Amping Up Protein and DIY Wedding Decor

Happy Monday guys!  Oh my gosh…the wedding is only 5 days away!!!!!!

It’s pretty obvious that although I have a little bit of tummy butterflies, I’m still overly excited for this special day.  On top of it all, the preparation process has been so enjoyable as the girls and I have been making countless of DIY decorations for the wedding.

Went from this…

To a bunch of these…

Lucky for me, I’ve been having plenty of help from the girls, and Sharon (Greg’s mom) has volunteered to help with the favor boxes!

She will be making itty bitty tea cookies and purchasing “Scripture Tea Bags” from Cracker Barrel in Kansas, where she happens to live.  She recently sent me a sample of everything she purchased and baked, and I loved it all… The cookies she sent me were gone within an hour.  But hey, they were tiny and too adorable to resist. 

*Sigh of relief*

Her help alone is more than I could ever thank her for!  I tell you guys and gals, when planning for your own wedding, never ever hesitate to ask for help and do receive it when someone offers.  An extra set of hands makes all the difference in the world.

I will be using green-ish bird cages as center pieces on every other table at the reception.  I bought these at Michaels when they were on sale for only $9.99!  And what’s even better is that I used the 40% off coupon from their weekly ads.

Since we will be setting up a total of 13 round tables, I decided that the ones without the bird cage center pieces will have a slab of wood/tree trunk in the middle, and a large mason jar containing a candle on top of the wood slab.

The brown and lilac colored boards pictured above are my DIY chalkboard projects that were inspired by Charlie and her lovely blog.  The small squares are for the table numbers, and the big one will have the buffet menu written on it.  I’m actually thinking of gluing a pretty lacey border around the lilac board.  Indeed, this was a fun and cheap way to decorate for the wedding.  It can be done for birthday parties, house decorations, and so much more.

Speaking of table numbers… Here are the escort cards I’ve been working on.

The guest’s name and table number will be typed out on an ivory piece of paper, and then I’ll glue it on the front of these colorful handheld cards.

Last night, the girls and I worked until midnight on several projects, and these cute baskets stole the entire show!

Again, I purchased plain ol’ wooden baskets from Michaels as well as the cheapest acrylic paint I could find.  The huge bottles cost merely $4.00, and just a little bit of it goes a long way.  I always carry with me the weekly ad coupons from the Michaels website in case I suddenly need to stop by, or if I don’t want to drive all the way home just to print them out.  Believe it or not, this saves tons of time and moolah.

Teeheehee…I’ve also gone last minute-shoe-shopping over the weekend, because I needed 3 inch heels for the day of the wedding!    I can be pretty picky when it comes to shoes because  a.) they can be pricey, b.) I don’t like taking my shoes on and off, c.) it’s just plain hectic to find the “perfect” pair.

I got these beautiful and somewhat non-traditional wedges from Aldo!  I am so happy with this purchase because they’re the perfect height, the colors are gorgeous and muted, and the style makes it easy to keep re-wearing it for days to come.  One thing I don’t like to do is get an outfit or shoes for just one single occasion.  Oh yeah, and these make me feel like an elegant ballerina due to the ankle ribbon.

Amping Up the Protein

Lately, breakfast has been mostly protein oatmeal and protein pancakes.

This morning was no different as I went ahead and made chocolate protein pancakes topped with chia seeds, Maranatha honey almond butter, bananas, cinnamon, and some maple syrup (post-picture).  As the side, I had the juiciest and sweetest orange I have ever tried in my life.

I enjoy changing up my breakfasts and the flavors I use, so today’s protein pancakes included MRM’s Dutch Chocolate flavor, as opposed to my usual Boku Protein Powder.

This was such a filling and delicious start to my morning!  As you can see, I’ve been trying to be conscious of having lots of protein (and fruit/veggies) in every meal I consume.  Granted, most of the protein as of late has been in the form of meat because of the gatherings I’ve been attending.  Nevertheless, whenever that happens I try to take it in the form of cottage cheese, hummus, beans, protein powder, and eggs when I get the chance.

In addition, I’ve been trying to juice for myself, Greg, and my family to boost our immune system and cleanse our bodies.

[Old picture]

You ask why?

That’s because I want to balance it out for the sake of my sensitive stomach, as well as “detox” myself before the wedding.    I don’t think anyone likes to feel weighed down and sluggish especially on big, fancy events!  Right?

Right.

Well, I have to sign off here because a whirlwind is on its way!

I have to finalize the floor plan, pack up in order to move all my shtuff to our newly wed house on Wednesday, and make final decisions and decorations.

Surprisingly, my mind is at ease and I will take it one beautiful step at a time.

Have a great day everyone!

Would you prefer to have a DIY wedding, or keep it “simple” by hiring someone else?

-You can be honest, no judgment here!  Everyone has her own way of doing things.

What wedding preparation tips do you have for others?   Want to contribute?

Do you do anything special/different before big events?

-I try to eat healthier and get more sleep.  Oh, and exfoliate my dry, dry skin.  Although it’s kind of a different topic, I’ve also been more intentional in spending time with my friends and loved ones–but it’s not always an easy thing to do.

What’s your favorite protein filled breakfast?

Love,

Ellie <33

Tagged as: Aldo shoes, breakfast, detox cleanse, juicing for health, Maranatha Honey Almond Butter, Michaels, moving, MRM protein powder, protein pancakes, Secret Garden wedding theme, wedding DIY decor, wedding preparations