Wedding Wednesday: Best Day Ever

Hi guys! I wanted to kick off the return of Wedding Wednesday with a look into our special day and the week leading up to. I will share more details in future posts about what I used, wore, etc. I will also share DIY info and things I would have done differently. 

The week leading up to the wedding was a struggle for us. Luke's grandfather passed away the Friday before we left to go to Delaware and we were so in shock that I don't think it really hit us that he was really gone until we got back home from our honeymoon. He was such a sweet man and really was still sharp as a tack so losing him was completely unexpected even though he was in his late 80's. He truly was a loved man and we will miss him so much.

The days leading up to the wedding were such a whirlwind I really don't remember much other than running from one appt to another and making many many trips to Michaels. 

I can't believe it has been three weeks since the wedding! To say it was anything short of a fairytale would be a lie... I couldn't have imagined a better day. Yes, some things went wrong throughout the day, but the things that really mattered and I will remember the rest of my life went off without a hitch. 

I could not be more pleased with our photographer. He did more than his fair share that day... from helping me get into my dress, keeping people in line when needed, and even helping when we hit some bumps in the road throughout the day. I am so appreciative for him.

My Nana was my matron of honor and Luke's father served as best man. We had such an intimate ceremony and our pastor could not have been more fantastic. I have never heard a ceremony so personal before and he definitely made the wedding as great as it was.

My best friend and Aunt worked so hard to help me the day of the wedding. They were angels and definitely filled in as the perfect wedding planners... (my biggest regret is not hiring one!)

I can't wait to share more of this with you guys, but wanted to share this snippet from the best day of my life. I will be back next Wednesday to share my bridal look and Luke's attire from the wedding. See you then and thanks for stopping by!

Wedding Wednesday: Wedding Reception (take 2)

Welcome back to Wedding Wednesday! As I've stated before, my wedding planning situation hasn't been that of a "normal" bride. (whatever that is, right?) For that reason I've decided to share some details on yet another thing that sets us apart from the typical soon-to-be couples out there planning weddings right now... 

Luke and I are both from Tennessee. His family is also from Tennessee... for that reason we tend to spend most holidays with that side of the family. Just like every other gal out there though... I love my grandparents. They have always been my steadfast and what has always been there to keep me grounded. So having the wedding anywhere, but close to them would make absolutely no sense to me. 

My Nana and Pop are from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but in the last few years made the move to Dover, DE for their permanent retirement spot. That is where we will be hosting our wedding and I am so excited I can barely contain myself. I know that may seem crazy, but my Nana and Pop are my home... I feel so much more at home in that area than I do in Tennessee... always have.

We do have an amazing support system here in Tennessee though, and asking them all to travel the crazy long distance to the wedding would be selfish. So we have decided to hold a welcome reception a few weeks after the wedding to allow a celebration with our loved ones here who cannot make it to the actual wedding.

Here comes the fun part: pictures! Our wedding is extremely nautical inspired, but that's not really going to work with what we are doing for the reception. We decided to have a backyard BBQ theme and needed something to coordinate for our invitations for the event.

My best friend Lori was kind enough to lend her services and snap these photos... she is kind of amazing despite not being a "professional"... you'd never know it by looking at the photos though! Rockstar I tell ya!

These photos also have some sentimental meaning. The truck we used is actually Luke's Dad's. It's a 1952 Chevrolet. He bought it went Luke was little and it wouldn't even run... he restored everything including the mechanics and here it is today a couple decades later. Fun fact: Luke can't drive it until he is 35... papa G is a little bit of a control freak with the Chev. 

We are still planning for this event and it will be even more DIY heavy than the actual wedding. I plan to continue these posts with decor details and how-to's leading up to the event. Stay Tuned!

Thanks for stopping by!

XO-L

Look details:

Lacey: 

Dress: Cynthia Rowley via TJ Maxx (amazing find!)
Watch: Michael Kors
Bracelet: J Crew Factory

Luke: 
Button Down: Polo Ralph Lauren
Denim: 7FAM 

Wedding Wednesday: Skin Prep Part 1.

Hi there and welcome back to Wedding Wednesday! Today I wanted to share how I've been prepping my skin for the wedding. For starters... I feel like we need to backtrack a little to about a year ago when I made the first step in getting my skin to a good place. I have struggled with skin issues (oily skin, break outs, scarring, etc.) for years and finally just hit my breaking point after taking antibiotics and using harsh creams to try and fight it for years... Mind you my skin situation was never severe... it was just something that bothered me about myself. Your skin is the root of your appearance (makeup can only do so much) and having it in tip top shape is very important to me. When I finally hit that point where I had tried everything possible... I decided to take the plunge and begin taking an Accutane regimen. 

This was an 8 month journey for me... and while it created amazing results was not the easiest thing I have ever done. 

• Reason 1.: I have always been a tanner... and while using the medication could not be in the sun at all. Five minutes and I was red as a beet. That was super hard for me. 
• Reason 2.: I have always had super oily skin, but when I was taking this I felt like a piece of clay. My lips were so dry they began to bleed from all the cracking and peeling. I also found myself incredibly thirsty all the time. There wasn't enough water in the ocean ya'll. The struggle was real.
• Reason 3.: I already struggle with getting down and sad... and taking this medicine contributed significantly to me feeling really sad. I would cry for no reason and really had to push myself to continue engaging in activities I enjoyed normally.

Another point I want to make clear: Accutane changed my life because it changed my skin, but it did not make my skin perfect! After the medication was completely out of my system I began to have small breakouts here and there. At first this made me want to cry because I had gone through so much while taking accutane and felt like it was all a waste, but it wasn't. I do have breakouts, but the way that my skin heals is completely different than before. I no longer suffer from cystic acne places, just the general breakouts that all gals out there suffer from. That's the difference.

Since completing my treatment with Accutane, I have started a new skin care regimen that I've had to tweak until I really found what works for me. 

I really don't think I could survive without my Clarisonic. I went with the Mia2 since it helps better determine how long you need to spend cleaning each area of your face (it beeps when it's time to move on to a new place). I love that it is pink and especially love that I can use it in the shower. I often shower twice per day so having this little gem in there just helps to hold me accountable to really get my skin clean. I've never had smoother skin and because of that my makeup stays put so much longer. Clean, well-exfoliated skin is the key to lasting foundation ladies!

For cleansers, I've really tried just about everything. Since completing the Accutane... I really don't think my skin needs anything super fancy to do the trick. Pairing a good overall cleanser with the Clarisonic has been perfect and I don't feel the need to spend tons of money on facial cleansers anymore. This face wash from Bliss has been my go to the last couple months. I love that it is gentle, but doesn't have a weird putty smell to it. I love that it really just washes right off and doesn't leave a tacky residue that many often do. 

Following up with a witch hazel toner has been life changing. I'm not going to lie to you and say it doesn't have a harsh smell... because it does. I can justify that because it deep cleans my pores but doesn't sting like most others I've tried. I can really tell a difference in my skin tone since I started using this and it is super cheap. Less than $4 for the huge bottle! Can't beat that!

If there is one thing I could change about the last ten years of my life in terms of skin care: sunscreen! I could kick myself for using tanning beds and not treating my skin well in the sun. I have so much hyper-pigmentation and I know is largely due to my sun exposure. (Listen to Mom ladies, she is so so right!) I use this sunscreen everyday! I never leave without it on. I can't undue the damage I've already done, but I don't want to let it get any more out of control. No more sunspots for this lady!

Secondly, eye cream. I don't care if you are 16... get a good eye cream. We pull so much on our eye area through makeup application and really need to keep them well treated. Start early and reap the benefits later. This bliss eye cream is awesome. I feel like it really wakes my eyes up in the morning and isn't too tacky. I can use my concealer afterward and rest easy that it will stay put.

This mask is a major staple for me. I've been using Mario Badescu products for years and can't speak enough to their quality. I highly recommend this spot treatment as well if you are in the market (perfection!). The mask helps with the hyper-pigmentation I mentioned before. It is also moisturizing and helps to balance out my skin. The smell isn't half bad either. 

Not pictured is my prescription Retin-A cream. Out of every product I use... it is the one I could not survive without. My cell turnover is greatly related to this cream and It also helps to prevent wrinkles and fade marks. Like I stated, this is prescription which is why I didn't  picture... but if you are struggling with a similar skin situation I highly recommend discussing this with your dermatologist.

My journey to better skin has been a long one and doing it when I did has made me a much happier person. I don't want to be dealing with skin issues during the wedding planning process. 

Please let me know if you have any questions about my experience with the medication! I'd love to share with you guys. I have had several friends reach out to me after I started the medicine because my skin had really started to take on new form. I would hope for everyone to take the right steps toward better skin, whatever that looks like for you. Love the skin you're in.

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to follow along via the links below and on Bloglovin!

Xo-L

Wedding Wednesday: Week 2: Alternative Gifts for the Bride to Be

Sunnies & Tank: c/o Flaunt Boutique

Hi there and Welcome back to Wedding Wednesday! Today I am so excited to share exciting alternative gift ideas for the bride-to-be. As I stated last week, I am not your average bride... and I know there are some ladies like me out there. There are several ritualistic events that take place for most brides before the big day... and one of those just is not me. That event would be a lingerie shower. 

Yes, I know... when else are you going to get fancy lingerie in your life? Truthfully though, I would be awkwardly uncomfortable opening lingerie in front of anyone... I'm just weird like that. If you are going sans lingerie shower though, what are your friends to do for your bachelorette party? My answer: Monogram it! Find me a lady out there that doesn't love a monogram... especially when hers is about to change. For me, that's been the most exciting thing.

How perfect are this tank these sunnies? Especially for a bachelorette party! I can see myself wearing this in the afternoon before getting ready to hit the town as a bathing suit cover up. I'm obsessed with the glitter background for the monogram and think it's a unique piece that would make the perfect shower gift. 

Don't get me wrong, if you want a lingerie shower.... do it! I just want other brides like me to know that you don't just have to opt in because it's what everyone else is doing. Be yourself. Remember that your wedding is meant to be unique to you and your personality, don't just cave to every suggestion in hopes of being a crowd pleaser. 

Flaunt Boutique is the perfect place to find your monogram items and so much more. Currently, live Facebook auctions Sundays at 7pm are the way to grab their perfect pieces. Orders always include free shipping. Make sure to check them out! {The jewelry pieces are also to die for!}

Thanks for stopping by Wedding Wednesday! See you next week!

XO-L

Wedding Wednesday: Week 1: Planning Essentials

Hi there! Welcome to Wedding Wednesday. From the moment this blog was started, I've talked about our wedding and the process we are currently undergoing. I also promised to share my experiences and add in some how-to/ what I've learned type posts. So here we are! Enjoy!

I wanted to start the series off with what is really the most dry portion of the process: Planning to plan! Before decisions are made, there needs to be a clear plan of action that you can follow through the process to ensure that little details don't get lost in the mix. The biggest thing I've realized thus far is that the things you think will be no big deal are actually much more time-consuming than you realize. This is even more true when planning a "destination wedding" or in our case... a wedding closer to family.

For a little back-story... Luke and I live in Tennessee, but the majority of my family lives in the tri-state area (Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania). With us always being so close to Luke's family, we tend to spend much more time with them during holidays and other important events. So, for the wedding... I was very set on having the wedding closer to my family. I was born and raised in Tennessee, but my grandparents are my home... wherever they are. That place just happens to be Delaware. We will be getting married in Dover which is very convenient for most of the family in terms of travel. 

The one hang up I've encountered through the planning process is the fact that most of my vendors have been found via the internet. My grandparents spend the winter in Florida (JEALOUS of them always!) and are not able to visit vendors in my place. So, from a bakery for the cake to music for the reception... thank God for the internet. 

My Nana has been my saving grace because she did a little research before they left for the winter to give me a head start in the searching process, but there is only so much you can tell from a photo on the web. For most things, I won't have a first viewing... simply the night before to get it right!

Here enters a severely heightened stress level...

Step 1: Find or make a list to follow through the planning process. The list below has been such a lifesaver. I found it via pinterest, but it is from a wedding website called marrythis.com. The website also has other free printable items that would be helpful for any bride!

Step 2: Grab yourself a May Designs planner. Below is the design I chose for mine. The great thing: you can order a planner specifically made for brides! There is no better way to plan a wedding than having something with you at all times in your purse for when you have those flash thoughts of something you need to add to your to-do list. There are also a million different style options to choose from that will fit any bride's style. 

Step 3: The most important of all! {Decide what is most important to you}. Every wedding is different. We are having a small ceremony and reception since our wedding is taking place over 10 hours away and then having a welcome reception for our family and friends in Tennessee. There are several other details that make me more of a non-traditional bride that I will share throughout this series. If you do one thing through your planning process: prioritize. Also, do it for yourself! This is your day girl! Do what you want! 

                        

Please comment below and share what you would like me to share through this series. I'm so excited to share the details of our wedding with you!

Thanks for stopping by!

XO- L