Four Months to Go: Wedding Preview

Hi, friends, and Happy Friday! 

I just got our four-month wedding countdown email yesterday from TheKnot.com. As you know, I am focusing all of my wedding planning attention on my Erin Condren monthly checklists, so I mostly ignore these Knot emails. They come with even more to-do lists of their own, which I think could really stress out a person. Nothing like an email in the middle of your work week with tons of wedding prep to do to get a gal sweating glistening. Thanks to my EC planner, I can completely ignore these emails other than reminding me how far out we are from the big day, getting a little twinge of "yikes!" before getting a huge rush of excitement.

So, four months out. Where do we stand? I haven't told you all yet about what's in store for the big weekend, so as a little Friday Feature, I wanted to give you an insider's look. Not like I will be revealing anything huge, though, because even my 'maids know that I am keeping most details hush-hush ... including my dress -- no one will see it before April! Gotta leave some things for people to look forward to, after all! ;)

First off, we are getting married on April 13, 2013. 4/13/13. I love the ring to it! Plus, my nerdy GT/OCD side loves that 1+3=4. Awww.

We made this fun picture into Save the Date magnets for all of our guests with details on the bottom corners.

Hint: Come back this weekend to get a little tutorial on how I made the banner we are holding in our Save the Dates. It was a fun and easy DIY project that you could duplicate for any special occasion.

CTK in Buckhead

Our wedding will take place right here in Buckhead. As if you hadn't guessed that already. We are a Buckhead couple and we wanted to keep the love right here in town. Plus, Buckhead is a great centralized location for our guests, a large majority of whom will be flying in and taking MARTA to the hotel. The hotel is close to the church which is close to the reception. No one has to drive, and everyone can hang out late-night at the nearby bars if they want, too.

Our wedding will be held at Cathedral of Christ the King, the Catholic cathedral that you might recognize if you have ever run the Peachtree Road Race course. It's located at the bend right through the residential part of town.

CTK is not the church that sprays you with holy water as you run past. That's the Episcopal one, St. Philip's. But I still bless myself as I run through that spray, and then again as I run past CTK. I figure I need the extra love to make sure I don't have an asthma attack during the race each year :)

We are having a 2 p.m. Catholic Mass. I have dreamed about having a Catholic Mass wedding for my whole life. I feel like it's the perfect blend of tradition and celebration. It might be an hour (+) long (!!), but I love that it helps showcase the actual wedding as the focus of the day, rather than the party afterwards. You all know I love throwing a party, but it's nice to remember the reason for the day.

Speaking of the party, we are having a big one that evening at The Buckhead Club, which is part of the ClubCorp organization. ClubCorp has locations all over the country, and they are like the business version of a country club. They feature awesome food, staff and areas for both business and entertaining. Most importantly, they excel at making their members and guests feel like royalty, which will be perfect for our big day. 

The views out of all sides of the Club are amazing.

Even the lounge area has a swank feel.

We love the views from the Club. It's located on the 26th floor of the Sovereign Building, up above our fav restaurant Bistro Niko (coincidence? I think not!). Our happy hour will be on one whole side of the building, and dinner and dancing will be on the other. It's going to be amazing. I can't wait to see the space all pulled together.

Want to know more about our wedding? Head on over to our wedding website, BradandKatherine.com. It's full of information about us as a couple and more details about both venues.

Tip: I chose to use Wedding Wire for the website, because I absolutely loved the templates they had. The one we chose, a Vera Wang design, matches our preppy city-chic theme and colors, and provided just enough customization along with helpful templates to make it really easy to set up.

There you have it! A brief look into what's coming up for us in just under four months. As the date approaches, I will probably share a few more details, but stay tuned until after the honeymoon for the full run down :)

Planning the Wedding: 5 Months Down

Hello, friends! Another football Saturday is upon us and I can't wait to see my Jackets play at home tonight for the season opener! We need a good W after last weekend's late night loss.

Since it's a night game and a lot of my friends won't be there because of other commitments, I'm taking advantage of the afternoon to take care of other things before heading into town for the tailgate.

** Hooray, Auburn just scored a TD! War Eagle!! ** --> like watching Auburn play! ;)

It's been about five months (five?!) since we got engaged, and part of being engaged means that pretty much everyone asks you how the wedding planning process is going when they see you :P Luckily, we got out of the gates early, taking advantage of the quieter summer months and doing as much as we could right up front. These days, when people ask how the planning process is going, I can legitimately say that we are right on track, if not ahead of things, and that we are trying to enjoy every moment of it!

Recently, though, there's been a perfect storm of planning that all had to get done at once. The website. The Save the Dates (which list the website). The hotel booking (so that people can reserve rooms from the website). The engagement photos (which are on the website and our STD). The registry (yep, on the website, too). None of these things were hard to get done, but all together, it's been a busy end to the summer.

As you can see from the fun shot above, though, the engagement photos are done, the STDs are going out this week and we've had fun registering in-store and online at some of our favorite places. As you might imagine, I am pretty good at fake shopping ;)

I have talked about Erin Condren planners on here before, but I really think I might be losing it right now if it wasn't for her wedding planner.

Let me tell you: Erin is keeping this gal sane. I am a wedding blog-aholic, so whenever I am cruising the webs or Pinterest, I am easily distracted by uber-cute wedding DIY projects, favor ideas and decor items. And then I start to freak a little bit. Why haven't I thought about that yet? Should I have thought about this vs. that by now? What's the deadline to do this?

And then Erin brings be back down to the ground ASAP. I just have to flip open her planner to the front pages where there are these ingenious month-by-month To Do lists. Favors? I don't need to do anything about those until "4 to 2 months before" the wedding. Welcome baskets? 6 to 4 months before. And then I realize -- I have time! The mini crisis in my head goes away, and I can refocus energies.

Part of the benefit of having a whole year to plan this wedding is that we have plenty of time. It's going to be a big party, sure, and we want it all to be perfect, but we don't have to do it all now. While my OCD-self struggles with that thought, every time I run across one of those cute decor ideas, I just make a quick note of the site and idea in my planner's note pages, instead. That way, I don't have to freak out about forgetting to do anything, and I can keep my focus on the items for right now.

With seven months still to go, we are almost done with the "8 to 6 months before" list, with only sending the STDs and booking the florist and DJ left. I already have strong recommendations for both of those vendors, too, and that means I have all of this month to finalize that! Better yet, I have some of the "6 to 4 months before" list already done, too, like the bridesmaid dresses. It feels good to be ahead of the game.

Today, I started to get a little overwhelmed thinking about all the things I wanted to get done. The planning process started to suck me in. I have promised myself that I would actually enjoy this wedding planning process, though, and I want to stick to that goal. When else do you get to enjoy a time like this? I don't want to remember it as being a stressful time!

So a few minutes of feeling like AHHHH, I sat back, flipped through our engagement photos and focused my thoughts around how much fun it was that day and how much more fun our Big Day will be. Then, I opened up our planner and brainstormed some ideas. All things that we can tackle later, mind you :)

Fellow brides-to-be and married gals -- what things have or got you stressed out during the planning process? What kept you sane?

Party with the Sun

Something about the summer months evoke thoughts of BBQ cookout parties, pizza parties, pool parties, random hang-outside-with-a-cocktail parties. While my weekends are pretty booked for the next few weeks, it won't keep me from "planning." You know, for that party-to-be, ha! The Fourth is right around the corner, though, and given our proximity in Buckhead to the fireworks, we can't wait to have friends over to hang.

I made an inspiration board on Pinterest with some of the things that have me thinking for these parties down the road. Take a look at these cute individual-sized sides! I love the baked bean jars.

Source: celebrationsathomeblog.com via Katherine on Pinterest

This set-up would be a great way to go afternoon into night - just add tea lights for a glamorous feel! Of course, my drink bucket would likely be filled with bottles of beer, not champagne ;)

Source: Uploaded by user via Katherine on Pinterest

I love the idea of grouping together utensils, napkins and mason jars for the drinks all in one arrangement. Pick different colored napkins to go with your theme. These red and blue ones are perfect for patriotic gatherings.

Source: nestcandy.com via Katherine on Pinterest

My fiance is a home-brewer, so we are constantly buying beer and saving empty bottles for his next batch. We always have an extra caddy on hand - what an easy idea to transport things down to the grills at the condo or to your backyard!

Source: realsimple.com via Katherine on Pinterest

We just made sausage, peppers and onions last week and topped some fresh, buttered baguettes with the mix. I DIE. This concept makes it crowd-ready in large portions. I think I will recreate that dinner again using these ideas!

Source: prouditaliancook.blogspot.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Bite sized savories and sweets! I love the mini corn muffins. They'd be perfect with some BBQ! The toppers would be easy to print off and attach to sticks, too.

Source: pizzazzerie.com via Katherine on Pinterest

What parties are you planning this summer? What other items should I pin to the board? I can add you as a contributor so you can share inspiration with everyone, too! Just leave me your Pinterest handle below if you'd like to join in the "Summer Lovin'" fun!

Cocktails, Canapes and Cookies

Tonight is my Third Annual Girls Night Holiday Cookie Exchange! 

Get your own fab e-invites from Punchbowl, my personal fav source.

I think you might remember the after-video and photos from a few years ago of the ladies in action? This year, I am hoping for nothing less than another night full of wine, laughter and precious time spent with some of the busiest and most-fabulous gals around town. I am so thankful that they have all chosen to block off a night on their crazy holiday calendars to spend together, too.

To keep things simple for this party that has grown to house 20-30 guests, I always ask the girls bring their own wine and two dozen cookies to share and exchange. This keeps costs down for me as the hostess, but also ensures that we will have plenty to share just in case the unexpected (though totally expected, at this point, since we all know how our crowd works!) few extra gal pals tag along.

I will be supplying my special mulled wine to start the party off, along with a selection of "savory snacks," aka insurance that the girls don't get sugar- and wine-high on totally empty stomachs, resulting in extra-unpleasant headaches the next day :) This year, I am making my mom's marinated cheese recipe with crackers, which sits overnight and then inverts onto a serving platter. Easiest day-of appetizer prep, hands down! I am adding to that my guac two-bites, which are festively-colored for the Christmas theme, and some cheesey sausage balls that I made and froze on Monday and will throw into the oven to finish tonight.

Other than that, I let the party run itself! Christmas music cued up on Pandora through the TiVo, festive decor all around the condo, and an open door that guests are welcome to let themselves into. Friends and more friends are always welcome; there is always guaranteed to be at least one new face among the crowd. The wine is free-flowing, as is the laughter.

I will be back this weekend with a photo recap of the evening, and if you are lucky, a recipe or two from some of my guests for their fabulous cookies.

In the meantime, do share: what are your go-to favorite cocktails and/or appetizers to make when hosting a party? 

Bachelorette Business

Living in a high-rise in Buckhead, I am pretty much game for any opportunity that arises where I can play hostess. So when it came time for us bridesmaids to figure out a Bachelorette party plan for our dear friend, Laurie, I of course offered up the condo as party-central!

After a consult with my mom (the original Malone party planning guru!), I decided that a poolside soiree with a tropical theme would be a fun way to kick things off. She was fabulous and put together some fantastic themed party supplies for me to use. Since it's about 80-bajillion degrees here right now, I played it safe and assumed we'd be spending at least half of the day upstairs, seeking relief from the sun. I hung up some fun streamers and decorated the tabletops.

An ice bucket full of sodas and white wine was ready for the gals when they needed a break from the margaritas we'd be having at the pool. I also had champagne (buy it on the cheap at Trader Joe's) chilling in the fridge for a lingerie surprise later in the day. 

In prep for our girls night on the town, I picked up some pink (duh!) swag for everyone to wear. A pink lei would showcase Laurie as the Bachelorette, while we 'maids had some fun light-up rings and name badges (on which we of course wrote our alter-ego names!)

Down at the pool, I reserved a corner for us to relax and chat for the afternoon in the sun. I love the cute chalkboard sign that my mom let me borrow - I announced our Bachelorette theme there for everyone at the pool to see! Some fun candy-striped straws worked perfectly for the margaritas on the rocks (everyone knows you drink faster through a straw...) and flip flop and flower cut-outs kept the tropical theme going. We even had pool toys on reserve in case the gals got a little crazy. Koosh paddleball, anyone?!

The party wouldn't have been complete without the food, though! Since we were planning on a fun night out complete with dinner, I kept the snacks light. Oriental Salad filled up adorable Chinese food take-out boxes, which I then kept in a cooler, and fruit kabobs were on standby for a healthier snack.

Some people like salty and some like sweet when they drink, so I was sure to have both on hand. Chips and a pineapple salsa for the first group, and then fantastic cookie bars for the others! The recipe I used was a hit, so enjoy it with your next gathering - I have included it below :)

After our day in the sun, we celebrated Laurie's last days as a single gal with champagne and girly gifts before heading out for some Ormsby's bocce fun and Cosmo/Lava dancing. 

Congrats, Laurie! We are so excited for you!

Macadamia Coconut Cookie Bars
Via Rachael Ray

1 package dry sugar cookie mix, prepared to package directions
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup white chocolate chips
Softened butter or Pam for Baking, to prepare baking dish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To cookie mix prepared to package directions, add nuts, coconut and white chocolate chips. Butter/spray a 9x12 baking dish and press cookie dough evenly into a thin layer across the bottom. Bake bars for about 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven, and cool slightly. Cut into squares, remove with spatula and serve.

Notes from KJM: it may be my oven, but my bars took closer to 20-25 minutes to bake. Just follow the "lightly golden brown" rule and yours will turn out great! Chill the bars overnight to firm them up for a party.

Pints for a Purpose

If someone you know lives in Atlanta, enjoys beer and has NOT been to either Sweetwater Brewery or Red Brick Brewing Company (formerly Atlanta Brewing Company, or ABC), then really, shame on you as their friend that you have not brought them there yet :)

I will never forget my first time going to Sweetwater. Back then, it was just a brewery warehouse with some trailers hooked up in the parking lot that dolled out beer. If you needed to go to the bathroom, well, there were portable restrooms. They only served on Thursdays starting at 4:20PM (get it? Ha...), and so as a student, you had to skip out of class early to get there before it got crowded, and also be willing to be a bit foggy for any Friday morning classes you might have. There were usually at least 20 dogs there with their owners, and once in a blue moon they might have a band hook up guitars right by the trucks.

What I didn't realize then, as I showed up with a guy I knew that night, was that the dress code was a lot different than your typical bar outing. I was wearing stilettos (of course), boot cut jeans and some casual-chic top. I then proceeded to stand out like a sore thumb, because everyone else was in their hippy Birkenstocks, grungy jeans and collegiate/rock band sweatshirts. I kid you not. I aerated that lawn pretty well in my pumps :)

Since then, Sweetwater got an upgrade, adding on a fancy interior (complete with restrooms, hooray), beer taps and a real bar, and a swanky patio where the bands play. They start serving beer later and now have their busiest nights on Fridays, so young professionals (yes, in stilettos) can come straight from work without worrying about dressing down.

ABC -- now officially rebranded as Red Brick Brewing Company -- has had the same upgrade. Both spots are hot for events, and I couldn't be more excited to tell you about one that is coming up that I KNOW you want to attend. This is an event I am helping to plan, and I want you there!

First, the fun flier that you can save and send around to your friends ... 

Now, the background! I am involved with a great organization called The Shirlock Foundation that benefits families of college students who are battling leukemia. A family's expenses can quickly accumulate due to medical treatment and travel costs including gas, food, living accommodations and hospital parking. Frequently, parents find it necessary to take time off from work to focus fully on their child's care, cutting off an important source of income when the family needs it the most. The goal of The Shirlock Foundation is to help these families monetarily, so they can focus their efforts on supporting their loved ones.

On Sunday, June 5, we are excited to host a special Red Brick Brewery Tour to directly benefit the Shirlock Foundation! The afternoon will be full of friends, fun and lots of Red Brick beer. Tickets are $25 and include three raffle tickets and a custom Shirlock Foundation pint glass. $3 from every ticket will directly benefit the Foundation.  

Even better? The popular local food truck Tex's Tacos will be there vending the event! Check out their menu and pricing here. You really can't beat a lazy Sunday afternoon of beer and $2 tacos :)

All are welcome, so please help us spread the word and invite your friends and family to join us! And by golly, especially invite those friends that haven't been to these breweries before. They deserve to know about the fun that awaits them! Buy your and their tickets today.

Channeling Emily Post

Ladies and Gents, it's Wedding Season once again.

In the South, Wedding Season can pretty much happen all year long. But the High Wedding Season (like how I used the capital letters and the word High to make it seem all royal and official?) kicks off in early April and runs through October. In Atlanta, that is prime gorgeous-flowers-and-green-grass, sunshine-and-cloudless-skies and perfect-honeymoon weather timing.

It also happens to be bake-your-skin-off-heat weather timing, but that never really seems to play a factor with all these girls choosing their wedding dates, does it? :P

I mentioned a few weeks ago how I have three weddings coming up around the corner, two of which I am in. We are entering adult-wedding time -- late-20's engagements and guest lists consisting of mostly adult-couples (rather than kids coming from their finals and study sessions). By goodness, these weddings are going to be FUN :)

By what to do financially when you are swamped with 2, 5 or, Heaven forbid, 6+ weddings in a season? Especially if all 6 are for your nearest and dearest friends? How do you budget not only for the big day, but also for the variety of events that precede it?

As one of my dedicated readers, Hannah was quick to bring this up as a Buckhead Betty request, so I am going to share my two cents. Please remember, however, that my opinions here are based on my budget, my particular season of wedding events and my relationships with my friends. What you choose to spend on your one or ten wedding events this year is up to you. Plus, every wedding is different. It could be swank-city 200+ guest list, or 10 people on a beach with the preacher. These opinions are just meant as a gauge.

First things first. To best enjoy the entire calendar of showers, parties and wedding affairs, start putting aside some money each week as soon as you hear about the engagement. If there is any sign that you might be invited, just start saving. You should plan to spend a few hundred dollars at least on the shin-dig, and much more if you are in the wedding.

Image Source

Day-of affairs: I would be lying if I didn't say that the girls get the shorter end of the stick as a wedding attendee. If you are in the wedding, you have even more reason to budget ahead. A basic tux rental costs nothing compared to the hair and make-up, shoes, purses, dresses and other swag that bridesmaids encounter on the day-of.

• Bridesmaid estimate for day-of: Plan on spending $300-400.
• Groomsmen estimate for day-of: Plan on spending $100 for the tux, unless you already own one. 
• Other attendees: Recycle something you already own. Girls, dress up last season's dress with new jewelry for about $30. 

Showers: Plan on attending at least one, if not two, showers ahead of the wedding. You don't have to bring a gift to each one, but if they are drastically different groups of people, or if one happens to be a couples shower, you should budget a reasonable gift for each. 

I like to pick one bigger-ticket item off the bridal registry and pair it with something complimentary and personalized from me. A favorite combination of mine is a selection of registry cooking supplies plus a cookbook. Add an inscription to the inner cover and voila -- you are set and it's memorable.

• Shower estimate: $75 for one gift, or $40-50/each for multiple parties. 

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Bachelor/Bachelorette: This one is hard to budget for, because it all rests on the location. Destination parties are all the rage. If the group is talking about heading out of town, get them planning early -- plane tickets and hotel costs can skyrocket if they wait too long to book. For Bachelorette parties, don't forget that a lingerie party (and gifts) is usually part of the plans. Guys and girls should also plan to split the costs of the guest-of-honor while there, from their bar tab to the cab fares.

• In-town Bachelor/Bachelorette estimate: $100-$200 for the night, including the gift.
• Destination estimate: Anywhere from $300 and up, depending on travel costs and location.

Wedding Gifts: Depending on how close you are to the bride and/or groom, this one is all over the place. If you are heading to the wedding with a bunch of friends, check around on splitting one of the biggest items on the registry. Vacuums, honeymoon expenses and china/flatware usually hit the top of the list.

If it's just you and/or your significant other, plan on the same approach as the showers, but just increase the amount. Registries are there for a reason -- the bride and groom are telling you they need your help getting those items. Just make it more fun and add some other items to make it a themed gift.

• Wedding Gift estimate: $100 is a great median to shoot for.

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Well, that all adds up to a lot of money, doesn't it? If you started saving up for those weddings in November when you heard about their engagement, you'd be near ready to go out and spend right about now :)

If you didn't, or if you got a last-minute or unexpected invitation, don't fret. Tradition says gifts can be sent up to a year after the wedding, and often are even more appreciated then since the new couple can sit back and actually enjoy them.

Alternative gift ideas are great, too. Consider throwing an intimate dinner party a few months later for the couple. For only the cost of the food and the effort it takes to prepare, you can create a memorable evening for them and reminisce about their big day.

I hope this helps. But since everyone looks at it differently, what guidelines do you set for yourself while planning on attending or participating in weddings? Share your tips with us!

Toast to Ten!

I am excited to have been asked to attend a fun-sounding party this evening up at the Swoozie's on Roswell Road -- their Toast to Ten Party in honor of their Tenth Birthday!

Swoozie's, in case you are not familiar with the uber-cute store, is known in the Atlanta and Southeast region as a great source of stationery, party supplies and gifts for all types of occasions. I am excited to see what they have in store for the crowd tonight, and look forward to checking out the items, since all purchases will be 20% off! With all of the wedding festivities coming up for my friends this spring and summer, this promotional event is perfect timing for me.

Are you attending this party tonight, too? I hear that they have some fun things going on in the upcoming ten days, so if you can't make it tonight, you will have some other fun things to look forward to!

Disclaimer: Swoozie's contacted me about this party and their 10th Birthday plans. I am excited to attend on my own accord, and all opinions expressed here are my own. 

Warming Winter Wine

Just because the holiday season is over doesn't mean that the season for parties is done, too! St. Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras are right around the corner, and winter is also the perfect time to host friends over for warm, slow-cooked dinner parties.

Whether the party is big or small, being a good host or hostess means co-mingling with your guests as much as possible. However, I think a lot of people get stuck into playing bartender all night when hosting a large group. If you do your prep right, you can actually have fun at your own party rather than stressing out over details in the background.

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For large parties and larger budgets, I'd suggest stocking up a central "bar" area with the essentials -- a bucket of ice, liters of soda, at least one brown and one clear liquor option, bottles of wine and a cooler full of bottled beer. By providing all these items in one easy-to-find location like on a main counter or a side table, people can serve themselves while you can go off and mingle! Martha provides an awesome printable checklist on her site in case you need some shopping help.

For many of us, though, we might not be able to provide all of those items all at once. I know that if I have too many friends over at once, our well-stocked liquor cabinet can be gone before I know it, and restocking the bar isn't cheap.

One of the easiest things you can do to make your host/hostessing life easier (and your budget not as stressful) is to provide one main beverage to go around for the night. For a Mexican-themed night, you could make margaritas, and for a springtime brunch, make a pitcher of champagne punch. My girlfriends and I usually have wine at our gatherings, so I decided to step it up for our holiday cookie exchange last month with Mulled Wine. It was a HIT, and would be perfect for any gathering you are planning this winter. Even better, you don't have to do anything after you make it other than put out mugs or cups next to it, and point people in that direction. That's if they don't smell their way over to it first, that is! :)

Here's my "recipe" -- if you can even call it that. I literally made everything up, from the measurements to the ingredients, based on a recipe I saw in a holiday magazine. And actually, I am making everything up here again for you, because I didn't even write it all down haha.

Note: I was in a rush that evening and decided to shop for everything at Trader Joe's rather than a larger store, and as a result, had to pick up some different ingredients based on the selection. If you can't find some of these things, amend your recipe however you want. Underneath it all, it's a wine cider; you really can't go wrong!

Katherine's Warming Winter Wine

2 bottles of merlot or any other dark red wine
1 medium-sized bottle of pomegranate juice (about the same amount as one bottle of wine)
1 large jar of pears in their juice
1/4 cup of honey
1 cup of mulling spices (I used half a container of the pre-made TJ one, but you could make your own with a combination of cloves, allspice and cinnamon)
Optional: thinly cut orange and apple slices

Combine wine and juice in a crock pot or dutch oven. Add 2 cups of pear pieces, 1/2 cup of the pear juice and the honey, stirring to combine. Place spices into cheesecloth or into a fine-mesh strainer, and place into mixture. Warm over low to medium heat. Remove the spice mixture and serve warm.

Halloweeny Bites Galore

Well this is quite possibly the CUTEST compilation of Halloween-themed snack foods that I have ever seen. I added this fabulous blog to my Reader faster than you can say "Great Pumpkin!"

Some of my favorites ...



Candy Corn Cupcakes -- how adorable, and these are easy to make with a little food coloring.



Nutty Ghosts -- no recipe even needed!



Mummy Dogs -- no recipe needed for this one, either, but how cute are they?! Yum!

Sara (and Kate) at Our Best Bites is one of my new favorite bloggers for quick and easy party fare. Thanks for the ideas, Sara -- I can't wait to get baking!

All pictures straight from Our Best Bites

On Growing Up and Prioritizing Money

I  am a social gal by nature. I love to plan and attend gatherings as much as possible. Visiting with friends, meeting new people and seeing new places makes me the happiest I really can be. If I had it my way, my Blackberry would have at least one social outing a week marked down to look forward to, if not two. Bonus if the outing is somewhere I have never been before, or it's my favorite local dive (recently, I am low-key: give me Mexican or Fellini's, and I am a happy camper).

But sometimes, and these days, more often than not, that little word "budget" puts a bit of a damper on my social calendar. I can't always accept invitations, and might have to turn down dinner on the town with 20 of my nearest and dearest in exchange for a little me-time at home. Things as simple as "donate $30 to this charity" or "tickets are only $25" or even "split the cost four ways at $20 each" aren't always that easy when you are watching how you spend your money.

Sometimes, it is a welcome thing. Sometimes, I have had such a busy week, or busy day, that I am okay with "having" to chill out at home. Sometimes, there's nothing more I'd like to do than watch my TiVo reruns of Gossip Girl, or read a book, or, imagine this, do nothing at all and just relax! Most times, my inner-socialite doesn't want that to happen, especially if I am in the mood to get out and about, meet and greet, and wine and dine. But sometimes, as much as it might pain you (read: me), you just gotta roll with the punches.

I know a number of local bloggers and other friends that are in similar age brackets to mine. They have similar jobs, and are busy climbing the corporate ladder while building a young professional network of friends, just like me. The sheer amount of social things some of them can keep up, however, with is amazing to me. It's like they won the lottery with the amount of things they do in their free time! Meals out, shopping trips galore, trips to other cities -- each thing is bigger and better.

Then I think through it all -- and realize that for every question I ask myself, there's a likely rationale answer.

Where do these 20-somethings get the money to go out for dinner and drinks four nights a week? You have a mortgage and bills for a luxury high-rise, Katherine.
Why can't I go to that hot new restaurant opening, too? You just spent some serious "fun money" on football season tickets and a cruise, Katherine.
I want those Fall knee-high boots from JCrew, and that fantastic winter coat from Banana Republic. You just bought groceries for four gourmet meals to make at home this week, instead, Katherine.

My inner-self isn't so fun, sometimes. But it does like to remind me that we all make choices on how we spend our money. Some people choose to rent their homes and lease their cars, others to buy. While some love to cook at home, others live to try the newest places in town. No one method of spending money is right -- it's right for the person doing it, and that's all that matters.

And you know what? For me right now, I have to remember where my money is going, what things matter most, and prioritize accordingly. I'm not going to limit myself completely (a girl earns that occasional Starbucks or Happy Hour with friends, after all), but it's time for me to get back to Budget Basics 101 for a little while. 

What things hold priority in your life and your budget right now?

For the Girls Who Plan. Or Dream.

I am going to go ahead and assume that a lot of you get Daily Candy in your inboxes each day. No matter what city you are in, Daily Candy has a version for you -- you can get the low-down on the hottest local events, products, and people around your town, or around the country with the nationwide edition.

When Daily Candy came out with their Weddings edition of their email listserv, I could not help myself. I signed up immediately. See, I have this little addiction. I love events. I love parties. I love dressing up. All of that comes together with a wedding, and oh my goodness, do I love looking at wedding pictures and reading wedding planning details.

What's most ironic here is that I was never the girl growing up that planned her own wedding out like so many others. I was the girl that was chasing boys around the playground instead and playing soccer, or running out to swim practice before school started. I didn't have boyfriends -- I had boy friends. I may have been picking out (very) girly outfits to wear, but I was also a secret little tomboy on the inside, too. That kind of girl is not the girl dreaming about her wedding dress design and registries, and is most certainly not likely to be addicted to wedding blogs.

But here I am. And it's Tuesday, so I am going to share with you some of my favorite wedding blogs out there. Some of them feature ingenious event and reception ideas. Many feature beautiful brides and handsome groomsmen. All of them have to-die-for photography. And underneath it all, my event-planner side is in L-O-V-E. I like to bookmark posts that have little things I want to remember someday down the road when I actually go to plan my own -- cute invite ideas, swanky place settings, fab engagement shots. But what I love most about these blogs is that they are just so gosh-darn HAPPY. How can you be sad, looking at people who are having the best day of their life with others that they love?

So share the cheer and click through, and Happy Tuesday!

Top Ten {Tuesday}: My Favorite Wedding Blogs, in no particular order ...

1. Daily Candy Weddings: Cute emails but mostly I love their fun features. This week, they shared a fantastic DIY video about creating a pretty, sophisticated, casual-chic chignon (aka a bun) with your hair. I can't wait to try this when my hair grows out a bit more!

2. Once Wed: Fab photos and DIY ideas aside, this site is also known for their used wedding dress store.

3. Style Me Pretty: This is probably hands-down my favorite wedding blog. Happy doesn't even begin to describe the sheer joy they convey through breathtaking photos and great commentary. Check out their Little Black Book for vendor-mania, too.

4. Southern Weddings Magazine: Southern, sassy, and oh so sweet. The editors have a great sense of humor, and always lay it out like it is. Bonus: Katie from MC writes on the blog as a featured column!

5. Inspired By This: I featured this one on my last Top Ten Blog Love post about event blogs, because this one always brings it back to the actual event of the day, featuring all the little details that make the day as special as it should be.

6. Chocolate Butterbean: Though I have never met her, I feel like I have, because I was in school with Joni's sister and they are super close. Joni's designs are fantastic, and she is becoming a go-to girl down here in the South for her fab announcement and display signs.

7. One White Dress: This one is the newest addition to my Reader. They are lighter on the photos, usually keeping them to inspiration-boards only, but I like the combo so far!

8. 100 Layer Cake: I stumbled across this one recently, and I love the dreamy photos.

9. The Broke-Ass Bride: This one cracks me up with the title alone, but the content is so perfect for anyone looking to be fab and frugal on the big day.

10. What is your favorite wedding blog to add to this list?

Mexican Two-Bites

In our house on birthdays or holidays like Father's Day, it's quite common that we kids cook up a big meal, letting our parents (mostly!) relax with a martini on the back porch. This past weekend, my brother took the main stage, whipping up pork and pineapple tacos with black beans and rice in honor of our great Dad. To say it was fab would be an understatement. Kudos, Colin!

Placed in charge of the appetizer, I wanted to make sure whatever I chose to make matched up well to the Mexican/Cuban theme he already had going on. Plus, we were having guests over, so I had make something that was both easy and served a crowd.



A quick search later, I landed on what has now become one of our new favorite appetizers. These little babies are gorgeous on the serving platter, and are healthy, too! They require some prep time, since you leave the ingredients out for a bit to let the flavors combine. The goat cheese adds a velvety and tart smoothness to the avocado mixture. This isn't your typical guacamole!



Buen provecho!

Guacamole Goat Cheese Toasts
Adapted from Southern Living
Prep: 15 min., Stand: 30 min., Bake: 8 min.

Yield: Makes about 10 appetizer servings

Ingredients

* 2 ripe avocados
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, divided
* 1/2 medium-size jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, diced
* Juice from 1 large lime
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
* 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
* 1 (7-oz.) package mini white pita rounds (like Toufayan Bakeries Mini Pitettes)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 plum tomato, seeded and finely chopped
* Cilantro, diced

Preparation

1. Cut avocados in half. Scoop pulp into a bowl, and mash with a fork until chunky. Stir in 2 Tbsp. red onion and next 5 ingredients. Fold in cheese. Place plastic wrap over the bowl, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°. Place pita rounds on baking sheet in a single layer; drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes.

3. Top each pita with about 1 tbsp. of the avocado mixture. Stir together tomato and remaining 1 Tbsp. red onion. Arrange tomato on top of avocado, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Notes from Katherine: The original recipe called for splitting the mini pits in half, but we enjoyed them whole, which also gave a more stable base for the topping. When selecting your ripe avocados, look for ones that are blackened skin and give a little when you grip them.

Hostess Secrets

Even if you are the best hostess in the neighborhood, sometimes you just can't do it all. To be the ultimate hostess, sometimes you have to admit to yourself that you need help.

For all of my parents' recent parties where we have hosted 40 or more people at our family home, we have discovered that the secret to throwing a fantastic party AND actually enjoying it yourself is hiring a little help. For example, a bartender is clutch if you plan on serving anything more complicated than beer and wine. A neighborhood teen or college buddy can make some quick extra cash if they work a few hours serving up martinis and Jack and Coke. This also allows a bit more portion control on the booze, saving some pennies, and hiring them instead of a professional means cheaper for you, too.

The other big coup is a caterer. My mom and dad are amazing, amazing cooks, but sometimes they really want to be able to enjoy their own party, too! For my brother's graduation party, my mom made about half of the party food herself, and then used a fabulous caterer to make some of the larger dishes.

I am sure you are thinking, yeah right, a caterer costs a bajillion dollars. Well, think first about how much it'd take you to make, say, a huge pasta salad dish yourself. Sure, the pasta is cheap, but what about in bulk for 50? And with all the other ingredients, and making a dressing for it all. And buying a huge serving platter to hold it. Plus the time it'd take to do all that. And that's just one dish. Hmm, no longer very cheap.

Laura, aka the Sophisticated Sardine, is our fav caterer. Based in Roswell, GA, Laura happened upon the world of catering when she was called in to help out a friend in need at the last second for a party. From there, her business has grown into one famous in the local teacher and school circuits, and I wanted to tell you about her today in case you are going to be throwing a big shower or other affair this summer and might want some help. Plus, she is just the nicest person, so you will love working with her.

You will want to try everything off her catering menu. If you are wondering where to start, try the Shrimp and Vermicelli Salad. Oh my goodness. It's chock full of veggies and huge shrimp, and covered in a creamy yet light dressing. Ah-mazing. The strawberry salad with brown sugar walnuts and feta is another local favorite. All of her salads are $2-6 per person, depending on your party's size. 

Not throwing a party? Laura also cooks dinners for families of 4, each priced at $16.50.  Some of the selections are Cooking Light or Weight Watchers, so you can enjoy some tasty food even while watching your waistline. The lasagna and enchiladas are fantastic. We have gotten them frozen from her so you can just take them out on a busy night and put them straight in the oven.

Last, if you are just looking for some sweet gifts (literally), try her loaded toffee. $13 of insane chocolatey goodness. I am making my own mouth water thinking about it.

Do you know any other local caterers that you can share here? You never know when you or a friend might need a recommendation for the next big soiree!

A Night With The Symphony

When I graduated from high school, I was one of those overly-involved types. You know the one. Lots of clubs, organizations, and volunteer activities to list on my college application. Orchestra, swim team, church youth group.... Oh my goodness, the list was never-ending. And I liked it that way. It kept me busy.

But when I got to Georgia Tech, I went MIA on involvement. I decided that, for once, I would sit back and figure out where I had interests, and which groups sounded like the best match for me. No need to jump right in. I spent a lazy Fall and Spring on campus making friends, going to (and skipping) classes, and spending some serious time in the gym (hellooo Freshman 15).

By that spring, I had at least narrowed down the organizations to the ones I wanted to be really involved in and hold leadership positions in someday, like the orientation program and Ambassadors (hey, Social Chair counts). I also had discovered that I wanted to get a job. I needed not only money and something to keep me busy after classwork was done, but I wanted to learn about a new industry and garner some job skills while I was at it.

Side note: This picture is of me on graduation morning a few years back. I thought it imperative to start the day with a Bloody Mary for the trip to the Dome. An apron over the party dress was thus a must :P

And so along came the GT Alumni Association and my job in their Events Department. It turned out to be the perfect fit, because it is an organization that I am still very involved with today as a Young Alum. Those of you who know me know, you know that I love to plan events!

Right now I am helping plan a most swank night on the town in a few weeks for our GT Intown Alumni Club -- the 3rd Annual GT Night at the Symphony with the ASO! I wanted to pass it on to you all, just in case you were looking for a fun Saturday night option with a very affordable price tag. $42 gets you heavy appetizers, an unlimited bar, and the ticket for the show. No better deal around for Verdi AND vino, I'd say.

So for all of you who went to Georgia Tech, went to an ACC school, or even just live in the Atlanta area and "know" me. Consider this fun night on the town, and grab a ticket today!

A big day is coming up this spring...

... well the ladies know what I mean at least :)

It's time for the second Sex and the City movie to hit theaters!! This means it's also time for me to get planning!

In May 2008 when the first movie debuted in theaters, women of all ages went beserk. Our four fav fab ladies were hitting the big screen, with amazing clothes, homes, jobs, and lives **See my post on the Evolving Girls Night for more on why we are so addicted to SATC**

In honor of that big night, I had the fun idea to plan a big soiree around it all for all of my girlfriends and their girlfriends. We were all going to go see the movie that night, so why not make a big girls-night-out out of it? Everyone was invited, and all of their best gal pals.

And so a Save the Date went out, followed in a few months by an invite containing movie ticket info and finalized plans. Over 30 girls came out that night in their cocktail attire to the Fox Sports Grill in Atlantic Station for food and drink discounts (I won't lie, I am pretty sure it was my phone call to Fox Sports in April that prompted the themed drinks menu that night hehe). Then everyone headed next door for the movie at the Regal. It was perfect because no one had to drive to the theater, so the drinks were flowing! Even better, all of the men at the sports bar were of course checking us out in our VIP velvet rope area. It was, hands down, the best party I have ever thrown, and the girls had a blast.



So ladies, it's that time again - SATC2 comes out on May 28, and yours truly has already sent out the Save the Date. Leave me a comment if you want to be on the guest list for the actual invite to go out. And know that in the meantime, I am working on what will hopefully be a big repeat of that fabulous 2008 party!