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

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...

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?