I Caved...

(via)

and totally gave into the "but it's your special weekend so you deserve to have new shiny, fun clothes". I got to a point where I kept looking through the closet and dresser and couldn't think of anything I wanted to have immortalized in photos for the rest of my life.

(No, this isn't actually my closet, but true story - my best friend/matron of honor and I did buy matching tiger t-shirts that look surprisingly like this one while backpacking in Brazil. Hot.)

I didn't go overboard, but originally I had told myself that with a smaller, more laid back weekend planned, I really didn't need to go over the top with new clothes. It would be kind of silly to show up in a fancy (even if super cute) new dress for the "rehearsal" if said rehearsal was at our house and I was chowing down on cheesesteaks.

And then this weekend I was in and out of shops doing some holiday gift buying and then I came home with a few new items for me. It was inevitable.

But it's justified, right? Friday night we're doing dinner with the in-laws and 3 other couples - pretty much all the Scots and a few American wives. Going to our favorite BYO restaurant (thank you Philly food scene for being so amazing) and I AM the bride. I know. Saying it out loud sounds icky to me - I've dreaded coming across anything like a Bridezilla that I realize a part of me was taking it to the other extreme and trying to play everything down. When, damnit, it is special and it is going to be fun - and if ever there was a good reason for a cute new top and pants this is it.

So two new cute tops and one pair of cute new black pants that are kind of like jeans but super stretchy (I refuse to call them jeggings even if that may be what they are) later and I am set to stand out a little bit while staying fun, informal weekend appropriate!

Did you spend a great deal of time planning the outfits for the "other" wedding related events?