Wednesday, January 18, 2017

12 Month Guide to Planning a Wedding

Thanks for tuning in! #WeddingWednesdays are officially here!

Since SO many people I know are recently engaged and since it is a brand new year, I decided to kick off with a guide to 12 months of wedding planning that will break down your big day so you know exactly when you should be checking items off your to-do list!

Image c/o Pinterest.com

12 Months To Go
  • Start a wedding folder on Pinterest - if you haven't already!
  • Work out your budget(Tip: If you haven't already, start a savings account with your fiancĂ© that can directly deposit a set amount, perhaps 10-20% of your income into the account each month.)
  • Search for and book venue. Subsequently, this secures your wedding date.
  • Draft guest list.
  • Hire a wedding planner (if you want one).
  • Engagement party(Tip: Having an engagement party is great if you are young and planning on having a long engagement. It's also a good way to get some funds for vendor deposits.)
  • Begin to research vendors.
  • Find a meaningful way to ask friends to be in your bridal party!

Image c/o Pinterest.com

10 Months To Go
  • Register for wedding/shower gifts.
  • Pick an officiant/book a church.
  • Choose vendors (photographers, videographer, band/DJ).
  • Take engagement photos.
  • Start to look at save the dates and invitations.

Image c/o Pinterest.com

8 Months To Go
  • Choose save the dates.
  • Shop for/order your dress(Tip: Create a collage of wedding dress styles you like before you go shopping.  Also, do your hair and makeup similar to how you'll want it for the big day so you can get a better idea of what you will look like walking down the aisle).
  • Reserve hotel room block for guests.
  • Cake tastings/order cake.
  • Begin hair and makeup trials.
  • Purchase wedding insurance to protect your deposits!
  • Contact rental companies about chairs, tables, tents, dance floor, etc. (only if necessary).

6 Months To Go
  • Mail out save the dates.
  • Order invitations.
  • Book your florist.
  • Book honeymoon.
  • Order bridesmaids' dresses.
  • Purchase wedding bands.
  • Arrange transportation for yourselves/bridal party from ceremony to reception (if necessary).

Image c/o Pinterest.com

4 Months To Go
  • Select groomsmen attire.
  • Plan rehearsal dinner (book dinner venue and ceremony rehearsal; prepare invite list for rehearsal dinner).
  • Confirm vendors.
  • Attend pre-wedding counseling if desired or required.
  • Renew or order passports for your honeymoon.

3 Months To Go
  • Finalize menu and flowers.
  • Order favors.
  • Choose readings/readers.
  • Start a shot list for photographer. 
  • Have bridal shower (this can be done earlier or later depending on preference).

Image c/o Pinterest.com

2 Months To Go
  • Mail invitations (8 weeks before wedding).
  • Write or decide on vows/ceremony. (Tip: If writing your own vows, use a tone that suits you as a couple. Feel free to add some humor!)
  • Purchase day-of accessories.
  • Confirm day-of transportation.
  • Review music with DJ/band.
  • Check in with all other vendors for updates
  • Decide on hair and makeup.

6 Weeks To Go
  • Apply for marriage license.
  • Get everything printed (table numbers, programs, menus, favor tags, etc.).

1 Month To Go
  • Start recording RSVPs.
  • Have bachelor(ette) parties.
  • Have bridal shower.
  • Mail rehearsal dinner invites.
  • Final dress fitting (Tip: Bring all your day-of accessories/undergarments so you can see how you will look on the big day. Also, bring your MOH so she can learn how to bustle your dress)!
  • Start seating arrangements
  • Purchase bridal party gifts (don't forget something for your groom)!
  • Make sure your bridal party has their day-of clothes/accessories.

2 Weeks To Go
  • Give shot list to photographer and go over it with him/her.
  • Review music with DJ/band. (Tip: Sit down with your fiancĂ© to choose your wedding song, set the tone of music at your reception and create a "do not play" list.)
  • Get your pre-wedding haircuts/colors.  
  • Finalize seating chart and get place cards printed.

1 Week To Go
  • Send a timeline to the bridal party.
  • Pick up your dress.
  • Break in your shoes!
  • Give final headcount to caterer/venue.
  • Get facials and waxings.
  • Pack for your honeymoon.

48 Hours Before
  • Confirm arrival times with vendors/transportation.
  • Get tan.
  • Get nails done.
  • Wrap bridal party and groom gifts.
  • Determine position of wedding party during ceremony and processional.
  • Have your dress steamed if necessary.
  • Groom's final fitting for tux.

Image c/o Pinterest.com

Day Before
  • Provide all wedding professionals with an emergency contact for the day-of. 
  • Attend rehearsal dinner(Tip: Have fun with it! Invite close family and friends, the bridal party and their dates as well as out of town guests who have travelled a long way to be their for your special day!)
  • Give bridal party gifts
  • Write checks to pay off vendor balances. 
  • Give your marriage license to your officiant. 

Day-Of
  • Give the wedding bands to the MOH and BM to hold during ceremony.
  • Introduce the reception site manager to MOH for questions or problems.
  • Present gifts to parents and each other.
  • Get married and live happily ever after!

Image c/o Pinterest.com


Thanks for reading! Happy Planning!


Thursday, January 12, 2017

The Lipstick I Swear By

If you know me, you know I am completely obsessed with Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks
If you really know, you know my absolute favorite color is Bow and Arrow, followed closely by Lolita and Vampira. 
AND if you really, really know me, you know I have been waiting [months] for her newest color - Crucifix.  

Well, as I burst my own bubble, Crucifix still isn't here! BUUTTTT last Wednesday, KVD gifted us with a brilliant placeholder: Sanctuary. I got it during an early access preview from Sephora and it is currently sold out. [Probably because people like me buy five at a time! If you think that is excessive, you should know that I once bought 10 tubes of Bow and Arrow all at once!]



However, Sanctuary will be officially launching in February along with, you guessed it, Crucifix! I seriously cannot wait!


PS: Matte liquid lipsticks can be very drying on your lips. To combat this, I like to use MAC Prep + Prime Lip. Just swipe some on before applying your favorite KVD color and you're good to go!


The following is courtesy of Sephora.com and is not paid content:
Everlasting Liquid Lipstick gives lips long-lasting wear and high-pigment color. Its creamy, color-rich formula glides over lips like a gloss but dries to a true matte finish. It’s infused with natural comfort-enhancing ingredients, including vitamin E and sunflower seed so you can flaunt lasting matte color that leaves lips feeling comfortable. 

During the first week of every month, for 48 hours only, Everlasting Flash gives you an exclusive sneak peek into a never-before-seen release from Kat Von D’s bestselling Everlasting lip collection. If you want it, you have to act fast—these products will be gone in an Everlasting Flash.





Sunday, January 1, 2017

New Year, New Me?

More like New Year, New BLOG!

Hi everyone! If you're reading this, I just want to say thank you for following my journey! I gave a lot of thought as to what my first post would be. 
New Year's Resolutions? Christmas Gifts Galore? An intro to myself?

Well, as you might have already guessed, I decided on telling you about my New Year's Resolutions. So I won't be tagging any brands or showing you what I got from loved ones for Christmas. 
(Sorry, maybe coming soon!)

I plan to continually "break the fourth wall" by sharing my personal journey with you. Sometimes my posts might not even have anything to do with fashion or beauty. Sometimes I might just need to vent or tell you about my day. Maybe I'll even tell you about a date I've been on! If that's not of interest to you then I guess this is where we part ways... But if you're intrigued, keep reading...

 . . . 

One of my best friends gave me a great piece of advice that actually was my inspiration for this post: 
"be kind to yourself."

What did she mean? Well, I generally am very hard on myself. I went to a strict all girls Catholic high school (which is where I met said BFF) that conditioned me to always be working toward the next goal.  Fast forward 7 or 8 years and here I am, a twenty-something who feels like I need a promotion or an engagement ring to prove something to myself.

If you've read my "About Me" section, then you know I've recently been through a breakup. Since then, I've put even more pressure on myself to find "The One." I always had a timeline in my head of when I wanted to have my first child, be married, get engaged. Working backwards from those milestones means I need to meet my dream guy like, yesterday. 

So enough of that sob story - this is a Resolutions post, right?! 

In 2017, I resolve to:

Be kind to myself

Celebrate my accomplishments 
(like getting an MBA at age 22)

Give myself more credit and recognize for how far I have come

Turn 26 and get over this quarter-life crisis!



Other resolutions that I recognize as being slightly less tangible:

Get started on my "summer bod"
(as I sit here eating French fries)

Quit online shopping
(I bought 2 things today alone)


I also have to give a special shout out to my best friend since 1st grade: no matter what craziness is going on in her own life, she is always there to support me, talk me up and remind me that I am doing just fine.

And finally to my parents, thank you for giving me life, love and unconditional support.


What are your resolutions for 2017? Tell me in the comments below!


If you've gotten this far, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year!