The Perfect Day !

They say when it rains on your wedding day, that it means good luck.....well, I don't know too much about luck but we were blessed to have the perfect wedding day. We were in New Orleans 5 days before the wedding & it did not pour down rain until the day of our wedding !  I woke up to the sound of rain, panicked for about 10 minutes, thinking of our outdoor ceremony in a French courtyard ARRRRGH ! Then I got down on my knees for some prayer time, took a deep breath, decided it was going to be a wonderful day  & suddenly had the peace that it would all be fine & it most certainly was.

I am still waiting on my professional photos to come back, but wanted to go ahead & share a few that I have now. I will try to blog about some of the pre-wedding festivities later this week, in the meantime. I don't want to bore you, but we are still super-excited about our big day so I will do my best to not drag these wedding posts out for too long, LOL

Here is a photo of me about 10 minutes before walking down the aisle. While the procession got started, they hid me out alone in an art gallery next door to our ceremony venue. It's called the Hemmerling Gallery of Southern Art & if you are ever in New Orleans please be sure to check it out.

Earlier in the week, I did a Bridal Shoot with a photographer that I met via Facebook. I actually entered & won a Valentine's Day Contest way back in February, that she had on her page to promote her business. She was super sweet and very talented with an artists eye. She was very generous with her time &  spent about and hour & half with me and my sister & even helped my sister figure out how to get me in my wedding dress, which was good practice for the big day.  Here are some of the photos she took....

I love the New Orleans Gas Lamps and the Ivy....

This was taken in the kitchen under the spotlight.

We actually did the photo shoot at the house we rented for our wedding week in New Orleans. We initially had plans to go to City Park, but when the Photographer saw the back yard & the house, we decided to save some time & shoot right there. I had such a fun time. You only get to wear your dress for just a few hours on your wedding day, so it was fun to do a pre-wedding trial run. If you know someone looking for photography in New Orleans,  her website is Renaissance Photo NOLA.



Thoughts ?

Comments?

Questions ?

Beautifully Complex

Photobook Giveaway

If you are like me and really love photos, the you will be very excited about a contest/giveaway I read about on facebook.


PhotoBookGirl has all the details right here.

With our wedding coming up very soon, there are a lot of creative ideas and ways in which photos can be shared and I love photo books. Technology is amazingly easy these days and you can create so many things that look very professional. She has done all the research for you on her site.

I know for sure that I planning a very special project that I will definitely have completed by October 19 for sure.

Go ahead check out the site & good luck with the contest.  Wish me luck too, I really want to win! LOL


Have a great week !

Beautifully Complex

Day 14 Picture Last Year

A picture of you last year - how have you changed ?

This is a picture of me and my intended having fun at a party at a wine bar last year........

The biggest difference is that I am even happier now than I was in this picture.
I am engaged now and I wasn't in this picture.
I am definitely "juicier" now than I was in this picture. LOL
I am definitely more in love now than I was in this picture.


Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex  

Blog Challenge - Day 1 Intro, Photo & Facts

Hi Blog land, my name is Beautifully Complex,

I have been blogging for about 4 years. Really wish I was more consistent with it, because I truly do enjoy it, but life continues to get in my way LOL !

Me and my intended at a party recently ! 

15 Fun and Interesting Facts about Me :

1. I am the person who will always offer to take your picture if I see you and your friends or your man taking pictures at a restaurant, club, party, etc. I appreciate having that "perfect" group shot. I have been known to take pictures with my own camera and email it later to perfect strangers. LOL !
2. For the first time since I was in my 20's I am seriously considering not becoming a parent and I am more surprised by this than I could have ever imagined. I spent thousands of dollars trying to conceive in my first marriage. I never really believed I could find peace with this. God is funny sometimes :)
3. I have found a few cigars that I really enjoy. I never thought I could date someone who smokes anything, let alone marry them. But here I sit engaged to my own personal Aficionado. Who knew ?
4. My heart breaks anytime someone in my circle has problems in their marriage or relationship. I think I must have PTSD ! LOL  I mean I lose sleep, have nightmares, anxiety, and slight depression. I think it makes me feel vulnerable & I get flashbacks about my past. I put on a brave front for the benefit of the other person but I get totally stressed. I just want people to be happy in love. Jesus be a fence 
5. I have a Whippoorwill Bird in my backyard that I hated when I first moved here years ago, but now the sound is so comforting and reminds me of my home, my sanctuary. 
6. I am addicted to physical stimulation. I love to have my feet rubbed, my back rubbed, my hair washed, my hand held, my back scratched. You name it, I love it & can't get enough of it.  When I am being touched it is so comforting. My favorite Aunt is the same way. If we are sitting on the couch together, she is stroking my hair and I am stroking her arm, LOL. Strange maybe  but it's the way we are. 
7. I wish I wasn't afraid of dogs....but I am. My future MIL just lost a dog she had for 14 years and she was INCONSOLABLE. I thought we were going to have to make a 15 hour road trip ! However, when I stayed at their home for a week, that dog did not scare me at all. I wish I had seen Pepper before she passed. She was a wonderful dog. 
8. I sleep totally naked since my mid twenties. I think it stems from all those Lupron Injections that caused ridiculous hot flashes especially while sleeping. Now it's frustrating when I have to sleep in places that are not private or when my nieces and nephews come.LOL I sometimes think, this might be an issue, if I am ever in a fire & have to run quickly, LOL. TMI maybe but I am running out of "interesting facts".
9. I am the most non picky eater that I know. Some might call it greedy, but there is just not a lot that I don't like to eat. I enjoy great food, don't get me wrong, but I am just not one to be particular about what I eat. 
10. These blog challenges seem easy on the surface but when you get down to it, it is sometimes difficult to answer all these questions completely, so I am going to stop at ten. LOL 

Thoughts ? Comments ? Questions ?

Beautifully Complex 

Day 11 #FEBPHOTOADAY : Makes you happy

That handsome guy on the left who....

loves my family, embraces my friends, enhances my life, loves me unconditionally and intends to make me his wife.

Having his heart truly makes me happy !

Beautifully Complex 

Day 5 #FEBPHOTOADAY: 10 AM

Watching worship service on my laptop. True "Bedside Baptist" LOL !

Day 4 #FEBPHOTOADAY: A Stranger

Within 30 seconds of taking this pic there were 5 people waiting in line. Man I wish I had thought of Redbox ! LOL

Day 3 #FEBPHOTOADAY: Hands

...my heart is in his hands :)

Day 2 #FEBPHOTOADAY: Words

Day 1 #FEBPHOTOADAY : My view today

I stepped outside this morning to check the weather. I waited for the fog to lift before hitting the road.
Happy Hump Day!
Beautifully Complex

Photo of the Day Challenge

A couple of my favorite Bloggers, Babs & Tiffany in Houston, threw out the challenge so I am going to give it a shot and see if I can make it the entire month of February !

Beautifully Complex