Wedding Wedneday - Flowers & Decor

So I'll admit, I'm not gung-ho on flowers. Although I love flowers and think they are beautiful, I just don't get excited about planning floral arrangements. I think my momma will do just a fine job at arranging that! ;) Anyway, for a fall wedding - I am obviously going to keep with my planned palette of warm colors (burnt orange, dark chocolate, ivory, burlap, gold tones). I confess I do not know exact names of the flowers I want, but these are some of the photos I've saved that strike my floral fancy...

Very warm & bright bouquet...I think I would like it better with some darker tones as well.

I LOVE the use of wheat for a table centerpiece. It just looks so festive and simple.

This boutenniere keeps in theme with the first bouquet idea. Love!
Take away the striped fabric replace it with antique Chantilly lace and this bouquet would probably be my favorite. I love the mixture of textures and variety of flowers in it.
However, this one does come in a close second. I don't know, I might even like it more. I love the warmth of it!

So now ya'll get an idea of the scheme I am trying to create. Warm colors combined with a hint of darkness are catching my eye for flowers, and wheat and (of course) pumpkins are of great interest of decor (reception, entryways, etc).

P.S.: SATURDAY IS OCTOBER 1ST!!!!! Fall is here!!!!

xoxo- C

Fall is NEAR

Only a few more days til the BEST time of the year, ya'll! The weather around here in TN has been amazing (aside from the rain). There's not many things, in my opinion, that are better than those first few days that creep into FALL! Now ya'll know I'm about as girly as they come, but one of my absolute favorite things to wear is the shorts + sweatshirt combo. Don't know why, don't question it. Love it.

Crazy to think I'm halfway through my A&P I class, as well. Cramming TWO full courses into ONE semester is nuts, but it will be worth it. So after fall break...it will be time for A&P II. Craziness! P.S. Someone whose name rhymes with smaroline made a 93 on exam #2 today. ;)

Fall also means...fair time! Last week was fair week here, and (unless you are a true McMinnvillian) you can't even fathom how big of a deal our fair is to people around here. It's a huge ordeal! Fairest of the Fair is "the" pageant in WC and has been for years; residents treat it like it's a local Miss America. Gotta love it ;) I must add, my own daddy hated Fairest of the Fair and called it a "cattle show"...until I won in 2009 :) haha! Men...

Here are some photos from the past 3 years at Warren Co. A & L Fair...

2009 - being crowned WC Fairest of the Fair, and attaining the opportunity to compete in the Tennessee Fairest of the Fair pageant in Nashville. So much fun & such a great year!

2010 - taking my final walk & giving up my crown to the beautiful 2010 FOF, Olivia Majors

2011- helping backstage with the contestants. I also got to participate in a mock interview as Miss Country Sunshine! This is me with a dear friend of mine, Erin Duncan, who got 2nd RU! Although I didn't get a picture with her, this year's FOF is gorgeous Ali Beth Young.

I didn't mean for that what-was-supposed-to-be-brief synopsis to turn out to be that long! Ha, sorry guys! That's all I've got for this bleak Tuesday! God bless! xoxo- C

I don't watch much TV, but...

I can't get enough of America's Got Talent this season! It's one television show that I actually sit down & faithfully watch each week. Last night, they condensed it down from the Top 10 to the Top 4, and I was pretty satisfied, except for one act. The Top 4 are:

The Silhouettes. This group is outstanding. It's hard to exactly put into words what they do, but to sum it up, they are phenomenal dancers who dance behind a screen and portray images onto that screen with their bodies. They have done an "America" theme that literally brought tears to my eyes.

Poplyfe. Although this true "pop" band is very talented, I don't think they should be in the Top 4. I believe their spot should have been for either Anna Graceman - 11 yr old singer(LOVE!) or Landon Swank - magician (also LOVE!).Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. Cannot say enough about this guy! His voice is (like the lovely Mrs. Sharon Osborne, who is one of the judges, put it) like "velvet" & it really, truly is. He does covers of classic songs, mostly of Frank Sinatra. A-MAZING. What gets me, though, is why he is doing AGT. He is so deeply rooted in his family values and wants to make a better life for his wife and 2 children. He was drying cars at a local car wash for a living when he first auditioned. Bet he won't be doing that anymore! ;) I also might add he reminds me a tad bit of Kel off "Kenan and Kel" haha!

Team iLuminate. Also a favorite of mine! These guys are so entertaining to watch! They are hip-hop dancers, but backstage their coach is constantly flipping and changing the lights on their costumes through computers to create this amazing act! They did a "video game" style performance one week and it was my favorite so far. I got a good laugh out of Howie Mandel's comment last night that Team iLuminate was "the 2nd most fun he could have in the dark." Ha! In all honesty, I am pretty sure Team iLuminate will win the whole thing. They are definitely a show people would want to watch in Vegas. I know I would! It was also really cool that their coach/choreographer, who has fought & beat cancer recently, usually stays backstage to work the lights, but this week, she joined them onstage to perform. Awesome!

So there are your Top 4; next Tuesday is the final competition show, and Wednesday is the final results night! Cannot wait! Have a great Thursday everyone! xoxo-C

Weekly Gratitude

This is weird. I am home on a Friday night. Weird?! But combining a late night with girlfriends, an early(ish) morning workout, and a full day of work does not exactly produce the most energized Caroline you've encountered in your life.

This week I am grateful for:

1. 32 Degrees frozen yogurt. Holy moly. Cookeville did itself a favor when they let this amazing froyo place into town. I have 3 main theories why I love it so much. 1) It's nonfat, low-cal. 2) TTU discount, HOLLAAAA. 3) Everytime I'm there, it's usually been a good day. Really though. We go there most every girls' nights, some date nights, shopping trips, etc.

2. eBay. It has allowed me to buy my $215 Anatomy book for $79. Winning!

3. Having my cousin, Destiny, and a few other girls I know in my Anatomy class. It's always nice to have someone you know in a class, especially a difficult class. Thank you sweet Jesus!

4. UT Volunteers. It's FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!

5. Being asked to emcee a fundraiser/benefit pageant. On October 22nd, I will be emceeing the Miss Gift of Hope pageant, which will work in conjunction with Children's Miracle Network to help a local girl, who is ill and hospitalized, out in her fight for health. It's a true blessing to be able to help even a tiny bit for something that will hopefully contribute greatly to a struggling family.

5. My birthday! Hellllooooo September 4th is only 2 days away!

Happy Labor Day weekend, everyone! xoxo- C