MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

As I type this, I’m now far from the city… But I still feel a bit tingly from all the festivities there.

If you’ve never been to NYC during the holidays, I urge you to make every effort and go.  There’s truly nothing else like it.  NYC is a city that makes me feel alive and energetic each time I go, so you can imagine that intensity is turned up during the holiday season.

The magnificent architecture soaring above your head is adorned with twinkling, sparkling holiday decorations.  Christmas music plays from nearly every angle, surrounding you with this festive environment that for a second might make you think you’ve entered a movie set.  As you walk along the street, people are hustling and bustling excitedly with their bags of holiday shopping.  It’s not unusual to see Santa or his elves.  It’s like a musical production come to life.  Welcome to New York.

Mom and I had absorbed the NYC Christmas spirit and were in jolly moods as we left Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular.  The snow was falling in large, wet snowflakes and Madison Avenue looked like a giant snow globe.

We walked to Rockefeller Center, where music played as ice skaters skated underneath the big tree.  Salvation Army volunteers dressed in crisp billed hats and double breasted dress coats swayed and danced as they sang along to Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off.  A couple ran across the street hand in hand, the man wearing a very long Santa hat.

There’s something wonderful about New York and New Yorkers… I’m not trying to glamorize it.  Sure, you might see a homeless man urinating into a garbage can if you’re out at night.  You might see a rat or two race down an alley.  It’s a huge city and bad things sometimes happen.  But New York has an invincibility to it; a spirit that makes its inhabitants feel like they could do anything, be anyone, go anywhere.  It’s contagious and it’s wonderful.  It makes you want to skip down the sidewalks and sing a song; it makes you want to stay there forever.  I’ve been to many places, but this particular feeling… You can only get it in New York.

I love you, New York… Merry Christmas!!

 

 

Picture this… It’s 6 PM in New York and you decide to brave the rush-hour holiday traffic.  You pull your coat a little tighter as you walk outside your hotel and wait for the doorman to hail a taxi.

“Lincoln Center, please.”

 

The taxi windows steam a bit as you hurry through twinkling holiday lights and busy, bustling sidewalks.  You stop in a long train of brake lights outside a compound of contemporary-looking buildings.  A kind of modern-day plaza stretches between them, accented by a single glowing fountain; a photo op evident in many a movie premiere and Fashion Week show.

People are holding hands, hustling out of the cold and making their way toward the bannered building and the warmth.  They talk and laugh excitedly, some clutching tickets and some clutching a child bedecked in festive attire.  Your head kind of spins with happiness as your booties click across the snowy steps.

You finally make your way to your seat in the stunning, glimmering theater.  You only ordered your tickets an hour before and your head is reeling at how you managed to get such prime seats.  You glance through your program and feel an armful of goosebumps as the you hear the first thrumming sounds of the orchestra warming up… It’s time.

I think it’s probably an underestimate when I say that my mom and I consider ballet to be one of the highest art forms.  The fact she ran a dance studio and we both danced for much of our lives may make us a bit biased, but nevertheless our love for ballet is powerful and passionate.

And The Nutcracker is on another level.  It’s slightly dark Victorian storyline is punctuated with the dramatic score by Tchaikovsky and when you combine the impeccable skill of the New York City Ballet it’s truly breathtaking.  You leave feeling as if you’ve experienced something rather than just watched it.

We climbed into a taxi back to our hotel, but for some reason going straight inside didn’t feel right and we decided to take a stroll and check out the Christmas lights along 5th Avenue instead.

Walking through the chilly air and admiring the artistry that is holiday department store windows reminded me of London as a little girl; watching these little pieces of sparkling, glittery artwork in the windows of Harrod’s and Harvey Nichols.  They drew me in even then, capturing my imagination with their whimsical scenes straight out of a fantasy.

I’m so glad we didn’t go back to the hotel and to bed right away.  I’ll always remember walking along and gazing at holiday lights with my mom.  We snapped a few photos and I wanted to share them with you… The holiday windows in NYC (and London) are truly unlike any others on earth and photos like these don’t do them any justice.  But… Maybe you can sip a hot chocolate as you scroll through and you’ll catch some of the festive holiday spirit that is bursting through New York at Christmas.

Tiffany & Co.

Bergdorf Goodman:  An Ode to the Arts

Saks Fifth Avenue:  An Enchanted Experience

We chose our favorite windows and headed back to the hotel for a late-night pot of tea to warm us up.  Oh… And not only did I sleep well that night thanks to a substantial dose of herbal tea, but I’m fairly certain that I had dreams accompanied by Tchaikovsky.

From Mom’s dress fittings in Chicago we flew to New York for mine.  We seemed to have brought the dreary, rainy weather from Chicago, but we didn’t mind so much.  All we cared about was seeing my wedding dress for the first time… What would it look like?!

When I saw my dress for the first time my heart fluttered.  It was perfect.  When I had first seen the sample of my dress it was simply the designer’s idea; a sample she had made to see if brides liked it.  My finished dress was 100 times more beautiful than the sample dress I had tried on months and months earlier.  I absolutely loved it and never wanted to take it off.

I was happy and thankful to head back to The Plaza for tea with my mother to celebrate such a special moment.  Tea at The Plaza is truly an experience; after choosing your selected combination of sandwiches, pastries, and scones, you choose a tea from The Plaza’s impressive selection.  Mom went with the wintery Silver Needles and I chose a floral Jasmine.  Everything was absolutely delicious.

We were so cozy and satisfied we were hesitant to leave the hotel and venture out into the cold snow for our afternoon activity: The Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular in Radio City Music Hall.

Hope you all are staying warm and ready for Christmas!!  I know I am… I can’t wait to see my family!!

Click any of the images below to shop.  My coat and boots are no longer available, so I found some similar ones.  The black bag I posted is extremely similar to the Chanel Flap Bag I carried above.

 

 

J’s mother and sisters were so sweet to give me a bridal shower while we were in Chicago.  I’m lucky to be joining a family with such incredible women… I adore them.  And… It was the perfect opportunity to meet family and friends invited to our wedding I had yet to meet.

We braved the cold and headed to an timeless little church converted into a cozy restaurant, where the snow faded away as Palm Beach and Lilly took over an upstairs room!!  Bright flowers, girls in colorful dresses, starfish cupcakes and ornaments as favors.  It was perfection.

Pearls.  Classic Bag (affordable version here).  Louboutin Pumps (affordable version here).  Pink Lace Dress.  Don’t forget to add sheer black pantyhose to make it a bit more wintery.

On each table the girls had placed snapshots of John and myself, as well as fun facts to help the guests get to know us better as a couple.  I had so much fun chatting with J’s friends and family… It made me even more excited to celebrate with them at our wedding!!

The girls asked guests to ship my gifts to me since J and I flew.  Guests brought photos of their gift to the shower and pinned it on a cork board to share.  It’s been fun to get packages each day that I get to unwrap and share with J when he gets home.  I’ve been taking photos of each gift to put with the cards and keep in a little memory book.  This time as a bride goes by so fast… Someday I’ll love looking back and remembering these moments.

Enjoy some of these snapshots from the shower… I left out friends and family to protect their privacy.  Except for Mama P… Because she’s used to it.

Since we are having a destination wedding, I knew that I wanted to have my bridal shower in my hometown so family and friends who may not make it to the wedding could celebrate with me a bit.  Celebrating with so many women from my life in the home where I grew up was so meaningful to me.

I know you’re all probably getting sick of seeing our engagement photos, but… I’m giving myself a free pass for excessive posting.  Don’t be surprised if I inundate this blog with post-wedding photography as well; I just can’t help it!!

After we had taken our photos in and around The Breakers courtyard, lawns, and pools, we headed down to the oceanfront to take some photos on the stunning rocks dotting the sand.  We took a few more shots, then started heading back toward the pools and hotel… We were exhausted and looking forward to a nice big meal.

“Well, I think we’re done… Unless you guys want to jump in the ocean or something!!” our photographer said, laughing.  She was clearly joking; she smiled at her assistant as they started to pack up their cameras.

John and I looked at each other, then down at his pristine linen suit and my brand new silk dress.  How many times are you on the beach shooting engagement photos with the love of your life?!  We decided to go for it… With a little direction from our photographer, we got the most artistic and beautiful photos  in the sand and in the ocean together.  Covered in sand, we ended up jumping in the Breakers pool to rinse off and take a few more photos.

 

 

This beachy look was our second outfit change.  I couldn’t narrow these photos down to just one blog post because they’re my favorite; we were relaxed and comfortable in these photos since we had been shooting for three hours and the setting sun provided the perfect backdrop.I was certain my dress would be ruined from all the salt water, sand, and chlorine… But after being dry cleaned it came back to me in perfect condition.  I was so thankful!!

Hair and Makeup:  Tatjana Terzic (Looking Like A Star)

Photography:  Chris Joriann Photography

 

 

 

The Breakers Hotel was first opened in 1896 by the industrious Henry Flagler for travelers on his Florida East Coast Railway.  As the Florida tourism industry spawned by Flagler boomed, visitors flocked to The Breakers Hotel and its prime real estate on the balmy Atlantic waves.  After two destructive fires, the Flagler heirs finally decided to rebuild the hotel out of concrete instead of wood… And modeled the building after the Villa Medici in Rome.

The Breakers stands against the brilliant blue waves of the Atlantic; framed by towering palm trees.  Its four oceanfront pools, soothing spa, golf courses, tennis courts, and eight restaurants create a tropical paradise in the midst of Palm Beach.

We first began visiting The Breakers when I was little and we accompanied Dad on work conferences.  It became one of our favorite places to go and we began coming on our own as a family.  Besides being an easy travel destination and visually stunning, the service at The Breakers is unparalleled.  We’ve traveled all over the world and few places I’ve been have come close to offering the pampered, personal touches The Breakers provides.

As a little girl, I remember looking out a window and seeing a bride get married on the lawn overlooking the ocean.  I thought for sure she was a princess; she was so beautiful and was getting married in such a breathtaking place!!  In college, I was walking back to our rooms with my mother and two girlfriends… We peeped into one of the stunning ballrooms and saw staff setting up for a wedding reception.  Waiters in tailcoats and white gloves meticulously inspected crystal for smudges as florists brought in armfuls of stunning flowers.

When John and I realized that no matter where we married most of our guests would be traveling, we decided to have our wedding somewhere that would offer breathtaking views, mouthwatering cuisine, and top-notch service to pamper our guests.  We envisioned relaxing poolside with our family and friends before the festivities and creating memories in a place that can now be a special tradition for our own little family someday.

There are times during this crazy wedding planning I wish we would have eloped, saving money and gray hairs in the process!!  But when I see photos of this magical place, I’m reminded that this is where we will make wedding memories with family and friends to last a lifetime.

The first half of our photo shoot was all about being simple and chic; we wanted lots of black and white photos and clean lines.

For this portion of the photo shoot, I knew I wanted to wear a dress that would accent the glowing turquoise, aquamarine, and fern green of The Breakers resort.  I also knew I wanted it flowy to catch the balmy Florida breezes.  This coral silk chiffon dress by London-based designer Issa was perfection… It complimented my coloring and the silk fabric blew about in the breeze like something out of a magazine.

My turquoise earrings were from Kendra Scott.  I wore two delicate bangles; a solid gold Tiffany and Co. bracelet J gave me for Christmas and a similar one encrusted in crystals from Nadri.  I also wore my engagement ring and a ring made from my grandmother’s diamonds stacked with a tiny diamond band J gave me for Valentine’s Day.  I wore a pair of Jessica Simpson nude wedges I’ve had for years.

Next week I’ll post the very last of our engagement photos.  I’ve slowly been printing them and adding them to frames around the house; I just can’t get enough of this incredible photography.  Each time I look through these photos it brings back great memories.

Photography:  Chris Joriann Photography

Hair and Makeup:  Looking Like A Star (Tatjana Terzic)

 

In case you’re wondering, cake is a perfectly acceptable breakfast after staying up way too late chatting with your girlfriends and sipping champagne.

It’s a wonder we ever left our hotel suite, with the incredible Lilly Pulitzer inspired decor my MOHs created!!  I woke up certain that I was in the middle of a confetti-covered dream.  But we seized the day with a frosting high and headed to the Santa Monica Pier for some rides and games.  We even tried our luck at tandem biking down the beach (harder than it looks), had lunch at Blue Plate Taco, and spent the afternoon in the sand and surf.

 

I wish I had snapped a better photo of this Lilly Pulitzer skort I wore, but we were having too much fun!!  You can’t focus on blog photography while lounging about like a mermaid in the sand.

I was a bit worried about wearing the seersucker fabric to all these different activities, but this cute little skort kept up amazingly and still looked crisp and preppy when we headed down to the beach.  Let me tell you, it looks even cuter paired with a bikini top!!

My MOH gave all the girls pink sunnies and gave me a pair of white floral ones… I’m loving this similar Lilly Pulitzer pair with a hint of gold.  I couldn’t find the aqua Kate Spade bag I’ve been carrying, but I was able to find it in orange… And on sale for 33% off!!

 

 

 

Some people say that their bachelorette/bachelor party is “one last night to be single”.  In my opinion, it’s not… I stopped being single a while ago.  Let me tell you, when we were single, my girlfriends and I had enough crazy bachelorette nights to last a lifetime.  I could tell you some stories that would make your hair curl!!  And that’s how it should be… Your single years are for you to be a little crazy, make a few mistakes, make some decisions that are perfectly right for that moment, and to learn and grow as a person.  I don’t regret a single moment!!

My parents always tell me… Marriage and relationships are hard enough; don’t create obstacles and issues that aren’t necessary.  I didn’t want to start out a lifelong commitment with questionable, shady behavior.  I didn’t want to be making out with some guy in da club or doing blowjob shots out of someone’s lap… I felt it wasn’t right to John.  And luckily, my girlfriends felt the same and we had the most amazing girly weekend in Santa Monica, California.  We had plenty of beach time, a slumber party, and ended the weekend with a drag queen show and a stop by my favorite gay bar.

But for today, I just wanted to show you some photos of all our incredible Lilly Pulitzer-themed decor and gifts.  I was shocked and astounded by the amount of time and effort my bridesmaids, especially my Maid and Matron of Honor, put into this beautiful room.  The entire room was like walking into a Lilly dream, with the cutest gifts on everyone’s beds, and lots of snacks and drinks waiting for post-sunshine starvation!!

On Thursday, we freshened up and headed out to a restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  After dinner, we got into pajamas and had a little slumber party on the beds.  My friend LD bought me the most amazing Chanel bag cake I’ve ever seen!!  It was stunning.  We definitely indulged in that fantastic raspberry-flavored cake and ice cold champagne… You can’t have a slumber party without champagne!!

I am so lucky to have these girls in my life… They are the best and it’s so easy for all of us to chat and laugh like no time has passed since the last time we were together.  They get along so well with friends from different parts of my life… It’s just a testament to what great people they all are.

 

This past weekend I hosted a Barbie-themed bridal shower for my friend AW at a winery on the Western slope of Colorado.  I had been planning for months and was so nervous and anxious for it to look beautiful and go smoothly.  The night before, AW, her SIL, my mom, and I prepped everything in our hotel room and put it all out the morning of the shower.  I was thrilled when I saw our finished efforts… It looked so girly and adorable.  And the brunch, games, timing, everything went on perfectly.

Each person had a little party favor at their place, along with an advice card for the bride.  After each game we gave out prizes and for the last prize we chose a winner from the pile of advice cards, like a drawing.  There was a candy bar with little bags for guests to satisfy their sweet tooth at home.

Happy Wedding Wednesday.