Went to the Chapel in Oxford, Ohio

A couple of weekends ago The Mr. and I ventured to Oxford, Ohio to see one of my oldest friends get married!

She got married at the Sesquicentennial Chapel at Miami University in Oxford on a ridiculously hot day mid-west summer day.

It was such a beautiful wedding chapel!


The inside was gorgeous as well. It made me wish I'd had a chapel wedding.


The bride's parents are my parent's best friends. It was so wonderful to see them walk their daughter down the aisle.


The groom and she looked SO happy.


No, we were NOT bridesmaids. My friend and I just happened to dress very similarly! Too funny!


After the wedding we headed to the reception at the Shriver Center.

The bride had SO many great DIY details!


It was proof you don't have to spend a ton of money to have a beautiful wedding. Her wedding favors were homemade cookies. So cute and yummy!

The bride and groom have known each other since they were kids but didn't start dating until recently. They put together and adorable display case of their childhood letters, pictures, and emails from when they started dating. So stinkin' cute!


We danced the night away! But near the end of the night I finally snagged a picture with the bride. Love her!


Overall we had an amazing time in Oxford. Such a cute college town! And SUCH a fun time with friends and family!

Have you been going to a ton of weddings this summer too?

Nine Fine Book Reviews

In the last four months I've read 9 books! That's gotta be some kind of record for me!

I've deviated a little from my reading plan, but that's OK. Here's what I've read lately and what I thought of them...

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home by Rhonda Janzen

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I read this for my book club. I felt the book had it's funny moments, but it felt kind of disjointed and I felt like it just kind of ended abruptly.


Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This was a fun, quick read. A perfect girly, summer, beach read.


Something Blue by Emily Giffin

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

After reading Something Borrowed I had to read this. I really enjoyed hearing the continuation of the story from another point of view. A very fun read.


Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I also read this for my book club. Amazing book! Interesting plot and amazing character development. I seriously couldn't put it down for the last 300 pages.


Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

This book was an easy read, but the main character bugged me. She was so whiny, annoying, and not believable.


Sacred Marriage by Gary L. Thomas

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars

I just could not get into this book. I liked the concept overall, but I felt like this book was written for men, not women. And I couldn't really find much practical application in it.


The Secret Gift by Tedd Gup

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is heartwarming book about a secret benefactor during the Great Depression featuring the real letters people wrote to him. Such an interesting and sweet book.


The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

All the dog lovers and lovers of this book are gonna hate me, but this book was just OK for me. I couldn't get over the talking philosopher dog. And Eve's family made me so mad that it made the book painful to read.


The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Laura Schlessinger

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

My MIL gave me this as a gift. It had some really points and some good practical application of the concepts. But it bugged me how much Dr. Laura bagged on working women when SHE is working woman.


Did you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Trip Updates - Vegas Bachelorette and Laguna Beach Anniversary

I'm now two-thirds of the way through my travel-gauntlet summer. I'm having fun, but I'm exhausted!

I have tons of travel tales and pictures but I thought I'd share two recent trips...
Las Vegas for my Sorority Sister's Bachelorette Party and Laguna Beach for our 3rd Anniversary.

First, Las Vegas!


8 of us spent 2 fun-filled days in Vegas. We stayed at the Venetian (love that hotel). We went out to The Bank at the Bellagio one night and Marquee at the Cosmopolitan the other night. I really liked The Bank, but did not like Marquee (it was way way too crowded and the multi-level stairwells were a pain). I also had a lot of fun at pool party at the Venetian during the day.

Here's the Gamma Phis that were in attendance.

(Clearly I didn't the memo about which way to turn)

Second, our 3rd Wedding Anniversary in Laguna Beach.

Before we left we exchanged gifts (as usual)


The 3rd anniversary is the "leather anniversary" (that makes me laugh for some reason).

So the Mr. got me a leather travel jewelery case.


And I got him a leather grilling mit.


Then we drove down to Orange County and checked into the Ayres Hotel, had champagne and strawberries, and then got ready for dinner.


We had dinner at Studio at The Montage in Laguna Beach.


Amazing gourmet food! Seriously to die for. And the view was one of the best in the world.


Then the next morning we had a couples massage at The Ayres Hotel (we stayed there because a sweet friend gave us a Groupon for a free night and a couples massage). I really enjoyed the massage but I don't really understand the point of a couples massage. It's not like you talk or hang out during it, ya know?

Overall, we had a very wonderful Anniversary! Thanks for all of the well wishes for us on the blog and twitter.

I have more pictures and travel tales to come soon, so stay tuned!

Three Years!

Three years ago I walked down the beach side lawn at San Diego Hilton Resort on Mission Bay and said "I DO" to my best friend.


It was an amazing day!


And a killer party.


But the entire event almost pales in comparison to the love, joy, and intimacy that we've experienced over the last three years. I can't even imagine how I'll feel in 10 or 30 more years. This year of marriage was definitely the hardest, but we survived and grew closer than ever. And to that I say, "bring on year three!"

Wedding Reminiscing: Top 10 Things I Loved about Our Wedding

It's almost our THREE year Anniversary.

Yes, I'm well aware that this blog should be called "Newlyweds Next Door No More" or something, but I still feel like a Newlywed and I like my blog, so it stays as-is. My blog = my rules.

Since I've been thinking about our wedding, I though it would be fun to remember the top things I loved about our wedding


1. The guy I married
Duh. What kind of wife would I be if I didn't say that? But really, he is the best. I though that then and I think that now.

2. Our Ceremony

I loved the entire ceremony. It really was the most important part of the whole wedding. I loved the readings, the music, the Pastor, the message, our attendants, the view, the sand ceremony, and the San Diego summer air. Our vows was one of the best moments of my life.

3. Our Faith and Our Families
I love how we focused on our Christian faith in our ceremony. And I loved how our families played an integral part in the ceremony with readings and songs, and in the reception with hosting and toasting.



4. Our Friends
Never again in our lives will so many of our friends from childhood, schools, work, church, and beyond be in one place (except our funerals... how sad is that?). So many people traveled from afar to be there for us, which meant the world to us.




5. Having a Turquoise and Tangerine Wedding
When we chose these colors as our wedding colors, I quickly found out that they are not common. But I loved having a tangerine and turquoise beachy wedding. It reminded me of a sunset hitting the ocean. To add the perfect amount of "beach-chic" we decided to accent with pencil starfish and sand dollars.

This was my turquoise and tangerine wedding inspiration board...


And this is our REAL turquoise and tangerine wedding collage.

Not bad, huh?!


6. My Dress

I LOVE that dress. Still. Period.

7. The Band and Dancing the Night Away
I wanted a dance party and I got a dance party. The Ultratones rocked and I literally danced until the last song at 1:00 AM. I wasn't about to leave that party early.



8. The UpLighting in the Ballroom
I know this is a random thing to love. But just $400 turned an ordinary ballroom into a spectacular tangerine and turquoise paradise. The uplighting was the most ambiance-changing decor item we did.



9. The flowers
Our florist did a fantastic job on our wedding flowers without breaking the budget! My bouquet and the bridesmaids bouquets were made with ivory/tangerine roses, ranunculus, and gerbera daisies and was garnished with beautiful turquoise beads. But our ceremony flowers were my favorite! I loved the rose garland with starfish that got we married under.

10. My DIY Projects
I unleashed my creative juices (and saved a ton of money) by doing a bunch of DIY projects for the wedding. It was so much fun and it really added a special touch to the ceremony and reception. My three favorite DIY projects were the starfish escort cards, the sand dollar charity favors, and the ceremony programs.

I also did ceremony signs, reception signs, reception table names, menus, out of town gift buckets with a letter, thank you cards, a card box, and photo collages for the entrance to the ballroom. Just message me if you want any of my templates!

Summer Fun (aka Weddings and Travel)

I can't believe we're already a week into August! Summer always flies by, doesn't it?

And time is really flying for me because I'm waist deep in my new project at work and with all the travel/weddings that I told you about.

But I wanted to let you know what we've been up to lately before Summer becomes irrelevant...

Two weekends ago the Mr. and I attended his fraternity brother's wedding in Glendale (North LA). It was an Armenian wedding (think Kardashians). It was a beautiful wedding and we ate SO much! I've never seen so much food at a wedding in my life.

I happened to get my hair cut/colored beforehand that day, so my friend Carey who does my hair also did an updo for me so I'd look pretty for the wedding. Love her!


Here's the happy couple with their cakes. Also check out those huge centerpieces.



And finally, last weekend we went on our annual family camping trip to Ft. Stevens.

The Mr.'s whole family was there. Here we all are (minus my brother-in-law's wife who couldn't make it)...

Note: this picture angle makes me look extra short. I'd said it before, I'm not short. I'm 5'8"! But the Mr's family is so tall, even his Mom is just shy of 6 feet.

In Ft. Stevens I did lots of sitting by the campfire and reading...

Which reminds me that I should post some book reviews!

And we played a lot of board games and lawn games, like Bocce Ball.


We have spent a bit of time at home in Long Beach this summer. A couple of weekends ago we hung out with some friend who live in an apartment on Naples Island in Long Beach. Love this view from their "backyard."


Tomorrow we head to Missouri to see my extended family and go boating/boozing on the Lake of the Ozarks, so I'll be back with more pictures and travel tales soon!

Oh The Places We'll Go... in the next two months...

This week kicks off our whirlwind travel schedule for the next two months.

I am literally out of town seven of the next of the next nine weekends.

(And I'm traveling every Mon-Thur for work)

But these seven trips are for fun!




So where are we going?

1. Annual family camping trip in Ft. Stevens, OR.
See prior recap of this trip here.

2. Lake of the Ozarks, MO.
My uncle has a lake house there and we're doing a little family reunion. We last went out there two summers ago.

3. Bachelorette Party in Las Vegas, NV
Celebrating the last single days of my friend/Sorority Sister.

4. Our Anniversary Staycation in Orange County, CA
We got a Groupon for a hotel and couples massage in South OC.

5. Wedding in Oxford, OH.
Friend I've known since birth is getting married!

6. High School Reunion in San Diego, CA.
You know about this.

7. Wedding in Vail, CO.
Same friend that's having the Bachelorette Party that is getting married!

Whew! I'm exhausted just thinking about it. But excited!

Are you going anywhere fun in the second half of this summer?