Wedding Planning Update: Save the Dates, Bridesmaid Dresses, and a Cold Morning Run
Hi friends — I’m back with a wedding planning update and a little about my chilly run this morning. If the wedding details aren’t your thing, skip down to the run section; the second half of the post covers that.
Save the Dates Have Arrived
Our Save the Dates are here, and we’re thrilled with how they turned out. After reading advice about checking invitations in person, we decided to design our Save the Dates online for more flexibility and customization. Being able to insert our own photo and text and preview the card made it easy to finalize the look.
We created and ordered the cards together, and they arrived remarkably fast. The design is fun, informal, and creative — a nice contrast to the more formal invitations we plan to send later. We initially considered magnets, but we loved the paper design so much that we stuck with it. We still need to gather a few more addresses, but we hope to mail them out in the coming weeks. Since neither of us has great handwriting, we’ll print address labels to save time and keep everything neat.
Front:
Back:
The photos and text are much crisper in person.
Bridesmaid Dresses Selected
Next on the list: bridesmaid dresses. I hoped to try dresses on in stores while a couple of my bridesmaids were visiting, but several brands no longer carry their wedding lines in local stores, so we shopped online instead. After discussing styles together, we chose a silk chiffon dress in a deep navy color for three bridesmaids. The dress has a cocktail-dress feel — cute, comfortable, and not overly traditional bridesmaid-esque.
The chosen style is silk chiffon and looks both flattering and relaxed, which was important to the group. For my maid of honor, who preferred a different cut, we picked an alternate silhouette in the same fabric and color so that she could wear what she felt best in while keeping a cohesive look with the rest of the party.
The bridesmaids ordered their dresses over the weekend and will report back when the items arrive. Free shipping and easy returns give us flexibility to exchange or alter if needed, which is one advantage of ordering from a mainstream retailer rather than a specialty wedding shop. I’m also glad that the styles should limit costly alterations.
Reception Band Booked
Another box checked: we found a band for the reception. Several of our top choices were already booked on our date, but we finally secured a group that’s available and plays a great mix of current hits, oldies, and swing. We’re excited about the energy they’ll bring to the celebration.
Morning Run: Coldest Run of the Year
In other news, this morning’s run was the coldest of the new year so far. My phone read 28°F when I met friends Lauren and Elle at 6:45 a.m. We reversed our usual route just to change things up, starting on the road since it was still dark on the trail.
The cold weather was the perfect chance to try a Christmas gift: a new Lululemon running jacket a family friend gave me. It was ideal for the low temperature — warm, lightweight, and the hood made a big difference on such a brisk morning.
I joked that wearing all black made us look like ninjas; Lauren joined in, while Elle remained unimpressed. The jacket even has a ponytail opening in the hood and sleeves that flip to become hand warmers, which meant I didn’t need gloves.
We ran 4.37 miles in 39:23, averaging a 9:01 pace. Splits were:
- Mile 1: 10:07 (a long hill)
- Mile 2: 9:12
- Mile 3: 8:33
- Mile 4: 8:29
- Final 0.37: 8:18 pace
It was a great, chatty run that set a positive tone for the day. Now I’m bundled up and heading to class — happy Thursday, everyone!