Archives for October 2019

Categories: Blogs, Health, Jesus, Lifestyle

Gratitude

Grateful — Lately I’ve noticed I’ve had a super high level of gratitude for the world. I noticed my level of gratitude go up this summer. It all started while I was sitting out on the porch in the beautiful sun. I sat there in my bright blue chair gazing up at the sky watching the clouds go by, the ants crawling on the sidewalk, dragon flies soaring, and I just began to ponder how wonderful the world was in that moment. The world is breathtaking.

I am in complete awe and wonder of how beautiful the world truly is. There are so many people focusing on the negatives of the environment, politics, people, and everything else in between. It is actually really disheartening how much emphasis society places on the negatives and not enough emphasis on the things that are good and amazing in the world. How can we shift the focus off the negatives and toward the positives? Start with the simple things.

I’m talking about having gratitude for even the simplest of things. There should not be a day that goes by where you aren’t thankful for something even if it’s as simple as the air you breathe. Some people can’t breathe easily. Be thankful for those lungs of yours. I have had so many moments where I’m just like, “Thank You God for giving me a voice to speak.” Could you imagine not having a voice to speak? There are people who are unable to speak and it breaks my heart. It is unbelievable how much we as humans take for granted. There are so many things to be thankful and show gratitude for.

20 Simple Things to be Thankful

and show Gratitude for:

1. Eyes to see

2. Ears to hear

3. Mouth to speak

4. Lungs to breathe

5. Heart that beats

6. Hands and Feet to touch

7. Teeth to chew food

8. Place to call home

9. Car to drive

10. Shoes to walk in

11. Clothes to wear

12. Clean water to drink

13. Food to eat

14. Money to buy things

15. Work to provide

16. Emotions to feel

17. Phone to stay connected

18. Google to learn new things

19. Family and Friends to love

20. God that saves

The list goes on and on…

Did you thank the Lord for the clothes on your back today? Do it now.

Did you thank the Lord for waking you up this morning? Do it now.

Did you thank your husband for choosing you every day? Do it now.

Did you thank your dad for always answering your calls? Do it now.

Did you thank the hands that prepared your food today? Do it now.

Did you thank your friend for being your friend? Do it now.

Every day in my head I say the words, “Wow look what God did.” I say it to the beautiful sun rise, sunset, the sky, beautiful insects (everything except spiders), trees, plants, flowers, my husband, McDonald’s french fries because Praise God! Literally everything. We need to pause and appreciate more moments. If you don’t take the time to stop, pause, and grasp how wonderful something is, life will really just pass you by. How sad is that? It is more important than we realize to appreciate the simple things.

My Daily Prayer of Gratitude

Lord, help me shine today. Thank you for gifting me spiritually. Let me use my gifts to bring you joy today. Help me speak life and not death. I pray that I will learn something new today. I pray that I will inhale gratitude and exhale anxiety. I pray that I hear your voice. I thank you for everything you have given me, I thank you for everything you have done, and I thank you for everything you have yet to do. I love you Jesus. Amen and Amen.

In the Bible it tells us to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (Thessalonians 5:16-18).

We should be practicing gratitude daily, so much so that it becomes an automatic thing that we do subconsciously. Practicing the feeling of gratitude will be contagious to everyone around you. One thing will lead to another and you’ll watch your world blossom. You’ll start to notice things that you wouldn’t have normally noticed and been grateful for. I’m telling you this feeling is one of absolute bliss. You just gotta try it. Start right now. What are you grateful for in this exact moment?? Having gratitude will not only make a difference in your life, but everyone else’s life around you. You’ll be changing from the inside out. This is a beautiful thing.

Let’s do more and be greater humans expressing gratitude!

Always count your blessings and don’t take the simplest things for granted.

Of course there is so much to be said about thankfulness and gratitude!

Pause and reflect on something(s) you can be thankful for today.

This is merely just scratching the surface on these topics.

Do something to show your gratitude today.

Categories: Blogs, Jesus, Lifestyle, Tips

Tips to Stop Spending and Start Saving

Start Saving Today!

Stop living paycheck to paycheck and start saving today. It’s going to be tough and you’re going to have to sacrifice a lot, but if you want to live a life that no one else is you have to do what no one else is doing to get there.

Do you struggle with spending money? Well girl grab your readers and read away. I’m going to help you stop spending and start saving with these 10 Steps!

I used to have a nasty spending habit. I was absolutely terrible with money. I bought everything I wanted without having the money for it. I couldn’t even manage $1,000. If I couldn’t manage $1,000 how would I ever manage $10,000 in the future? There was just no way. It was honestly embarrassing, but this is my truth. I am not ashamed to say I was terrible with money. I was a materialistic kind of girl and if I wanted it I bought it. This is no way to live. I wasn’t thinking about my future at all, but this is so important!

You have to live like no one else so you can live like no one else. -Dave Ramsey

Honestly my husband is a genius when it comes to money and I mean genius. Lord knew I needed a man that could handle money and handle it extremely well at that. Money is a huge thing especially in marriage. Money can destroy your marriage and there’s no way in heck I’m letting that happen. I listen to everything he says about money and our finances. I’m really proud of us.

TOP 10 TIPS

1. Ask for help

Ask someone you trust to help you come up with a Savings Plan. Obviously someone who is good with finances and understands where you’re coming from and knows your financial goals. This could be a family member or a friend. I am more than happy to help you come up with a plan and help hold you accountable to the plan. I love seeing people successful and able to do what they love – most things cost money, so it’s nice to always be able to say yes.

2. Figure out where you spend your money

How often are you going out with your friends? Do you spend $30/meal when you go to lunch or dinner? Are you shopping? How much does your gas cost/month? What bills do you have and how much are they? Figure out where every penny is going and what you spend on average per month. If you can get an accurate monthly spending amount that’s even better for budgeting.

3. Create a budget and stick to it

Make a Budget Log in your phone or in a notebook whatever is easiest for you of your daily/weekly/monthly spending allowance. If your Budget Log says you can spend $20/day and you spend $30 one day, well then the next day you can only spend $10 because you already spent $10/$20 of your daily allowance… It is really important that you stick to the budget so you can invest your money into your Savings/Emergency/Retirement Accounts for your future and ultimately get ahead.

4. Have loans? Pay them off quick and save $ on interest

Pay them off fast by paying way more than the minimum loan amount. Once your loans are paid off, make sure you get documentation stating your balance is $0.00 both electronic and paper copies for your records and keep them in a safe spot. Don’t celebrate once you pay off your loans. Celebrating will only make you spend more money. Start saving immediately. Cut your spending for awhile and live like you are poor.

5. Get down to 1-2 Credit Cards

Credit Cards are without a doubt one of the fastest ways to debt. Living beyond or above your means is when you pull out the shiny blue credit card and swipe it for that beautiful black mini skirt and white cashmere sweater. It’s not worth it girl. Say no to the mall. The mall is a dangerous place to be with no money and no self control. Been there done that – no more! This girl is a spender no more.

6. Live within your means

Never spend more than you can afford. If you buy something that’s $300, you better have at least double that amount in your Bank Account. Save up for everything you want and be able to pay cash for things instead of charging it to a credit card. This is living within your means – spending less than what you have.

7. Do not make excuses

Stop doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. This is literally the definition of insanity. I know so many people who do the same thing over and over with their money and wonder why they have no money. It’s because they keep spending their entire pay checks on unnecessary items instead of putting money into the one thing that’s going to get them ahead – their SAVINGS account. $50 or $100 may not seem like much, but after awhile it adds up… Start small and increase when you feel comfortable. I recommend moving the monthly $ amount that you’re saving, up every 6 months so you build your savings account even faster.

8. Do not take money out of your Savings Account

Don’t touch the money once it’s in there. You will create a separate account for emergencies and only take the money out of there when necessary. A lot of times just when you think you’re ahead life comes and takes a huge deuce on ya. If you have a separate account when life decides to drop that deuce, you’re prepared.

9. Start Saving For Retirement

You might think it’s too early to start saving for retirement, but it’s not. Start early. Do it now, even before your twenties if you’re fortunate enough to be able to. Your future self will thank you for your hard work and sacrifice when you’re in Bali relaxing pool side with not a worry in the world.

10. Tithe

What does Tithe mean? Tithing is a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of the church. I didn’t understand tithing until a couple years ago when I started to Tithe. When I tithed I noticed I always had way more than I ever needed and when I didn’t tithe I noticed I was short money. God can do way more with 10% than I can do with 90%. God owns everything and everything I have has been given to me by God. We are to be good stewards of everything that God gives us. Hearts that move towards God tithe and hearts that drift from God do not tithe.

In the Bible it tells us this:

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. – Deuteronomy 8:18

Be giving with your money, a generous and cheerful giver. Tithe and you will blessed abundantly.

I can’t stand a complainer and crappy work ethic. I don’t have time. I understand the impact of good work ethic and the value of a hard worker. I enjoy work, I love getting things done and surpassing goals. It’s exhilarating and gives me so much energy.

If you’re unhappy with your finances do something about it. GRIND! Don’t go home and sit on the couch after your 8:00-5:00 – put in work. Get a second or third job apart from your full time job. I did this. I was employed at 4 different Dental Places at once and that was crazy! I learned so much about my limits and who I truly am as a worker – I’m a hard worker. I was working 60-70 hour work weeks as a Dental Assistant to pay off credit cards and just have extra money for myself. Most Dental Assistants work 30-38 hours a week on average. This is beyond for what the job is. It was tiring, but I was much better off and I worked hard to achieve a goal that took a long time. You just have to really want it. You have to be motivated. The grind may suck but it feels so good at the same time. In the end you get a satisfying reward.

Think about the future, don’t just live in the now. It’s not too late to quit spending and start saving. Stop living pay check to pay check by utilizing these tips. Remember yesterday you said tomorrow, so start today. I believe in you.

If I can do it, anybody can.

I’m rooting for you to quit spending and start saving!

You got this.

Categories: Blogs, Jesus, Lifestyle

Blessed Beyond Measure

Josh and Kiana Blessing — God has definitely favored me and my life, so for that I am blessed beyond measure.

On October 12, 2019 I wrote this:

“Today I was reminded about where I came from. I have everything and more. I am so blessed. I am in awe of how amazing God is. Literally so amazed. He works everything for the good. Jesus loves me so much.

I will never forget where I came from and everything You have done for me. I am so thankful. Thank you for your faithfulness, love, and kindness. You are so so so good to me Lord.”

Looking back at everything that has happened to me the past few years, I now know it was only by God’s divine love and protection that I am where I am today. Knowing that God was with me through it all. He never left my side, and He never will. He has been there even when I felt like it was just “luck.” When in reality the whole time I was in fact “blessed.”He’s there even when I can’t see what He’s doing or even when I don’t feel like He’s got me, He’s got me.

While I was in Gymnastics

He protected my body. I honestly think it’s because I was baptized at age 10 and said these words, “I’m getting baptized today because I love Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and I’m a Christian gymnast.” I swear it was in that moment that God gifted me the talent to skip a level in club gymnastics and make it to eventually train level 10 skills. This is the highest level of club gymnastics… One day it just became too much and I quit. We’ll get into that in a future post… If you know anything about competitive gymnastics at all, this is amazing. Throughout my whole 13 year gymnastics career I never broke a single bone in my body. Praise God.

While I was in School

He protected my mind from the negative words of others. He guarded my spirit and encouraged me to always be myself. No matter what. No matter what people said or thought about me, one thing is for sure I was always true to myself. Public school is hard and I was tested so many times, but the Holy Spirit specifically said, “Stay true to you Kiana.” I have no one to thank except for God alone.

While I was in College

I pushed Him away through my sinful nature and decision making. He never left me, the Lord is faithful. He protected me walking to and from class. He protected me at work. He lead me back to Him through conviction. He guided my steps and lead me to a girls life group right before I left college. The second I came back to the Lord was the second I met my husband.

While I am in my Career

He gives me the ability to connect with multiple people daily. He gives me the opportunity to change someone’s day and or life with the words I say. He gave me the skills to learn things quickly and efficiently. He helped me develop a work ethic that leads me to success. He gave me the ability to be at a thriving work place that challenges me daily, encourages me to be the best I can be at my job, pushes me beyond my job duties to grow both professionally and personally. He put me at the best place with the best people. I know I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

My encouragement to you:

There’s something supernatural about remembering what God has done in your life. If it had not been for God, I honestly don’t even know where I would be. I do not even want to know what type of mess I’d be in. I will never forget the struggles that the Lord has brought me out of and the things that God has done for me.

You have to be willing to give up some stuff in order to walk in the things that the Lord has for you. It will be hard, but it will be worth it all because God is faithful and He loves you. He can take your messy situation and turn it into a miracle for His glory. All you have to do is say, “Yes.”

You cannot live a life where you believe in God and trust yourself.

Trust Him fully and He will provide everything and more.

Never forget His faithfulness.

Categories: Blogs, Lifestyle

Tips for a Healthy Mindset

It is really important to say no to things and people when it does not serve you. You may have a lot of things going on and sometimes you just have to say no. It is not to be mean or ignore someone or something. It is realizing that you have your priorities straight and you know where your energy needs to be in that moment and time. It all starts with your mindset.

Think it, want it, get it – this is me when it comes to anything. I’ll go after anything and everything that I want until I have it. If I don’t want something I won’t put any effort into it. I am also very good at knowing what’s good for me, when I should say yes, and when I need to say no.

Having a healthy mindset is so important. How can you make intelligent decisions if your mind is unhealthy? Keep reading for tips on how I keep a healthy mindset.

Prioritize Your Health

Eat Healthy Food – Prevent serious medical conditions by eating healthy. Eat your greens people. Take your health into your own hands.
Drink water – Water boosts your beauty and is really good for your skin, helps maintain good blood pressure, your digestive system needs it, it gives you energy, helps your brain function, and many other benefits!
Value your alone time – Be a good listener to your body and thoughts. What do you need? Take the time to pay attention to your needs on your own time, alone.
Go to the Dentist Regularly – Your oral health has a huge impact on your overall health. There is a direct systemic connection between your mouth and body.
Get yearly check ups with your physician – It is important to talk to your Doctor about your stress, diet, exercise, vaccinations, and preventative treatments. Of course it will depend on your health conditions how often you go to the Doctor…

Surround Yourself with Good Energy

Life Giving people – People who want to see you succeed and will help you get there. People who will speak words of encouragement over you. People who are going to keep you in line with your morals and steer you in the right direction, always.
Friendships – Good friendships with similar beliefs to the way you live your life. Provide positive energy and a good atmosphere.
Make time for your loved ones – Your family, call them and speak life into them. Tell your mom and dad you love them. Call your in laws and ask them how they are doing. Make the effort to bring good energy to your loved ones.

Encourage Yourself with your Thoughts

I can totally do that – Having a “can do” attitude is life changing
I am enough – Tell yourself you are more than enough for anything
I am worthy – You are deserving of your hearts desires
I am going to have a good day today – Even if you think the day will suck, you decide in your mind and heart that you’re going to seize the day and win.
I will learn how to do that – Be open to learning new things, don’t turn everything down.
Is this really my best? – Is this the best you can do, if not do better.
Mistakes help me improve – I am not perfect, but I will be greater because of my mistakes.
Optimism, Optimism, Optimism – Positive thoughts, don’t let the negative thoughts creep in and take over your mind. Shut those thoughts down immediately!

Do Your Best at Work

Take initiative – If you see something that needs to be done, just do it.
Be proactive – Make things happen and lead by example.
Don’t fear failure – Be ready to grow and embrace not being perfect. You will always learn.
Control your being – Watch your attitude and non verbal cues.
Be disciplined and honor your commitments – Be accountable for your own actions, don’t beat around the bush but take responsibility instead. Don’t make excuses when you mess up, just own it.
Set goals and make sure you are moving forward – Your goals should be realistic and always move forward and have a forward thinking mindset.
Challenge yourself and go outside of your comfort zone – Be open to learn new things that are outside of your job duties to just be better! The more you know, the more valuable you become.
Say yes to things you don’t want to do or learn – You will grow and learn something useful.

Self Love/Self Care

Candles – Rose and fresh linen are my favorite scents. They take me away to a state of tranquility. I love candles.
Baths – Baths are so important. How can you go wrong with some bubbles, music, and candles? Just relax. You deserve it.
Facials – Take care of your skin. Glow up baby girl!
Spa – At home or at an actual Spa. Whatever your budget allows. It is so easy to make your own face masks or do your own spa. Check out my homemade face mask here!
Massage – If you have a significant other, reserve a time during the week to have them give you a 20 minute massage. This will help you to relax. If it’s in your budget you can certainly get a professional massage too. This is really good for your health.
Meditation and Stretching – Yoga or breathing exercises! Focus on your breathing. Improve your flexibility, release tension snd stress, improve your posture. Let your body feel and be calm.
Learn something new everyday – Do your research. If you want to know something look it up in the moment if you can so you don’t forget. Make a running lists of things you want to learn and make an effort to learn something daily.
Manage your emotions – How do you respond to things? What does your body language say? Take control of them.
Read your Bible and Pray – Awaken your faith, grasp a greater sense of guidance and understanding for your life, open your ears to what God is telling you, be obedient. Pray fire, declare things over your life, be faithful, and be thankful in your prayers. God can do the impossible.

Sometimes I think I am crazy or a bad person for isolating myself from people and then I remind myself that I only want the best for myself and others. How can you provide the best for others if you aren’t taken care of yourself first? The truth is, you can’t and there’s no shame in owning that. Be consistent with your self love and self care. Be selective in who and what you give your time and energy to. It is up to you to recognize who and what is worth your time and who and what is not.

Do something for you today! You can master your mindset in all areas of your life. Make a list of where you’re going to take control of your mind today and then be consistent. Get on a personal self care schedule and improve your mind. Pay attention to the good vibes that follow and the things that start to fall into place. Always do what you feel and be confident in who you are being.

Categories: Beauty, Blogs, Lifestyle, Tips

Homemade Honey Mask

This is my favorite homemade DIY Face Mask.

You guys seriously have to try this because I can assure you, you won’t regret it.

This face mask is so gentle and makes your face feel like a baby’s butt cheek. Literally.

If you haven’t tried it already I urge you to try it today.

The ingredients are simple:

1) Milk

2) Honey

3) Flour

4) Baking Soda

You don’t need exact measurements for each ingredient just make sure that everything is mixed together well. You can save whatever you don’t use and use it again over the next few days. I recommend doing this face mask 1-2x/week. You can do it more than that, but this seems to do the trick! Store in the refrigerator.

All of these ingredients combined will help cleanse your, moisturize, soothe and even out your skin.

Talk about everything you need to have naturally glowing skin!

Categories: Blogs, Lifestyle

How I Planned Our Wedding + Tips

Oh my gosh where to start… The planning is both exhilarating and irksome.

Wedding Planning is a whole new level of stress that only Brides who planned their own wedding’s know. I mean really planned it, without a Wedding Planner. If you’re anything like me you are going to want to do everything yourself. This is a struggle especially when you have so many loving and wonderful people in your life who just want to help you. I said no to a lot of things and that’s just because I knew exactly what I wanted for certain things. Oh my Lord, were people crying? Yes. Were people unhappy with me? Yes, but at the end of each day you plan something you have to remember that you are the bride. Don’t get me wrong, your family and friends know things from experience, but at the end of it all you are the one who needs to be happy. Only compromise on the things that you can compromise with. I was a little petulant at times only because this was the day that I waited for for so long and it had to be perfect!

The day of your wedding: There will be so many emotions. You truly don’t understand until you are the one getting married. I can honestly say it was the happiest day of my whole life to date. Literally nothing phased me that whole day. Not even a crabby bridesmaid – girl this is not your day. Sit down, bye… Yes I was being sassy hope you felt that. The point here is, whatever happens do not let it affect your mood because this day happens once in a lifetime. “Until death do us part…”

I remember waking up the morning of my Wedding already had my emergency bride bag ready to go! The bag consisted of only the essentials. I remember driving to our wedding venue at 7 in the morning to get there at 8. I remember looking at Josh’s face while he was driving us to our Venue and just thinking to myself, “Wow, this is really happening.” Neither of us knew any of the emotions and feelings that were soon to flood through our bodies and our hearts. Getting my make up and hair done I remember just feeling so excited. I was probably more excited than a kid at Disney World. I kept saying, “Oh my gosh I’m getting married!” It was so amazing. I could not help but smile and giggle like a little girl. I never thought the day would come, but it did.

Every bride is different. There is no right or wrong way to plan a wedding. This is how I did it and I am so content with the timeline and the order I chose to do everything. I remember Pinning Wedding Things on my Pinterest not knowing the actual cost of what those things totaled out to be. I never really thought about what my Wedding Day would look like until I had to choose a theme and stay consistent. I have many different styles. For the Wedding, I kept it simple and I am so glad I did that.

1. Money and Budget

2.Wedding Dress

3. Venue

4. Choose A Date

5. Invitations

6. Photographer(s)

7. Caterers

8. Hair and Make Up Trial

9. Create Your Wedding Day Timeline

10. DJ

11. Customized Ceremony

12. Floral and Decor

13. Meet with Coordinator

14. Welcome Sign

Money

Weddings are extremely expensive. My advice to any bride who is on a tight budget is this: Sit down and make a list of things that are absolutely a must! Make a priority list of things that you really want, and that’s where you will spend the most money. If you don’t care so much about the flowers go with a cheap florist. If you care a lot about the decorations, spend your money on those decorations. You get the point? Yes, and if your soon to be husband does not understand the cost of a wedding – good luck! You will cry, and I mean a lot. I am only speaking from experience. LOL. Eventually he will come around. Love you Joshua! Hahahah.

Venue

Pick a venue where you can visualize saying the words, “I DO” or “I Will.” I never in a million years thought I would get married on a Farm or with a Barn. It was never my dream location, but boy did it sure end up to be. I thought I was going to get married in like a grunge meets urban with brick walls type of Venue. I had a reality check when I found out the actual cost of Venues… You also have to think about your family and friends. This is something I did not want to think about out of my own selfishness. If you choose a Venue that is 3-4 hours away, who is going to want to drive out to that? Even though it’s your day, you have to think about your guests as well when you pick the location of your Venue!

Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? We had ours on Sunday and I would do it again on a Sunday if I had to. It was the perfect Sunday. Having your Wedding on a Sunday saves you money! Once you have your Venue picked everything else will be planned around the Venue – location, style, caterers, DJ, everything. This is something you want to do right away. Once you pick your Venue it’s game time baby.

Here is the link to our Wedding Venue for more details: http://www.creeksidefarmweddingsevents.com/

Invitations

I recommend purchasing a pack with all of the necessary cards you will need. We did not have a “Save the Date”, we just went straight to the invites with our timeline. (We got engaged in April 2018, I started planning the Wedding in June 2018 and got married in September 2018). I went with a design off of Etsy and messaged the seller to customize the Invitations to my liking. I chose Metallic Envelope to send the Invitations out. I used a black Sharpie and customized everyone’s invitation. I spent two days writing them and asked for Josh’s help putting the Stamps on them to get them sent out ASAP! I loved the way they turned out.

If you’re concerned about budget – I recommend writing on the envelopes yourself instead of paying for a custom stamp or lettering. As nice as the custom calligraphy would have looked – it will save you money that you can spend elsewhere. Again, you have to pick and choose your priorities for you. This was not one of them for me.

Guest List

You will definitely need your parents help with this. Your moms are going to be your saving grace. You have to remember how much money you’re spending. Do you really want acquaintances at your wedding? No, invite the people who have been in your life, really been in your life. This is a special day, and it only happens once in a lifetime – at least that is the hope and how it’s supposed to be.

Color Scheme

I chose a neutral palate. I didn’t want something too girly or too masculine. I fell in love with Taupe and Navy. I did not want black tuxes for the men. My husband has the bluest eyes, so I wanted him to wear a color that made his eyes really pop and navy blue was perfect for him. I had to search so many different shops for the correct shade of Navy Blue and the perfect style so he would look the best he could too. Something to consider when choosing your color scheme is the Season. If you’re having a winter wedding you probably would not choose a super bright pink or yellow, but you’d probably choose a dark burgundy or winter green. Then again it’s all personal preference, but I really urge you to consider the season when choosing your colors.

Season

I never thought I would get married in the Fall Season. I was so happy I was married in September though. It was a beautiful day. The week leading up to our wedding day was rainy and cold, every single day. I checked the weather religiously the whole week of our Wedding! prayed continuously throughout the day for a beautiful day and the Lord gave us perfect weather. It was a picturesque day, and thank God too because we got married outside. It was sunny and 70. It wasn’t too hot that I was sweating my make up off and not too cold that people had to wear sweaters. We were blessed.

Bridesmaids

Being a bridesmaid in someone’s wedding is a big deal. If you get asked to be in someone’s wedding and you aren’t going to be able to attend events or hype that bride up, just say no. Don’t ruin the bride’s experience because of your own selfishness – that is the worst thing you can do because you don’t understand everything that the bride does in preparation for her Wedding Day. You just don’t.

I chose the girls who were most important to me at the time. A couple years ago I remember crying just thinking about who was going to stand next to me on my wedding day because I don’t have many girl friends. This was tearing me apart before I was even engaged in like 2016. I already knew Josh was going to be my husband – I had that feeling where you just know. A few years passed and I knew who was going to stand next to me in the Spring of 2018. I needed to choose the people who were most important to me at the time, and that’s what I did.

You do get gifts for your bridesmaids if you choose to as a way of saying Thank you for being apart of this day. Of course I did because I love giving. I did a multitude of items. You can have so much fun with this and really make it your own.

You don’t know how blessed you are if you have a few girlfriends that you have had for years. True girlfriends. It’s a big decision. I hope one day I will be a bridesmaid in someone’s wedding – one thing I know for sure after I had my wedding is this – I will be your biggest hype woman through it all. It’s the best day and you need your girls to help you feel even more beautiful than you already do.

Groomsmen

Ladies, you don’t have to do anything for this. Let your man choose! My husband is a blessed man and he has many guy friends and has been in other people’s weddings before. I am so grateful for him and his guy friends that love him. All you really have to do is make sure that your soon to be husband sends out all of the proper communication to his best man to send to all of the groomsmen. He was also responsible for getting his groomsmen gifts as a Thank You for being apart of this day.

Wedding Dress

I set up an appointment to look at Wedding Dresses with my mom on a random day after work. I went to the Wedding Shoppe in St. Paul with no intentions of finding the dress, but little did I know I would find “thee” dress.

I was prepared to spend whatever on my Wedding Dress within reason, the Lord blessed me and the dress I wanted was on a Maga Sale. I was going to purchase it online brand new so I did not have to have the dress that needed a lot of alterations and fixing with the beading, but the dress I loved was discontinued and if I wanted the dress I had to buy it as is. Since it’s discontinued – that means no one can have the same dress as me in the future and I loved that.

When you try Wedding Dresses on you will know when you’ve found the one – it is an incredible feeling. The dress I chose was the first one I tried on, and I wasn’t so sure about it the first time I put it on but I knew it was special. I tried on a few more Wedding Dresses and didn’t feel the same way as I did with the first dress. I put the first dress on multiple times and I remember looking in the mirror and saying, “This is the one.” It’s the dress that looked amazing and made me feel like a bride and so beautiful. I still love my Wedding dress a little over a year later. I just had it on last week for our 1 year Anniversary. Special moment!

Bring whoever you want and be cautious about who you decide to share your wedding dress with because not everyone will think it’s pretty and it will show. People will even tell you should have got a different style. Don’t listen to them because you know how the dress makes you feel, beautiful.

Some bride’s actually have two dresses, one for the ceremony and one for the reception. I was going to do this, but it costs way more money and why buy a dress that makes you feel the most beautiful you’ve ever felt only to wear it for a few hours and not the whole day? If you have a hefty or unlimited budget be my guest. All up to you girl. You do you.

My grandma spent 40-60 hours fixing the beading on my dress and getting it cleaned. Thank God for my grandma.

Veil or No Veil

Say Yes to the Veil! When will you ever get this chance again besides Halloween? Exactly, never. I loved the Veil. It was like a week before the Wedding and I called my mom and I was like, “Oh my gosh I don’t have a Veil!” We went and picked out a veil without the dress and hoped it was the same shade of Ivory because veils are both non-returnable and super expensive. I actually had to order the Veil online because the Veil I wanted had a hole in it at the store, and that just wasn’t happening. I am so glad I had a Veil. I ordered mine from David’s Bridal, and I do not see it as an option anymore, otherwise I would link it below.

Shoes

Heels or no heels? I purchased heels to wear during the Ceremony and my grandma bought me sparkly sneakers to wear during the reception – I brought them and completely forgot about them when it came time to put them on. I purchased taupe colored heels and didn’t end up wearing them because I forgot to bring them to the alterations – WHOOPS! I ended up purchasing some bedazzled sandals from David’s Bridal. They were perfect.

Jewelry/Garters

If you don’t typically wear a lot of jewelry, don’t do it on your Wedding Day. That’s not you, you want to be absolutely yourself on the Wedding Day and still glammed up!

I did not embrace the garter toss or have my new husband going up my dress in front of my family no matter how out there I am, that was just not happening for us. LOL. Honestly, I just wanted the garter for the pictures and to feel like a real bride. I purchase a gorgeous pair of Garters on Etsy. I kept both.

Perfume

Choose your favorite scent and put it all over. I love Si by Giorgi Armani, so that’s what I wore. It was a lovely aroma. As it always is.

Hair and Make Up

I never wear my hair up unless I am at work, so of course I wore it down. I feel prettiest when I wear my hair down, so that’s what I did. It is very important to do a trial before the Wedding day, so you know what you are going for. I thought I wanted to do a black smokey eye with glitter – thank God I did the make up trial before the big day because no just no. It was absolutely gorgeous, but not for a wedding. I chose a much more natural look for the wedding day and it was absolutely beautiful.

The best advice I can give in regards to your hair and make up is this – choose the look that makes you feel the most beautiful.

I highly and I mean highly recommend Make Up by Naz:

https://www.mkupbynaz.com/

Welcome Sign

I ordered ours from Etsy very last minute and oh my gosh worst decision ever. The sign was wrong. It did not have our names and date. I literally had to use stick on letters from my grandma’s cricket. It was the worst thing that happened. I was very disappointed. I can’t even look at the photos of our wedding sign. That’s how unhappy I was and still am with the sign. Obviously I’m over it now because there’s nothing I can do about it. I recommend you order that sign and make sure it is correct way before your actual Wedding Day, that way you’ll be able to make adequate arrangements…

Ceremony

Indoor vs. Outdoor? We got married in front of a huge cross and it was what sold me on the Venue we chose. After seeing how huge the Cross was, I knew that this Venue was perfect for us. I could see it so vividly – and with the help of our Florists they made my vision come to life.

Everything about our Ceremony was customized. I was very specific in the music choice for the ceremony. I was sooo fricken emotional. I was balling my eyes out and I didn’t know if I was able to keep it together right before walking down the aisle and walking down the aisle. I was so happy. Tears of joy that I was finally marrying my angel on earth. You think it’s going to be longer than what it really is, trust me it won’t be.

Vows

I did not choose to have personalized vows because that just wasn’t something I wanted to do. Josh was all for it, but I don’t know it just seemed weird to me… Every bride is different!

Creating your Wedding Day Timeline

This is so important you are mapping out your day and all of the events that are happening. You have to plan the behind the scenes stuff as well and coordinate it to all work together.

I am so thankful for all of our family, family friends, and friends who helped us on our special day with things we needed done. Thank you!

Snacks/Dinner/Drinks/Dessert

I let Josh pick the food and he decided on This Little Piggy. We had a dry wedding – no alcohol. Not having alcohol makes your wedding so much more cost affordable as well. I did not want a Wedding cake at all, but lo and behold my mom showed up with a white Wedding cake. What could I do? LOL. It was a little miniature one. We froze it and ate it later. We did cupcakes.

DJ/Reception

I spent a lot of time coming up with the perfect playlist. Probably hours actually. I had songs for when we dismissed each person directly after the Ceremony, songs to be played before dinner, songs to be played during dinner, songs to be played during the dance. I am a very particular person when it comes to music – I don’t like mainstream. I like unique and remixed versions of songs. I had a list of artists I absolutely did not want played at the wedding. I did not even want people requesting songs. I only accepted one request from my Maid Of Honor, LOL. I am picky, and I should be because it was our day.

Only regret – not getting a picture with our DJ. He was amazing with everything.

I highly recommend Jeff A:

http://www.harmonydjentertainment.com/

Wedding Favors

We had home made jam in mason jars with a cute note wrapped with burlap saying “Spread the Love.” They were made by my grandma’s family friend from South Dakota. Everyone loved the homemade jams. This Wedding favor was perfect for our Venue.

Photographer(s)

I met with a couple different photographers because I wanted to make sure I really liked them as a person and felt comfortable to be myself with them as I would have to be natural on our Wedding Day. The best advice I can give you is make sure your photographer really understands what you want in terms of interacting, your shot list, and editing.

We had MV Photos do our photography. We did not have Videography – I did not feel the need to have videography done. I have a very good memory and I remember the day as if it was yesterday. I personally do not think a video could capture the magic of our wedding day in the exact way that I would want or hope for. I feared disappointment, I also only wanted to share this special day with the people who actually showed up for our wedding, and so I passed on the videography. I love all of our photos and look at them often. I know we will use Madalyn in the future for photos for sure.

Shot List

I created a multiple page Word Document of all of the different types of photos I wanted and I got nearly everything I had asked for – I got everything that was a must have photo. The day and time go so fast, so you have to make sure you take advantage of every minute. It is impossible to get photos with everyone and everything, but you can certainly try!

I absolutely recommend MV Photos for Photography:

https://www.madalynvphotography.com/

Florist and Decor

I wanted lots of Garland and greenery everywhere. We used the Garland from the Cross at our Ceremony on our head table as well to save money. Long full Garlands are expensive and I had to have it. That was my must have at my wedding. It is important to have the one thing you really want at the Wedding. The Flowers were probably the thing that stressed me out the most out of this whole planning process because the initial quote I got was way over our budget by a lot, like thousands…. I had to do a lot of back and fourth with the Florists, but I got what I wanted and we had beautiful flowers and decor. I wouldn’t have changed a thing. They even set everything up for us.

I highly recommend Festivities:

http://www.festivitiesmn.com/

There are so many other details and people not mentioned, this post was getting lengthy so I had to cut some things out! Please message me with any questions regarding Wedding Planning or your Wedding in general. I love talking details about Weddings. Mwuah xoxoxo. Good luck planning the best day ever.

Enjoy some little details of our special day

All photos taken by MV Photos

Categories: Blogs, Jesus, Lifestyle, Tips

Information without Implementation has no Value

This weekend was extremely eye opening to me. I flew to Austin Texas for a work trip from September 19-22, and little did I know that God was going to drop little hints in my life that I am on the right path. I am a girl that says I don’t need words of affirmation from people to know the things I am doing are validated. The only validation I need is from God, but I’m not going to lie it’s nice to hear you’re amazing every once in awhile.

Thank You

It was extremely valuable for me to receive validation and words of affirmation from like minded individuals. I have to thank my Dr for giving me opportunities like this. In Dentistry it is an extreme rarity to have a Dr who is willing to provide opportunities for his or her team to flourish. Who doesn’t want to be greater at their job? Events like this one, that I attended this weekend was not only for my professional life, but personal life as well and who doesn’t love evolving?

Boldness and Courage

I am not a fan of speaking in front of large groups of people because I get really nervous and I feel like I can’t speak with my normal voice. I feel like my voice is shaky and not as powerful… This time it was different. I participated and used my voice to help educate other people and I was in proud of myself that people actually got value out of the things I was saying. Someone said, “Wow are you a motivational speaker?” Someone also said, “You are very wise.” Somebody else said, “You are amazing!” Another Dr told me, “Wow, you got it….” Another Dental Assistant said, “You are deep.” I think that was my favorite compliment because not a lot of people seem to pick that up when talking to me or tell me at least… I am so grateful and appreciative.

When I am passionate and knowledgable about something, you best believe I’ll let you know if you provide me with the feeling I can do that. I find myself thinking and wondering isn’t this a reason why I was created? I feel in my heart that some things just need to be shared with other people. There were a lot of other wonderful compliments received by me this weekend. I am terrible at receiving compliments and I realize this is something I need to work on, but I am very appreciative of all compliments.

The Importance of Networking

There is so much to be said about Networking with like minded individuals. Shouldn’t we want to build other people up and empower people to be the best versions of themselves and see them succeed? Absolutely!

Take Aways

I am currently writing this post in the Austin Airport because right now I just feel so dang inspired and hopeful for life. I also don’t want to forget my initial thoughts and reactions because that would really suck…

– I learned about my personal Persona and how that affects my leadership and ultimately who I am as a person

– I am in control of my “being”

– I need to channel my energy and express it the way I want to be expressed

– I need a heightened level of self awareness (this is hard for me)

– What does my body language say to other people?

– How can I let the radiance I feel inside show to other people?

– You cannot force people to do things against their own will

– I need to remove limiting beliefs on myself and just be and do things

– Integrity can change energy in the room and within myself

– There is power in acknowledgment

– The goal of any communication should always be that the other person is left feeling empowered

– We need to be willing to change

– Stepping into my certainty is always a good idea

– Everyone transforms on different levels and at different times

Confirmations

I feel like I know it all and then again I feel like I know nothing. Sometimes I need to take a bite of some humble pie and I cannot lie about that.

– God is the best guide for greatness

– God knows what I need before I do

– God still loves me and meets me right where I’m at

– I am still in the relentless pursuit of success in everything I put my mind to

– I deserve a higher level of happiness

– God has gifted me in so many areas of life

-I need to be utilizing my spiritual gifts all the time

– How I react to things and people —> Sacrifice Syndrome

– Stress can cause our brains to literally “shut down” and respond in ways we normally would not if we were not “burnt out”

– Relationships build openness to possibilities

– I am responsible for my success (Duh!)

– Authenticity is amazing and I am that

– I need to lead by example

Realization

I loved just being in the sunshine and people watching. That Vitamin D was hitting me in my soul. I saw people for who they were and wondered about their stories. I always seem to people watch and wonder things, but this time it was different. There are a lot of Homeless People here. My heart broke this weekend seeing that on nearly every street corner… This is America – what happens that people get to that point? I wish I could understand and hear people’s stories and do something for everyone.I prayed with my prayer language that God will reveal to me “who” and He did. I believe we are blessed to be a blessing in and this weekend I was blessed to be a blessing to a special person and I know God will do a miracle after an interaction with this person. I am praying and believing for more. This world needs Jesus.

Do you ever look at people and wonder what’s going on in their life? I do. I wonder what battles other people are fighting, what’s their career job, do they have

What am I going to do now?

I am going to keep on working on myself for me. That’s it.

What should you do with this information?

If you read this far – I am glad because this section is for you! I want to encourage you to work on yourself for yourself. Find your passions and pursue them to the highest level for yourself. Do not give up at the first sign of defeat. Keep going. Instead of giving up, use those set backs to light a fire under your tushy and go after your goals, dreams, and passions even harder than you were before. Pursue them relentlessly because you only get one life and it might as well be lived doing the things that set your soul on fire.

Wow, I literally just said “Yessss that’s so good” to my own words. I wrote this all in 30 minutes, just saying… Man I really love this writing thing.