Oh Hey, Friday! {I've returned}

Hello everyone and HAPPY FRIDAY! I'm linking up for Oh hey, Friday! to catch y'all up on what I've been doing since I've become Mrs. Schiffbauer!

We've taken full advantage of not worrying about fitting into our wedding clothes and by that I mean eating the worst for you best food around our beloved suburban Atlanta area.

 "Cake" ice cream at the ever famous Scoops of Covington (it's on the Vampire Diaries)

 We tried Freddy's Steakburgers and Custard for the first time. 

Tried a new {to us} place off Covington Square that specialized in New Orleans cuisine. 

Brian got a steak and some {not as good as the ones at our wedding} crab cakes.

I got the specialty dish called the pastalaya.

I started my new position at my company. For the past year I've been working as an onsite administrator (temp) at a construction site, yes a steel toe boots, hard hat, and safety vest site. I loved the company so much that I expressed early on that I wanted to be hired on full time at the end of my project if possible. After a lot of help from some amazing people i got a permanent, full time position in the company's payroll department. I started last Friday and have been loving it, especially because I have my own office. #AdultWin

My, not yet decorated, office. 

Since we did a non-traditional registry, we did a Honeyfund, we didn't get many "home" presents but we still got to go newlywed shopping with gift cards we got to Crate & Barrel (from my sweet sorority sister Kelly) and Bed, Bath, & Beyond (from one of Brian's co-workers). Here is some of the damage we did at Crate & Barrel.

Our new adorbs wine rack. We got a pair of reds, whites, and champagne glasses to go with it.

The cutest little cork topper.

We made out like bandits!

After our little shopping trip downtown we headed out to the Owl-O-Ween fest at Kennesaw State University. It's a hot air balloon festival filled with live entertainment, food trucks, beer stations, and an Oktoberfest celebration section. We will definitely go to this again next October and if you live in the Atlanta area, or even nearby because they have hotel specials, you should go next year.

They had such cute little photo "stops" throughout the festival.

 Cheeseburger empanada? Yes please!

We're part of a club! #CarlAndEllie

There you have my little catch up session since I've been so MIA but hey I love spending every second I can with my husband. Now I'm off to the airport to catch my flight to Orlando for a fun weekend filled with some of the most amazing people around. I haven't missed Epcot's Food & Wine Festival since 2010 so there's no way i'm breaking that streak. Follow my adventures on my Instagram and Snapchat username: J0rdashian. Now get out there and have a great weekend!!!

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Wedding Wednesday: {Guest} Post for our Photographer

Hi everyone and welcome to Wedding Wednesday! You think things would have slowed down for me since our wedding but they sure haven't. I didn't want to throw together a half done post so I decided to share the guest post I wrote last week for our wonderful photographer, Arastasia Rolain. I got a little emotional writing it because my photos, her work, were something I was so passionate about. I hope you enjoy it...you can read it HERE and make sure to read the one she wrote about us too because it's incredibly sweet!

Our amazingly talented photographer, Arastasia.

Thank you for stopping by and I promise next week will bring a new and exciting post!

Linking up for Wedding Wednesday and What's Hap-Pinning?! so check them out too :)

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Wedding Wednesday: Holy Schiff...We Got Married!

Hello everyone, Mrs. Schiffbauer here! I still feel so weird saying it but it's totally growing on me. As you know we were married this past Saturday, October 17th. The entire day was such a wonderful adventure and when one of my newly married best friends told me "it's not just a piece of paper...it feels different" man was he right! My friend/bridesmaid Katie's mom once told us a few years ago that your wedding is the greatest party you'll ever throw and Gayle you were 100% correct! I can't wait to share all the details of our wedding day with you over the coming weeks but, for now I just want to share my feelings (and some low budget iphone pics) on the day while they're still fresh.

It's so crazy to see him with a ring on!

The week leading up to our wedding was filled with excitement and stress as many former brides I know will agree but I'm so glad I had those feelings then and not on my wedding day. Our rehearsal went great and our rehearsal dinner was filled with laughs and so many loving speeches that my heart was bursting. I wish we would have thought to record them but I feel like I'll remember the kind words said about the both of us for years to come. I slept very light that night and practically wanted to jump out of bed the next morning because I was so ready for everything to begin!

 At the church after the rehearsal

Giving my girls (and William) their gifts at dinner

All the girls got ready at Brian's Aunt Sandy's house and it was so much fun. What a saint she was for letting us invade her home like that, I truly appreciate her kindness. Hair and makeup started and it all started to hit me, especially when my friend Stacy looked at me and started crying. Getting into my dress and having a "first look" with my girls was so special. We quickly loaded on the bus and did our best to get to over to Lake Erie College on time for my first look with Brian.

When I got off the bus I was welcomed by Brian's groomsmen and my close guy friends that were our ushers. They started crying and my heart melted. I was whisked away for our first look and I know I should have been so nervous but knowing that I was going to see Brian made me feel overwhelmingly calm. The moment we first saw each other is something I'll never forget.

Pardon the blurriness this is a screenshot of someone's snapchat lol

Our shuttle ride to the church was so much fun! I feel like our ride to the church was more rowdy than most people's ride to the reception. Some of my favorite memories with our wedding party were on that bus. Once we arrived at the church something crazy happened...little snow flurries began to fall. To think that when we first started planning we wanted to get married outside is comical. We all went into our holding rooms, my friend Meg who did my hair and makeup came in to put on my veil then we waited for the ceremony to begin.

Meg and I have been preparing for this "dress up" for 27 years!

I stood in the room with my mom as one by one each of the girls left to walk down the aisle to Brian's alma mater's hymn "The Ash Grove." The organist played a few triumphant chords to signal us and we were off as one of my favorite songs, "The Shaker Hymn: Simple Gifts" {performed at every WVU football game preshow} was playing. As we walked down the aisle the first people we saw were "my side" of the church. The feeling that came over me when I looked at all these people who love me so much was wonderful. They were looking at me in a way they had never seen me before, as a bride, and it was the closest thing to pure magic I think I'll ever experience. As I passed them I thought of all the times we had shared together and couldn't do anything but grin from ear to ear because in that moment I was the epitome of happy. How often is it that you have the ones you loved most in the world all together in one room. My angel mother put my hand in Brian's and we made our way up to the alter. I had a total Toddlers&Tiaras moment when I got up there and waved to them all! LOL!

The next hour was filled with readings, songs, a little blooper by our wedding party that I pray was captured on film because I bet it was hilarious, an adorably personal homily about us, and an awkward kiss...you would have thought it was the first kiss for the both of us! And just like that we were married!!!

I hope you continue to follow along with me as I share photos, memories, and all the things that made our wedding so wonderful. As always, thanks for reading and comment away!

Linking up for Wedding Wednesday and What's Hap-Pinning?!

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Dear Wedding Guests,

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to celebrate with us this weekend. I truly appreciate the time, effort, and money you have put forth to be with us. You are so much more than a place card, you're who we want to be with us as we begin our new life together. You are at our wedding because we want you to be a part of our life and we want to be a part of yours. Thank you for agreeing to sit through the marathon event also known as a Catholic wedding mass. Bring your tissues for the ceremony and your dancing shoes for the reception. We're going to have the greatest time! We love you and can not wait to see you on Saturday!

                                                     Love, 

                                                  

                                                                                         Jordan (one last time for the people) Kennedy

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Wedding Wednesday: The Groom Takes Over

In an effort to allow my bride to focus on Saturday, I, the groom, have decided to take over this week.  I promise Jordan will be back next week so bear with me as I write my first ever blog post….Here it goes…

“When you know, you know.”  That was a line I must have used literally 500 times to describe why and how I was able to make the biggest decision of my life after just seven months of “officially” dating my bride-to-be.  As some of you may know, Jordan and I started talking via Facebook in July 2013 and met for the first time in late August.  I was as nervous as I possibly could be and even had to change shirts after the flight to Orlando because well….I’ll just blame it on the humidity.  The first time I saw her, between the awkward hug and the zero personality I showed during dinner with her and her friends, I was awestruck.  She was and still is a beautiful woman that just makes everyone smile and laugh until it hurts.  Of course I was too busy rehydrating from the “humidity” and being a complete dud to be captured by the smiles and laughter.  I knew that things were off to a rough start and of course thinking I already blew my opportunity, I was pretty quiet the entire 25-minute drive to her house, which felt like 2 hours.  Erika, who introduced us and came with me on the trip, was supportive, but I think even in the back of her mind she was thinking that I had squandered away this opportunity.  The next morning in an attempt to get back into the good graces, I did what every man should do; get her and her roommates Starbucks.  Later that day we headed to the parks and maybe it was my childish reactions to everything Disney that melted her heart…or made her feeling sorry for me being 26 years old and still enthralled by things meant for 5-10 year olds, but either way she made me feel an excitement and suddenly a good nervousness that I had never felt before.  We watched fireworks under the stars at Epcot and as they began I started to video them and she swiftly took the phone out of my hand and said, “No.  You watch them and I’ll record.”  The thing was, I watched them for about 15 seconds and the rest of the time I tried to steal looks at her and of course playing the game to not let her see me.  It was at that very moment that I just “knew.” 

 My first ride at Disney, selected by Jordan.

The first, of many, Rosa Regale toasts.

It is now 2 years, 1 month, and 3 weeks later.    We are preparing for the biggest day of our lives in just 3 days and I’m trying to wrap my head around the flurry of events we’ve already experienced and the ones that lie before us.  Our move to Atlanta was tough at times and tested our relationship along the way, the planning of this wedding was the one constant that we would look forward to, put our tribulations aside, and just talk about things sometimes as small as ‘what candy to have’ and as big as, ‘who do we invite?’  Everyone asks, “Are you nervous?”  My reply is always the same, “Not at all about who I’m marrying, just about the things I can’t control.”  Jordan has planned a beautiful wedding and the things we can control, I don’t stress about because she has an answer and emergency plan for everything (I feel like that will be a trend in our marriage).    

I am a blessed man.  Truly blessed.  Not only do I have a wonderful woman by my side, but I have the upbringing of the two best role models a guy could ask for.  This past June, my parents celebrated 33 years of marriage and recently a close friend and pseudo family member told me, “I saw your Dad today and we got to talking about your parent’s new camper and he said “all I want is to make Laura (my mom) happy.”  My parents have overcome a lot in their marriage as most couples do, but they were always a rock for my brother and me.  My parents were dating seven weeks before they got engaged so I knew just who to call when I knew Jordan was “the one.”  I asked my Dad if I was crazy for falling so quickly for a girl 700 miles away and he promptly said, “No.  Because I knew with your mother and I wouldn’t let anything get in my way” (Even my 6 ‘4” 275lb NFL alumnus grandfather). He was determined.  For me, if I wanted Jordan I needed to be there for her and support her just as if I was in Orlando with her, so I vowed to always support, care, and strive to make her smile and laugh…unlike I did the first time I met her.  I can’t wait to make that vow official on Saturday. 

Our first Christmas together was spent at Disney.

In closing, for all future grooms, this is a day that we probably started thinking about shortly after we dropped to one knee. However, for our other half, this is a day they have thought about and imagined since the age they probably first scraped their knee. Respect their vision, listen when they want to talk, and as Jordan says, “be in the moment.”  It goes a long way.   It is our job to love and support them, through times such as the day they find THE dress, but also through the days when they find out that a loved one won’t be coming to the wedding or that planning a wedding 775 miles away may be just the most frustrating task of all-time…Okay maybe that last one only applies to .01% of you.  However, if we can’t handle and support them at the worst of times, we don’t deserve our brides in the best of times.  Thanks for reading this week and don’t forget to follow our hashtag #SchiffJustGotReal on all major social media!  See you at the altar!!!

-Brian

Linking up for Wedding Wednesday, What's Hap-Pinning?!, and Falling for Fall so go check them out!

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My Favorite {BRAVO} Brides

Anyone that knows me will say that my love for the Bravo Network is borderline obsessive, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Do I have the Bravo emoji app? Duh! Are the many chart toppers by Real Housewives on my iTunes? Of course! So it's only natural that as I prepare for my big day that I reminisce my favorite Bravo weddings.

 Scheana Marie of Vanderpump Rules 

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This was a very anticipated event for me...I mean it's all she talked about all season. When Kristin brought "Miami Girl" to Sur to confront Tom, Scheana's first reaction was, "you're going to do this the week before my wedding?!" You can't make up this stuff. She was the epitome of a bridezilla but I still loved every minute of it and she gave me so much perspective on how NOT to act during your wedding day. I'm sure she'll look back and only remember the good things which is all that matters. She was indeed a crop top princess and remains on of my favs. She can serve me crispy chicken and pinot grigio anytime.

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Tamra {Barney} Judge of  The Real Housewives of Orange County 

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As one of my favorite Real Housewives of all time, I was so excited to see Tamra marry the suave Eddie Judge. She's famous for her one liners (that I use on a regular basis) but when she said her vows to Eddie in Spanish my cold heart warmed up a little. I loved that Vicki and Heather were bridesmaids (they were used in asking my bridesmaids, check it out HERE) and that she had more costume changes than Britney Spears had at her wedding(s). I will say that dangling cake made me so nervous! Here's to hoping that the third time's a charm holds true for my girl. 

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Kim{Zolciak} Bierman of The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Don't Be Tardy 

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To say that Kim Z is my spirit animal is an understatement. We have so much in common, our love of sweatpants, solo cups, and foul language has made her quite possibly my favorite (tied with Lisa Vanderpump) Real Housewife in the franchise. I respect that she has no problem admitting that she is from humble beginnings and has no shame at getting where she is now. Her relationship with Kroy is wonderful and the way he took on her daughters as his own is nothing short of amazing. I mean when Brielle made her speech at the wedding I was full on uglyyyyyy crying. I'll go ahead and share a secret with you..."Don't Be Tardy for the Party" is being used in our wedding festivities.  

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and last but not least...

Lauren Manzo of The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Manzo'd with Children 

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Her wedding hasn't even aired yet but since she's my favorite Real  daughter I just had to include her. Lauren is great because she's never been the "I'm perfect" daughter and has struggled with her weight and I definitely relate to that. I love that her husband, Vito, was her brother Albie's best friend. I have zero shame in admitting that I stalked instagram (mainly Greggy Bennett, my favorite Real friend and scene stealer) the day of her wedding so I could see what everyone looked like. She was beyond beautiful and it looked like the most fun wedding I wasn't invited to. Caroline's response to people being outraged with her wearing white was priceless. 

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There ya have it, my favorite Bravo brides. I'm knee deep in welcome boxes and bridal party gifts so I've got to head out. Thanks for stopping by and make sure to come back tomorrow when Brian takes over the blog for Wedding Wednesday! Follow our wedding shenanigans via #SchiffJustGotReal on instagram and my Snapchat (@J0RDASHIAN) 

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My last weekend as a Kennedy

Hello and Happy Monday. I'm linking up with Biana to tell you about my last weekend as a Kennedy! 

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Friday was filled with last minute errands for me including a shirt pick up for my dance team who worked so hard this week and scheduled an extra practice all on their own accord, getting everything set up accordingly before we leave, talking with vendors, and giving our final head count to our reception venue.

 My team working hard.

These tops turned out so cute! The Emory crest is metallic gold :)

Saturday was our "clean the house before we leave so we don't come back to a Febreze Noticeables commercial taping" day and lounge around/cuddle the puppies because they know when a trip is coming and are extra clingy. 

Caddie wouldn't leave Brian's side.

Sunday we made finalized the guest table assignments and packed everything we need for next week! And of course it wouldn't be a true wedding week without it starting with a wedding guest Facebook messaging me about "what is the deal with the no photos during your ceremony?" Come on people it's not that hard, read it with me, IF YOU AREN'T BEING PAID TO TAKE PICTURES DURING OUR CEREMONY PUT YOUR IPHONE AWAY. I mean for real if you think you Nashville filter is going to look like a professional picture you need a serious reality check. LOL

 By the end I wanted to be like "pick your own dang seat!"

All packed up!

We fly up to Cleveland tonight for our wedding! I can't believe it! I'm taking a breath for as long as I can so I can truly "soak up" the moments of this week. I've scheduled some fun little wedding themed posts throughout the week and make sure to stop by for this week's Wedding Wednesday because it's being taken over by none other than my soon to be husband, Brian! As always, thanks for reading and if you want to follow along during our wedding week shenanigans you can (and totally should) via #SchiffJustGotReal on Instagram and my snapchat story (username: @J0RDASHIAN)! 

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Oh hey, Friday! I'm so glad you're here!

It's Friday y'all!!!!!! I know I can't be the only one who's happy it's the weekend! I'm linking up for {Oh hey, Friday!} to tell you about my whirlwind of a week!

Monday was pretty typical work and then playing coach at dance team practice. Their first performance is Wednesday, October 14th and I'm so sad to be missing it but I'll already be in Cleveland in full wedding mode so I'm having someone film it for me.

Tuesday was quite the day! You may have heard me talk about my younger sister and how much I adore her but what you may not know is that we met for the first time in 2011. My mom found her on Facebook of all places! We have the same biological father but were raised separately. Our families have fused together so well and I adore her parents and I'm so thankful that we were both brought up by such extraordinary people. We are truly a modern family and I'm very thankful for them and the fact that I'm treated like one of their own and vice versa.

All of us at one of my sister's cheer competitions in Nashville a couple years ago.

At my sister's high school graduation.

With that being said we both had never really met our paternal side of the family but that all changed on Tuesday. I got a notification that someone commented on one of my pictures on Instagram and it turned out to be one of my paternal cousins! Her name is Thatcher and in a matter of a few hours she connected us with so many of our {Dominican} cousins (two of them being her sisters) and we all have begun to get to know each other! I grew up not looking like anyone in my family (in WV) and had a lot of self image issues because I felt so "different." Luckily I had an awesome mom who taught me that I wasn't different, that I was special. She taught me to be proud of who I was...modern day translation, "Jordi embrace that you're not #basic." When I met my sister for the first time all those insecurities went away because I knew I wasn't alone anymore. Something about having someone that serves as a mirror {in looks and mannerisms} to you is amazing and I can't even begin to describe it, then to see so many more people that look like me is so wild! I'm so lucky to have been blessed with the family that "raised" me and so grateful that I'm getting to learn about the family I had only wondered about for so many years. An infinite amount of happy tears were shed about this and how awesome to have this happen right before the wedding so my mind is happy instead of stressed!

Stolen from Instagram {Thatcher, Ash, & Cherly} It's safe to say our gene game is strong.

Wednesday and Thursday were filled with more work and getting things in order for Cleveland on Monday. Which leaves me to today and the excitement that I'm only a few more sleeps away from getting to put on a pretty dress and marry the greatest guy I've ever met. Have a great weekend y'all!

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Wedding Wednesday: How He Popped the Question

Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by Wedding Wednesday! It occurred to me this week that I have never shared the story of how Brian proposed to me. I know we're 10 days out from the wedding but better late than never, right?! Sit back, relax, and enjoy story time with Jordan...

It was a Friday like any other for me filled with cleaning, tv watching, errands, a doctor's appointment, and more time than I'd like to admit watching YouTube videos with my friend and roommate, Kathleen. The only out of the ordinary thing on the books was a dinner in Epcot with some of my closest friends because Kathleen had a {cast member 40% off} dining coupon for us to use. Since Kathleen and I had made the decision to leave Florida the following month she asked our closest friends to dinner and suggested we look a bit more dapper than usual we could take some pictures together around the theme park. I had gotten my eyebrows waxed earlier that day and it was a less than position event. The girl took the wax too low on my eyelid resulting in skin being ripped away with the wax. My eyelids hurt and I debated whether I should put on eye makeup or not but after some "you'll be so made at yourself looking back at these pictures with no makeup" comments from Kathleen I decided to tough it out and put my face on. She and I got dressed and as soon as our other roommate Mario got home and our friend Josh arrived we loaded up into Kathleen's car to make our way to Epcot. 

Props to B for wearing a blazer in May in Florida

We were almost out of our neighborhood when Kathleen "realized" she had forgotten the dining coupon (which she has done a few months before when we were doing the same thing) and we needed back at the house. She turned around and headed back to our house but not before she handed me her phone to watch another Youtube video she wanted me to see that she forgot about earlier. At first I thought it was because she could see how annoyed I was but as soon as it started my eye welled up with tears. Beautiful words from Brian filled the screen as one of "our" favorite songs was playing in the background. What followed were video messages from some of my closest friends and family back home telling me to "just say yes." I was oblivious to what was going on around me and when the video ended the car was stopped and Kathleen told me to follow the path we were beside. Once I started walking down the rose petal and candle line pathway (near my house) I saw Brian waiting there for me. 

I know what you're thinking...he could've proposed at any of the Disney parks and he picked a pathway in a neighborhood?! What you may not realize is that Disney wasn't my vacation destination, it was my everyday. Most people wouldn't want their proposal to be at their place of employment. While it is very magical and I've seen {and helped pull off} some amazing proposals there the thought of being surround be people, strangers, waiting to see my reaction was not something I wanted. If you were proposed to at Disney please don't take offense to this, I LOVE DISNEY, it just wasn't the place I dreamed of the question being popped to me. Those who know me would call me out-going but when it comes to emotional moments I prefer much more private moments. Realistically Brian could have asked me anywhere and I would've said yes. This place was special though because on one of his visits we were taking a walk and we strolled down that path and I told him that it reminded me of home. Anyway, back to the story...

Action photos courtesy of Kathleen

What happened next is sort of a blur for the both of us but isn't that how it's supposed to be?! All I remember is, "Jordan Elizabeth Kennedy...will you marry me?" I, of course, said YES and turned around to see my mom (he surprised me and brought her down too) and my friends smiling faces! They loaded up in the cars back to our house as Brian and I walked and soaked up the moment of being freshly engaged. We were supposed to be dining at the Biergarten in Germany, one of my fav Disney restaurants, but ended up holding true to the Schiffbauer Chinese Food Friday tradition and ordered a ton of food from one of my favorite places in Orlando.  With a full heart {and tummy} we began making the calls to friends and family to share our exciting news! 

The adorable cake my mom got made for us

My Feyonce shirt is still one of my all time favs

 One of my co-workers had a loupe so obviously I spent a while gazing at my new bling 

My proposal was absolutely PERFECT for me. Brian was able to pull off a huge surprise (we both are terrible at them) and I can't thank him and everyone who made it possible enough. He always jokes that he wishes he would've made it a more grand, public event but if he would have done that I can guarantee my reaction would have been different, still good, but not as emotional. The only thing I can see rivaling this is happening in 10 short days and that is our first look. Here's to hoping my fake eyelashes don't fall off from all the tears!

Linking up for Wedding Wednesday, What's Hap-Pinning?!, and Falling for Fall so go check them out :)

 

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