Samantha K Schmidt

For us, it took a long time to decide where we wanted to go on our honeymoon. We toyed with the idea of going abroad, but realized that was a little out of budget for us. The next thought was Hawaii. So many people go to Hawaii on their honeymoon, and I definitely liked the idea of being by the beach, but the reality was neither one of us would be able to relax and do close to nothing for an entire week. We are the kind of people who are always moving. Finally, we decided that we both love California, we love road trips, and we've always wanted to visit what we call "hipster cities" like Portland and Seattle. We boarded a flight from Orlando to LAX and spent our first two nights in beautiful Santa Monica.  The second night of our trip we decided to head over to Venice and try a restaurant suggested to us by the founder of Toms shoes. We ran into him on our flight and Eddie asked for some suggestions. It turned out his taste was a little too outside the box. We ...

Venue:  October Oaks - Webster, FL Photography:  Jenny Tod - Indianapolis, IN Catering : Cuisine by Michael J - Webster, FL Florist:  Clermont Florist - Clermont, FL Dress: Aurora Unique Bridal Boutique - Melbourne, FL Groom and Groomsmen Attire: JCPenney Bridesmaid Attire: White House Black Market More Photos:  Schmidt 2016 Gallery

Honolulu, Hawaii - Honolulu is a great destination for any couple. The beaches are perfect for the newlyweds who want a calming scene or for those that want a little more adventure. Hotels in the area boast amazing spas as well as thrill-seeking activities. Enjoy a massage or a hike up an active volcano. It also offers all the amenities of a big city without the price tag of going overseas. Trinidad, California  - For the couple looking to spend some time in the quiet outdoors, this small town is the perfect setting. It's nestled in the heart of the Redwood National Forest with hundreds of hiking trails for the amateur and the advanced. The cozy inns are perfect for getting some alone time and the views will blow you away. Santorini  - It may be one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, and that's because this Greek island has a little bit of everything. The beautiful beaches and elegant wineries make it the perfect location for relaxation. On the ...

There is a never ending list of things that must be purchased for a wedding or DIYed if you're feeling ambitious. In the same respect, there is a plethora of things you are likely to forget to buy until the last minute. Here is a short list of those forgotten items. A Board for Table Assignments : You've probably remembered the importance of those cute little table numbers and place cards, but you may have forgotten about a place to put a list of table assignments. Unless you want your guests roaming around aimlessly for the first 30 minutes of your reception, its best to create a list to be viewed during cocktail hour. It allows everyone to easily find their seat and keeps your big entrance from being delayed. There are a lot of creative options for displaying your seating chart and it's a quick and easy DIY. Reserved Signs : Believe it or not many of your guests will not be aware of proper etiquette when seating themselves at your wedding ceremony. Unless you have...

On November 14, 2015 my amazing boyfriend asked me to be his wife and almost immediately gave me the deadline of 5 months to plan and prepare a wedding and merge our two homes. I had known since the beginning of our relationship that he wasn't fond of long engagements and admittedly the sooner I could marry him the happier I would have been; however, I believe he underestimated just how much there is to do in preparation for a wedding. As the wedding day got closer and closer I found my capacity for other processing almost entirely disabled. A normally organized and alert individual, I began to lose track of dates, tasks, and even people's names. The other day I found myself pondering over the name of a coworker for nearly 3 minutes before it finally made its way out of long term memory. I began using the term wedding brain when I realized that like a pregnant woman I was so focused on this monumental change in my life that I seemed to be forgetting little details....

As a woman, it is likely that your wedding dress will be one of the most important purchases of your life. We can talk about how crazy that is another day. Today we are going to focus on how to narrow down such a difficult decision. There are 5 things you have to decide on when picking the perfect dress. Shape There are 5 basic wedding dress shapes. You'll want to pick one that accentuates your best features and hides the ones you don't want to display. The best stylists will have you try on 1 of each shape to figure out what you like before you narrow down any other details. Style The style of your dress should flow thematically with the rest of your wedding. Is your wedding in a church or in a barn? Is the event more rustic or more elegant? I had a dream dress in mind when I first thought about getting married, but that changed after my husband and I picked our venue. My vintage 1920's dream dress just did not fit with the rustic outdoor setting of our weddin...

If you think that your wedding day is going to go off without a hitch, I hate to say it... but you're wrong. There will definitely be bumps and bruises along the way. However, if you're anything like me, sometimes imagining the worst possible scenario can help prepare you for all the little (and big) fails that are bound to occur. I've ranked my wedding fails below in order to relieve you of some anxiety. 5. Taking a Dive Weddings are filled with exciting moments. One of the most exciting moments for your guests is the bouquet toss. It seems to bring out the best and the worst in people. I was looking forward to this tradition as I knew there were quite a few couples who were likely to get engaged over the next few months. I sent word to a few of my bridesmaids to scatter in order for one particular friend to catch the bouquet. The music began, the girls hearts began to race, and toss. I turn around to see my husband's 8 year old cousin taking a dive for the bouqu...

My new husband and I are definitely still in the honeymoon phase. People seem to know we're newlyweds by the ridiculous grins we wear. We've been married now for just over a month, and I'm still reminiscing on all the excitement leading up to that special day. For the next few weeks I'll be sharing with you some of things I learned during the planning process as well as give you a glimpse into our wedding day. I'll be posting every Monday from now until August 1st. Each week I'll also ask you to share some of your experiences in the comments. Today's question: How long have you been married or engaged? 

As the engagement season begins to come to a close you may still be waiting around for that perfect ring, or you may be gearing up for a new year to find love. Either way millions of girls around the world are dreaming of the perfect ring to mark a special bond between them and their one true love. Unfortunately, when thinking of the perfect engagement ring the same image pops into every girls mind. When I got engaged there was one thing I knew I didn't want... the same thing everyone else had. And let's face it the diamond is so overdone. It wasn't until the 1900's that diamonds became a popular gemstone among the general public. Previously, diamonds were only possessed by kings and queens (which probably increased their desirability). In the meantime, however, common people wore less rare gemstones made of brilliant colors and precious metals. When we think back on our grandmothers' jewelry collections we remember all of these beautiful colors and antique des...