thoughts for the day

Goodmorning! 
Today (and the past week or so), I feel like I'm spending so much energy trying to control the uncontrollable. It's important to remember that we have very little control on most of what happens around us, but we DO have control on our attitude and emotions towards those things. 

          ~ G

Antique Inspired

Lately, I've been posting about things that inspire me. If there is one thing that "enlightens or enthuses" me, it is antique furniture. Antique shopping is most definitely one of my favorite hobbies. I love strolling through the old malls filled with random stuff. There is something about the "hunt" that makes antique shopping so enthralling.

Since I've been decorating my own place, I've found incredible inspiration from old pieces of furniture. It actually all started about 4 years ago. B and I were in Ohio for his grandfather's memorial service. A few days after the services, his family had a large estate auction of all of his grandparent's personal items...furniture, dishes, bedding, jewelry...even their car. While we were at the auction, I noticed this beautiful cedar trunk. It had such great lines...it also had casters and nail head trim. I fell in love with this piece. We ended up bringing the trunk home with no real purpose in mind. Come to find out...this trunk has been in the Mallett Family for many generations....what a special heirloom we have now! 

When B and I got married, the trunk was sitting in the garage, being used as storage for a bunch of junk. I realized one day, that with a little paint touch up, the trunk would make a pretty coffee table...well, that was all she wrote...it's been our coffee table ever since then.

Grandpa's old cedar trunk (this thing has been white, brown, turquoise, green, pink and now white again)

That one piece truly drove my entire vision of decorating for the remainder of our past home and now our current home. I love the vintage feel of old furniture. It never "gets old" (no pun intended). Its character is perfect for our 1936 home.

 Here are some other pieces I've collected along the way... 

Living room chest with original casters and pulls. 

entryway secretary

Kitchen Table redo (see post)

Mini Cabinet in my kitchen

This antique bookcase was originally a walnut brown. 

To me, there is something uniquely special about finding antique furniture to be used around the house...to think about the story that goes along with the furniture...the family that used to use it...what their home was like...It's truly inspiring.


                                                                              ~ G
 Do you have something that drives your decorating or style? I'd love to hear about it...Feel free to comment below!

Sweet Summertime

Happy First Day of Summer! Here in Florida, it has felt like summer for quite  a while. As a matter of fact, I like to think of the summer being from Memorial Day weekend thru Labor Day. Any how, I love  summertime. It is definitely the perfect time to take vacations, spend time with family and get some RAYS! 

We spend a lot of time at the beach during the summer months, whether it is just for the day or take a week long vaca...it is nice to have such beauty in our backyard. St. Augustine holds a special place in my heart...it's super nostalgic for me and I don't think I'll ever get sick of going down there. 

We also love to spend time on the boat, either on the river or at the lake (if you haven't figured out by now....we LOVE the water).  I think there is just something about being on the boat that allows you to forget about stress of daily life and just feel free. 

Tory Burch Sunglasses {here}

When summertime roles around...it means you must have a great pair of shades. I recently bought a new pair of sunglasses that I am loving. They are Tory Burch, with just enough playfulness and plenty of style. 

Of course summer means alot of great things like cookouts, beach bags and bathing suits...but most importantly it means time to do all the things you love! 

Lilly Pulitzer Beach Tote {here}

May you all have a GREAT summer...make sure to do something that makes you smile! 
                                                         ~ G 

Wedding Wednesday-Venues

Happy Hump Day! I love Wedding Wednesdays because I get to reminisce about my wedding day; things I loved and the things I would do differently. 

Today's "Wedding Wednesday" advice is about venue picking. The date is set, the budget is in effect...now it's time to start knocking out the bigger planning pieces. Picking a venue sounds like it should be pretty simple, but honestly, the venue for your ceremony and reception determines a lot about the day of your wedding and the overall experience. From deciding if a church ceremony is your pick or if beach front is more your style to picking a reception site, there is quite a few things to think through. Here are a few tips to help you solidify the best venue for your special day!

1. Identify the overall feel you want to achieve. If you are very traditional and want your day to upkeep with all the normal traditions of a wedding day, then you want to ensure your venue provides that. If you are a more relaxed couple and prefer a relaxed enviroment then an outdoor ceremony or beach wedding may be appropriate. 

Photo taken by Jenn Hopkins Photography

2. How many people will the venue hold? This may seem like a no brainer, but sometimes the venues we love may actually be too small for the number of guests. Make sure to ask this when meeting with venue reps. 

Photo taken by Jenn Hopkins Photography

3. Consider the time of year and location. This is crucial when planning a wedding in a seasonal location. For example, living in Florida, it may not be smart to plan an all outdoor wedding in August...considering it's usually 100 degrees here. Also consider the weather patterns for that time of year. If it's spring time, winter or summer, there may be some issues you should plan for when considering your venue.

Picture taken from Pinterest

4. Do you have to bring in a caterer, lights, rentals or are they provided? This is one part of venue picking that B and I had to discuss. We got married at a Museum of Art and Gardens and although it was wonderful, we were responsible for bringing most items...including extra chairs, tables, dance floor, lighting, etc. This can be a large portion of a budget if it is not planned for. When planning for the ceremony, consider if officiants must be from the church or can it be a minister from outside the church. Make sure that you clarify these inclusions when meeting with your venue. 

5. Which small details are important to you....does your venue allow for those? One of the funniest things that came up when planning our wedding was the use of candles. I LOVED the look of a candlelit dinner with tables covered with candles and flowers. We also wanted a cigar bar, with hand rolled cigars....HOWEVER, because we were using a historical art museum as a venue, no open flame was allowed. Some churches do not allow flowers in the sanctuary during Lent, other venues do not allow for hanging lights. Make sure you discuss all the small details that are important to you BEFORE solidifying your venue. 

Picture from Pinterest

Picking your venue for the ceremony and reception will begin to determine the overall feel of your special day...so think carefully. 

I hope these tips help make your special day as perfect as possible!
Feel free to email or comment with any additional comments or questions. 

                                  Happy Planning!
                                          ~ G 

White Inspired

To inspire: to affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence; To fill with enlivening or exalting emotion

If there is anything I love about owning a house, it is the freedom to decorate and design in a way that is perfect for me and my family. When B and I bought our home a year ago, I knew, in general, what I wanted our home to look like...I knew this because of all the items that inspire my taste. 

One of the most inspiring aspects of my interior is the color (or lack of) white! I love everything white; white dishes, white bedding, white cabinets, white paint. It is slightly ironic that I love the color white and the natural feeling it provides. My whole life I've loved color...bright colors.... yellows, greens, pinks, corals. My first car was even bright yellow!!!! However, there is something so calming and refreshing about the color white in a home that truly makes it hard to pass up. 

source

White with natural elements (lavender & wicker)
[picture from Pinterest]

White on White {source}

White doesn't have to be an insane asylum...it is simply a blank canvas to allow textures, prints and natural elements to stand out. It takes the focus away from the walls and places it on the important parts of a room...the people in it! 

White creates a sense of calm that makes a room super inviting. It provides a peace for the mind and the eye...the perfect feelings after a long stressful day. 

white walls and cabinets {source}

Some people feel that white is too difficult to manage, but if handled properly, white can be work for any family. It doesn't have be used in 100% of your home, but including white will bring a crisp, calm and finished look to any room.

so natural {source}

     I guess the important thing to remember when decorating and styling is to "be inspired"...by something! Be enlightened, enthused and creative! 

                                                                   ~G 

Wedding Wednesday-Budgeting

Happy Wednesday!! ...and happy first day of summer to me!! It's so nice to wake up with no stressful "to do" lists! 

Today's wedding tip focuses on {drum roll please} BUDGETING!! Every brides favorite?!! This is definitely one of those "touchy subjects" for many brides. Every girl wants the wedding of her dreams, but sometimes those dreams don't fit nicely into the dollar figure. 

Whether you are planning a $1,000,000, a $100,000 or a $10,000 wedding, a budget is a great guide for making wedding planning easier. When most brides here of a budget, there's a little stress buzzer that goes off in her head...usually, a budget means a limit; however, a budget really is a guide of how and where to spend money for the entire event. 

magnetstreetweddings.com

10 Tips to help you set your Wedding Budget:

1. Set a dollar figure up front. It is very important to know what you are working with from the beginning. Having a number will prevent stress, anxiety and unneeded drama later on in planning. Also, think about who will pay for what. Is the Father of the Bride paying for everything? Is groom's family paying for a portion? Are the bride & groom pitching in? 

2. Open a bank account just for wedding expenses. Opening a saving or checking account makes keeping track of wedding money much easier. If someone wants to pay for a portion of the wedding, have them write a check into that account. Trust me...you will be glad you can account for funds very easily a year later. Also, when the wedding is over, that account becomes an account for a different purpose (i.e. college savings fund) 

3. Allocate monies to each part of the wedding...consider your priorities. I believe this is very important! Set up what parts of the wedding are most important. For example, if you know you want a $10,000 wedding dress and nothing else will do...then you may have to limit your expenses somewhere else in your budget. Setting priorities will keep you on track once you beginning setting the details of the day as well. 

www.ruffledblog.com

4. Allocate for misc. items. This seems to be the place where many brides get in trouble. They've planned for the cake, flowers, band, dress, venue....but they left out things like favors, glow sticks, menus etc. Make sure you have a fund specifically for those small random items that are easy to put on the back burner. 

5. Shop your vendors....quality versus quantity. Just because you love a vendor, does not mean they are the right person for the job. Make sure you interview a couple of vendors before deciding if that vendor is right for you. Also, consider pricing. You want to know you are getting the "biggest bang for your buck" when it comes to the vendors you chose. My photographer (check her out here) was not the cheapest photographer we met with, but I would pay 2 times her cost, simply for her quality of photos and personal experience. 

6. Keep track of costs. The whole concept of budgeting is to keep track of the money your are spending on the event. Consider using a spread sheet or a notebook to help with this. Especially if you are planning over one year, it is easy to forget what you are spending on certain items. There are countless spreadsheets online and in wedding magazines. Check out this wedding budgeter here!

7. Be flexible. As you go through the process of wedding planning, you may run into items that are a little outside of the allocation you gave it. That is OK! Having a flexible budget will allow you to go a little over or a little under on some items, without completely destroying the designed budget. 

8. Be honest with yourself. It is easy for brides to get "carried away" with what they want for their special day. Pinterest, wedding magazines and other wedding sources haven't helped. It is important to stay in perspective of what is affordable for YOU and your family! Set your budget with intent and reason. Do not use a number that is unrealistic or floating. This will only lead to stress and anxiety during a time that is supposed to be enjoyable! 

9. Do not look at items outside of your budget. YEH YEH...I know we all want to try on every dress we see...but it is important to stay focused. If you are a person who easily falls in love with something...I would suggest staying away from items that are well outside of your price range. It's like buying a house...if you can only afford a $250,000 home, do not shop in the millions....or else you will never be content. This goes for the wedding dress, the venue and even your florist. 

10. REMEMBER: You can plan a beautiful wedding on ANY budget and no one will no exactly what you spend unless you tell them. Your wedding day is about YOU and your groom! Do not let the $$ dollar signs$$ on everything taint the meaning of your special day, which is your commitment to one another. This should be the best day of your life and I can promise you...the flowers don't make it that. It is the meaning of "holy matrimony" that creates such special day! 

itsabrideslife.com

We all have different planning experiences, but know...we can all learn from each other. Feel free to comment or provide any other tips you may have for brides. 
                                                                                       



                                                 Happy Planning!

                              ~G 

Sources: My Online Wedding Help; The Knot; Jenn Hopkins Photography; 

"Wedding Wednesday": My Best Friend's Gettin' Married!!!

Who doesn't love a good wedding...right?!?! Our wedding was obviously the best day of our lives....all of our friends & family in one place...dancing, eating/drinking and just having a blast! I wish I could say that planning our wedding was as enjoyable, but the truth of the matter is....it was STRESSSSSFULLL!!!! Anytime you are trying to manage that amount of money, please that many people and have an ounce of sanity left...well....it's hard! 

Over Memorial Day weekend, my very best friend since middle school got EnGaGeD!!!! This is one of those days as a friend, where you want to jump up and down and squeal and cry and laugh and ...well...ask 100 questions! I can't say that I 've been much happier for another person like I am for my bestie! She was my ROCK during my wedding season, stood by my side, bought me all the little goodies a bride could want and made that time so special! I can't wait to return the favor :)))

At our senior high school awards day

my bestie forever! 

She even fixed my veil during the entire ceremony! 

She and her fiancé have only known each other for a little while, yet they are PERFECT for one another. He grounds her...she brings a playful side out in him. He's everything you could want for your best girl! 

With this exciting and wonderful news, comes some pressure! When can we get married...that doesn't interfere with other weddings? travel plans? school schedules? work schedules? {isnt your wedding about you}. In addition, she lives out of town...so incorporate wedding planning + long distance= super funnnnnnn (did my sarcasm transfer?)

This things got me thinking about wedding planning in general. So for the next several months, I am going to do a post called "Wedding Wednesdays", where I share some wedding planning tips that  may or may not   be helpful! Look for it next week!

Until then...raise your glass to my bestie and her man to a wonderful, cherished time of engagement! 
                                                                           ~ G