2020 | mackenzie elaine

2020 Sorority Recap

in Fraternity & Sorority Life, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, December 12, 2020

Photo from one of my first work trips in 2016.

I began working for Alpha Xi Delta on December 7, 2015. Since the end of the calendar year and my work anniversary coincide so nicely, I typically do an annual recap of the places I've traveled and the events I've participated in (see 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019). In fact, this blog mostly started as a way for me to chronicle my experience and remember all of the exciting opportunities I've been afforded over the years. While this year has been mostly void of travel, my fifth 'alphaversary' marks a significant milestone for me and I can't help but reflect on the journey I've had so far.

Holiday Card Etiquette

in Decor & Entertaining, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, November 19, 2020

Photo by Dogwood Hill.

I'd like to start this topic by pointing out that nobody wants to be the grammar police. I'd be brilliantly content receiving your holiday card with perfect spelling and grammar - complete with the photo your 'friend with the good camera' took of your family in some nondescript field wearing coordinated outfits. But alas, here we are. Without a doubt, some of you will include an apostrophe and nobody will tell you because, well, what's done is done. If you're going to take your valuable time and money to send a holiday card this year, please, for the love of that sweet newborn 'reason for the season', proofread your card.

Wedding Part Two

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, October 15, 2020

As promised, here is the second and final part of our wedding photos! You may have read in my last post about how we had to change our reception venue in the final month leading up to our day. While the process was stressful at times, Andrew and I are both still in awe that we were able to pull off a celebration that felt just as fun, elegant, and "us" as the original event we planned.

Wedding Part One

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, October 14, 2020

Here we are mid-way through October and I'm finally getting around to sharing photos from our wedding! We truly had the best day ever and are still surprised that, given the obstacles, we were able to full everything off for our original date, August 29.

Our DIY Wedding Invitations

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, September 30, 2020

Our printed items were easily the wedding task I stressed over most. I put way too much pressure on myself and pretty much every one of my friends told me that literally nobody will care, invitations just end up in the trash. Which although sad, it's very true. I'm a crafty person and bargain hunter - I couldn't justify thousands of dollars being thrown literally into the garbage can.

Fall Tablescape Inspiration

in Decor & Entertaining, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, September 23, 2020

Every fall I feel a little like Meryl Streep in the Devil Wears Prada criticizing florals - pumpkins for fall? Groundbreaking. And yet, year after year I drag out all my decor in the expected warm-but-not-red color scheme, ditching the bright pops of color from summer. This year is no exception! I really do love fall, especially now living in the city where a crisp, chilly breeze makes hauling your groceries the few blocks back to your apartment a tad more enjoyable. There's also something nostalgic about the entire season - sports, holidays, all good reasons to enjoy company with others. Right now gatherings have been made more difficult, but not impossible, and both Andrew and I look forward to the moments when we can host our friends and family safely together again.

Here are a few pieces I'm eyeing this year for fall tablescapes. I don't love rustic decor, but I feel every fall table has to have it sprinkled in there. I'm digging the amber hues a bit more than I have in the past and overall trying to avoid pumpkins as the main motif - again, groundbreaking. It's fall y'all! (sorry, I couldn't resist)

Blue & White Bridesmaids' Luncheon

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, September 14, 2020

I've long been obsessed with blue and white decor - so much I have a whole post about it. When the time came to design my bridal events, I knew that I wanted to incorporate this theme somehow. I didn't want anyone (including myself) to have to lug around their personal collection of priceless pieces to an event venue, so the idea sparked that I would source out new, individual pieces that would double as decor and gifts for the event. A Bridesmaids' Luncheon served as the perfect opportunity for this as the guest list would be manageable and the purpose of the event would be to celebrate these women that mean so much to me. The challenge would be finding quality pieces at affordable prices that weren't too large or small. It took us about a year's worth of antique shopping to find the perfect pieces - 13 in all. My grandmother, the OG blue and white queen, was instrumental in helping me find each one.

Bridal Portraits at The Carolina Inn

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, August 30, 2020

I went back and forth for quite some time on whether or not I actually wanted to do bridal portraits. My practical side was battling with itself: did it make more sense to put that money into another budget item or did it make more sense to have an option to do a trial run on my hair, makeup, and dress fitting? It's not entirely surprising that the portraits won out - I've always loved getting dressed up.

Steel Magnolias Themed Bridal Shower

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, July 30, 2020

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

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, July 30, 2020

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)

in Decor & Entertaining, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, June 05, 2020

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!

Our Engagement Story

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, May 28, 2020

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.

Becoming Catholic

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, May 24, 2020

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:

20 Wedding Movies to Get You Through 2020

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, May 20, 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

in Decor & Entertaining, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, May 16, 2020

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!

101 in 1001

in Goal Setting, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, April 06, 2020

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 got married in August 2020 and moved from DC to NYC a few months following our wedding... So many of my goals revolve around making the most out of our time in our cities and adjusting to our new life in a new city as a married couple.

Start Date: April 4, 2020

End Date: December 31, 2022

This journey began 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

in Wedding Planning, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, April 01, 2020

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

in Goal Setting, by Mackenzie Elaine Wasilick, March 23, 2020

(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!

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