Fashion

BRIDAL FASHION, JUMPSUITS

 

Everyone who knows me, knows that I die over a good jumpsuit! And two-pieces? Very in this Spring! 

So when I started brainstorming some of my favorite looks and ideas for these events leading up to your big day? I HAD to include some of these amazing jumpsuits and sets. It’s such a cool way to show some style, keep your look a little casual, but still feel special! 

 

 


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I wore a white jumpsuit with eyelet lace to my first bridal shower and I absolutely loved it. Not only are jumpsuits incredibly comfortable, but it also keeps the look stylish! With a cute pair of pumps or heels you look beyond stylish. And if you’re like me, the bridal shower was in someone’s home so it was just casual enough that a dress might have felt a little too dressy? So, an adorable jumpsuit was the answer! 

 

These styles started coming back a few years ago, and since then, they have taken over. Whether you’re going to a nice brunch, fancy dinner party, or an outdoor festival (yes, I’m referring to all of those pics people are posting at Coachella), there is a jumpsuit perfect for you! And while I would love to be wearing a cute chambray romper over a jumpsuit right now, I’m still focused on staying warm… so layers or long sleeves are a must. But no fear, there are plenty of options! 

 

 


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This particular jumpsuit is probably my favorite because of the t-shirt and v neck detail. It’s flattering, casual and comfortable. Add a chic beaded belt? Girl, you’re good to go! 

One of my favorite ideas with this jumpsuit and all the other ideas (in the links below)? A colorful pair of pumps!! I paired this one with one of my favorite Raye heels with a braid detail. But if you are looking for something springy? Lilac is in!! And these would kill with a simple white jumpsuit 

 


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Fashion

“… CHANGE THE WORLD, ONE SEQUIN AT A TIME”

 


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I love sequins! And this is coming from the girl who used to wear cargo shorts and boy’s graphic tee’s in elementary school. There’s something so empowering about a sequin dress! You feel like the world’s glow starts with you! That’s probably why I fell in love with my wedding dress, which was sequins from top to bottom. 

The sequins on this dress are the same style, too. Small and plentiful, so the dress isn’t super heavy, and it moves so easily! Plus it helps with the look of the sequins as well. I think when many people think of “sequins” on clothes they think of the large ones that we wore when we were younger. But these are delicate and soft in color. Making this dress a very soft white, almost creamy, instead of a bright or stark white.  

 


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The long sleeves and the simple cut make this a beautiful modern style! Perfect for a night out on your bachelorette weekend. Or if you’re headed to a nice restaurant to celebrate your engagement? This dress is just for you! Any sequins dress, really! And now that the weather is starting to get nicer, it’s the perfect time of year for it. 

Another great thing about this material and the sequin detail is that you know that you will stand out. These pieces are made for the special someone who’s being honored. And there is no time you will feel more honored than while planning your wedding. 

 


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Have engagement pictures coming up? That was one of my favorite outfits to plan! Knowing full well that these pictures would live on forever, I wanted to have one casual outfit and one dressed up. So if you’re thinking of doing the same thing, I think the dresses in this post would be perfect! Depending on your location there are tons of options below that would all be great to pick from. And I know they will result in great pictures that you will cherish forever. 

 

 


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Fashion

NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S DOILY

I’ve always been cautious around lace. And my wedding was no exception. 

 


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I have never been against lace, but I’ve always been selective about it. So when it came to shopping for dresses leading up to my wedding, I treaded lightly. Now days companies really know how to do it right! Making a lace dress look modern, yet classic and perfect for your occasion. That’s exactly what I found in this dress! The pattern of the lace, especially at the hem is stunning! And the sleeve detail? Stunning! 

I think that lace is something that women naturally gravitate to when shopping for their wedding outfits. Whether it be their actual dress or these pieces that are for all of the festivities leading up to the big day. But as weddings modernize, I think sometimes women are afraid it will look too “antique” or old fashioned. Which, I’m going to be honest, I agree with! Hence… the trepidation around this material. 

 


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That’s why I wrote this post! I want everyone to see some amazing lace choices that aren’t old-fashioned and can fit a modern, and even casual vibe for whatever event you are attending! Lace is the perfect way to stand out at an event as a bride, because you know that it will stand out from the crowd! The selections below do just that. I love every single one of them and wish I could have had 10 engagement parties just to wear all of them 🙂 

One of the best parts of this dress is the back. I mean, look at that detail! An open-back like this one is a great way to keep it feeling modern. Along with the high neck style, so many aspects of this dress keep it from feeling too old fashioned and keep it feeling classy and high-end. Even better? With the sleeves and length it is perfect for this time of year! Almost spring-like weather, but not-quite spring? You know that weather. 

 


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So whether you are a bride-to-be or want an adorable outfit for your fancy easter brunch? These dresses are all amazing choices! And can be worn at so many different types of events. Finding the right way to style them for where you’re going is key. And because all of these are white, you can have so much fun styling them! 

I love the idea of pairing these dresses with bright shoes! Maybe something floral, or a beautiful pastel to fit the season. Bright and big earrings are huge right now! And they would be a perfect way to top off these outfits. Other fun ideas?? Maybe even a fun jacket? You may be seeing a pretty rose-pink biker jacket with one of these dresses in the near future 🙂 Stay tuned. 

But in the meantime shop these beauties!! 

  


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Fashion

BRIDAL FASHION, CLASSY IN MAXI

 

A bride style shows in so many other places than down the aisle. 

There are so many events that go into planning a wedding that come WAY before the wedding! There are engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette events, rehearsal dinners! So many times to shine and show your bridal style. 

Personally, that was one of my favorite parts of the planning process, planning out my outfits for all of the festivities in the months prior to the wedding. Now, some people have tons of these! Tons of showers, tons of different engagement parties hosted by people all over! I only had a few, but still enjoyed the bridal fashion world while I could. 

 


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One thing that you want to make sure of, is that you are dressing appropriately for each different event. For example, a bridal shower that takes place around brunch time on a Sunday with your mom and her friends? Very different from an engagement party with your besties from college. These styles are awesome for those events where you want to feel a little classier, and maybe even a little dressed down? The maxi style is a great one to still give it an elevated feel, but also feels more casual than say, a shorter dress or a fancier jumpsuit. 

 

 


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I personally love long sleeve dresses. Especially around early spring. It’s still cold enough that you don’t want to wear anything spaghetti strap, and I know for me… my skin is way to pale to expose anyone to that! The long sleeves give an added level of comfort and class that go great for family-centered events. 

I wore the Jocelyn Dress by Show Me Your Mumu because… well, it’s just the best! It is so comfortable and so flattering with the elastic waist, and the length is perfection! Makes it feel a little fancier, so if you did want to wear heels, you could! Or, dress it down with an adorable pair of sandals. If we had an engagement party the summer we got engaged, I definitely would have made this my outfit-of-choice! 

 

 


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Another great thing about this dress? It’s the color!! It is the perfect shade of white without being too… WHITE! It has a creamy or frosting hint to it that makes the color so subtle and beautiful, well, you’ll be fighting off compliments faster than you down that first glass of champs 🙂 

 


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Fashion

NATIONAL WEDDING PLANNING DAY

Putting together one of the most special days of your life sure is a lot of work! 

My husband and I got married this past summer, and everything was exactly the way that we wanted it. Was it perfect? No. Was it what I had always dreamed of? No. 

To be honest, I was never that girl that dreamed of my wedding when I was younger. Even when I got older, graduated from college, started dating! Never really thought about it! Then, I met my (now) husband, and BOOM! I’ve got three categorized (and secret) pinterest boards 😀 So while our wedding wasn’t what I had dreamed up since I was a kid, it was everything that I could have hoped for! 

 

 


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After we got engaged in May of 2016, the planning started! I knew that once my husband’s basketball season started and we moved to Michigan, everything would be put on hold. I wanted everything to go according to plan, and on schedule… or as much as possible! But, ladies, my first and most important tip of this ENTIRE process is the hardest to do. 

BE REALISTIC!!

 

 


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I know, I know. The next few months are supposed to be jumping from cloud to cloud and fancy tastings. And it can be! But things are going to go wrong! Things are going to be delayed, maybe even cancelled, and your dream tables, lighting, or flowers, might not be available. But don’t let that discourage you. These days, there are so many ways to find your perfect vendors, so while you may be bummed because you can’t find exactly what you want. Keep looking! It’s out there, or something really close to it. 

This will also help an INSANE amount in enjoying the planning process. I have heard so many horror stories of people fighting more than ever during this phase, or looking forward to their wedding being over just so they won’t have to plan anymore. It makes sense! Everything that goes into this day can become overwhelming. But if you are pragmatic about what you can achieve, and that things might go wrong, then it will make the whole process more enjoyable. 

You are going to be married for the rest of your life. But you only get to plan one wedding (hopefully). Enjoy the process! 

 

 


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Now, this next part might give you nightmares. It certainly still haunts me. 

I knew we were going to get married on the east coast, and that meant that since we lived in Michigan, I wasn’t going to be as hands-on. So I thought that hiring a wedding planner would be the right way to go! Someone to keep me on schedule, help find vendors that I wasn’t going to be able to meet in-person. Sounds great, right? Oye

I would never discourage anyone from getting a wedding planner because for many people, it’s a must! I’m a planner… literally, I used to plan major events in my old job, so it wasn’t quite a “necessity”. But other people just don’t want to deal with it so they hire a planner. Totally get it! And agree in many ways. But after my experience, I will always err on the side of caution. 

Around March, four months prior to the big day, I have a call with my planner. I had in my notes to continue to ask for their copy of the budget since I hadn’t received it. I had asked several times in the previous months but was told that until they had estimates on the “big-ticket” items they wanted to wait to provide that info. Meaning, they were going to get estimates on rentals like: the tent, tables, chairs, flowers, the bar. Basically the most expensive things that go into wedding planning. Now, I had been keeping my own spreadsheet throughout the process, but since I had no idea what their plan was for those big items, I was leaning on them for that final number. 

On that call, I find out that my planner had been working off of the wrong budget. And when I say wrong…. I mean DOUBLE! Now, here I could go into questioning a LOT about this person’s business practice and ethics, like I have in my head for the past year… but I’ll refrain. At this point, we had booked the venue, photographer, and music which couldn’t be changed since we were only four months away we wouldn’t get our deposits back. But what blew me away were the numbers!! I mean… did each person get to take home their chair after the ceremony? Are the tables made of gold?? 

The answers were ‘no’. But here comes my next and super important piece of advice

 

 


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DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH

If a planner says they think you should use a certain vendor, or a certain kind of table, don’t just take their word for it and sign the dotted line. The night after we discovered the “error” I got online and found a vendor who had the EXACT kind of tables we wanted and had even done several weddings at our venue. And guess what?? Not even close to the price my planner was proposing. 

One of the most beautiful things about wedding-planning these days is that you have so many resources at your fingertips. Whether you are searching for vendors on The Knot or inspiration on Style Me Pretty you have all the information you need to make an informed decision. 

Are there certain things that you want to do on your own? Or don’t want to spend a ton of money on? Etsy was my life saver! I found some amazing vendors like Paper & Pine Co who did an amazing job finishing the details that are so important. Check the list at the end of the post for all the vendor details! 

But…

One of the best resources for information? Pinterest!! I kid you not, that is how I found our venue… a picture on Pinterest. Not only is it a great way to find ideas for the aesthetic of what you want, but it is a great resource for finding vendors! And since it is image-based, it’s a great way to see what kind of work they can do. Trust me! Pinterest boards will change your wedding planning!! For the better 🙂 

 

 


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This last bit of advice really hits home for me. My husband and I knew that we were going to get a ton of input from people. We knew that with it being pretty much a “destination” wedding for most people, that we would probably get a few comments here and there. And we did! But that did not change how we planned the day 

 

PLAN THE DAY FOR YOU TWO

And nobody else. Because while you should do certain things for your guests and those attending your wedding, this day is for you two. It is in honor of you two. And it is you two that will remember it for decades to come. 

 

 


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I knew that our venue was a bit of a drive, but I made sure that it was close to an airport and plenty of hotels or inns for people to choose from. But once we confirmed that it was, I knew that we loved the venue so much that nothing else mattered. It was an inn so our immediate family and bridal party were able to stay on site. And since the inn was divided by houses within a mile or so from each other, we rented golf carts. Which… I have to say, made some of the best memories from the weekend. 

Pretty sure that’s all my 5-year-old nephew is going to remember about the weekend. And I’m totally good with that!! 

At the end of the day; things will go wrong, things will go perfectly, things will be different from what you imagined, and you probably won’t remember any of that! You’ll remember the way you felt, the hours you laughed, the exhausted feeling at the end of the day from dancing for hours on end. Take it all in and nothing else will matter. 

But in the meantime… use these tips to keep yourself just a tad bit more sane 🙂 

 

 


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Venue Goodstone Inn | Tables by Something Vintage | Flowers by J.Morris Flowers | Tent and Tent Decor by Meghan Hansen | Rolls Royce by First Class Limos Service  | Gown by Karen Willis Holmes | Veil from B.Loved Bridal | Veil Comb by Nordstrom | Ring Bearer Suits by Saks Off Fifth | Signage by Paper & Pine Co.  | Photography by Jodi and Kurt Photography | Place Settings and day-of paper goods by Charlie Whiskey