Bridal Portraits

Last Friday June 29th, I took my Bridal Portraits at the Inn at Chachalaca Bend thanks to the wonderful staff at the Inn. My day started getting my hair done (done by my Maribel, I love her so much) and then I proceeded to get my makeup done (with my favorite Clinique girls). I was going with the flow until I noticed we were running slightly late. We ran home got my dress and whatever else I needed and headed on over to Los Fresnos. I called my super wonderful photographer to make sure he had left too and I was informed that he had ( I should have asked for his cell but I really wasn't thinking). I have been slightly moody, okay that's an understatement I have been really moody these days because of the lack of hormones due to my up and coming body scan to see if the cancer is still lingering in my body. I had Thyroid Cancer last August and it time to get checked again. I get really calm and lethargic then I get crazy hyper and mean. Its weird and it sucks. Midway, I started going into my crazy hyper panic mode. My future Mother-in-Law had flown in for my Bridal Shower for the next day so I was really trying to control myself. My Mom and her knew I was really freaking out and the car ride was a little uncomfortable for them, I apologized on the ride home and they understood.They said they had prayed a lot on the way there and to be honest I was too! I saw Art behind us coming out of another preserve and then I lost it, I was like oh my, he is lost! I need to call him!! What do I do?!? Ahhh help me!  Nobody was answering the phones at the studio because of some minor fixer-uppers they had been working on. As you can imagine in my frazzled state I was freaking out! To make a long story short and after a severe panic attack we all made it to the Inn and I had one hell of a Bridal session! I hugged Art and told him that I was so happy to see him, it was so funny. I was like a light switch and we knocked out some very beautiful Bridal Portraits. I could not be any happier with what we did. I truly felt like a Princess and I cannot wait to get put it on again the day of the Wedding! I really want to thank Angie and her crew from the Inn at Chachalaca Bend for allowing me to use the grounds for my portraits and I want to thank Art Benavides  from Studio of Arts for being such an awesome genuine person, I love working with him. Most importantly I want to thank my Mom and Mom to be for putting up with me that day!

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Around the Clock Shower

So, this past weekend I had a super wonderful fabulous Bridal Shower given by my Future Mother-In-Law and Sissy's ( I like to call Steven's sister Jen and his sister-in-law Andrea that). It was so much fun! My Mother and cousin Marrah made the trip to Lafayette that Saturday to meet up with Steven's fabulous Family and close friends.I love having parties with a theme and my Bridal Shower did. It was an Around the Clock Shower. The invitation read something like this;

A Shower for Liz, out lovely bride-to-be

A reason to revel, we know you'll agree

The time of our life is the theme for this day

To help the new couple get on their way

Breakfast at home lunch in the park,

 playtime & fun-time morning till dark

Filling each second, each minute, each hour

That is our challenge for this bridal shower etc.

 

Oh my goodness it really was the cutest thing ever! It was really funny because everyone had a different time of the day and at first not everyone caught on. Some people thought they were only suppose to go at certain hours..it was so funny! Cocktail time was a popular hour and Steven & I received oodles of stuff, maybe they are trying to tell us something haha!  I really am just so very grateful that I am going to be joining such wonderful people that I will call my new family. The Ritter's are so good to me! Not to mention all of their family and friends! I truly am the luckiest girl on earth right now. I am on cloud nine and probably won't come off of it for a while. We are 39 days and counting till the big day!!!! Every morning I wake up and get so excited. A little girl dreams of having the wedding of her dreams and marrying the man of her dreams....whoa I am actually doing it!

I am having my last Shower this weekend and my Bridal Portraits done,  then I get to relax for a bit. Till we meet again!

 

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The Final Countdown!

So, this weekend I will be going to a Wedding in Austin, for Steven's best bud Chris. Wedding season has come upon us. The days are going by! Sooner than later it will be by Wedding I will be attending. Let's get excited people!!! I know I definitely am! My Mother is going to have my Bridal Shower on July 1st now, not June 30th. I am so excited because I love parties and I love being surrounded by my friends and family. Don't get me wrong presents are fun but I really love the company of my friends and family.Making memories are more important than material possessions. My wonderful future Mother-in-Law and Jennifer my future sis will be throwing me a Bridal Shower in Lafayette too. Yah! I love going to my Cajun home away from home. 

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Bridal Brunch

This past weekend I had my very first Bridal Shower and it was absolutely fantastic! I am so grateful and blessed for having such wonderful family and friends. I was especially happy that my girlfriends were able to fly in and spend the weekend with me. My future in-laws came in also with my beautiful soon to be sister-in-law and her super cute son Cash. He really is the cutest smartest little 2 year old! Steven even graced us with his presence for the weekend. My brother decided to follow along as well. We definitely had a full house! LOL I can imagine having 3 more sisters and two bathrooms...ha that was a feat! We all managed though and all looked amazing for the shower. My Aunt Helen is an spectacular party planner! I just can't describe how wonderful it was. I want to Thank everyone who attended the party and was gracious with gifts. My next shower is June 30th, it will be given my Mother and Father's Family.

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Almost Done

The last of the arrangements have been made and I can breath a little easier! Thank God! I was beginning to lose my sanity. Minor details need to be taken care of now and it will be a piece of cake to accomplish. This weekend we traveled to Mission to see my beautiful Aunt Lisa, she and my Aunt Cindy, are in charge of my cake. So, I have this obsession with Italian Cream Cakes...she brought me one that was to die for! Needless to say we ordered it. I wanted something traditional looking but contemporary. I decided on the simple 4 tier cake, no columns but on top of each other with a simple design. I want to place stargazers on it too. They are my other obsession!  This weekend all my girlfriends that are in the Wedding Party will be flying down for my first Bridal Shower thrown my Great-Aunt Helen and her lovely daughters. I am very grateful for her generosity and all the help she has given my Mother and I during this stressful time. I am so very excited! I have not seen my girlfriends in months and it is going to be awesome seeing them and hanging out with them again. I will also be around numerous friends and family. I am so blessed.

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Busy Bride

I'm back! Sorry for the delay again, time is flying by and leading me into nervousness that is driving me crazy! Time has really flown by and I feel if I blink August 4^th will be here already. I have been a busy bride these past couple of weeks. I have accomplished so much with the help of my wonderful mother. All I have left is to pick out a tasty cake. Picking out the formal wear was a feat of its own. My brother and fiancé are extremely silly and it was a task to get them to pick out a tux that was suitable for the Wedding. After rolled eyes and some pleading they picked one out. It is nice but not exactly what I wanted. Oh well, I guess I can't have everything I want, well yes I can but I let that one go haha! We found a wonderful seamstress here in Harlingen….she is the absolute best! She makes Cotillion, Algodon, Wedding dresses, etc. you name it….she does it! I may add that she does it exquisitely. She is awesome! At the end of the month, (April 29^th to be precise) will be a year that Steven and I have been engaged! I swear it has flown by. In less than 4 months I will be a bride and a wife. WOW! When I said "Yes" I knew that I would one day be Steven's wife but now it is truly sinking in and honestly a little scary. I won't be Liz Banda anymore I will be Elizabeth Ritter…an adult. Sometimes I wish I was still a little kid with no worries in the world. I know that my life with Steven is going to be an adventure full of wonderful surprises but, it is always a little scary when you start a new chapter in your life. I think, who is going to take care of me, who is going to pay for me, or when I get sick again or who is going to feed me…my parents do that but now Steven and I are a family. YIKES haha! Oh no, I have to do it! I don't want you to think I am a baby. I can take care of myself. I did it in college, I am capable but I always knew Mommy and Daddy were there in the backburner ready to catch me if I fell. I know it is just jitters and when I say "I do" and look into Steven's beautiful blue eyes I will know that I am home again.

Paso Real/Los Gatitos
This past weekend I went to McAllen because I heard of a place called
Los Gatitos. My Mother and I were told to go to this establishment by
my Aunt Cookie's friend Mickey. She said that the owners were absolutely
wonderful. Let me tell you, they are!!!!! It is a family run business
and they are there to help you out not to make a buck off of you. Don
Manuel is a wonderful man and his wife is fabulous. They also own Paso
Real here in Harlingen. Brides this place is beautiful. You really need
to check it out. Seriously do it!! haha They have an unreal package for
a very reasonable price. It consists of your dress, flowers, catering,
cake and they even supply with you with waiters ect. If you have a
budget then you need to see them. I also tasted the food and it was tasty!
It is made fresh and you receive it hot unlike other places. I don't
know about you but I hate it when you are at a Wedding waiting and
waiting for the food and it is cold….ugh not cool! Anyways, I went
to look at Paso Real on Sunday and I should have sooner!!!! It was
booked and I was too late….sad day, I know! But, I am going to get it for
my Engagement Party. I am excited!!!! These people are doing whatever
they can for me and I want to return the favor. I am now 5 months away
from being Mrs. Ritter! Whoa!!! I am so sorry that I haven't been
writing that much lately, things have been crazy at school with Spring Break
coming. Don't worry I won't leave you hanging again!