Events & Manners

You sort through the mail, just like every day – bill, bill, junk, credit card application, bill, junk, hand-written letter. Oooh, now we’re talking! You excitedly open your letter to find an invitation and you do one of three things: 1. Check your calendar and realize you’re free; 2. Check your [...] Read More....

When I got married in 2013, I had never been to a wedding with mismatched bridesmaid dresses but knew it was something I wanted for my special day and my special girls. All of my bridesmaids were very different, each with her unique style, taste, and personality, and I wanted [...] Read More....

When I look back at my wedding pictures and watch our wedding video, the happiness and energy from our guests is palpable. When guests still comment years later that ours was a standout event, it warms my heart. I can undoubtedly say that my whole wedding process- from planning to closing [...] Read More....

Congratulations, you’re engaged! Or you’re thinking about getting engaged, or you are so far removed from marriage but enjoy reading wedding articles. No matter what has brought you here today, welcome. When you’re planning your wedding, there are so many big decisions and small details to consider, but what I think [...] Read More....

“I love your outfit! You look so pretty.” “Oh this is from the clearance rack at TJ Maxx- I had nothing else to throw on.” “You look really great- I love your hair and makeup.” “Ugh, I can never get my hair to cooperate and my skin is so broken [...] Read More....

One of my greatest, natural strengths since I was a kid is the ability and desire to respond to negativity with kindness. I have been getting questioned, especially recently, with people inquiring how I have it in me to respond kindly and why I choose to respond that way. There is no mystery [...] Read More....

Happy first birthday to my darling baby girl! I can’t help but think this birthday is exponentially better than her “birth day” last year because this one started with cake. Kind of hard to argue with that, don’t you think? I knew I wanted to make a smash cake and take [...] Read More....

When I started planning Ginny’s first birthday party, I immediately envisioned a whimsical woodland party that would bring lightness and boho beauty to Chicago’s ice cold winter. I created my own invitations and used them as inspiration for the decor – a light pink, peach, gold, and green color scheme with [...] Read More....

Does it ever happen to you when out of nowhere, you just want cake? Silly question, of course that happens. Well, that happens to me too. Actually, what usually happens is that I want cake batter, but ending up with a scrumptious cake is a sweet byproduct of my batter craving. [...] Read More....

Last year when I was trying to come up with an outfit for my school’s Tropical Tuesday theme during homecoming week, I remembered a Halloween costume from when I was young and knew it would be perfect – Carmen Miranda, or as I called her back then, the Chiquita Banana [...] Read More....