a new chapter for She Said Yes…

Things are changing around here… but for the better!  I’m not used to doing posts solely about “me”, but as I’ve been buzzing about a new name and new branding for a while now, the time has come (and it’s only fair!) to let you in on some of the excitement.

To back up a bit, I started this blog 10 days after I got engaged in September 2009.  Living in California and having all of our friends and family back east, I wanted to create an online “diary” about my trip to the altar so I could keep everyone up to date with our planning and progress.  I had a few followers in the beginning and they were exactly who I planned on: my mom, my dad, my brother, Pat, my cousins, and a few of my bridesmaids.  What I didn’t plan on, however, was other people finding me and following me through my journey and now almost 3 months after the wedding, still sticking by me and supporting me everyday with comments and feedback.  I never realized that my “little diary” could become a source of inspiration for others, and I certainly never expected that this blogging community could be filled with people who I would eventually come to call friends.  Corny?  Maybe.  But that’s how I feel and we all know I rarely hold back on that!

An exciting turn of events for me during the blogging process was when I was nominated for the Best Real Bride Blog on WeddingChannel.com - and I was up against some of the best in class: Sparkle & Hay (that’s how we became friends, and now we’re partnering on a new project together), Hi Fi Weddings, and The Knotty Bride, to name a few of the 5 in my category. Although I didn’t win the competition, to me, it was just such an honor to even be mentioned in that group!  This was when my mind started thinking more and more how much I loved the blog and wanted to continue writing everyday.  I kept true to who I am (Mason Jar Sunday!) but at the same time, I wanted to continually offer fresh content based on what I had been learning in the wedding industry, while branching out to work on more new projects I was passionate about.

So to get back to the beginning… when I started this blog, I was the She who said Yes (and still am)!  But as I never anticipated anyone following along, I never purchased the domain or made it official, I just kept to myself in my little blogspot domain.  And now with a few new ventures up my sleeve, the time has come to retire “She Said Yes!” and reveal my new name, which I will be releasing next week along with my new logo and plans.  I’m taking steps the right way to make things official on all fronts beyond just the blog.  Although the name may be changing, the blog will continue to be in the same place, right here, as my outlet to provide you with all the lovely little details I can find (mixed in with a little bit of this and that along the way)…and I am over the moon to show you what I have in store!

So stay tuned: because next week, the new “She Said Yes” will be revealed :)