Guess What?!

Can y'all guess what today is?! It's my blogiversary, of course! One year ago today I wrote my first post for Pink Poppy Social, and today I am nearing 100 posts! It's so crazy to think where I was one year ago compared to where I am today--and June 27, 2013 I will be somewhere else entirely, I'm sure! I'm not even sure if I have regular readers, but if you're out there, THANK YOU!

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Oh Hey Chambray

Feel like rocking the chambray on your wedding day? So stinkin' cute for the casual bride who's not afraid to let her hair down a little.

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Love Sales

Happy Day!! The Paper Mache Elephant Head I so dearly adore is on sale! I'm going to see if I can hold off on buying it, but I reallyyyyy want it and the sale price is too tempting to pass up. This is also something I would need to order online since it might be a little awkward walking a mile home through Georgetown with that thing. So yes, I think I will be making this purchase today. Anyways, I dreamed up a room around this gem and I am seriously considering investing in more of these items for my living room next year. I spend most of my time in the living room, so I think my current decor could use a little sprucing up. Jewel tones just ain't my thang.

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Found it

Well, you guys, it's official. I have found my dream house. Done and done.

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Etsy Love

Last week I made my first Etsy purchase (natural deodorant if you must know--why yes, I do believe everything I read and I'm now totally freaked out about rubbing aluminium in my pores! Can't believe I just admitted that). Anywho, even though I'm way behind when it comes to Etsy and get completely overwhelmed by the entire site, I finally found a necklace I've had on my mind for months after pinning it. Eclectic Ornaments makes some cool statement necklaces for a pretty reasonable price, so I snagged myself this bad boy. I inherited my love of turquoise jewelry from my mom, and love how versatile this one is. What's your favorite piece from the collection?

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Blog Crush

My BFF (and new blogger!), Meaghan, introduced me to Fifi Cheek yesterday and I've since spent way too much time reading her posts. I love when bloggers open up their lives to readers. I very seldom do that, because that's not what my blog is intended for, but I follow tons of blogs that do and they've ended up being my favorite kind. Fifi Cheek not only documents Lindsey's life with her adorable family, but she has an eye for fashion and design that perfectly matches my tastes. And she was a wedding planner for the past ten years--in Wilmington, NC no less! Rockstar Diaries is another fave--Naomi lives right here in DC so it's fun to recognize all the places she visits through her pictures. It doesn't hurt that her little Eleanor is the cutest kid I ever did see. Seriously. And this blogger sports rockin' clothes that I would never be brave enough to don, but props to her for being the most stylish gal in DC, even with 2 little kiddos.

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In a nutshell

Perfectly written, courtesy of the best advice blog in wedding land, East Side Bride. Have at it.

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food trucks

This past winter, I assisted Jessica with a wedding that had Carpe Donuts waiting for the guests outside of the church--incredible donuts by the way. The winter air was pretty bitter that afternoon, so fresh hot donuts and the addition of cider and homemade hot chocolate were the perfect pick me up for these lucky guests. Food trucks have joined the wedding scene as of late, and luckily, DC has more options than I can count! While TaKorean is delish(!), it's probably not the best option post reception. Choose a truck that serves small bites, like District Taco or The Slider Baron. Or how about a classic late night favorite from DC Slices? And my favorite, a fun spin on the good old ice cream truck, The Sweet Flow Mobile. You know I love me some frozen yogurt!

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in-fricken-love

I stopped doing my Friday Favorites a while ago, but I really really wanted to share this wedding with you. How awesome would it be to get married right where they film your favorite TV show?! The flowers and THAT CAKE? Love. I wouldn't normally go for a white dinner jacket as part of the groom's attire but I think this gent looks pretty dashing, agreed?! A sophisticated outdoor affair is perfection in my book and this one might top my list of all time favorite weddings.

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West Elm

Last night, I walked down to Georgetown to meet Rob for dinner and had a few minutes to spare, so I decided to pop into one of my favorite design stores, West Elm. I always lust after lots of items in this store but holy cow--last night I wanted to buy everything. I love neutrals, especially shades of grey (no pun intended) and West Elm has turned what used to be boring neutrals into modern, sophisticated pieces. I could happily buy out the entire store, but want to know my favorite item? The Paper Mache Elephant Head. I don't have anywhere to put it in my current home, but I am seriously tempted to buy it anyways. I have a weird love for elephant decor (yet own very little) so this would be the perfect place to start, don't ya think?

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Texture

A little bit of texture, fit to inspire on this lovely Monday afternoon...

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Cafe Lights

When I moved from an apartment building into a town house, I had every intention of dressing up my back patio with cafe lights. Target sells them for pretty cheap, and lighting is totally necessary when your patio backs up to an alley. Our first backyard BBQ came too soon, and we decided to string old Christmas lights along the fence, instead. A year later, the Christmas lights are still up--with a strand burnt out, because we're classy like that--and I have yet to pick up my beloved string lights. I also think cafe lights are a perfect addition to a casual, tentless, al fresco wedding. They add a little whimsy to the already gorgeous night sky. String them over each individual table, the dance floor, or the entire space! Alright, that's it--Targé here I come!

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In-betweens

Every single time I meet someone new, they ask my why in the world I would ever move from sunny California to DC. My answer? I don't know! As graduation grew closer, I realized I didn't see myself living in CA forever. I grew up on the East Coast and always knew I would go back. I decided on DC for a few reasons. First, my brother already lived there and loved it, and second, my sister was planning on moving there with a bunch of her girlfriends after graduation--built in friends in a scary new city! An amazing job opportunity sealed the deal and next thing I knew, I was looking for an apartment in a city I'd been to only twice in my life.

DC is the perfect city of in-betweens. It's not as overwhelming as NYC yet still has that city vibe. It's not too far north that I would freeze to death and be miserable, because let's be honest, I hate the cold. I live in the city, yet my neighborhood is quiet and peaceful. I often still question why I moved here, but after the dreaded winter ends and spring kicks in, I am reminded why. This was my view just last night, as I sat with my girlfriends during happy hour, celebrating (if you can call one of your BFFs leaving, "celebrating") Sara's new job in Dallas, where she will move next month.

This year marks the year of change for everyone around me. It seems as though all of my friends have either started a new job in the last few months, are heading off to school at the end of the summer, or are moving to a new city for a fresh start. Next year will be so drastically different from this past year, and that scares me! This year has been one of the best in my life, and I hesitate to embrace change. Sometimes, I just need to be reminded why I came here in the first place, and how lucky I am to live in one of the most gorgeous cities in the country. I think I might stay for a while, and that's not so bad now is it? :)

All personal photos with Instagram