We’re married! And headed to the beach now…
I’m doing something that I’ve never done before on Luella & June: taking a break. One full week of no posts on this blog. I think the blog deserves a little vacay, and I figured if there was any week to do it then this was it. Be back in one week (with plenty of wedding recap, too!).
(Image via Vogue)
You know, one of the best things about a wedding is that it’s not just a day. No. You get the whole weekend. With a bridesmaids luncheon this afternoon, and then the wedding rehearsal followed by what is sure to be a wonderful dinner, the festivities really start today. Right now, in fact. The celebration will continue all the way through tomorrow night (and for the rest of our lives after that). I couldn’t be happier. With the exception of the occasional butterflies in my stomach, I feel oddly calm and relaxed (are all of the nerves going to hit me like a ton of bricks tomorrow?!). More than anything, I just feel ready: ready for the wedding, (very) ready for the honeymoon, and ready for the next chapter of our lives.
I’ll be at the beach next week, so you won’t be hearing much from me. The blog will be taking a mini-honeymoon of its own.
Happiest weekend to you all.
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Sometimes when I do these “you need to know about” posts, I picture you all sitting there reading it and saying, “Um. I’ve known about this for 10 months now.” I’m not sure if that’s the case with this one, but I’m posting it anyway. Honestly YUM. (It’s the brainchild of the team behind Honestly WTF – which means you know it’s good.) The site is dedicated to all things food-related – cocktails, entertaining tips, recipes, party DIYs (everyone should have access to step-by-step piñata-making directions). Apparently it’s been around since March (where was I?!), but I just now discovered it while perusing recipes on Pinterest. They’ve some seriously delish things on there. For instance, that ricotta crostini up there. Um, yum. And this margarita? Sounds pretty perfect to me. (This site might help with that “kitchen confidence” thing I mentioned a few weeks ago.) I love how they incorporate simple party DIYs and inspiration in there, too. You basically leave the site wanting to throw a party. Like right now.
All photos via Honestly Yum
This marks the beginning of a very exciting week for me. There’s so much to look forward to – so many big changes! Today is my 26th birthday. While I’m thrilled at the idea of what’s to come this year, it feels a little bittersweet saying goodbye to 25. It was a good year. I started my dream job at FD, Luella & June turned into a “real” part-time job for me, I took some amazing trips (New York Fashion Week, Paris…), and, best of all, I got engaged. 25 was good to me. Sometimes you just want to press pause (a Zack Morris time-out?) and soak it all in, you know?
Instead, I’m going to celebrate. For the entire week. It starts tonight with a birthday dinner with friends and family at my favorite Italian restaurant. Tomorrow, my fiancé and I are going to spend a fun, low-key day together. We’re headed to Klyde Warren Park, going to Parigi (my other favorite restaurant) for lunch, and just enjoying the day without wedding details to discuss. I’ve also got a spa day planned with my mom and sister on Mother’s Day. Sounds pretty perfect, doesn’t it? I can’t think of a better way to kick off 26 and the beginning of my wedding week. Eight days to go. Happy Weekend!
For your weekend perusal:
(Image via Musings in Femininity)
Hello, Friday. I’m so glad you’re here. I’m sure you all share my feelings there. This week was spent playing catch-up after being gone on my bachelorette trip last weekend. And it looks like this weekend will be spent the same way – working (have you seen the newest issue of FD? It’s one of my favorites yet.), blogging, and finishing up last minute details for the wedding. On Sunday, I’m headed to NYC for my final wedding dress fitting. Eek! I can’t believe it’s the final one. I am so excited to see the dress and slip it on one last time before the big day. Two weeks to go… Happy Weekend!
For your weekend perusal:
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Over the last few months, I’ve gotten lots and lots of emails asking me various wedding questions (“Is it a good idea to change into a second dress at the wedding?” “Any recommendations for wedding shoes?”). The most common questions so far though deal with the bridesmaids. There have been questions about bridesmaids dresses (I’m no expert there but I hope some of my recommendations have helped!), bridesmaids hair ideas, and – the most common – bridesmaids gifts. I can’t tell you what I’m gifting my bridesmaids for the wedding since some of those ladies read this little blog and, well, that would ruin the surprise! Instead, I thought I would share the favors we gave to the girls on our trip last weekend.
My little sister put together the cutest bags for everyone. She ordered these super simple (and super inexpensive) canvas tote bags, and then took them to a monogramming place here in Dallas (Madison is our favorite!) and had each bag monogrammed with the girl’s initials – in neon thread, of course! The bag is the perfect size, and the monogram gives it that personal touch. It’s such an easy idea and works for lots of different of gifting occasions. There were all sorts of fun things inside the bag – heart-shaped sunnies, a bright pink Essie nail polish…but my personal favorite? The Marigot pajamas! You all know that I am a huge fan of Marigot. Their PJs are so comfy, and I love all of the print options they have. I chose four different prints for this: octopus, pineapples, sun and moon, and crab. There were lots of fun colors happening, and they all had a beachy flair to them. If you’re still looking for a Mother’s Day gift, a pair of Marigot PJs might be just the thing.
All photos taken by Luella & June®
What. A. Weekend. To say that I had a good time on my bachelorette trip would be a total understatement. The trip was beyond wonderful. Spending four days at the beach with all of your friends… what could be better than that? It was the easiest trip to pack for. I lived in these sandals and a pink version of this caftan dress. We spent our days lounging by the pool – while snacking on guac and chips and sipping margs, of course – and our nights chatting over cocktails and delicious dinners. Saturday night was especially fun. It was a Mexican fiesta (the multi-colored Matta dress that I picked up at Cabana last week was just right for the occasion) that involved not one, but two piñatas (see the bride and groom below) and one of the best mariachi bands I’ve ever heard.
My little sister, being the wonderful Maid of Honor that she is, went out of her way to make this mini-vacay extra special. All of those fun details that really do make it all the more festive. There were custom cups with bright orange lettering that were the perfect size for the many (many) margaritas that were had. And how about these adorable swizzle sticks that were monogrammed with my new initials? (There were also some fantastic favors that she made for the bridesmaids. More to come on that tomorrow!) She and my friend Gretchen even customized pink and orange M&Ms (my favorite candy) for the weekend.
It was a much-needed respite from all the going-ons around here. I didn’t exactly return with a tan (I lathered up with this sunscreen and donned this hat the entire time), but I’ve definitely come back feeling more relaxed and ready for the final three week (!) countdown to the wedding.
All photos were taken by Luella & June®
While flipping through the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Weddings (my wedding plans are complete, but I still can’t resist a good wedding mag), I came across this amazingly colorful heraldry design. A bride had customized it with her initials to use on her invitations and wedding favors, amongst other things. (How cool is that for a wedding? It feels fun and whimsical, yet still so classic.) You know I can’t resist a bright color combo, and this one was right up my alley. I immediately did some research and found the artist to be Happy Menocal. Apparently, I’m the last one to know about her because after a quick Google search of her name, I found her to be everywhere. Jonathan Adler sells her illustrations online, and remember the palm tree illustration on my favorite pink Stubbs & Wooten slippers? Yep. She designed that, too! (I’ve been a fan of Happy’s illustrations and I didn’t even know it!) The artist has some brilliant illustrations on her site. She’s got illustrations of people, animals, (the pet portraits are so good), places, you name it. My favorite is definitely her custom heraldry though. It’s such a unique take on the classic crest that we see so often. Take a look through her portfolio. I think you’ll like what you see.
This past Wednesday evening I had the pleasure of attend the Figue trunk show party at Cabana. If I made a list for you of my top favorite boutiques in Dallas, Cabana would definitely be near the top. Owned by Merry Vose, the shop offers the best of the best when it comes to easy-breezy, effortless looks. With beachy textiles and seashell accents, the store resembles one that you might find in St. Barths or Harbour Island. It’s always full of color – the front door is lavender! – and is my go-to for everything from casual basics (they have the best selection of K. Jacques sandals in town) to those dressier somethings for a night out. They carry unique lines that you don’t see everywhere – Antik Batik, Ulla Johnson, Laurence Doligé, and, now, Figue! After hearing such great things about the line, I was looking forward to seeing the Figue collection. Let me tell you: it does not disappoint. It’s full of colorful tunics, embroidered kaftans, and some very sparkly jewels (just look at that statement necklace!). What I love about the line is that each piece feels so unique. The tunics and kaftans are all embellished with a special something – bright sequins or delicate beading. They’re easy enough to wear over your swimsuit, but definitely special enough to wear out to a cocktail party or dinner. I love clothes that can multitask, don’t you? If you’re in the Big D, head over to Cabana to check it out for yourself.
(P.S. Did I mention there was an ice cream sandwich food truck? Yep. It’s called Cool Haus. Best. Thing. Ever. You can bet I’ll be tracking this truck down on a weekly basis.)
All photos taken by Luella & June
I have a confession: I eat take-out nearly every single night. The only night I don’t is when I decide to actually sit down at the restaurant and eat there instead. The only redeeming quality here is that I do make an effort to ensure that it’s healthy take-out (four nights of the week are healthy, and the other three I get to do what I want). Nonetheless, it’s a bad habit – not to mention, an expensive one. I just don’t cook. (Baking? That’s a different story. Count me in!) I used to think it was because I just wasn’t any good at it, but lately I’ve actually been trying out a few recipes and the result hasn’t been half bad. (Don’t get me wrong. I’m still not that good at it.) I realize now that my lack of desire to spend time in the kitchen is really more about my confidence level. I have no clue how to do those seemingly basic things (how exactly do you know when the chicken is done?) which has always made me want to steer clear of the kitchen rather than just giving it a go. Not anymore. I’m making a solid effort to learn the basics so I can manage a few tasty recipes every now and then.
The good news is that there are plenty of excellent resources out there for beginners like me. My most recent favorite is Food52. The site has a variety of different categories – Menu Ideas (perfect for when you need a little inspiration), Down & Dirty (you’ll learn everything you need to about fruits and veggies), and, my favorite, Kitchen Confidence. The KC category offers tips on things like how to make the perfect fried egg (yum!), which potatoes are good for what, and how to make the perfect grocery list. All those basic things that I never knew before.
Any other tips and tricks I should know? If you have any good resources, let me know!
(Image via Food52)
