Weddings

It's not a secret that Mike and I are in the midst of wedding planning. 

It's not a secret that the easiest way to plan is to think about what you DIDNT like from other weddings you've been to, and do the opposite. 

It's difficult however, when your friends throw the most awesome of awesome weddings, 

to not just copy every little thing and call it a day. 

I've already warned April that she should expect that. 

Right before we left Raleigh,

literally the day before, 

we went to our dear friends April & Jeremy's wedding. 

I was waiting to post about it, until she had posted. 

BUT, the time has come, my friends. 

Prepare for photo overload:

Champagne Toast while getting ready. 

Lady in Waiting

Driving to the venue

The Entry way

Our Bridesmaids attempt

<3 t minus 13 months

First dance swaying

All they Bouquets. 

THE best food ever served at a wedding. Ever. 

Desert Table

So, here's one of the ideas that we're totally copying in some way, or form. 

Instead of table numbers, each table was a different PLACE they had been together.

FABULOUS.

ECU table..

Moline Table

Go check out her post: HERE: to see the other tables & more details. 

Her shoes and sparkly tablecloths (Also to be stolen)

Cake Cutting

Running through a field of streamers. 

At Busy Bee, post wedding.

 And, because I couldn't NOT steal them, 

here's some instagrams that I swiped from other attendees. 

 

and finally, a smidgen of the professional pics. 

You can see more on April's blog. 

Seriously? She's gorgeous. 

LOVE this shot.

Also, notice my location in the next two frames. 

I spent too much time on the ground at that day. 

And, just because.  

Seriously, Apes' wedding was fantastic, beautiful, charming, everything a wedding should be. 

I was so grateful and lucky to be a part of it, and it definitely makes me look forward to ours. 

Weekend Update

7 days to go...

let's look at the last 3 :)

Friday:

My very last day at work. Wowza. 

I started working there in 2010, and it's been a roller coaster. 

I'm proud of my research and the skills I have picked up;

I'm excited to see where my life leads now, but I was a bit sad to go. 

Sadness that was made better by cupcakes...

note the DO NOT EAT post it. 

There was (clockwise) a blackberry cobbler, mint chocolate chip, mochachino, dark chocolate with chocolate and chocolate, pumpkin cheesecake and a turtle cupcake. I managed to bring one of each home with me, and I'm sure dad and I will be enjoying them during the week as we keep packing. 

So. Good. 

My boss also brought in lunch from Neomondes. I don't care how you THINK you feel about Lebanese food, you need to go get something from here. Anything. Just go. 

And then, I finally said goodbye to my lab. 

I work here alone (with my PI, of course) so every page of every notebook on that bottom shelf was done by me: every experiment, every data analysis, every protocol.  

after work, I headed down to Charlotte to say goodbye to a few people there. 

the welcome committee. 

Saturday

Saturday morning we got up bright and early and headed to the Ren Fest. 

These are definitely things that are better seen, than read, so just..look :)

tickets

leather cuffs with some of my favorite things..

happy cider

fabulous leather work and colors!

blown. glass. 

head pieces..

head pieces, 

and MORE headpieces. 

I obviously had fun with those. 

After Ren Fest we headed out to dinner for BBQ!!

more like "goodbye NC!"

Glad I managed to sneak in some BBQ before I left. 

 Finally, we met up with another friend of mine at a local bar, 

to toast to old friends, my leaving and Mr. Brennan's fabulous 30th birthday. 

Which he got a drinking horn as a present for.

He's happier than he looks. 

really..

 I wish I would have taken a picture of the 15th anniversary Sweetwater ESB that I drank, 

or of the various positions Shiva can find to sleep in during a car ride.

But, I did neither. 

I also wish I had something fun to say about Sunday. 

But, I did the usual. 

Eat, Pack, Pack, Pack, Sleep, Pack, pack. 

what about you- anything fun?

Charleston Bachelorette

Before Mike and I headed to Europe, 

I headed to Charleston. 

Pronouced: CHAW-EHL-STUN. 

Somethings are better left unsaid,

so let's just see what kind of story the pictures can tell you. 

What we walked into in our hotel room. 

the custom made duvet cover. 

The whole gang.

CARRIAGE TOUR!

The Bride. 

oy. <3

I can't really tell you anything about the city. 

We went on a carriage tour . 

THE WORST TOUR IN HISTORY. 

The guy couldn't control the horse,

 and his entire tour of Charleston was about HIS life. 

There are two big churches in Charleston..I think..and I know that he got married in one of them, but only because Hurricane Hugo flooded his home church, and that he heard the unibomber's brother speak in the other. 

I would really like to go back. 

See the city, actually eat the amazing food, learn the history, and shop in the market. 

But, it was a pretty awesome bachelorette party, if I must say so myself.