Friday Inspiration

Found an amazing new resource on Style Me Pretty...look what it let me make! Just a little inspiration for a pretty, pink wedding!
<>I think that I may have found my latest addiction!

Big Check Mark!

Honeymoon booked! Woo hoo! We are officially going to Antigua in May and I couldn't be happier about it.

Can't think of a better way to end my day! Dreaming of toes in the sand and a beer in my hand!

Ta Da!

When we bought our house in June of 2008, we loved the kitchen layout but hated the overall look. This is the original. Please note the heinous light fixture. This didn't last 24 hours into our move in. The brass fixtures were removed shortly there after and replaced with the much more stylish oil rubbed bronze. Then the work stopped.

I started bitching and David surprised me a couple of weeks ago by priming over the most ridiculous wallpaper that may have never existed outside of an elementary school art room except to grace our lovely kitchen.

We started looking at paint colors and decided on La Fonda Tile Red. As David and I began painting and I began panicking. If you have ever painted in your home, I am sure that you know the feeling that swept over me. The "this is it" feeling which was closely followed by a slight wave a nausea. I began second questioning my color choice and was sure that it would be like the yellow in our bedroom that we both secretly hated for a full year before we confessed our strong dislike for the color to one another. Each convinced that the other loved the yellow and suffering in silence.

Here it is. I still wasn't sure about the color at this point and looking at this picture, I am sure that you can see why.


These were taken Saturday night, prior to touch up or painting the trim. Looking much better but really bringing out the blue counter tops and prehistoric fridge (which will be great once it resides in the garage.) Oh well, we hope to have those refinished before Christmas (realistically, I would like them done this week. Not realistic.)


These shots are as we decided to go ahead and install plantation blinds in the kitchen. As long as we were at it we might as well go all the way. I can't wait to start looking for fabric for new window treatments!

TaDa! New kitchen! Don't worry, I'll be sure to share pics once the counter is done, fridge is replaced and if we ever get around to the floor!

Side Note

How much do you love these fabulous fall finds?
All from JCrew.

And in Other News...

Progress has been made. It has been over a year in the making but finally, work on the kitchen has begun! Hurray to David for his amazing surprise! Priming the walls when I had to work on a Saturday. And now, this weekend we will be beginning the painting. You heard right, no more stripes! No more kindergarten kitchen. WOO HOO!

I believe that we have even agreed on a color, La Fonda Red Tile. It is from the Historic Colors Collection by Valspar. I am definitely digging it! I can't wait to get it on the walls and start in on those horrible counter tops. Maybe we can post some before and after shots when the paints dried!

It's Wedding Wednesday Again!

Dear Blog, I promise to write in you more. No really, it's been an incredibly hectic week for me.

Last Tuesday I was on the phone with my momma discussing when to take my wedding portrait and she suggested next week. I thought that she had lost her mind, really gone bat shit crazy. She was serious. "Tuesday would be great for me. You don't want to miss the flowers do you?"

She had a strong argument. My photographer, the lovely Megan Kime, does gorgeus, natural light photography, which is one of the main reasons I chose her. But these outdoor shoots require a bit more planning and obviously a plan b. I am getting married in May and really wanted for the portrait to at least look like it was shot in the spring, with you know, flowers...greenery...sunshine.

There I was on the phone with my slightly insistant mother (who, for the record, is always right) agreeing that we could try for next Tuesday. Sure. Why not. We definitely don't want it to frost. That would put a huge dent in our last minute plans. The whole weekend is supposed to be overcast and set record breaking lows. Tuesday, awesome idea.

I just need off of work, my photographers availability, a bouquet, all of my accessories (which I still don't have completely lined up), a hairdresser, a makeup artist and a mani-pedi. The mani due mainly to the fact that my nails immeadiately made their way to my mouth.

I told my momma that I would have to call her back and began the week long coordination that that culminated in a fabulous shoot at Duke Gardens and Duke Chapel yesterday. Ofcourse, Megan and my momma were available. And they were about it.

The girl that I plan on having do my hair for the wedding books up at least a month out and didn't anticipate any cancellations. No one else at the salon was available. My florist told me "no" to a real bouquet but graciously allowed me to rent (for $47) a bouquet of silk flowers that they had already put together and stacked on top of a cooler in their store. JCrew sold out, apparently in a week and without a sale, of a bracelet that I had been eyeing for months. I would post the picture but it seems to have disappeared. The only place that could squeeze me in for a mani-pedi (that doesn't use those creepy drills) gave me Lee press ons and charged me $20 for them. Being the push over that I am, I just paid and vowed to never return there again. I booked a spray tan, you know the kind where the actual person sprays you, not the "Mystic" which leaves the majority of society looking as if all they have ever consumed is carrots, peaches and a vast quantity of Fanta. Monday, at lunch, the girl who is supposed to spray me down calls and tells me that her boss booked my appointment without her consent and she can't see me that night but she would be more than happy to spray me tomorrow. I tell her thanks but no thanks. And during all of this, I manage to forget entirely about the whole makeup part. (Thank God for the MAC counter)

Not my week. Luckily, I think that it all worked out. We shot at Duke Gardens and had phenomenal weather. Despite the frost there were still flowers in bloom. It was 70 degrees and sunny. I got my fake bouquet which it turns out not only saved me about $125 but also looked very realistic in the pictures (according to my photographer). Mitchell's at Southpoint did my hair and an awesome girl at the MAC counter at Belks did my makeup (and also convinced me to purchase a slew of concoctions that I am not quite sure how to use).

All in all, a great day. Enjoy the teasers of hair and make up taken by David when I got home!

Wedding Wednesday!

Swoon: Blushing Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings

Swoon: Berries, from Martha Stewart Weddings

Swoon: Fluffy, Cabbage Roses from Martha (oh Martha how I love thee)

Swoon: Gorgeous, from the Brides Cafe

Swoon: Peonies from the Knot

When David and I first became engaged, I had a lofty aspiration. My aspiration was to have one day a week where we didn't talk about the wedding. NONE. NEVER. NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT. I named this day "No Wedding Wednesday." This was truly a lofty goal. If you know me, you know that there is no way that I am going to be capable of not saying something (no matter the topic) that is on the tip of my tongue and save it for tomorrow. Needless to say, this lofty aspiration came crashing down fairly quickly.

That said, Welcome to Wedding Wednesday! Today's topic is lucious, beautiful, swoon-worthy flowers. Take a gander my friends!

Welcome to Peonies & Pearls!

Hi! This is my blog and I am so excited to share with you all! First, a little bit of background.

• My mom is my hero!
• I am marrying my best friend (sounds cliche, I know.) in May!
• David and I have a furbaby, Baylor. He may be the most spoiled dog of all time.
• I have a degree in English, yet rarely use it. One of the main reasons for the blog.
• I am not a fan of authority or being bossed around.
• I live in Greenville, NC. I love it here. I know some people think that I am crazy for liking it here so much.
• I shorten words when speaking. a lot.
• I also make up my own words. a lot.
• I enjoy vino. a lot.
• I don't understand why people text when they can just pick up the phone and call you.
• I am mildly addicted to facebook and diet coke. That can't end well.
• I am really into wedding planning. Always have been. Remember making my momma buy me wedding magazines in elementary school. It is a bit out of control.

Now that that is out of the way, we can get to the important stuff. I’ll try to post daily about my life, things that inspire me, and for the next couple of months or so, about weddings. Oh, and there will be lots of pictures. Please share your thoughts with me!