A Sunny Outlook

You might recall a few months ago, Joshy and I headed West for a week’s vacation. Despite being in the throes of some serious morning sickness at 13 weeks pregnant, I had a blast enjoying all that Napa has to offer (well, all but the wine!). The food was divine, the scenery idyllic, and watching my husband accidentally get drunk at lunch on day two was a riot. But I think it’s safe to say my favorite part of the trip was relaxing by the tranquil pool at our hotel, enjoying an iced decaf and a good book. But I looked a little ridiculous, because I was wearing both reading glasses and sunnies. Yes, this happened:

It was like magic a few weeks after we returned that I discovered the solution to this embarrassingly bad summer style issue. Meet ICU Eyewear, my new best friend on vacation, or any time I find myself reading outside. Ranging from $23-$25, these affordable shades offer 100% UV A and B protection plus they’re magnified for easy poolside reading. I receive compliments on mine every time where them, which is often — since I’m making the most of this gorgeous summer by spending my afternoons outside.

In my estimation, these are a honeymoon must-have — they make a fantastic gift for the bride-to-be or for yourself! Stuffing goody bags for your bridesmaids? Throw in some ICU’s. From sleek black wayfarers to tortoise and aqua cateyes, there’s a style to fit every girl’s aesthetic. Pick your magnification and stop by their site NOW because they’re now offering 10% off sunglasses and reading glasses through September 1st. Don’t let your Labor Day look like my Napa holiday. Make the chic choice that lets you actually read your book, too. Happy shopping, my sweets!

The full line of ICU Eyewear is available here.

TOSS: My New Obsession from R. Nichols

We all know this girl loves a good candle. I couldn’t help but fall over myself in glee, therefore, when one of my favorite companies came out with a new scent and design especially tied to weddings. Artfully called TOSS, this sweet candle has a girl-centered POV, with the focus on that special iconic moment when the bride tosses her wedding bouquet. I’ve always loved taking part in this fun tradition.

Right before the toss at my wedding — notice my bridesmaid Jackie poised for the moment! (She ended up splitting it with the other girl in pink).

Featuring a whimsical design with the bride hurling her buds backyard to a line of waiting single ladies, the graphic is just perfect for a coffee table, kitchen island, bedside table, or boudoir. And even though I’m already married, this is just the type of gift I would have loved to receive for my engagement party, bridal shower, or wedding. It also doubles as a sweet token the bride can give to her ‘maids.

Not only is the packaging on this piece absolutely lovely, in a white-and-black box tied with a cerulean bow, but what’s inside is a true treasure. R. Nichols candles are like little works of art, each offering up its own special graphic to draw in the eye. But perhaps even better than the pretty canister (which you can reuse, by the way) the scent of TOSS is amazing.

R. Nichols describes the scent profile on this one as “a pure and innocent bouquet of the most beautiful white flowers… White freesia are embellished with sprigs of lily of the valley, orchids and stephanotis. Hints of white peony and creamy rose petals are scattered through the fragrance for textured femininity. And notes of jasmine blushed with pink and budding red currant blossoms add a touch of soft rose color.” I couldn’t capture it better. Open this candle and with closed eyes and you’ll imagine you’re sniffing the most beautiful wedding bouquet. Speaking of beauty, it’s designed so that as your candle burns, the playful exterior design will be illuminated from within. Just lovely!

For a little something extra, invest in this charming pair of luggage tags for the bride- and groom-to-be. We might not be headed on another honeymoon anytime soon, but Josh and I plan to use these on our next couples’ trip anyway. Such a sweet gift for the couple — and one that will continue to make them smile for years to come. Candle, $32, and luggage tags, $6 each, available at R. Nichols.

TBT: The Wedding Planning Diaries

Sometimes I like to take a look back and see where I was a year ago on this blog. As we approach Born to be a Bride’s second anniversary in July, this will be an even more sentimental and enjoyable process for me. I’ve kept a journal since I was about five years old, but the past several years have been very spotty in that regard. This blog is my journal in many ways, and sharing it with you is just cherry on top of the sundae in my own process of becoming a bride, and now a wife. So, where was I last year?

On June 5th, 2013, I posted about thank-you notes for our bridal shower. As irony would have it, Josh and I brought the final haul of shower gifts home to our apartment just a few weeks ago. When we lived in Dallas, it seemed expensive and daunting to ship everything there. We figured we’d wait a year until we’d recovered from the wedding expenses and ship it all then. Little did we know at the time that within a year, we’d be living a five-hour drive from my mom’s, and we’d be able to pack up the trusty Durango and bring it all here. (Mom is thrilled to have her guest room back, by the way).

At my shower, with some of my favorites.

You might remember I made a book of cards from the shower(s) and I plan to do the same with our wedding cards. But it was even more nostalgic and wonderful, a year after the fanfare of my beautiful bridal shower on Long Island, to open up the 80% of our gifts we hadn’t yet used. Suddenly, we have mixing bowls and silver frames, crystal vases and fancy knives. And more wine glasses than any two people have a right to own — but fear not, friends. They’ll all be used. There is also a stripper pole now, because of course. Funnily, that is the one item my handsome husband hasn’t yet brought up from the car to the apartment. I imagine if you didn’t know me and you saw the contents of my trunk, you’d judge me — just a little.

So, last year at this time I fretted over getting my thank-you notes completed from the bridal shower, but I got them done shortly thereafter. Today, just two days shy of the nine-month mark since our wedding, I shamefully have about 15 notes to get out. It’s been a crazy year, but that’s no excuse. I now have my assignment for this weekend. What one nagging item remains on your current wedding to-do list? Email me!

Mani Monday and a Shower of Gift Ideas

This weekend, I attended what was quite possibly the most delightful baby shower in world history. Hosted at the beautiful Manhattan apartment of one of my dearest friends, this party had every single detail accounted for — and it was just lovely. At some point, we will probably get more into babies. But for now, a word on showers in general.

The sweet gift bag we received at this shower contained not one but two nail polishes. What a treat! My Sunday morning was spent prepping for the week with a trend-right DIY manicure in Deborah Lippman’s covetable “Call Me Irresponsible,” a bold purple. Everyone loves nail polish, and there are so many ways to make this idea work for a shower favor. You can stick with the wedding colors, reach for neutrals, use the bride’s favorite color, or create a wild assortment that can be traded among guests.

Loving this super-shiny, warm weather-ready hue! $18, Sephora.com

You might also consider buying a few of these Essie 4-packs and splitting them up among the bags for a more affordable option. $17 each, Ulta.com

These are some pretty OPI nail colors that fit a bridal aesthetic. $9 each, drugstore.com

Showers and Showers… and What to Wear.

On Saturday, I attended a lovely bridal shower for a dear friend whose glam DC wedding will take place in January. It was refreshing to travel a mere 30 minutes and find myself in a room filled with love. Since moving here, Josh and I have started to settle in our cutesy Virginia neighborhood. I have plans upon plans and so many phone calls to make to dear friends who leave nearby, but it just hasn’t happened yet. Between the new job and last weekend’s health scare, I feel like I am just starting to find a routine and feel (a little bit) at home.

My friend Tara is going to be the type of bride that you see all over Pinterest and just gasp at her beauty. She did bend my ear a tiny bit about the amazing theme of her wedding, and I even got a sneak peek of the hairstyle which is beyond words. But we’ll keep all of that under wraps until after the wedding takes place.

This was the beautiful favor from Tara’s shower.

After the shower, Josh and I had hoped to return to Maryland for a dinner party at the bride’s father’s home. But Josh’s work commitments made it impossible for him and I, traveling alone in a crazy rainstorm, didn’t end up making it either. We cracked open a bottle of mediocre red and ordered in Chinese, after which my beloved fell into a deep slumber. And I, inspired by the beautiful snow that had fallen earlier, got to work brainstorming more winter wedding ideas. Let’s talk fashion:

After the shower, Josh and I had hoped to return to Maryland for a dinner party at the bride’s father’s home. But Josh’s work commitments made it impossible for him and I, traveling alone in a crazy rainstorm, didn’t end up making it either. We cracked open a bottle of mediocre red and ordered in Chinese, after which my beloved fell into a deep slumber. And I, inspired by the beautiful snow that had fallen earlier, got to work brainstorming more winter wedding ideas. Let’s talk fashion:

The first look
A snowy first look is absolutely magical. Whether or not you’re lucky enough to get actual flakes, you can make it work by donning a white fur or otherwise puffy stole or cape. Also, the bride below was smart to wear her hair up. In theory, snow on the hair is absolutely enchanting. But unless your stylist stays on-hand for a major touch-up, melted snow can create a real mess for your locks.

Cardigans galore
I’ve seen matching cardigans or peacoats work on the bridesmaids for outdoor winter shoots, but I’ve also seen them way not work. Coordinating is one thing, but a line of six of the same sweater can end up looking ho-hum. Instead, encourage your girls to wear wool cardis that relate to your wedding colors but are not an identical color match. The look ends up being much more elegant and natural.

Have some fun
There will be plenty of pictures of you two looking fabulous and chic — save your heels for a moment when you aren’t trudging through the snow. A little humor goes a long way, and a shot of the groom holding your bouquet so you can lift up your dress to reveal snow boots is just the sweetest thing.

A Million Thanks

There’s much to be read about the etiquette of thank-you notes these days, and being a bride naturally means you’ve got to read up. When we were kids, we were always made to send a hand-written note of thanks for any gift, large or small. And even before we were able to write, Mom would craft the note and have us paint on it or decorate it with stickers while explaining the importance of the gesture.

The gifts for our wedding have started to arrive and wow, this is fun. Every few days, we’ll get home from work and find a box waiting inside our apartment. Even when it’s something we knew was coming, it is so exciting to tear open the package and discover what treasure lies within. But Josh is a man, and a working one at that, and his desire to create a thank-you list and rattle off the notes is thin at best.

That’s where I come in.

From what I’ve read, any shower gifts should be acknowledged with a note from just me, because while the gift is for us both, the party was intended to shower me with happiness. Any gift addressed to both of us earns him a prized spot on the bottom of the note where he scrawls his signature upon my instruction. But what about the stationary?

We plan to order thank-you notes that match our invitations and those will be sent us from both of us, post-honeymoon. The return address will be ours and it will start with Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Gerson. Chic! Can’t wait. But until then, I am reading that it’s customary to use the maiden’s name and stationary. I purchased several boxes of pastel and sparkly thank-you notes from Papyrus literally days after we got engaged. They seem quite fitting to who I am as a person and as a bride. Writing them helps me to relive the opening of each gift, while sending them lets the gifter know how much their thought meant to me as a bride and to us as a couple.

If you have not yet received a note from me on your recent gift, do not fret! I am rolling them out in slow succession not because I am lazy or busy or ungrateful, but because I genuinely believe that these notes need to mean something. And as a writer, I like to take my time in capturing these feelings as I jot them down. But this is important, brides-to-be: get those shower thank-you’s out well in advance of your wedding. The women in your life put time, effort and love into getting you those items long before your big day. They deserve to read about how much you appreciate it before they book their travel and find babysitters and cocktail dresses for the event itself.