xo,
Monday, October 24, 2011
a fall fashion must have
one of my favorite things about the cooler temps is the option to wear scarves..what is more cozy than being wrapped up in something warm and stylish! i have always been one to stick to the neutral, but this fall i decided to go a little brighter with a mustard yellow scarf that i picked up for our engagement session. since its purchase i have been noticing that i can wear it with almost any outfit, and i love that it is more neutral than i originally thought it would be. below are some of my favorite scarf images via pinterest...
now i'm wanting scarves in teal, pink & purple!
xo,
xo,
Sunday, October 23, 2011
sunday thoughts
something about a crisp, autumn sunday morning that makes one want to sleep in a little later; linger around in pjs a little longer; sip morning coffee a little slower; & snuggle with the boy a little closer.
monday morning always comes too soon. .
xo,
monday morning always comes too soon. .
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
a few tips from yours truly
as mentioned previously, shawn & i had our engagement photos taken this weekend. to say we had fun would be quite an understatement!...i am still smiling about it 3 days later =)
the day of the photos, i was a nervous wreck! i don't quite know why..but i was second guessing everything - my outfit choice, shawn's outfit choice; we thought it would have been cooler outside than it ended up being, so everything was not exactly how i pictured it would be.
needless to say, i had a glass (or 2!) of wine before we left;)
so, looking back on our day, i thought i would list a few tips about prepping for your engagement session!
1. plan your outfit. then plan your backup outfit!
we had planned to have our session mid october expecting it to be a crisp, autumn day. and while we had an absolutely gorgeous day, it was about 71 degrees, when we were anticipating much cooler temps. so the cute sweater outfits i had chosen for shawn and i were no longer going to work. at the last minute i ditched my jacket sweater and shawn opted for a clean white button up. i wanted to look casual and simple, yet classic. i opted for a plain white tee, skinny jeans, and boots. i added some color with a yellow scarf (to add in a pop of my wedding color)
2. choose your location!
this was an easy one for me. i knew before we even got engaged that i wanted to have our photos taken along kelly drive between the back of the art museum and boat house row. we have become quite familiar with that area from our long runs... there are so many options! we were able to get shots by the water, by rocks, in trees, in gardens, on benches, with people in the background, with the skyline in the background, etc... it is helpful to be knowledgeable about the location, that way, if you are on a time limit (which you most likely will be) you will know which areas you definitely want to be photographed.
3. have a glass of wine!
...or your drink of your choice! i don't know why i was feeling so anxious, i think it was mostly excitement, so a glass of wine was just what i needed to calm my nerves a bit.
4. get comfortable!
having your photo taken while holding a kissing pose is NOT NORMAL. it's awkward! but it's also a lot of fun, and after the first few photos are taken, you will loosen up and it will be a little more comfortable. trust your photographer to know what poses look good, but also don't be afraid to let your photographer know if you have something specific in mind.
and last but not least..
5. HAVE FUN!
at the end of the day, these are not the most important photos you will have taken, but they might be the most fun! i felt like shawn and i were on a date, flirting and being silly for the whole time, and it was fun! enjoy yourselves:)
and a little sneak peak:
george, our photographer, has sent us a little teaser of sunday's session. this is one of the photos...i am so excited & cannot wait to see the rest!
have a great day!
xo,
the day of the photos, i was a nervous wreck! i don't quite know why..but i was second guessing everything - my outfit choice, shawn's outfit choice; we thought it would have been cooler outside than it ended up being, so everything was not exactly how i pictured it would be.
needless to say, i had a glass (or 2!) of wine before we left;)
so, looking back on our day, i thought i would list a few tips about prepping for your engagement session!
1. plan your outfit. then plan your backup outfit!
we had planned to have our session mid october expecting it to be a crisp, autumn day. and while we had an absolutely gorgeous day, it was about 71 degrees, when we were anticipating much cooler temps. so the cute sweater outfits i had chosen for shawn and i were no longer going to work. at the last minute i ditched my jacket sweater and shawn opted for a clean white button up. i wanted to look casual and simple, yet classic. i opted for a plain white tee, skinny jeans, and boots. i added some color with a yellow scarf (to add in a pop of my wedding color)
2. choose your location!
this was an easy one for me. i knew before we even got engaged that i wanted to have our photos taken along kelly drive between the back of the art museum and boat house row. we have become quite familiar with that area from our long runs... there are so many options! we were able to get shots by the water, by rocks, in trees, in gardens, on benches, with people in the background, with the skyline in the background, etc... it is helpful to be knowledgeable about the location, that way, if you are on a time limit (which you most likely will be) you will know which areas you definitely want to be photographed.
3. have a glass of wine!
...or your drink of your choice! i don't know why i was feeling so anxious, i think it was mostly excitement, so a glass of wine was just what i needed to calm my nerves a bit.
4. get comfortable!
having your photo taken while holding a kissing pose is NOT NORMAL. it's awkward! but it's also a lot of fun, and after the first few photos are taken, you will loosen up and it will be a little more comfortable. trust your photographer to know what poses look good, but also don't be afraid to let your photographer know if you have something specific in mind.
and last but not least..
5. HAVE FUN!
at the end of the day, these are not the most important photos you will have taken, but they might be the most fun! i felt like shawn and i were on a date, flirting and being silly for the whole time, and it was fun! enjoy yourselves:)
and a little sneak peak:
have a great day!
xo,
Monday, October 17, 2011
always remember
woke up feeling so blessed this morning. yesterday was filled with fun & excitement as we got our engagement photos taken. when we got home we were still giddy. it seems silly, but the photo session was just so FUN and it felt like we were flirting all afternoon. what girl doesn't love a cute boy flirting with her?
at dinner, shawn & i were talking about how we never want to forget what yesterday felt like. being silly and cute and sweet with each other. i will always remember yesterday with a smile...
xo,
at dinner, shawn & i were talking about how we never want to forget what yesterday felt like. being silly and cute and sweet with each other. i will always remember yesterday with a smile...
xo,
Thursday, October 13, 2011
so i have decided..
for the time being, to remain my blonde blonde self. previously, i expressed my desire to go slightly darker in the hair department for the change of season. but the more i thought about it, and the closer we got to our engagement session, i realized that honey blonde is not me. i loveeee blonde blonde, and it sounds silly, but to go slightly darker, i feel that i just may lose part of my soul...hehe... and with our engagement session this weekend & a hair appointment tomorrow directly following work, i feel the need to remain blonde blonde due to the fact that that is who i have been our entire relationship!!
plus, i know that i want to be blonde blonde for the wedding.
so, blonde blonde it is...:)
xo,
Sunday, October 9, 2011
a few things
no secret here... i LOVE fall! by far, my favorite season of them all. (and not so secretly i wish the seasons went spring, summer, fall, spring, summer, fall, etc..) one of my favorite attributes of fall is the sight of PUMPKINS. last year (and this year too!) i was head over heels for the fairytale & white pumpkins.
i'm still waking up every morning thinking about my wedding dress. ahhhh...i cannot wait to wear it on my wedding day! it's crazy to think that i still have about 11 months to go. i know it will go by fast, but now that i have found my dress i feel like i am ready to walk down the aisle! this morning in church, as i was walking up to the alter to receive communion, i was literally getting teary eyed, imagining the same walk on my wedding day..dorky, i know!! but i am definitely overwhelmed with happiness & excitement!!
speaking of the wedding, i have chosen the designer for my bridesmaids' dresses- bill levkoff. i want my girls to choose their own style for their dress, and the color is called "french canary." from the start, i knew i wanted my colors to be gray & yellow. early on, i stumbled across this wedding, and have been using it as my "inspiration."
i just adore all of these images..although my guys will be wearing gray instead of black. i also love the look of the bridesmaids having different style dresses on, as well as silver OR gold strappy heels.
aren't they cute?
****
i'm still waking up every morning thinking about my wedding dress. ahhhh...i cannot wait to wear it on my wedding day! it's crazy to think that i still have about 11 months to go. i know it will go by fast, but now that i have found my dress i feel like i am ready to walk down the aisle! this morning in church, as i was walking up to the alter to receive communion, i was literally getting teary eyed, imagining the same walk on my wedding day..dorky, i know!! but i am definitely overwhelmed with happiness & excitement!!
speaking of the wedding, i have chosen the designer for my bridesmaids' dresses- bill levkoff. i want my girls to choose their own style for their dress, and the color is called "french canary." from the start, i knew i wanted my colors to be gray & yellow. early on, i stumbled across this wedding, and have been using it as my "inspiration."
*****
and, a little recap of my week, since i have not been finding the time to blog!
last weekend, shawn and i were gifted some tickets for the eagles game! and although they lost terribly, the weather was cold & wet, and we were surrounded by a drunk or 2;)...we had FANTASTIC seats, and we enjoyed every minute!
the rest of my week has been filled with working and running and spending time with my fiancee :) on most mornings, we have been up at 4:45am to get to the gym by 5am. at first it was really hard to get up so early, but now it is a part of our daily routine, and i can honestly say that i much prefer the early workouts. by the time i get home from work, i am exhausted and the last thing i want to do is get changed and head to the crowded gym to wait around for the machines or weights i want. in the AM, the gym is not crowded and i never have to wait to use anything. to top it all off, there is no feeling like getting home from work & knowing you already have your workout done for the day! however, about once a week, if we know the weather will be nice, we will allow ourselves to sleep in and go for a run when we get home from work.
check out my view from our run on kelly drive this past thursday.
that run was followed by:
some delish homemade pizza and:
our new seasonal favorite...soo good!!
*****
coming up this week, i am most excited about our engagement session on sunday! i'm hoping for a cool, crisp, autumn day...a good hair day & a cute outfit;) can't wait to share those photos with you!hoping you had a great weekend and wishing you a fabulous week!
xo,
Sunday, October 2, 2011
ahh, October
october has to be one of my favorite months for the sheer fact that is truly means fall is here. i have been anticipating the cooler temps, the rich colors outside, and the cozy fall attire. although this morning is a bit dreary, i am actually quite enjoying it.
this weekend i have been on a cloud. waking up every morning with a smile on my face, laying in a bed just a few minutes longer...just daydreaming of the DRESS.
yes.. i said yes to the dress this past thursday morning and i cannot stop thinking about it!
it was an easy choice for me. although, i do have to laugh because it is everything i said i DID NOT want.
last monday night, mom & i had an appointment at a bridal salon back home. we were allotted a strict 1 hour time slot. so, i came prepared with numbers in hand...5 to be exact. 5 dresses to try on in one hour, that seems reasonable. we entered the SMALL bridal salon, i handed the sweet girl my paper with all 5 numbers on it and stood there as she looked them over. she then proceeded to tell me that she had ZERO of my choices in stock.
hmm, no problems here. surly i can find something to put on my body! mom & i start to scour the racks (which there were about 3!) no...no...no...no! nothing! not even one dress i would slightly be interested in. so, the girls that worked there (who could not have been sweeter!) started to pull a few dresses for me to try on (only one of which had the silhouette i was looking for)...when it was all said and done i had tried on 10 dresses. 10 dresses that left me with no feeling to speak of. at the end of the appointment she jotted down some numbers for me, which she probably knew i took only to be nice. they offered to try to get in my number 1 option. all in all, a great experience for my first time trying on dresses. the bridal boutique was small and not overwhelming, the girls were very sweet and helpful, and i learned exactly what i did not want to wear on my wedding day.
i had no fear, and was still very hopeful because the following thursday i had a second appointment at a bridal boutique that 2 of my girlfriends from college had purchased their stunning gowns from.
so thursday morning comes & i have to admit i was a bit grouchy! i was apprehensive & nervous that this place, too, would leave me wanting more. mom picked me up & we made the drive into delaware (which was only a half hour from my house!) and arrived at bridal appointment #2!
it was THE perfect example of "do not judge a book by its cover"! i will leave it at that... :)
but then i went inside. and i met the bubbly, sweet, energetic, nikki...and was invited to look through racks and racks in the two rooms that were over flowing with stunning, gorgeous wedding dresses. i pulled about 12 dresses to try on and eagerly hopped into the fitting room and slipped into the first dress that would actually make me feel like a BRIDE...it. was. STUNNING. i was IN LOVE. this was THE ONE. it had to be MINE! i stood in that first dress for about 15 minutes just staring at myself in the mirror. wow, never thought i could look so good! seriously, though, isn't that how every bride should feel? this dress was so gorgeous and so amazing, and that is exactly how it made me feel. i put on a veil, and i knew that this was going to be the dress i will wear on the day i marry shawn!
but this was only the first dress of 12...so back to the fitting room i went! i tried on so many beautiful gowns, but nothing could compare to dress #1. at the end, i put #1 back on and when i came out of the fitting room, mom's face said it all. her eyes lit up, her jaw dropped and she just said "wow"....
i took some photos, and mom did too. (which of course will stay locked away!!) it was a fabulous day and one that i will always treasure, the day my mom & i chose my wedding gown!
one more checked item on the "to do before the i do's" list!
xo,
this weekend i have been on a cloud. waking up every morning with a smile on my face, laying in a bed just a few minutes longer...just daydreaming of the DRESS.
yes.. i said yes to the dress this past thursday morning and i cannot stop thinking about it!
it was an easy choice for me. although, i do have to laugh because it is everything i said i DID NOT want.
last monday night, mom & i had an appointment at a bridal salon back home. we were allotted a strict 1 hour time slot. so, i came prepared with numbers in hand...5 to be exact. 5 dresses to try on in one hour, that seems reasonable. we entered the SMALL bridal salon, i handed the sweet girl my paper with all 5 numbers on it and stood there as she looked them over. she then proceeded to tell me that she had ZERO of my choices in stock.
hmm, no problems here. surly i can find something to put on my body! mom & i start to scour the racks (which there were about 3!) no...no...no...no! nothing! not even one dress i would slightly be interested in. so, the girls that worked there (who could not have been sweeter!) started to pull a few dresses for me to try on (only one of which had the silhouette i was looking for)...when it was all said and done i had tried on 10 dresses. 10 dresses that left me with no feeling to speak of. at the end of the appointment she jotted down some numbers for me, which she probably knew i took only to be nice. they offered to try to get in my number 1 option. all in all, a great experience for my first time trying on dresses. the bridal boutique was small and not overwhelming, the girls were very sweet and helpful, and i learned exactly what i did not want to wear on my wedding day.
i had no fear, and was still very hopeful because the following thursday i had a second appointment at a bridal boutique that 2 of my girlfriends from college had purchased their stunning gowns from.
so thursday morning comes & i have to admit i was a bit grouchy! i was apprehensive & nervous that this place, too, would leave me wanting more. mom picked me up & we made the drive into delaware (which was only a half hour from my house!) and arrived at bridal appointment #2!
it was THE perfect example of "do not judge a book by its cover"! i will leave it at that... :)
but then i went inside. and i met the bubbly, sweet, energetic, nikki...and was invited to look through racks and racks in the two rooms that were over flowing with stunning, gorgeous wedding dresses. i pulled about 12 dresses to try on and eagerly hopped into the fitting room and slipped into the first dress that would actually make me feel like a BRIDE...it. was. STUNNING. i was IN LOVE. this was THE ONE. it had to be MINE! i stood in that first dress for about 15 minutes just staring at myself in the mirror. wow, never thought i could look so good! seriously, though, isn't that how every bride should feel? this dress was so gorgeous and so amazing, and that is exactly how it made me feel. i put on a veil, and i knew that this was going to be the dress i will wear on the day i marry shawn!
but this was only the first dress of 12...so back to the fitting room i went! i tried on so many beautiful gowns, but nothing could compare to dress #1. at the end, i put #1 back on and when i came out of the fitting room, mom's face said it all. her eyes lit up, her jaw dropped and she just said "wow"....
i took some photos, and mom did too. (which of course will stay locked away!!) it was a fabulous day and one that i will always treasure, the day my mom & i chose my wedding gown!
one more checked item on the "to do before the i do's" list!
xo,
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