Our Wedding: Preparation and Formals

The hours leading up to our wedding ceremony were some of the sweetest, most intimate, and memorable moments I've ever experienced with my best friends and family. And If I'm being honest with you, it's was no easy task trying to pick which photos I wanted to share. If I could though, I would post every single one of them but that would not be a wise decision since there are hundreds! However, I previously wrote about my wedding day morning and shared photos that were snapped on my phone that I'm glad were taken!

A handful of people have asked if I was nervous the hours leading up to the ceremony, what all I did the morning off and if I had any regrets with how I utilized my time. For starters, I don't recall being nervous one bit! If anything, I was excited to spend my morning with my favorite people in a gorgeous space, the Whiskey and White bridal suite. I also made sure I got a good night's sleep the night before, so I woke up energized and excited to see all the planning that had taken place months prior.

When I got to the bridal suite that morning, I made sure to have some quite time to get my thoughts together and to read my devotional before all the girls arrived. That was vital for me. I also spent as much quality time as I could talking with everyone who came to get ready with me. When I was getting my hair done, that's when I wrote out the prayer that I read to Will before our ceremony.

We are both pretty traditional, and one of the things Will really looked forward to was seeing each other for the first time at the ceremony. Instead, I did one with my dad. I'm the only child and daddy's little girl and thought it would be special and mean a lot to him. Will and I did however pray together behind a tree after I did my first look with my dad. Jesus was very present in those moments as we held hands and soaked in that time we had together. And as it turned out, the look on his face as I walked down the aisle was absolutely priceless and made me laugh so I'm glad we decided to wait.

Below are some of the beautiful formal photos that our photographer, Callie and her crew took. These are just a few of the ones that we plan on printing out and displaying throughout our home. And how dapper do all the guys look in their gray suits? I will say that all of my girls looked stunning and I loved the hairstyles they each choose to wear for the day; all unique and perfect! 

Future bride's, treating your girls to a "pampered session" on your big day is one of many ways you can thank them for all they have done for you, such as planning your bachelorette party if you had one.

Hope y'all enjoyed seeing some of our preparation and formal photos. Tomorrow I'll be sharing our ceremony with you so stay tuned!

What I've Been Up To

Hey y'all! I'm sorry I've allowed so much time to pass between us, but I'm back and ready to make up for lost time. Quick side-note though...can you believe it's September? The weather has slowly started to get cooler and Fall is right around the corner. Not that I'm complaining; I'm actually excited!

But back to catching you guys up on what's been going on in my life. For starters, Will's Mom made a HUGE life transition and moved across the world...to Hong Kong! For the majority of her life, she has been a teacher. But like me, my Mother-in-Law has a thirst for adventure and exploring new places and felt this was the perfect time to do just that. As of right now, she plans to live there for about a year or two and go from there. She'll be teaching and tutoring individuals on improving their English speaking skills which sounds really interesting. I'm sure she will have fun stories to share!

Will and I are really excited for her and have been able to FaceTime a number of times and think she's having a great time so far. We've also gone ahead and decided to take a trip to Hong Kong to celebrate our one year marriage anniversary next year! I've already started researching things for our trip and have been pinning HK related things to my Travel board on Pinterest!

Ever since I got married, I've been feeling that my blog design is just "okay" and doesn't reflect who I am as much as I would like it too. This is were Rachel of Oh Simple Thoughts comes into the picture and boy am I grateful for her. Rachel is one of my blogging friends and I've admired her and her blog for well over a year now. Lucky for me, she is helping redesign and re-brand something fun for Simply Sweet Melissa.

From the beginning I told Rachel I had a vision of Steel Magnolia meets Sex in the City. Whimsical elements with a touch of sass? Pastel hues and great color combos? Yes please! Above is the inspiration board the Rachel created and I'm loving it to say the least. If you are in the market for a new blog design, want a custom logo created, or anything related, I highly recommend you check out her portfolio, the process, and the design packages offered.

Just last weekend, Will and I went on a double-date road trip to Windy Hill Orchard in York, SC. Windy Hill is family owned and operated, open mid-August through Christmas and in my opinion, has the BEST apple cider donuts! I also saw folks eating fried apple pies and pretzels that looked pretty tasty too. Because this orchard is relatively small, I was nervous we would get bored but I was pleasantly surprised with how much fun we had playing corn hole and walking around the property. If you want to see if there are any farms or orchards close to where you live, check this website out. Who knows, picking your own fruits and vegetables or exploring nearby farms could be a fun yearly tradition you start with friends or loved ones.

And the one thing I've been anxious topost for awhile now are our wedding photos!!! Just yesterday, our wedding was featured on the blogs of Southern Weddings and Nancy Ray Photography so I just had to share! When I read back over our interview that we did for SW and look at our photos they used, it makes me feel as if i'm reliving our special day all over again. It's so sentimental to me and a day that I will forever cherish.

You can read our interview and view more photos by visiting Southern Weddings here and Nancy Ray Photography's blog here. And everyday next week, I will be sharing all the fun details that went into planning our day and focus on a particular area of our wedding each day of the week. Here is what you can expect!

Monday: Preparation and Formals

Tuesday: Our Ceremony
Wednesday: Our Reception
Thursday: The Details
Friday: Wedding Day Inspiration

Day Designer for Blue Sky Planners

You guyssss...I can't believe we are already halfway through with July! As a matter of fact, we are more then halfway done with 2015 and that's just crazy to me. So much has happened this year, especially in these last two months and the number of items on my to-do list that I've checked off and have left to accomplish feels a bit unreal.

Don't get me wrong, I love coming up with personal goals to reach and having things to keep me busy, but I thought that once the wedding was over I would have more free time, and in ways I do. I am an extremely organized person, which is a blessing in my eyes, but sometimes I get frustrated with myself because I want everything to be perfect and I feel as if i'm not getting as much done as I should be at the end of each day. I've reached a point were I just want a fresh start...

Day Designer for Blue Sky Planners C/O

What perfect timing! Over the weekend, these beauties greeted me at the front door and I couldn't have been more excited. Like I said, I'm an organized (very type A) person and a geek when it comes to planners. Like seriously, I don't feel having one planner is enough. 

I've always admired Whitney English and her Day Designer planners, and had heard that she was doing a collaboration with Blue Sky, a planner company known for its fun designs, functional calendars and it's overall simplicity. I had never owned anything from Blue Sky so I was ready to check out The Day Designer for Blue Sky and see what I thought.

First things first. I love the crisp pops of colors used, and the gold touches on each planner. The look is vibrant but not overwhelming; preppy and very fun. Day Designer for Blue Sky is available in solid colors as well as some of my favorite designs including stripes, floral prints, and geometric patterns.

image via

Small Peyton Floral Wall Calendar

Another thing I really like is the fact that they come in different sizes. Want one that can fit in your handbag? They've got it. How about one that is large enough to use for both work and your personal life? They've got that too. Not only that, but they are designed to be used from July 2015 to June 2016...just the right amount of time for individuals like me who can't seem to go a full year without wanting something new.

But the thing I like most about these planners is that they are well priced; ranging from $5.99 to $19.99! For a limited time only, The Day Designer for Blue Sky planners are available at Target stores nationwide and just launched yesterday. If you don't have a Target near you, or if they happen to be sold out by the time you go to pick one up, head over to Blue Sky's website and purchase one there.

What kind of planners and brands do you enjoy most? Is there a particular layout/style (weekly, daily, hourly) that seems most helpful to use? Or what kind of things do you like included in your planner? For me, I like having a notes section but I'd love to hear your thoughts and personal favorites too!

Backyard Bonfire

There's something about backyard bonfires that brings a smile to my face. Actually, bonfires anywhere speak sweet words to my soul. I just love them! The smell. The sound of wood crackling. Making s'mores and nestling close to those dear to you. All of these things are simply wonderful. I've already been thinking about the day that Will and I buy a house and can make a bonfire of our own in our backyard and have all of our friends over on a regular occasion to enjoy it with us. I love entertaining and haven't always had the right amount of space to be able to do so, but when Paperless Post reached out to me about creating a summertime entertaining inspiration post, I knew the task would be right up my alley since I've already been dreaming up the perfect backyard bonfire. Here's what I would say you need to create just that:

1. First you'll need to round up some chairs. They can be chairs of any kind but preferably the kind that has a back to them so your able to sit and relax without your back starting to ache. If you don't have the money to invest or space to store a bunch of chairs, you can ask your guest to bring their own but it's really not too expensive to snag a couple of these plastic chairs or these camping chairs. You are able to fold both types, and while your at it, pick up some fluffy pillows. You can't go wrong with extra layers of comfort.

2. After you've secured a handful of seats, I would invest in outdoor lighting. Cafe lighting or market lights please! That will always be my first choice. They give off just the right amount of light, set the mood and remind me of Paris (even though I've never been). If those aren't your style, there are a number of other options to choose from, along with in-ground lighting if it's really hard to see the ground when it gets dark outside.

3. We can't forget about blankets to snuggle up with! Temperatures always seem to drop as soon as the sun goes down, so it's a good idea to have blankets in tow that will help you to stay warm and cozy throughout the whole night.

4. When have you every gone to a gathering of any sort where there's no food? I hope you haven't been to many and you sure wouldn't come to a gathering of ours without a few dishes and snacks for you to munch on! At any bonfire in my opinion, there should always be s'mores and other "campfire food"like mini bowls of soup, chili, trail mix and candy bars to satisfy your taste buds as you enjoy the night socializing. It's also wise to have a few refreshments to go along with the food. These could be anything from hot chocolate, to apple cider, sweet tea, flavored water or of course beer and bottles of wine too.

5. Depending on the time of year, the sun may set earlier in the evening or later in the day so it's nice to have a few lawn games to help pass the time before it gets dark. Some of my favorite games are ring toss and cornhole. And an old favorite nighttime game of mine is flashlight tag!

6. You might think that is pretty much all that you would need to enjoy a backyard bonfire but I've learned from experience that it's not. Something handy to have is bug spray or Citronella Filled Candles to keep the pesky bugs away. There's nothing worse then waking up the next morning covered in mosquito bites.

7. And lastly, instead of just making phone calls to spread the word about your backyard bonfire, why not go the extra mile to make the gathering even more special by sending out invitations? Paperless Post has both paper and online options and not all of them cost money! I used Paperless Post to send out my Bachelorette Beach Getaway invitations and they cost me all of ZERO dollars. A few other free options that I think are adorable include this, this, this, and this one.

Photo Sources: Circle of Chairs via 100 Layer Cake-let // Campfire by Nathan Abplanalp Photography via Style Me Pretty // Vintage setting by Brook Schwab Photographer via 100 Layer Cake // S'mores via Domestic Fashionista // Ring Toss via Two Shades of Pink Blog

This post is sponsored by Paperless Post.
No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

Island Adventures

Y'all, brace yourselves! Today's post is a lengthy one. Part of the reason is because I wanted to include every.single.photo that Will and I took while in St. Lucia. The other half has to do with the fact that I can't help but rave about all there is to do.

If your seriously looking to travel somewhere for your next getaway and are up for suggestions, then I highly recommend considering St. Lucia. You can even check out the two previous blog posts I did. One on the resort we stayed at; Cap Maison, and another re-capping Part 1 of our honeymoon.

Today, I'm sharing all there is to do (both on land and sea) while visiting this beautiful island! Something to note however...there is SO much to do in St. Lucia and there is a number of excursions and activities to choose from, but you can't go wrong with whatever you decide to go with.

1. Explore your resort's property. Take full advantage of all that is offered. Order room service. And go to any events or social hours that your resort or hotel has planned.

If you want my opinion, you would take my advice and explore the property and it's surroundings as soon as your arrive. That's exactly what Will and I did when we were dropped off at our resort and it was one of the best decisions we made. Cap Maison is fairly small but some resorts and hotels can be extremely overwhelming. After Will and I checked in and put our bags in our room, we ventured back out and explored the resort and got familiar with where everything was. It was helpful because it made me feel safer better knowing that I wouldn't have to worry about getting lost if I was by myself.

And take advantage of services and activities that are offered at the resort or hotel you are staying at. Even if you are one who never spends much time on the property, try to make time for even just a few things that are offered such as ordering room service for breakfast, catching some sun by the pool, eating a meal at one of the on-property restaurants (if there is one) or settle down and read a book and watch the sunset on the beach at the end of the day. 

If your resort has any of these amenities, services or activities and if they are complimentary, then why not get what you paid for and utilize them! Will and I got an all-inclusive package when we stayed at Cap Maison so we were able to dine at the two restaurants on the property DAILY, and spent a few days afternoons snorkeling, kayaking and learning to paddle board.

2. Check out the island and take part in a land or sea excursion.

Will and I aren't individuals that are satisfied with laying on the beach all day. Don't get me wrong, we love relaxing and having nothing to do, but we get bored easily just laying around for hours at a time. Will and I knew we wanted to spend a day seeing the rest of the island, and cruising along the Caribbean ocean sounded like fun so that's were the Sunlink Catamaran Cruise came into the picture.

Imagine spending a whole day, half on land and half on sea, learning all about a new place, trying new things and making new friends. Sounds great right? That's exactly what we did on our Catamaran Cruise! We departed bright and early one morning and headed by bus to Rodney Bay from Gros Islet where Cap Maison is located. From Rodney Bay, we hopped on the Catamaran and found a nice spot near the front of the boat and prepared for our journey to Soufriere (on the west coast side of the island) with rum punch in hand. Besides the beautiful views from the boat, one of the highlights was being able to see The Pitons up close and personal. The Pitons are two large volcanic plugs and one of St. Lucia's most well-known attractions. They are also the islands most photographic landmark and it's easy to see why...they are HUGE.

When we arrived at the dock in Soufriere our land excursion began. I'll share more about that in a bit. After a few hours passed by, our land excursion ended and we headed back to the catamaran, but not before we stopped to play some soccer with a group of school kids! We saw them playing and we spontaneously joined them and I have to say that it was one of the best parts of our day for sure. When we finally got back on board, we set sail, and made our way to a nearby beach to go swimming and snorkel before making our way to Marigot Bay for a quick pass through and heading back "home".

3. Visit the Diamond Botanical Gardens, Mineral Baths and Waterfalls in Soufriere.

On our land excursion, we were able to visit the Diamond Botanical Gardens which is part of the Soufriere Estate. Our guide was amazing, very informative and the flowers were so beautiful. It was a very peaceful tour to say the least. Near the gardens there are mineral baths and hot springs that are fed from the Soufriere Volcano, which is said to be the only drive-in volcano in the world and is locally known as the Sulpher Springs. At the springs, we were able to stand underneath a waterfall and take a mud bath which was something I wasn't sure I would do because I hate getting dirty and the sulpher smells like rotten eggs. I'm glad I did it though because my skin felt so smooth afterwards and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I'll have memories about for years to come!

4. Visit Pigeon Island National Park and go for a hike.

Pigeon Island is a historic site that consists of a number of forts and in the 18th century, the British built a fort that they named Fort Rodney (hence the name of the nearby Rodney Bay area) that was used to spy on French ships that were coming in from Martinique. There are also two small beaches, a restaurant, and picnic areas scattered across the grounds. While exploring the island, you can see ruins of military buildings that were used during the battles between the French and British along with catching some breathtaking views of the Northwest coastline. It was so much fun getting a bit of a history lesson while visiting this national landmark with Will and also turned out to be a good workout climbing to the top of the forts!

5. Go shopping at Castries Market and Point Seraphine.

Heaps of fresh produce, hand-crafted souvenirs, and bright colored fabrics are some of the most popular items you can get at Castries Market. We've heard that the market is most lively on Saturday mornings when locals bring their produce and spices into town. Pointe Seraphine on the other hand is a duty-free shopping complex on the north side of Castries Harbour and has more than 20 shops in the complex. I wasn't aware of what duty-free meant before coming to St. Lucia but for those who don't know, it means they do not apply local or national taxes on purchases you make. It's also a popular place and conveniently located near the cruise ship ports, so many travelers can easily fit in a few hours of shopping when visiting St. Lucia! Point Seraphine is where we got most of our souvenirs but Castries Market is a must just for the experience itself...especially if you want to engage in a conversation with some locals!