Wedding Party

We have almost our entire bridal party determined and asked! I'm really excited!! Want to meet them???

Matron of Honor:
Kendra Lytle

Best Man:
Mikey Brown

Bridesmaids:
Vanessa Kesseler
Shelby Wickett
Kristin Brown

Groomsmen:
Mike Mifsud-Ellul Sr
Javier Solheim
Bryan Hancock

Junior Bridesmaid:
Havanna Solheim

Ring Bearer:
Andy Solheim

My next decision is around flower girl(s). I <3 that my wedding is in 326 days.

Engagement Pictures

On August 7th, Michael and I took our engagement pictures (with Keren Fenton - K. Fenton Photography). We took them at Owen's Beach and then went up to Point Defiance Park and took some more. It was SO much fun! Keren - thank you so much for taking such great pictures!

343 Days until I will be Mrs. Mifsud-Ellul Jr.















The exciting thing about the getting the engagement pictures back is that my crazy ridiculous wedding obsessed self can start working on Save The Dates! I love this life.

My Maids

All of my bridal party has been asked - Meet the Maids

As most of you probably know - I am a pretty hardcore scrapbooker so when I was deciding on how I was going to ask my bridal party it was obvious to me that I had to incorporate this love for papercrafts with such an important time in my life. I used my Cricut (Thanks Michael for such an AMAZING Christmas present), wedding colors and a little creativity and came up with the cutest scrapbook pages ever - in my opinion.

Don't you think they're ADORABLE??

My intention was to ask all of the girls on August 4th of this year (1 year till our wedding) but those plans didn't work out for everyone but the first 2 people to be asked were Kristin and Vanessa on that day (With help from both of their Michael husbands)!! Then a few days later I had dinner with Kendra at Applebees and asked her to be my Matron of Honor there. Lastly, little Shelby was last but definitely not least - she came over for dinner (that was deliciously cooked, Miff) and I gave her there.


Even though everyone knows I'm quite anxious about the wedding being so far away it is nice to know that I can spend time making these for my friends and not be rushed! It's nice to take time to enjoy all aspects of planning this wedding!

358 days to go - 358 days to enjoy planning the little things.

Jennifer and Jon's Wedding

I'm a little bit behind on this one - on July 23rd our dear family friend Jennifer married Jon Campbell. The wedding was so beautiful - there were so many little touches about this wedding that I absolutely adored.

The first of which was their getaway car - the ceremony was held at a church in Everett and after the beautiful ceremony we all blew bubbles and they walked down to this amazing car. It was such a nice touch and everyone watched in envy. They both look so happy.

I will spend a minute talking about their ceremony - Jon has 2 boys - Cavan and Bryce. During the ceremony they called them up and sat with them and had a very sweet and amazing moment with the boys that everyone was blessed to have experienced. I'm sure it meant a lot to Jon and to the boy that they were such an important part of this amazing day.


After the ceremony - the reception was at the Everett Yacht Club. My oh My was this an awesome reception site.Look at how beautifully decorated this room was for the reception - amazingly gorgeous vases and the japanese lanterns hanging from the ceiling. I loved the chair covers and all the little things this venue had to offer - like the outdoor area that we all walked outside and greeted the wedding party as they arrived -via boat.

They had a candy bar that was cutely themed the same colors as the wedding (pinks and yellows). Every time I see a candy bar I think that I should have one - I already know that I want to do for the party favors but would it hurt to have a candy bar TOO???

My ABSOLUTE favorite part about this wedding that I am quite certain that I need to include in my wedding was the photobooth!! It's AMAZING - People have unlimited use of the photobooth - you take three pictures - it prints off with a side for you to keep and one that is taped into a photo album for you to write a message to the bride and groom. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen and I feel that I NEED to have it - well maybe it is just a VERY BIG WANT.

Congratulations Jennifer and Jon. Your wedding was so beautiful and we all really enjoyed it!

Vanessa and Michael's Wedding

Wedding season is practically my favorite. Weddings are so amazing and I love to see how other people put them together while I plan my own - So here's a little update on my favorite parts of Michael and Vanessa's wedding last weekend....

My all time favorite part of Vanessa's wedding were those two smiles right there!! They were so happy - both smiling from ear to ear! I hope that my Michael looks that happy on our wedding day - which I'm sure he will right? :)

Another thing I loved at Vanessa's wedding was the weather - too bad you can't predict or depend on sunshine around here. It was so beautiful that day - the most perfect weather for a wedding, not too HOT but sunny as can be. I can only hope and pray for weather like they had on our big day - fingers crossed!!!

Another thing I loved about Vanessa's wedding was her gorgeous dress!!! Isn't that the most beautiful back of a dress you've ever seen??? I wish I find a dress that looks as stunning on me as this dress looked on her. (picture of the front of dress later down this page)

Vanessa and Michael got married at Kensington Gardens in Gig Harbor. The venue was soo beautiful!!! Very intimate and romantic. The ceremony and reception was at the same location and I loved that. I'm glad that we decided to have our ceremony and reception together too!

Flower girls and Ring Bearers are ALWAYS my favorite. Look at these adorabbbble little kids in their gorgeous/handsome outfits.

SOO incredibly cute right???

If only I could talk about everything I loved about Vanessa's wedding - but if I did this blog would be way too long for anyone to read. But last but not least I love VANESSA KESSELER! :)


Look how absolutely adorable both of the people I'm pictured with in this picture. Jordan and her adorable baby bump and the absolutely stunningly gorgeous Mrs. Kesseler!


3 more weddings to come this summer and I'm sure I will have to feature some of my favorite parts of each of them on here! :)

The best part about everyone I know getting married right now is I get to reminisce about my own wedding while I enjoy theirs! :)

392 Days Until I'm a Mrs.

With everyone else's weddings being the focus of life right now I can't help but feel a mild hint of jealous that it isn't my turn yet! I know I will be thankful in the end when I have had ample time for invitation making, flower planning, and program perfecting but until then... I just sit here - look at pictures of other yellow weddings and create my own vision.

I have created the way I am going to ask my bridesmaids to be bridesmaids and it is sooo me it isn't even funny so I can not wait to show them all!! I even got big huge yellow bows on clearance today at Target and I was so excited I showed everyone at work :).

With all these weddings happening around me this summer, wedding talk has been very common in our [town]household. It amazes me how simple men think. Michael is mostly concerned about being certain that he will get to have suspenders with this tux! He thought they were the coolest things ever at Mike and Kristin's wedding and he couldn't imagine wearing a tux without them ever again. If only my biggest wedding worry was whether or not I got to wear suspenders at my wedding. Bless men and their simple simple thoughts.

I am fully aware that 392 days will be here before I know it but until then I am going to feel like it is FOREVER far away and pout a little that it isn't my turn yet.

400 Days

I figured out a fun and VERY Allie way to ask my bridesmaids to be my bridesmaids!! I am super excited about it - they have already been made and I'm just waiting to add the final touches and then it will be PERFECT.

We have 400 delightfully wonderful days until we get married - That's 59 more Saturdays from now - I really like countdowns!!

Lately I've been looking at wedding flowers A LOT!

These ones make me quite excited but they might be a little bit too big - but Go Big Or Go Home! :)


I do like the combination of the really pretty white flowers in this one but it doesn't feature the sunflowers like I want them to be featured.



Have I ever told you that I LOVE sunflowers??




Last but not least I like these ones too... but they aren't as big and crazy as I imagine my wedding flowers to be.



I guess for now - all I know is that I will probably make my own bouquet's and so I can make them however I please!! :)




400 Days Until I Am Mrs. Mifsud-Ellul Jr. - <3

K. Fenton Photography

Alright - I have VERY exciting news - we made a decision and a VERY exciting decision at that! We have a photographer! K. Fenton Photography :)!! I'm sooo excited - not ONLY is my photographer -Keren Fenton- amazing but she also frequently shops at the South Hill Mall Old Navy which obviously makes me excited. :)

Now I get to pick a date for Engagement/Save the Date pictures - Yes I am aware that we got engaged 6 months ago and we're really behind :)!! AND start making long long lonnnng lists of different poses that I feel like I want to take.

Now I just need to convince Michael that Daphne REALLY needs to be in the wedding - Wish me luck. :)

Sunflowers are my Favorite

We have our official wedding colors. Navy and Yellow. Not just ANY yellow but Sunflower yellow!! Bridesmaids will wear navy blue dresses while holding sunflower bouquets and groomsmen will wear black tuxes (obviously) with yellow vests. I'm excited!! It is going to be SOOOO beautiful!

It is still SUPER early to start everything else for the wedding, but I would be lying if I said I haven't already made about 4 mock invitations. :) Just because we picked a wedding date a year and a half out doesn't mean that I can't start in all the fun festivities right?? Like - investing in about 50 sheets of navy and 50 sheets of yellow scrapbook paper... or looking through wedding magazines every day... or filling out wedding books and looking at wedding speeches. I am so excited for 414 days from now I can't even express it in words!

I have also decided I will be announcing my bridal party on August 4th of THIS year :) Now I just have to come up with a way to ask them that is ANYTHING but normal - because we all know - I am ANYTHING but normal! :)

Wedding Dress

Okay... so I have been looking at an average of 2 brides magazines a day.. sometimes even repeating the same magazines two days in a row. When it comes to wedding dresses - HOW THE HECK DO YOU CHOOSE WHAT STYLE YOU LIKE WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY GORGEOUS ONES?!?! Really you need to choose between strapless, halter, spaghetti strap... A-line, Ballgown, pockets, lace, rhinestones, long train, short train... how does an indecisive bride to be make decisions like this???

So Many Days...

Our wedding is in 479 days... we have wedding colors [Blue & Yellow], A venue [The Orting Manor], and a LOT of random ideas... 2 guest books, polka dots and stripes, lemonade (in a decorative holder with the slices of lemons in it!!!!), Japanese Lanterns, Floating Candles, navy blue bridesmaid's dresses, sunflowers, $459.00 heels, wedding toppers. Soo much to think about all the time - I can't say that I'm not loving every second of it.

The Orting Manor - August 4th

I can barely even believe it... we booked our venue! We will be tying the knot on August 4, 2012 at the Orting Manor! :] I'm so excited. It felt so good to get that checked off of our to do list - now I have a WHOLE year to do practically nothing! :]

The Orting Manor

Michael and myself (with both sets of parents and Kendra) toured the Orting Manor on Saturday. The place was so beautiful. I could definitely see myself getting married there! Now the big dilemma, do we tour other places? is it dumb to pick the first place you tour?? So many decisions... I'm afraid I will be needing to make these kinds of decisions a lot in the near future... wish me luck!

Venue, Venue, Venue

So the website searching and looking at the pictures 24/7 we are actually going to tour a couple places on Saturday. The Orting Manor is first and hopefully the Landmark Event Center after that! I am going to be soo relieved to actually get to see a place in person!!

I want to plan and plan and plan. I already want to make the invitations, take the engagement pictures, make the programs and sample the cakes but I have a whole 20 months until I actually get to see all of this come true. I guess for now, searching online is going to suffice.

Stress Stress Stress

I would have never thought finding a wedding venue would be this hard! We have decided we like 4/8/12 and 6/9/12 as the date for us to get MARRIED I can't even believe I am getting married!!!; our guest list is currently sitting at 223 people. All of the venues that are big enough to have that many people need to be outdoor- which wont work in April or June- or they are just a big empty banquet hall - BORING... The venues that we like that ACTUALLY work are:
The Landmark Event Center in Des Moines
Marysville Opera House in Marysville
The Tulalip Casino in Tulalip
The Pioneer Park Pavilion in Puyallup

I guess the next step is going to see the places; however, me and Michael never have the same day off. I just want the venue to be decided and then I can do the fun stuff!

January 12th of 2011

Walking into the front door of our house after work concerned about what's for dinner didn't end up quite like I had thought. Daphne comes running to me with a note around her neck "WILL YOU MARRY MY DAD". I didn't read it clearly, walked down the hallway and on one knee around the bar was Michael Joseph - ring in hand. He said some words, all of which I was only partially paying attention to and asking "is this really happening?? seriously?? are you really doing this right now??" He said... well.... and I said YES! Most incredible moment of my life. I am the future Mrs. Mifsud-Ellul Jr.