Pink & Gold Holiday Dining Room

It's been so fun decorating our first home for Christmas this year! We've grown to a full four Christmas trees: one in the living room, one on the front porch, one in the guest room, and one in the dining room. Last year, the dining room tree was the gold spray painted one featuring our wedding ornaments. This year, we have two new nine foot trees for the living and dining rooms, so I really decided to change things up.

I've put all of the unique ornaments on our main tree in the living room with a red tartan ribbon in an effort to tie in the McAfee family tartan, and decided to do just pink and gold ornaments in the dining room to coordinate with our funky multi-colored rug. The pink and gold ornaments are a mix of my great grandmother's hot pink Shiny Brights, newer gold Shiny Brights, and pink and gold shatter proof ornaments {thanks, animals}. 

Our centerpiece was an awesome Black Friday find from Kirklands! I thought the gold accented burlap ribbon would tie in nicely with the small bit of burlap on our main tree, and the pair of antlers from CJM's first deer of the season at the top of our main tree...pictures coming next!

After Party Sale Roundup

With so many tips and tricks posts floating around the interwebs about the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale that started this morning, I thought I'd skip a blog post on that one and just shared my one piece advice with everyone: don't get your hopes too high. Although I've gotten some good things before, too often I've sat "in line" for hours and there have been little to nothing I would have wanted, or nothing in my size.

Luckily, this year was not the case. I was in line for just over three hours but walked away with some transitional pieces that I can wear into winter, and I'll probably be heading back for more as surprise pieces are released throughout the three days of the sale {so I'm guessing.}. Each item was around $40, which especially for dresses and silk tops is such a steal!

There are lots of everything, but I was really pleased at the amount of fall and winter items that were available. It's not just leftover summer. Plenty of cardis, cashmere, and more. Here's what I've snagged so far{I especially love the cardi in "Gilver" aka gold + silver!}:

The cardigan will go nicely over the silk tank with slacks for work, and I love a Lilly dress with riding boots and a vest when the weather cools off. I'd love a few more tops to wear layered, so if anything new pops up, let me know.

Speaking of fall, it's beautiful weather today in middle Georgia: crisp first thing this morning, and warm and windy this afternoon; loving it! And also praying for those across the country with devastating weather throughout the week.

Emily Ley's Simplified Planner Review

New job means it's time for a new planner, right? With a totally new and ever-changing schedule, I was struggling with scheduling which is something I hadn't experienced before! Last fall, I picked up a great $7 planner from TJ Maxx that was great for the price, but wasn't cutting it any longer. I'm a former die-hard Lilly planner kind of girl, but was ready to branch out to something new. I also write down everything, down to memories like first kisses and anniversaries, so I knew I needed a lot of room to write since my planner is also my diary. 

After some research, I decided on Emily Ley's Simplified Planner. I'm currently spending my evenings working through her book "Grace not Perfection" which is all about embracing simplicity, and celebrating joy, and thought a planner focusing on the same things would be the perfect fit! After Instagramming some fresh and fun office supplies, including my new planner, I got a lot of requests to do a review on how I've enjoyed it!

Similar in size and weight to the standard Lilly planner, I love how customizable this planner is. There is a page for every day which features an hour-by-hour list on the left side, and a "To Do" list on the right side. The bottom quarter is broken up in two sections for dinner planning and notes. The top of each page also has a brief inspirational quote that I look forward to reading daily! Additionally, there is a monthly spread with a month "To Do" list, and tabs dividing each month up. I also ordered my planner with my monogram, as well as a green magnetic page marker. 

It's so helpful to me to keep two separate lists each day of events and meetings, and actual tasks that need to be completed. With the focus being daily, it's easier to keep track of items that might not get done each day and transfer it to a more manageable time frame. 

summer in Lilly

Pink Pom Poms | Pineapple Top | Pineapple Tote | Navy One Shoulder | Gold Stripe Shorts | Navy Shift

First off, I will have that pink pom tank dress. It is absolutely precious. Secondly, did Lilly know I was already looking for game day clothes for this fall? So much gold and navy!

I love the gold foil pineapple t-shirt, but I also love all the other designs available as well: flamingos and multi-color pineapples included! Keeping with the pineapple trend is the cutest {and reversible!} gold pineapple tote. I'd love to carry this bag throughout the summer and into football season to coordinate with my navy and white Georgia Southern game outfits.

Speaking of game day outfits, I'm think that the navy ruffle one shoulder top paired with the gold and white stripe shorts will be perfect for a hot September Saturday! And the navy and gold shift works for games and the office in the summer, too!

What are your favorite summer pieces?

Prom 2k16

I love prom season. Even before I was able to go, I remember buying the special prom dress magazines and picking out my favorite ones. I now have the pleasure of driving by two dress shops on my way to work every morning, and I imagine which ones I'd pick for prom now as they sparkle in the windows.

On Saturday, I went to Georgia Southern's Sweetheart Circle to take pictures of my best friend's little sister, who is now a lot like my own little sister, too! Her date was a little late, as he had to win a baseball game early Saturday afternoon, so it gave us an opportunity to get some great shots of her amazing dress/romper. He joined her in Savannah for dinner a little later in the evening, and they looked great together!

Prom dresses are so very different from when I was in high school. A lot more bling, and more 'pieces' than my solid dresses. I love seeing what everyone picks out to show off their personality!

My sweet Statesboro family

Isn't she a beauty?

Bachelorette Decoration Details

I wanted to share a few of the little crafty details from my bachelorette last weekend! Months ago, after we decided on a beach destination, Kirstie my Maid of Honor, spotted these white drink sand spikes at a Walker Boutique close-out sale. They were blank, and her sister has a vinyl cutter, so we decided to make  monogrammed sand spikes for all the girls as my thank you gift to them! I glittered little wine bottles with Mod Podge, and included striped paper straws. 

Aren't they just precious in my "M" galvanized bucket? We did three different beachy colors for the monograms: pink, teal, and yellow. I think they turned out so cute! 

The girls got my fabulous bachelorette sash from JG Creations by Jenna Green on Esty. Check her shop out here!

Kirstie also did the vinyl for our tank top cover ups. All the girls got pink tanks with white monograms in the top corner, while I wore a white one with my new monogram in a fabulous gold glitter. I'm obsessed with it! 

Kirstie made koozies for everyone too, using her vinyl cutter. While it takes a little more time, I've been in awe of how cost effective it makes all these items! On one side of the koozie it says "Piper's Bachelorette" and on the other it says "Where my beaches at?"

Niki, my matron of honor and soon to be sister-in-law, found these cute decorations at TJ Maxx! I love getting unique paper products and party supplies from the Teej.  

On Saturday night, everyone picked a "nautical name tag" to wear out! I loved how "punny" they were. This was another cool cutter project! I'm so thankful to have such creative friends that are so willing to work hard to make this the best time of my life. I can't believe that trip is already a week behind us, and I've got three weeks left until the wedding. Time flies when you're having fun!

Bachelorette Day Two

Bachelorette day two consisted of plenty of beaching, shopping, and spending time together. Kirstie, my maid of honor, made everyone the cutest monogrammed tanks to use as cover ups, and we got some really cute group pictures on the beach.

Saturday night consisted of another pink party, with the beautiful ladies all in pink dresses, while I wore a cream/gold Mudpie dress. We went to dinner at The Crab Trap on Fernandina, and it was so delicious. We were all really tired from all the fun on Friday night, and since many girls had to leave early Sunday morning, we decided to just head home after our late dinner.

That's really my favorite thing about this group of girls: easy-going, and everyone just wants to hang out and talk! Sunday morning came way too soon, but we packed up, grabbed some donuts, and headed home. Last weekend was exactly what I needed. It was the perfect mix of fun and relaxation, and I feel like I can handle the next 22 days!

Bathing Beauty

Between bachelorette planning, and plotting the best honeymoon cruise there ever was, I've bought a ton of new bathing suits. I may have even gone a little overboard...get it? 

I just couldn't help myself! Target has a ton of new cuties this year, and many that I can mix and match. I also love a good one piece, and I've scooped up two--one from Target, and a Trina Turk from last summer that was an eBay NWT steal! 

At the end of last summer, I picked up a beautiful floral caftan cover-up from Talbots. I really loved it because it was much more dress than cover-up, and was wonderful to wear into beach side restaurants. They don't have anything similar this season, but Target does! 

Top Left | Top Right 
Bottom Left | Bottom Right 

Hot Pink Ruffle

Trina Turk, similar

I've been a long time lover of the one piece, especially ones that have a little extra oomph! Both of these have somewhat of a plunging neckline, but they do keep you securely protected which is important.

I really loved the hot pink ruffle bikini top, and multi color Triangl inspired suit. And I totally think the cheetah print top will work with some hot pink bottoms, even if Christopher finds that combination a little questionable! What do you think?

Check back in this week for a bachelorette weekend recap!

Featured: Gainesville Times' Bride & Groom Magazine

Back in January, my friend Kim {who hosted The Sweetest Shower}, called me about a week before the event to see if I was interested in having my shower featured in an upcoming edition of the Gainesville Times' special edition magazine, Bride & Groom.

Of course I said yes--what an honor, and a surprise! I love creatively themed bridal showers, and was so excited to share mine with readers. After the shower, and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, I stayed up into the early morning hours editing pictures to send just in time for the deadline. After weeks of anticipation, we finally got our hands on some copies! Kim mailed me one last week, and I think it turned out great.

Check out my "Featured" page to see a few other places I've popped up!

How I Saved Hundreds Using Vistaprint for My Wedding

Weddings are expensive. Just how expensive? Averages in recent years come in anywhere between $27,000 and $35,000 depending on your area of the country. Those are staggering numbers. Those numbers equal a new car, or a down payment on a house!

I like to live life on the frugal side, and I've been very intentional about being as conservative as possible when planning my wedding which can be extremely difficult with a glamorous, southern theme. Looking at Save the Date and invitation suite ideas quickly became overwhelming regarding my budget. While I loved the beautiful pieces at some of the well-known invitation sites, I couldn't stand the price tag. We would be needing at least 150 complete suites, and some of the designs ran upwards of $1,000 for all the necessary pieces! Factor in postage, and my budget was blown.

So I began to consider other options. I'm not even sure how I initially stumbled upon Vistaprint, but I quickly realized that financially, this was the way to go. Vistaprint has a large selection of Save the Date and wedding invitation designs, some of which can be magnets or cards, and all in a variety of styles and sizes to fit your budget.

I was really particular about what Save the Date design I wanted. I knew this would set the tone for our big day. I also really wanted a vertical picture design for a magnet which ended up being harder to find than I could have ever expected! Luckily, Vistaprint also has a design option that I was able to utilize. I located a free Save the Date template that we both loved which I uploaded to the designer. Two steps, and I was done! The price {which ended up being less than a dollar a piece, thanks to a promotion running at that time} included the large magnet and matching envelopes, and more than fit into my budget.

My only issue with the Vistaprint process is that the freebie included envelopes are incredibly thin. For me, it wasn't a big deal to use them for the Save the Date mailings, and the inner envelope of the wedding invitation suite. But the amazingly quick production and shipping times easily make up for that small inconvenience. I received a lot of positive feedback about the magnets, which are not too thick or thin {just the right weight for a regular 49 cent stamp!}. I think everyone loved the vertical look as it really stands out on their refrigerator. 

Christopher and I went back and forth about the best design for our wedding invitation. We're very traditional, so we tend to lean towards classic designs, but sometimes the invitation suite is the best place to throw in something a little trendier. Ultimately we decided on this customizable design from Vistaprint. There are a few popular color choices, and the pale pink was perfect for our wedding palette. There were also a few different paper weights and materials, to really customize each look to your liking. 

I loved how Vistaprint has pre-designed complimentary pieces for the RSVP card, the wedding program, and more. We had the invitation, the RSVP card and corresponding pre-addressed envelope, and a business card designed to match the suite which included our wedding website where all accommodations and directions information was listed.

Because I think the traditional two envelopes is important, I ordered matching pink envelopes from a different vendor. I loved how the paper shimmered in the light. I addressed everything with two different sized gold calligraphy pens from Hobby Lobby. The suite is wrapped up in a satin ribbon, with a gold wax seal featuring an 'M'. The wax seal was probably the coolest part, even though it took me forever. It's actual made to fit in the glue gun! Anyone who knows me knows that the idea of dripping wax neatly onto a specific spot was just not going to happen.

I purchased an embossing stamp before I even sent out the Save the Dates and let me tell you, this thing has been a life saver. There is no way I could have written my address on the back of 300 Save the Dates and wedding invitations in a timely manner! Even though the embossing sometimes made my hand a little tired, this is an easy task for a helper to do if you choose to go this route.

I’ve received a ton of wedding invitations in the last year or so, and I know a lot of friends who have planned weddings recently. With that being said—one of the biggest dilemmas facing brides and guests alike {myself included} is who to invite. For some, it's adults only. For others, no invitation is sent and it's just featured in the local newspaper. We found ourselves in an interesting mix with a very specific guest list. 

In an effort to be clear from the beginning, and not hurt any feelings after assumptions were made, we created two RSVP cards. One was the traditional format, seen below, and the other was identical with the exception of a brief line stating "The bride & groom have reserved ___ seats for you." While addressing the inner envelope in theory should clearly identify who specifically is invited, this is not always the case. I have been invited to a few weddings where my long standing fiance was not included on the invitation. Of course spouses, fiance/fiancee's, and long-term significant others that we knew were included, but we felt that while we could not accommodate every sweet child or plus one, this would be the best way to communicate our inclusions. 

We also decided to omit the traditional "M" on the RSVP response line, as neither of us are huge fans of it, and because it is becoming increasingly accepted and popular to remove the confusing "M!"

I loved the additional swirling infinity details included on the backs of the cards, and the back flap of the RSVP envelope. All of the products felt like they came from a more expensive vendor, and we've been incredibly pleased with the results. Overall, I spent just over $500 for the magnets, the entire wedding suite and postage. Not too bad!

Want to order something for yourself? Use this referral link to check everything out!

P.S. Don't forget to number the backs of the RSVP cards in case a few are returned without names on them! This has been a lifesaver. Also, find a good tracking system to keep all addresses, names of invitees, and responses in one place. I've used this one, and it's been great!