Late Friendly Friday Guest Post: I'm Engaged!! from Jess at DIY Bride

I am so excited to have a guest blogger from a wedding blog today! Jess will introduce herself a little. But, I'm happy to have her and am excited for you to enjoy her blog! Jess is going into Elementary Education like myself (so of course I think she is wonderful). She also bases her whole blog around DIY wedding planning. As a somewhat newly wed I know how exciting and overwhelming the planning can be. Jess helps you to make it a lot more exciting and a lot less overwhelming! Enjoy!

Hi I'm Jess from the blog Sleepless in DIY Bride Country. I'm currently in the process of receiving my Bachelor's degree from UCF in Elementary Education, and planning a wedding! I love doing arts and crafts. Mainly DIY projects are my forte. I'm not newly engaged, I've actually been a bride to be for a few years, but next year is my year! I just wanted to say thank you to Madeline for letting me be a guest here on your blog. I'm excited to be here! Let's begin my post.

Traditionally, after you're proposed to by the man of your dreams, women venture out into the world and announce the great news. We're on cloud 8, thinking of all the beautiful wedding ideas you've dreamed of since you were 6 yrs. old. You think..."finally I'm a part of the wedding planning circle pinterest makes look so grand and exclusive." Thereafter, we begin...what is called "wedding planning."

First every bride needs their wedding planner. {How to make your Own Wedding Planner} was my first post on my blog. I decided to make my own wedding planner, because I couldn't find a wedding planner I liked in any of my local bookstores. The decision was quite easy for me, because I love office supplies, and planners. Why buy something you can get for free online right? My blog has all the free printables, and resources your wedding planner would need.

The next thing I began was my wedding timeline. I love being organized, and the timeline makes it all the better! The timeline is basically a huge wedding to do list. This is featured on my blog, and comes with two free printable versions. The first thing on the wedding timeline is to set a date!                                           

I thought about a wedding date for a while. Then it occurred to me...I'm not good at remembering birthdays, due dates, anniversaries, etc. I decided to have my wedding on our anniversary date, so I could ultimately remember it, and because it just means so much to me to get married on the same day we made our relationship official. When I looked on the calendar for the day I wanted, a huge smile crossed my face. If I haven't mentioned it before, I will now...I'm a hopeless romantic! The day I wanted, the day of our anniversary, in 2014 will be the same exact day we made it official 11 years ago! To the T! I was ecstatic, and immediately shared my news with my fiancé. You see he wanted to be married on our 10 years anniversary to make it special, but this date makes it extra special. Our wedding will be November 27, 2014! Hence...#Reason to be happy...extra happy. My Save the Date is featured on my blog... {How to make your own Save the Dates} post!

Now the date has been set, the wedding planner, and timeline have been made and are in effect, what comes next you ask? Well guys the party and the wedding glow are over...because the "wedding planning" begins. (It gets real!) "So it's not all sunshine and rainbows?" I thought immediately after the family began their drama, the venue's are somewhat unaccommodating, and the details I didn't even think of arise...now you're in a wedding planning nightmare!! lol

My wedding planning journey will continue and I hope you will visit my blog, and follow along with me. I really want to thank Madeline for letting me be a guest on her blog. It's truly an honor, and I hope to be considered to guest post here on My Saturday Smiles again!! Thank you for reading my post!