OHMYGAWD, SHOES. LET'S GO GET SOME SHOES.

Kudos if you get the youtube video reference.

Okay. I think shoes are a similar approach to the dresses. I think neutral shoes look great with bright-colored dresses, and I think that because i saw this picture:

Also, I feel much better about asking you all to get shoes that could be purchased at your favorite local shoe shop (or secondhand store), instead of dropping $50 for custom-dyed shoes at David's Bridal. 

I would recommend a pair of off-white or white shoes (my dress is a creamy ivory, and a bright white might stand out in a weird way). Your call on heels vs. flats... we're all different heights anyway (as are the boys), so I don't think a couple inches would make any sort of difference. 

I'm planning on getting each of you a pair of fancy flip-flops that match the color of your dress, so that if you do wear heels, they won't be killing you on the dance floor or while we're drinking wine before the ceremony. (Because that will be happening).

Welp, that's about it.Let me know if you have any questions!

Dress update

Hi all,
Yesterday Katie and Sam tried on dresses at David's Bridal, and we came up with some colors to wear.
Sam found this gorgeous number in malibu blue.

Katie found a couple dresses that looked amazing on her in a coral color (the name of it is guava), like this one:

I decided that it would look awesome if we alternated colors between blue and coral. They are both the main colors of the event, and I think it would look gorgeous. Sam can only find her dress in blue, and since she's the maid of honor she'll start off the sequence. Katie is fine with wearing coral, and so is Christina. I think Alicia would look awesome in the blue, and Mere seems more like a blue person to me too. I think she also found a blue dress she liked already. So if that's okay with you ladies, that's how we'll organize the color of the dresses. 

I want each of you to carry bouquets that are the opposite color as your dress. Sam, Mere and Alicia will carry coral colored peonies, and Katie and Christina can carry a blue flower I haven't decided on yet. Suggestions are welcome!

I think watching Sam and Katie try on dresses was one of those "holy cow I'm really getting married" moments. I feel so lucky to have all of you in my wedding party. You mean so much to me, and I'm so happy to have friends who are as amazing as you are.

Wedding colors

Hi again! I wanted to let you guys know a little more about the wedding, so here are some things I've decided on and come up with:




The reception will be at Receptions in Loveland, Ohio. The package includes an OPEN BAR and a chocolate fountain!

The cake I'm probably going to end up with is inspired by this one:

The flowers on the cake are peonies, my favorite flower! I think they're so soft, romantic and gorgeous. I want to make a bouquet out of them that looks like these:

The favors will be nest-themed (Spring wedding), and I'm thinking of putting a small nest in a small square box with some blue jordan almonds that look like robin eggs, tying it all up with some ribbon or twine and attaching a cute tag. It'll end up like the photo below, only not quite so cutesy:

The centerpieces will most likely be branches with lanterns or tiny birdcages hanging from them.

Those are the most concrete ideas I have so far. If you have any other other ideas, throw them my way!

The dresses!

The question I know is on all of your minds:

What dress do I buy?

Since 3 of you will be traveling to Cincinnati for this wedding, I don't want to make this an expensive affair. I would LOVE for each of you to find a dress that you feel like a bombshell in, and create a color palette that you can choose within, so that it stays organized-looking. Here's what I'm thinking:

Since the wedding will be in April, it may be somewhat cold outside, but I'm pretty sure we'll be inside for all the festivities (including the ceremony), so if you gals could buy knee-length dresses, that would be great! i'd like to keep the dresses all the same length to create a unified look to the whole bridal party. If you would prefer to get floor-length, just let me know and we'll figure it out.

You can buy it wherever your budget allows. Choose something you'd like to wear again! Here are some low-cost places to find a quality dress:

Nordstrom Rack

J Crew sale online (usually non-returnable though)

Macy's

If you have any questions about color or style, email me at carson.mindy@gmail.com

Thanks to all of you!

I'm so excited that you said YES to being my bridesmaids! It means so much to me to have you girls with me on my special day, and I want you all to know how much your friendship means to me. You have all helped me through different parts in my life, and your support and advice has carried me to where I am today.

Meet the bridesmaids:

Maid of Honor: Samantha Mullan (AKA Sammysauce)
She and I have grown up together, ever since our bonding experience working at Bob Evans (downonthefarm!) together (My first job). Sammy went to Miami University (Oxford) to get her pre-med degree and came back to Cincinnati (yay!) for med school. She works in a community garden and likes trivia nights.

Matron-of-honor: Alicia Suguitan-Morrow (It still feels weird to type that).
Alicia and I lived together for 3 years (and are still friends, hooray!) in Cincinnati before she moved up to Madison, Wisconson in August with her newly-wedded husband (still feels weird to type that too!) Justin. She asked me to be in her wedding, so I asked the same thing of her!

Bridesmaid: Mere Gehres
Mere and I met at Bowling Green during my one semester there. She and I spent many late nights in the art building fueled by too many Mountain Dews. She's a born nomad, living in Bowling Green, Michigan, New York and Georgia. She's working in Atlanta now, making some really awesome ceramic figures. We recently took a trip to Nashville, where we had too much fun, listened to awesome music and ate at Waffle House.

Bridesmaid: Christina Burton
She currently lives in Lynchburg, VA with her awesome boyfriend Cory.  She's Matt's sister (duh) and so I've known her for almost 7 years! She and Alicia grew up together, too.

Bridesmaid: Katie Brown
Katie and I met at UC through Alicia, or DAAP (I don't remember, honestly). We developed the same group of friends in our first year at UC. Katie is my favorite drinking buddy, she makes me dinner occasionally (once with candles, how romantic!), and she makes sure my bras fit right (she works in the lingerie department at Nordstrom).