March 30, 2016

wed / mountain top ceremony



It's been quite a week! Long story short, we thought we were going to have to move June 1, started the apartment hunt, and then ended up being able to stay (thank goodness). For now, I wanted to share this breathtaking ceremony setup. I love the view, I love the circle, and I love the clear chairs that almost disappear into the view. 


March 25, 2016

weekend



Spring is here! The weekend is here!! Enjoy the sunshine if it's out where you are. :)

iPhone shooting tips from Man Repeller. My phone is my only camera and I need these! 

I have been thinking about getting on the electric toothbrush train for awhile. 
Has anyone else tried Quip?

Drugstore dupes for popular makeup. I need to print this out and keep it in my purse. 

In case you missed it: I'm starting to think about wedding shoes!

How to choose the best colors for you blog.

I agree with this argument for putting off a honeymoon. We're thinking about doing a shorter domestic trip in the days after the wedding (maybe 5 days or so) and then making a bigger first anniversary trip. 

The best wedding planners in the country. I had the pleasure of attending one of the weddings shown here and many of these images took my breath away!

I have literally worn giant holes in my Michael Kors Fulton flats and I desperately need to pick up some new ones this weekend.

Great toasting tips. Cheers!

March 23, 2016

wed / affordable charleston wedding venues

We are officially less than a year from our wedding and we're making awesome progress on the planning side! Venues, caterer, photographer, and hotel room blocks are all booked and we're close to booking florist and day of coordinator too. I am keeping our official plans under wraps, but I thought it would be fun to share some of the awesome wedding venues in Charleston, SC we considered. 

First, Marion's in the French Quarter. The space is super neutral and can easily be decorated in all different ways. Located right downtown, Marion's is easily accessible for all your guests and definitely an affordable option. It's great that you can bring in your own catering as well.



Next up is the Charleston Yacht Club Flag Room which has beautiful views of the Ashley River. The space is also very simply decorated so you have a lot of flexibility to make the space your own. For a very reasonable rental, you can bring in your own caterer, stock the bar yourself, and utilize their included chairs and tables. If there was a little more space, this would have been perfect for us!



The Historic Rice Mill is actually right next to the Yacht Club and also faces the Ashley River. There is a beautiful patio facing the water where you can host a ceremony for up to 120 guests and the exposed brick interior is a stunning backdrop for dinner and dancing. 
Catering and bar are provided in house, but when all is said and done, this was actually one of the most cost effective options we looked at.



What wedding venues in Charleston does everyone else love? We also inquired at the Carriage House at Magnolia Gardens and Alhambra Hall (best for Mt. Pleasant residents), but when we factored in shuttles from downtown for everyone, it didn't make sense. 

I've done tons of research in the area, so let me know if anyone has questions!

March 16, 2016

wed / shoes for the bride

I am 99% sure I've settled on my wedding gown (!!!) and now I'm really excited to start looking for accessories like veils, jewelry, and of course, shoes! I've had my eye on these Kate Spades for awhile, but of course I want to see them with my dress.


I've started looking around and there are great options that are very "bridal":




...and there are awesome options for something a little more clean, but definitely more re-wearable...



...I'm thinking something ivory or nude or gold. Anything I've missed? Any suggestions?

{1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6}


March 14, 2016

inspired / chanel

In my usual Pinterest wandering I stumbled upon these detail shots from the 2015 Chanel Couture show and they are show stoppers! I can only imagine how much work is involved in creating these amazing garments. What's inspiring you lately?





March 11, 2016

weekend



The big weekend is here; A's and my parents are coming to Boston to meet each other. And I get to go dress shopping for the first time!! To be honest, I was feeling a little business-like toward the idea for the first several months of our engagement, but now I am crazy excited to try on dresses, especially the one that's been the front-runner for months! Happy weekend everyone!




Also this


I ordered these kicks months ago and they finally arrived after being backordered. Get 'em while they're in stock! Now I'm eyeing this color



March 10, 2016

listen / stand by you


I am definitely late to this game, but I can't stop listening to "Stand by You" by Rachel Platten. February was crazy and this song is at the top of my pump up playlist. What are you listening to lately?

March 9, 2016

wed / will you be my bridesmaid?

One of the most fun parts of wedding planning so far was asking my closest girl friends to be my bridesmaids. I wanted to mail a little something as a gift to make the surprise extra sweet. 


{source}

I ordered the gold monogram mugs from Anthropologie (I think they're only available around the holidays, but I also like these and these) and packaged them up with some hot cocoa packets, and a handwritten card from Rifle Paper Co

I got the sweetest reactions and some funny ones too! Did anyone else ask their 'maids in a fun way?

March 7, 2016

inspired / modern florals



I've been reading Sally and Molly's blog A Piece of Toast for years now and I was SO excited to see photos of Sally's gorgeous Florida wedding. The colorful, modern florals by Events by Nouveau in particular really inspired me. Here are the close ups:





March 2, 2016

wed / boston public library

I have always had a pretty clear vision of the way I wanted my actual wedding to be, however that definitely doesn't stop me from having many more "wedding alter egos", as I like to call them. Whether it's a black tie New Years Eve wedding at the Plaza Hotel, a sunset beach ceremony, or a glamorous city wedding in Boston, I could easily plan 6 different weddings for myself. 

In a new series of wedding alter egos, I wanted to highlight one the most classic, beautiful Boston venues: the Boston Public Library.  



I would wear this dress:



Carry this bouquet for a fall evening:



And drive away in this car:



March 1, 2016

cook / asian short ribs



Last week I made a riff on these Asian short ribs from Real Simple Magazine and they were GOOD. I don't have a slow cooker and used a Dutch oven (this article from Williams Sonoma was helpful). If I had known how easy it was to convert to and from slow cooker to Dutch oven, I would do it more often! 

I replaced the short ribs with a different braising cut, seared the meat first, and changed the liquid by using water and white wine instead of the broth and adding some Worcestershire sauce. Don't forget to add the bok choy at the end of the recipe, otherwise it will disintegrate. We tried it served with rice noodles and over polenta (the polenta was awesome!).

What have you been cooking lately?