Steel Magnolias Themed Bridal Shower

This past weekend we held my Steel Magnolias themed bridal shower in Emerald Isle, NC. For those that haven't seen it, it's a classic southern bridal movie with stars like Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, and Sally Fields. Guests were asked to wear their favorite shade of "blush and bashful" which are Shelby's (Julia Roberts) wedding colors in the movie. In her words "I have chosen two shades of pink. One is much deeper than the other".

Emerald Isle Bachelorette Party

Just over a month ago I spend a few days with my very best friends in Emerald Isle, North Carolina for my bachelorette party. Our original plan was to be in Washington, DC. Andrew and I have planned to only be in DC for one year before we move to New York for his work. Knowing this, my bridesmaids and friends decided to explore my new city during the limited time I called it home. However, due to coronavirus, we were unable to go through with this plan and in the weeks leading up to the trip, decided to reroute our plans to Emerald Isle. I grew up spending each summer there and my mother moved there shortly after I left for college, so it felt like the perfect place for Plan B!

Vintage Finds Under $50 (Part 2)

I really enjoyed putting together my last post of Vintage Finds Under $50 so I wanted to do an all-brass edition this week. When I first started decorating with blue and white, I mostly tried hoarding every piece I could find. Over time, I found this monothematic approach a bit overwhelming to the eye and a bit boring to curate. Now I love finding unique pieces of all kinds to mix together. So, here are some of the pieces available now via various vendors on Etsy!

1) Tassel Vase | $14 | Could literally fill with anything.

2) Set of 10 napkin rings | $22 | Would compliment any china color or pattern - also great for everyday!

3) Shell shaped mail/letter holder | $24 | Love this for a desk or foyer table. 

4) Woven box | $23 | It's taking everything in me not to buy this. It'd be perfect for the kitchen counter to hold recipe cards! 

Our Engagement Story

It's hard to believe that Andrew and I have already been engaged for a whole year! For as long as I can remember Andrew had said that he didn't want to be engaged while he was in school. In college I remember thinking, totally understandable! Gotta respect priorities, right? But those of you who know him know how this story goes... so two graduate degrees and six years of dating later, we were in summer of 2019. 

I was 100% convinced it was going to happen Memorial Day Weekend. We were a few weeks post-graduation (UNC Law for him, ECU Master's for me) and we were going to see both of our families that weekend. Also, for my job with Alpha Xi Delta, we host an annual summer training program that I help lead; this year it fell the weekend after Memorial Day. I had expressed how nice it would be to attend this event with coworkers and friends I don't get to see that often and be able to share this exciting news with them in person. Well the weekend came and went... and nothing. I couldn't help but be a little disappointed and can admit, even threw a little pity party for myself once we got back home. 

Becoming Catholic

This weekend marks the end of my journey as a catechumen, or a non-baptized person learning about and hoping to become a Christian, in my case, through the Catholic faith. We had planned to welcome our friends and family at Easter to watch as I became baptized and received my first communion. While our plans look a little different, I am still excited to acknowledge how much I have grown and learned throughout the process. I have chosen my confirmation name, Madeleine, for two main reasons:

1. Madeleine is a derivative of the city Magdala and of Mary Magdalene. 
2. Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat. She is known for founding the Society of the Sacred Heart, committing her life to educating women, and for her virtues of humility, wisdom, and charity.

When Andrew and I began dating in 2013, I began attending the mass with his family when we visited and on the holidays I spent with them. I knew very early on that Andrew was 'the one' so I had quite some time to explore the possibility that I may embrace Catholicism as my religion. I say 'embrace' rather than convert because the word convert implies that I am giving up or changing from one thing to another. I didn't really grow up with any form of religion. My family identified as Christians and occasionally attended our local Methodist church, but I was never baptized and we rarely practiced prayer or talked about God within our home. I did love participating in my school's YoungLife program, bible study, and the occasional youth trip. 

20 Wedding Movies to Get You Through 2020

Oh 2020, where do I begin? Since COVID-19 reared its head, there's been quite a few times that I've thought to myself: what a strange, strange time to be planning a wedding. How to cope? Binge watch all the best wedding movies. There's a few below that aren't really wedding movies - but there's a wedding in them and they're favorites of mine so they made the list. Here's 20 wedding movies that are helping me make the most of this season (in absolutely no particular order):

Vintage Finds Under $50

I absolutely love incorporating antique decor throughout our home. I find that having unique pieces with a little bit of history add some character to our space. I also have many fond memories growing up exploring vintage shops and yard sales with my grandmother looking for new-to-us treasures. We still try to do this when we are together, except I'm sure she finds the process more fun now that I'm spending my own money!

Instagram and Etsy make it possible to "hunt" from the comfort of your home - which is really convenient during COVID-19. If you're looking for blue and white pieces specifically, check out my list here for my tried-and-true accounts to follow. Here's what I've been eyeing!

1) Brass Pagoda Bookends | @plateandplaid | $40 + shipping

2) Tobacco Leaf 10" plates - this is THE pattern of the moment and usually very hard to find or very expensive when you do | @lilliangreysvintagehome | $12/plate + shipping

101 in 1001

The ultimate goal-setting challenge! 

Accomplish 101 new things in 1001 days.

I began following Mackenzie Horan a few years ago mostly because I love her style and it in transparency, she was a redhead who spelled her name just like me. I've followed along her journey of doing this 101 in 1001 challenge a few times now and as a personal lover of goal-setting, figured I'd give the challenge a try myself! Andrew and I are getting married in August 2020 and moving to NYC the weekend before our wedding... So many of my goals revolve around making the most out of our time in Washington, DC before our move and adjusting to our new life in a new city as a married couple. 

Start Date: April 4, 2020

End Date: December 31, 2022

I've decided to start this journey a few days before my 27th birthday and will wrap up a few months shy of my 30th! Last year I did my 26 in 26 goal setting challenge, so I can only imagine the changes I will see during this 1001 time period. I hope to keep this list updated throughout the process to track my progress... so, here we go!

Designing a Custom Wedding Dress with Anomalie

If you follow me on instagram, you probably know that I said "yes to the dress" unexpectedly a few months ago (not to the above pictured). After getting engaged and spending what felt like an eternity on Pinterest, I started with the company Anomalie to create a custom dress option. I even had a sketch finalized when I went dress shopping and found "the one". I wanted to write a ~not so brief~ review of my Anomalie experience for anyone interested in exploring that route!

10 Apps to Better Yourself

(that take ten minutes or less each day)

Let's face it, COVID-19 is having a vast impact on our daily lives. Compared to what some are going through during this time, spending more time inside on your couch doesn't seem so bad. We live in such a privileged time where we have access to SO much right within our fingertips. So, with that, here are ten apps you can use to better yourself daily in ten minutes or less!