Ed Note: Everyone give a big welcome to Meredith, who is going to be guest blogging this week about the planning leading up to her 8.8.09 wedding!  We’re thrilled to have her here this week and can’t wait for her to come back to EAD and recap her event!

It’s pretty amazing what happens after you get engaged. I floated on cloud nine for about 3 weeks. I remember putting my ring on my bedside table at night and randomly waking up to “check on it”. Like it was a baby. Yeah – I am a bit of a freak (control, neat, clean, you name it).

I am lucky enough to have my proposal from Bill on video. I was caught WAY OFF GUARD. I mean he got down on one knee in front of 40 friends and family at my surprise 30th birthday party!! Shocked? Yes! Surprised? You betcha! Did I cry? I didn’t stop.

We are getting married 08.08.09 and I can’t wait! Ever since I as a little girl – I have always wanted to get married at my Aunt and Uncle’s house in Rochester, New York. They have the best yard, garden and trees – it’s so beautiful! Who wouldn’t want to get married here? (I guess if you didn’t like the outdoors or have allergies – this venue isn’t you)!

I wanted to get all the vendors booked before I drove right into the creative part. My first project was our save the dates. I had seen this great save the date at my best friend’s website Paperwink and was hooked!

The gal who paints these portraits happens to be Darcey’s (Paperwink owner) sister Lynsey. I have always been a huge fan of Lynsey’s artwork so I was thrilled when she offered to paint our portrait!

I took a picture of the portrait, uploaded it into the computer, bedazzled it with a polka dot border – printed it and viola: one side of the save the date was done! I designed the text side in Illustrator – printed it out and – viola – the second side of the save was done. I used all Paper Source products (of course) and this was the final product!

This week I have been getting all my responses back from the wedding invite going out! I pretty much have been stalking my mailman. I can’t help it – this is the fun part!