scoring one with plenty of action, and the overall ambiance of college football’s oldest standing stadium just made it that much more memorable. We returned to Wellesley later that evening where Billy was surprised to see a gag gift picked out for him by the boys (a Georgia Tech golf bag found at the Dump). We then went out for Chinese with the Long family and Auntie Anne, and would later watch a movie before retiring for the night.
The next morning, we awoke to a delicious breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, and fresh fruit. We enjoyed a nice relaxing Sunday (and an Atlanta Falcon’s game on the TV for Billy) before being surprised by our first gifts off our registry. Along with the gifts were three books to help us plan our trip to Hawaii! We would stay at Auntie Anne’s house in Nahant, MA that night before heading home on Monday morning.
Overall, I’d say that the trip was exactly what we needed. It’s so great to have family that is so kind and hospitable to host us for more than 4 days. We really appreciated the support and company and they were more than generous for everything they offered us during our stay. Thanks so much to the Longs (Mary, Jack, Stephen, Brian, and Matthew) as well as Auntie Anne for everything! We will return soon and hopefully catch Katie, Jody, Maura, and Meghan next time around!
Wow, what a week it’s been! Since last Thursday, we’ve managed to knock out 3 florist appointments, 3 bakery appointments, an engagement picture session, a costume picture session, 2 registry events, 2 registries, 1 band test-run, and a contract on our party favors. Needless to say, we’re absolutely exhausted!
Looking back, we’d definitely agree that this has been some of the most fun planning we’ve had thus far. Cake tasting and bar-code zapping aside, major props go to our wedding photographer, Mell Bell, for an absolutely gorgeous photo shoot at Boone Hall Plantation. Not only did she take stunning pictures of us, but she showed us God’s finger, how to look B.A., and taught Billy how to “give it his best James Dean”. If anyone plans on having a wedding or being photographed in Charleston…we highly recommend Mell Bell at Richard Bell Photography: http://www.charlestonwedding.com/
Now that we have our registry 85% finished, Billy has added links on our “Registry” page here on the website. Feel free to browse our selections and remember that gifts are not necessary…but certainly appreciated…Just don’t judge Billy on some of his selections (excessive Waffle Maker).
Wow… is this planning stuff crazy or what!? Well to be honest, the wedding plans are finally starting to come together. In fact, I’d say we’ve finished almost all of the “hard planning” at this point. The church, reception, and hotel blocks have all been reserved. We are currently finalizing the guest list and some of the other “big ticket” items before we start diving into the details.
We’ve hired an excellent wedding planner in Sara Cavallon from Something to Celebrate. Sara has gone above and beyond to assist us with all of those small details that would otherwise fall through the cracks (or resurface when it’s too late). <Plug> Seriously…if you plan on getting married in Charleston, I highly recommend Sara’s life-saving services: http://www.mysomethingtocelebrate.com/
Outside of that, the bride finally got her dress this weekend. The future in-laws came to Atlanta, and Blyth’s mother was there to help her pick out the dress. From what I’ve heard, Blyth looks beautiful…that’s all I know about it (of course), so you may want to ask Blyth if you want specific details.
Anyways, stay tuned for more updates as we near April 28th. For now, it seems so far away…but I have a feeling it will sneak up before we know it…
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