Wedding Wednesday, 122 days to go: Choosing Bridesmaids' Dresses!

I think a large part of my indecisiveness comes from wanting to make everyone happy. I overthink almost every decision because I want to make sure that it is the right decision, not just for me, but for anyone else it might effect. So, you can imagine how difficult it was for me to choose the dresses for my bridesmaids. I know everyone says, "It's your wedding, you get to pick." But here's the thing, I'm not the one actually wearing the darn things!

I was also faced with the dilemma that only two of my seven bridesmaids live in the same city as I do, and the other five are literally in four other states, so trying to have everyone involved seemed like it was going to be impossible. And then I came across Weddington Way. I honestly cannot remember how I found out about this place, after a while all of the bridal/engagement stuff starts to blend together. Maybe it was in a magazine, maybe it was one of the millions of (weirdly accurate and specific) Facebook ads, who knows. Either way, I'm glad I found it.

You're probably wondering what exactly is Weddington Way? Well, in short, it is an online only shop (except for San Francisco where they're based) that has hundreds of dresses. I mean y'all, I had yet to discover this many dresses in one place, but it was great. So you sign up for an account and then they match you up with a stylist and you can create a virtual showroom. You then invite all of your bridesmaids so that they can view, vote, add to, and comment on the dresses in your show room.
I personally waited until I'd had some time to play around with the shop and make sure I liked it before I made all of them sign up and create accounts.

As with most shopping websites now, there is a great filter system so that helped a lot. I also had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted before I started looking, long, navy, and not ridiculously expensive. I also knew that I wanted them to all wear the exact same dress because I just really like things to match and especially with an odd number of girls, there was no way to even do half and half. That being said, the website does a great job of pairing dresses of similar style that go together, so that if you are going for that look its easy to coordinate.

When all was said and done, my showroom ended up with about five dresses that I'd chosen and a couple of others that some bridesmaids added. Luckily most of the bridesmaids like the same styles of dresses, there were a few I liked that they didn't, but that was fine with me - that's why there were so many for them to choose from!

Another great thing about Weddington Way is that they have free shipping and free returns, so while they do a great job of getting you the right size, it is no cost to exchange for a different size, or gives you the chance to just order two from the get go with out worrying about a difficult return policy to send the other one back. This was one of the things that really caught my attention because for starters, I really hate to pay shipping, and second, I wanted to do my best to make it cost effective and easy for them - win win.

As of now, all of the girls have ordered their dresses and they have all given great reviews and I am so  relieved. I realize online shopping is not a new concept (duh), but there is still a lot of risk when ordering from a new company, so it was great to know that this was such a success!

These are some of the questions I was frequently asked about the process from the girls, my mom, and his mom:

How do you know which dresses they like?

Since very girl has her own account, she can favorite a dress and/or comment on it if she wants to give her opinion. I encouraged them to vote so that I knew which ones they liked since that was kind of the point, although none of them actually commented, which was fine with me.

What if they don't all like the same dress?

Well, that's life. But, at least I can see (and so could they) how many people liked which dress, and in my case the dress with the most votes won because I also really liked it. If you're not set on having them all wear the same dress, this might be a situation where you let them choose which style they'd rather wear, assuming that the different ones they like still go well together.

How long will it take the dresses to arrive?

The dress that we ultimately selected wasn't a made to order dress, so from the time it was ordered to when it was received was about a week.

Do all of the girls have to order before the dresses ship?

This is an option, but since these dresses aren't made to order anyways, I wasn't worried about the cloth not matching, so I told them all it was fine to just request their dress when they ordered it, rather than waiting on everyone else.

How will you know they ordered it?

Well, in a super (kind of) stalkerish way, it emails you every time a dress is ordered, and then you can log into your account and check on the shipping/tracking status. There is also an option to "Remind to Order," but luckily all of my bridesmaids ordered their dresses plenty early so I didn't have to do any nudging.

My only real complaint is that they send so many emails. There might be some setting that I could have changed to avoid that, but I just felt bad because I was afraid that the bridesmaids were also being bombarded with emails. Otherwise, I had great success and I think if you are in a situation with a lot of bridesmaids in a lot of places, it is a great resource! If y'all have any questions about the process I would be happy to answer them!

Have a great day, y'all! 

xoxo

linking up with:
Wedding Wednesday | The Wednesday Showcase | Monday Mingle | Turn It Up Tuesday

Wedding Wednesday, 178 days to go: Coming to Terms with a Winter Wedding

photo source

I am literally counting down the days until my wedding. I know that it is going to be the best day and I cannot wait! But, I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little (very) concerned about having a winter wedding.

As most girls do, I've been picturing my wedding day for as long as I can remember. That picture has changed with time, but it has always included all things bright and colorful. I always assumed my bridesmaids would wear pink, the guys would be in seersucker, and there would be pops of yellows and green all around and gorgeous outdoor scenery. This all still sounds like my ideal wedding, except that now I'm getting married in February. There is no colorful outdoor scenery in February. There are no bright shades of yellow in February. And there is certainly no wearing seersucker in February.

(Almost) every decision I make is very well thought out, and very intentional, and our wedding date was no exception. He proposed in November of last year, and we knew it would take at least one year to plan. We also knew that with the bar exam this summer, the months of June and July were essentially non-existent when it came to all of the checklist items. Football season also played a large part in pushing the date past the fall, and by then, I honestly knew I'd be too impatient to wait around all the way until next summer. I mean y'all, if I could have gotten married this February I probably would have. All of this to say, we chose February, but as I am getting deeper into the planning process, it is harder and harder for me to envision exactly what a February wedding is supposed to look like.

I know, I know, Pinterest is where I should be looking. But let me tell you, it is very difficult to find inspiration for a "Winter Wedding" that does not revolve around poinsettias and snowflakes. I am a warm-weather, bright-color kind of girl. There is absolutely nothing appealing to me about a snowflake motif. Although, I will say, some of the pictures of weddings I have seen in the snow are gorgeous. Like so much so, that I kind of want it to snow on my wedding day (I'm sure I'll be regretting this if we end up with another winter we had like last year). But honestly, if I'm going to endue the cold, I think at the least I deserve the pictures to prove it, right?

Obviously at this point the date is set, and by obviously, I mean we have the church and reception venue booked, so we're pretty set on the date. And y'all, I am doing my darndest to reimagine my ideal wedding, but it. is. hard. I always imagined pretty pinks and yellows, short dresses, and warm sunshine. I am now trying to imagine long flowing navy dresses, shades of green, and snow on the ground. I used to consider if I would provide guests with sunglasses, now I'm considering blankets. I used to think that fur stoles were just hmm . . . not something I was interested in, and now, I think maybe it is the only way I will stay warm, and perhaps they are actually really nice. I'm working on it. I literally have a Pinterest board called "Embracing the Cold." It will be the best day of my life, and it will be beautiful, I just don't know what it is going to look like. Yet.

How did you choose your wedding date? Was it convenient, did you want to wait until the venue was available?

Have a great day, y'all!

xoxo

linking up with 

Wednesday Showcase | Wedding Wednesday | The Creative Corner

appropriately comfortable

As y'all are probably aware (because it's all I seem to talk about), I am in my third year of law school. This means my classmates and I have endured almost three years of interviews, exams, class, moot court, all nighters, you get the picture. It also means that we have endured three years of administration telling us what is is appropriate to wear to class and to interviews and what is not. For the most part I think we're all generally aware of what to wear to an interview, but the amount of people who still look so... sloppy, for lack of a better word, in the day to day is shocking to me. 

I get it, we want to be comfortable. After all, we're in class some days from 8:30am until 8pm, but that is not a excuse to look like you just got out of bed for the WHOLE DAY. Some schools have dress codes required, ensuring that the students are always in business casual attire and I honestly wouldn't mind that. However, even if that is not the case, I think it is still important to look put together. Especially in the case of law school, these classmates are soon to become colleagues. You are going to refer clients to them and hope that they refer clients to you, this is your time to make a good impression because once you are out of school that is what they are going to remember. Maybe it sounds petty that what you wear is that important, but it is. And it is such an easy  fix - why not spend a few more minutes in the morning getting dressed, fixing your hair etc. It will make a difference and I bet it will make you feel better for the rest of the day too, I know it definitely does for me! 

Here are a few of my favorite go to outfits that let me still feel comfortable but look much more put together than a pair of norts and an oversized t-shirt. 

This is one of my favorite go to outfits! First, I am absolutely still in love with Furman, and welcome any and all questions about it. Secondly, the purpose of these outfits is to show you you can still wear something like a crew neck sweatshirt and look put together. I think adding an oxford underneath a sweatshirt make it look so much nicer, and like you're actually trying. Bonus - only the collar and cuffs usually show, so it doesn't even have to be ironed! A cute pair of flats also can really make an outfit look put together. I have these flats from Marley Lilly (in pink w/ navy text) and they are very comfortable, and I always get tons of compliments on them! 

 I featured this dress a few months ago here, and I still think it is just as great. I mean y'all it is made out of sweatshirt material, but looks like a dress. It is so dang comfortable I wish I could wear it everyday. Plus, how cute is that scarf?? I am obsessed with polka dots right now, to the point that I have to actually stop my self from buying more things with polka dots because it's starting to get ridiculous. But, I mean Kate Spade, a girl can only say no so many times. 

This is another super comfortable, yet still appropriate look. What could be easier than black denim and a white v-neck? Then just add a colorful scarf and you're good. to. go. This look also gives you a lot of room to play around with accessories since the basic layers are black and white. You can add a scarf, or a statement necklace, maybe a colorful cardigan. Seriously, the possibilities are endless(ly easy). 

Hair & Make-Up

For the record - I am not saying you need make-up to look put together or that you need to curl your hair every day to be respected. But, what I am saying is that a little goes a long way. Throw on some lip gloss and run a brush through your hair. Sounds obvious, I know, but you'd be surprised how many people literally look like they just rolled out of bed and never walked past a mirror. Stick a brush in your car and run it through your hair at stoplights if you're that worried about time, but just find a way, it's worth it. 

Jewelry
Jewelry is another easy peasy way to look put together with out trying very hard. A pair of pearl studs or monogrammed disc earrings instantly make any look very classic. The same goes for a nice watch or a couple of bangles. I am working hard on my "stackable bracelet game" as I like to call it for this very reason. Having a few go to pieces that you put on every morning can make this such an easy process!

What do y'all think about these outfits? Are they still too casual, or exactly what you need to look put together, yet still remain comfortable for an eight or twelve hour day of class? I'd love to hear what y'all like to wear to class or think is totally inappropriate!

Have a great day, y'all!

xoxo

linking up with:

Style Me Wednesday | Trend Spin | Humpday Happenings | Celebrate Southern
| Pumps and Pushups | What I Wore | Fashion Files | Living in Color

spring? where are you?

I. Am. So. Over. This. Weather. I know, I know, it could be worse, and Boston and the rest of the north east has been dealing with this for weeks already, but no one here knows what to do when it goes on for this long. Example: remember how I said we were going to start our registry process this weekend? Well. The roof caved in at Belk! CAVED IN. Luckily there is another one about an hour away, but I am very much a planner and had a small bout of anxiety when my friend called to tell me about it.
Anyways, to get over these winter blues I just let myself get lost in all of the spring dresses that I cannot wait to wear! I generally prefer dresses, really year round, because I think it is just so much easier to throw one thing on, rather than having to pick out the whole outfit. Here are a few that I have my eye on (as if I don't already have enough).

H&M
[apparently now sold out, but is available in other colors]

Belk

I love this dress from Belk! I saw it when we were there yesterday and I will say that in person you can see the navy layer underneath a little more, so it is not so pink, but it still look great. And it has pockets - what more could you ask for?

Lilly

The bright colors and contrast on this dress are perfect!

Belk

Like the other dress from Belk, the coloring on this is a little different in person than online. It actually appears a lot more orange in person - but still looks very nice and made me very ready for spring when I saw it.  

Gap

 Gap is so hit or miss when it comes to whether they'll have dresses that are to my taste. I used to love love love Gap and I still mostly do, but sometimes their looks are just a little too much for me - does that make sense? But I am loving this dress they have right now, and I've purchased a few of their fit and flares and absolutely love them! 

Lilly

This is may favorite of all of these dresses. If I thought I had an occasion to wear it, I'd already have it in my closet. I just love how it has such clean lines and is bright, but not over the top. I'm sure I'll come up with a reason to need this sooner or later! 

How are you all dealing with winter? Any spring looks that you're dying to pull out?

Have a great day, y'all!!
xoxo

linking up with:

Celebrate Southern | Living in Color: Weekly Spotlight | Twenties Girl Style | Pampers and Pearls
Thursday Fashion Files  | Penniless Socialite | Oh Hey Girl

Winter Formal Dresses

During the spring semester in law school we have what our school calls Barrister's Ball, I think it is a pretty common thing among law schools, whether it be in the fall or spring. Essentially, it's Law School Prom. I personally love it because I will take any chance I can to put on a pretty dress and doll myself up. One of my favorite parts is picking out a dress to wear. Most of the time I get a new dress, but I still try to make it something that I think I can wear again.

In undergrad there was always a function to go to and choosing a dress was the high light for me. It was always a good excuse to buy a new dress or some new jewelry to go with something you already had.

While it was (and is) always a ton of fun, it can definitely be stressful trying to decide what to wear, what your date should wear, and making sure that you and your friends are all relatively on the same page because you don't want to stand out as the one who is way over dressed and especially not the one who is under dressed.

At least for us, the dress tends to be cocktail attire +, so there is always a wide range of dresses, which I think is great. There are people who love to go bold, while others tend to stick to the basics and they all look absolutely wonderful. If you are trying to save money, or just have a LBD you really love, this event is a great time to play with some statement jewelry to still feel like you're wearing something new. One of the best parts about having this event every year is the opportunity to change things up and try things that might normally be outside of your comfort zone. Plus - what a great reason to wear all of the glitter and sequins you can get your hands on!

Below are a few of my favorites this season, including the dress I've chosen - which is currently on sale!

save | splurge

save | splurge

save | splurge

save | splurge

MondayDress

What events do y'all have this semester? Do you have a dress picked out yet??

Have a great day, y'all!
xoxo

linking up with: 

What I Wore

TGIF, Gap favorites

Even though my "spending freeze" is over, I've still been trying not to go overboard with my shopping. But, I am a girl and I always want to shop so I thought I'd share some items that are high on my radar right now and see what y'all think.
Yes. All of these are from Gap. No, this is is not sponsored - I just really love Gap and I have some Gap Rewards $$$ burning a hole in my pocket right now, so I have been frequenting Gap's website a lot lately.

1. Shift Dress in "Port"

The color of this dress is about 95% of the reason why I think I love it so much. I am not big into wearing a lot of blacks and greys and other dark colors, but I felt like a dress in this color could slowly get me used to wearing some darker colors. 

dress

2. Color Block Ponte Dress

I'm still not sure how I fee about the color block aspect of this dress because that style can be so hit and miss on how it looks, but I think this would be a great piece for the winter/fall and could easily be dresses up with heels and pearls. 

dress

3. Fair Isle Sweater

I am obsessed with Fair Isle recently and I love this sweater. My only hesitation is that it looks like it fits kind of short and I generally prefer my sweaters to go a few inches past the top of my jeans, if I decide to get this I would definitely need to try it on first. 

sweater (and in green!)

4. Mock Neck Sweater

Last year I wanted so badly to find an over-sized sweater that I really loved and I never could. I ended up just buying an XL in a regular sweater (from Gap of course!) and that worked out pretty well. I think this sweater is exactly what I was looking for though, it looks soooo soft and comfortable with just enough texture to keep it from looking too sloppy. 

sweater

5. Fair Isle Scarf

This would be a great way to work in some fair isle without looking like I was trying too hard, right? I think my hardest decision here would be deciding what color to get? A solid would probably be easier to pair with other things, but the multi-colored one is SO festive and could pair well with neutrals. What do you think?

scarf

Of course I want all of these things right now! ha! What do y'all think? What have you had your eye on lately? 

Have a Great Weekend Y'all!

xoxo

linking up with

living in color | Oh Hey Friday | Five on Friday | high five for friday

TGIF, Happy Halloween

I hope y'all have had a great week! Here's a quick look at mine!

1. New Dresses

So I might have gone a little crazy on Sunday and ended up coming home with five new dresses. BUT they were all on sale, I mean I really would have been losing money if I hadn't bought them, right?

left | middle (I got this one in blue)| right 

2. Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Moonshine

Woah. I tried this combination on Friday night and it. was. delicious. If you can get your hands on some peppermint moonshine (yes, it's a thing), I highly suggest you give this a try. The combination of peppermint and chocolate definitely helps to take the bite out of the moonshine. I've definitely had my fair share, but I still can't drink it quite as smoothly as the boyfriend does.

3. JavaPro

I discovered JavaPro sometime this summer thanks to a friend and I am so glad I did. It is a protein powder that you can mix with your coffee. It has protein and caffeine, so combined with coffee it gives me a so much energy in the morning. I finally ran out of my supply, but I ordered a couple more bags of it from Amazon and they came in this week. I am back to full speed! (and more!)

4. Productivity 

After weeks of thinking I was going to start my outlines, the day has finally come. While it is certianly not my favorite part of the semester I am glad to get this process started. I've found over the past couple of years the hardest part is figuring out exactly how you want to organize the information and get started. Well, that part is done so the hardest part is behind me. (jk jk, I have plenty of challenges ahead of me) I'm hoping to get a post out soon about the process of outlining and different methods that have worked, or haven't worked, in the past.

5. It's Halloween!

Last weekend our law school had the annual Decedent's Ball and we missed it because of the football game, but luckily some of our friends are throwing a party tonight and I am so excited to go. I'm still not 100% sure what I'll be dressing up as - such a procrastinator - but I'm thinking Leslie Knope.

Source

How has your week been?

Have a Great Weekend, Y'all!
xoxo

Wear-to-Work Wednesday

If I haven't mentioned it already, y'all should know that I love shirt dresses. Love, as in I have no fewer than eight or ten of them. I just think they are so comfortable and versatile and can be dressed up or down. Because I have so many, it isn't uncommon to wear a couple in one week. I have two that are similar to the ones below. I like having navy as an option because it is neutral and let's me play with fun jewelry, but I also love to have colored options like the pink one to brighten up a Monday.

Dress | Boots

Now that the weather is cooling down, I pretty much always wear boots with these dresses, but in the summer and on warmer fall days they also look great with the sleeves rolled up and paired with flats. 

Dress | Boots

What is your favorite outfit to wear to work? 

Have a Great Day, Y'all!

xoxo