While I always had a clear idea of how I wanted my engagement ring to look, it wasn’t as easy of a decision deciding on a design for my wedding band. There’s a good chance that Nick and I would’ve completely forgotten about the need for bands if our jeweler hadn’t sent us a reminder email three months before our wedding. LOL

After looking at a variety of pre-designed and custom options from Stephanie Gottlieb, I decided to move forward with a custom half diamond half ombre pink eternity band set in 14k rose gold using .15 carat stones. I chose this design for a few reasons:

1. My preference for emerald cut diamonds
2. Pink is my favorite color
3. The design gives you two rings in one
4. Gemstones are much less expensive than diamonds

FYI my engagement ring is a 3.25ct emerald cut diamond on a 14k rose gold diamond pave band

I’m obsessed with how it turned out and love how the half diamond/half gemstone design gives me two different looks! I also love how my band stands on its own and can be worn alone or paired with my engagement ring. I’m personally not a big fan of wearing more than one ring on a finger, so I’ve actually been wearing my band on my right ring finger. I know that’s a bit untraditional, but it’s what feels most comfortable to me. PS my ring size is 4.5 and the pink and red gemstones are a mix of garnet and tourmaline.

The post All About My Custom Wedding Eternity Band appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Oh what a night. Never have I wished I could slow down time more than during our wedding reception. It was magical and turned out exactly as we’d envisioned– romantic. moody and elegant drawing inspiration from my favorite season: Autumn.

Custom Cocktail Menu via Minted

Custom Sign via Minted | Personalized Wedding Card Box via Amazon Handmade | Florals & Decor by Country Gardeners Florist

Custom Seating Chart via Minted

OUR RECEPTION PLACE SETTINGS // Gold Table Numbers | Custom Foil-Printed Menus via Minted | Custom Gold Name Cutouts | Dinnerware, Glassware, Utensils & Napkins rented via Borrowed Blu | Florals & Decor via Country Gardeners Florist

Following our wedding ceremony, everyone immediately proceeded to cocktail hour which took place on the back lawn of Lion Rock Farm’s main guest house. The view of the the rolling hills covered in fall foliage is the reason why we chose to host this portion of the night here. We specifically timed it so everyone would be able to see the sunset. It was spectacular!

The goal of our cocktail hour was to set the tone for the rest of the night and get our guests ready for lots of eating, drinking and dancing. Our caterer created the most insane harvest table covered in all types of cheeses, charcuterie and the necessary accompaniments. It was definitely the hit of cocktail hour for our guests! By the end it had been completely devoured.

We also served eight passed appetizers– grilled cheese + tomato soup shooters, mini lobster rolls, spicy tuna tartare on crispy rice– just to name a few! For drinks we had an open bar, plus two custom cocktails: apple cider margaritas using my exact recipe and a blackberry bourbon mule. SO delicious!

We pulled out the lawn games that we’d used at our rehearsal dinner (everyone was obsessed with the corn hole set) and a small trio from our reception band played jazz tunes for entertainment.

When it was time to proceed in for the reception, Nick and I stayed behind for a few minutes to collect our thoughts before our first dance. We were both a little nervous especially because it was the first time we’d be doing our routine with me wearing my big gown. Eeek!

Then it was game time! We walked into our reception tent to cheers as our band Silver Arrow Band introduced us as Mr. and Mrs., and started playing our first dance song, “Cheek to Cheek” by Lady Gaga & Tony Bennet. While our dance moves definitely weren’t as clean as we’d practiced, I think we did a pretty good job and even nailed our final lift!!! I’m excited for y’all to see it in our upcoming wedding film

A few notes on our reception decor… We really wanted our tent to feel inviting and cozy, so I had the idea of hanging Edison bulb-style lights and draping fabric from the ceiling and around the polls holding up the tent. Our lighting vendor handled all the lighting and our florist installed the draping using sheer charcoal fabric I’d purchased myself from a store in Manhattan’s Garment District. So so happy with how it all turned out.

As soon as we finished our first dance, everyone was called out on to the dance floor to join us for a few songs before we all sat down for a champagne toast and our plated first course: a kale caesar salad with pomegranate seeds, radishes and a parmesan crisp.

Next Nick and I did our dances with our parents. Mine with my Pop Pop and Nick with his Mom. It was really cute. Towards the end of their dance, both of his sisters and his Dad joined them to finish the song. Next the dancing continued! Our band then invited everyone back out for a couple more songs while our caterer cleared the first course and readied the tables for dinner.

We really loved the idea of a family style meal so all entrees and sides were served on platters. Our menu was incredible! We served branzino on a fennel citrus salad, roasted chicken with black truffles, charred broccolini with a parmesan cream sauce, roasted delicata squash and potato gnocchi with smoked mushrooms.

The food. Omg. My one regret from our wedding is that I didn’t eat enough. I was just so excited that I didn’t have much of an appetite. I should’ve asked in advance for a doggy bag to eat the next day because absolutely every bite was devoured.

Towards the end of dinner my Pop Pop and Nick’s dad took the floor for their speeches. Nick and I both cried happy tears!

As everyone hit the dance floor again, I sneaked off with my Maid of Honor Allie and my planner Stephanie to change into my second Riki Dalal gown. I didn’t originally plan to have two dresses, but when I realized how long I was going to have to wear one gown and all the dancing I’d be doing, I decided to look into a simpler second option.

When I mentioned my dilemma to the ladies Riki Dalal during one of my fittings, they recommended I try on the Laura gown. Right away I fell in love with the sparkle and lightweight sheath cut. I knew it would be the perfect dress for our reception!

When I went to change dresses, I also put my hair in a braid and added these crystal hair pins from BHLDN.

Over the course of the next few hours everyone danced their hearts away to swing and Motown hits thanks to the talented Silver Arrow Band. We had a nine-piece band with two vocalists and they were UNREAL. Throughout the night so many of our guests came up to us and said Silver Arrow was the best band they’d ever heard at a wedding. They made the energy of the room so upbeat and really inspired everyone to stay on the dance floor. There wasn’t a single dull moment the entire night!

The only breaks we took from dancing were for Maid of Honor and Best Man speeches and again for dessert. How gorgeous was our cake? We did one layer of chocolate salted caramel and one of vanilla. Another fail on my part was not getting a three layers so we could have leftovers. Similar to dinner, every single slice was gone with minutes of being served!

It was a bittersweet feeling when our band finally announced the last song of the night– Beyonce & Jay Z – Crazy in Love. I think we all could’ve kept dancing for hours! But Nick and I had one last surprise in store for the night…

FIREWORKS. We didn’t want to just end the night with any old goodbye– we really wanted to wow everyone so we had our lighting vendor set up some pyrotechnics at the exit door of the party barn. These are called cold spark boxes and you can typically rent them for a lighting company. Some DJs even include them in their packages. The sparks are cool to the touch and can even be used indoors!

As everyone exited the tent and out through the barn, they grabbed an apple cider donut to go (obviously you can’t have enough sweets) and lined up by the door to say goodbye. A few minutes later we walked out to more cheers feeling all the love in the world. BEST NIGHT EVER.

MORE WEDDING POSTS
Our Personalized Decor & Favors
Our Fall Rehearsal Dinner
Getting Ready Photos
My Wedding Gown + First Look Photos
Our Ceremony + Bridal Party Portraits

OUR WEDDING VENDORS
VENUE: Lion Rock Farm
PLANNING: SHG Event Planning
PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Joy Photography
VIDEOGRAPHY: Madison Grey Media
FLORALS & DECOR: Country Gardeners Florist
CATERING: Hunt & Harvest
CAKE: Blackberry River Baking Co.
RENTALS: Borrowed Blu (dinnerware/glassware)
RENTALS: Party Rentals (chairs, seat cushions, serving ware, heaters)
RENTALS: Events Unlimited (tent, dance floor, stage)
LIGHTING + PYROTECHNICS: Handyboys Entertainment
BAND: Silver Arrow Band (9 piece with 2 vocalists)
GLAM: Facetime Beauty Concierge
OFFICIANT: Joe Mustich
STATIONERY & SIGNAGE: Minted

BRIDE
Dress 1: Riki Dalal Juliet Gown & Veil
Dress 2: Riki Dalal Laura Gown
Crystal Drop Earrings via BHLDN
Badgley Mischka Heels via BHLDN
Crystal Hair Clip via BHLDN
Crystal Hair Pins via BHLDN
Rings: Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry 

BRIDESMAIDS LOOK
Jenny Yoo Mila Gown via BHLDN (shade Hibiscus)
Twobirds Ginger Convertible Maxi Dress (shade Bordeaux)
Kendra Scott Bracelet
Earrings via BHLDN
Ankle Strap Heels via BHLDN

GROOM (all via The Black Tux)
Midnight Shawl Tuxedo
White Dress Shirt
Cap Toe Shoes
Suspenders
Bow Tie
Cufflinks
RING: Cartier 

GROOMSMEN (all via The Black Tux)
Shawl Collar Tuxedo
White Dress Shirt
Cap Toe Shoes
Suspenders
Bow Tie
Cufflinks

PERSONALIZED ITEMS & DECOR
Wedding Welcome Sign
Ceremony Programs
Custom Floral Wedding Signs
Custom Cocktail Menu
Personalized Cocktail Napkins
Wood Cornhole Set + Custom Vinyl Decals
Personalized Wedding Card Box
Custom Seating Chart
Custom Foil-Printed Menus
Custom Gold Name Cutouts
Gold Table Numbers
Rustic Wood Crates
Wedding Favor Donut Bags

The post Wedding Reveal | Cocktail Hour & Reception appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Ahhhh we’ve made it to the ceremony! You’ve already seen our rehearsal dinner, how we all got ready for the day and our first look— now we’re officially man and wife! The 45 or so minutes from getting ready to talk down the aisle to finishing our vows went by so quickly. It was like a blur! A happy joyous blur

CEREMONY DETAILS // Wedding Welcome Sign via Etsy | Ceremony Schedule via Minted

The entire week leading up to our wedding I was SO stressed about the weather. It had called for rain and I was completely devastated over having to potentially move the outdoor ceremony I’d envisioned inside to the barn where we had our rehearsal dinner. Luckily Mother Nature decided to get her act together because by midday that Saturday every cloud had cleared and the sun was shining. We scheduled our ceremony for an hour before sunset– I think it was 4:30PM? The light coming through the trees was just gorgeous.

BRIDAL DETAILS // Riki Dalal Juliet Gown | Crystal Drop Earrings via BHLDN | Badgley Mischka Heels via BHLDN | Crystal Hair Clip via BHLDN

Once all our guests had arrived, my planner Stephanie got us in position to process down the aisle. I was sooooo nervous, but once I locked arms with my Pop Pop and we began walking, all my fears of having to be in front of so many people washed away. Isn’t he so sweet???

Can we also talk about the floral installation on our ceremony tree? I came up with the idea after a Pinterest binge and tasked our florist with creating a large garland that wrapped around the trunk. I love how it turned out and wish ya’ll could’ve seen it person.

Nick and I decided to write our own vows and as you’ll see in our upcoming wedding video there were more than a few tears. While we are both Christians, we didn’t want our ceremony to be heavily religious. Instead we wanted to focus on our journey and the personal commitments we were making to one another after ten years as a couple.

I don’t want to bore you all too much with a lot of text so I’ll leave you to browse the rest of our ceremony. Towards the end of the post you’ll find our bridal party portraits where I included details on our bridesmaid and groomsmen looks.

BRIDESMAIDS LOOKS // Jenny Yoo Mila Gown via BHLDN (shade Hibiscus) | Twobirds Ginger Convertible Maxi Dress (shade Bordeaux) | Kendra Scott Bracelet | Earrings via BHLDN | Ankle Strap Heels via BHLDN

From the start of our wedding planning journey, I always knew that I wanted my bridesmaids to wear a deep burgundy gown. In a perfect world this gown would be long with a flattering neckline, comfortable and a style they could potentially wear again to another formal event. I’m very against purchasing expensive items that will only be used once and I did not want that to be the case with my girls’ dresses.

When I came across the Jenny Yoo Mila gown on BHLDN.com I knew it was the one! To make sure it was the perfect fit, my Maid of Honor Allie and I made an appointment at the BHLDN Upper East Side boutique so we could see it in person. It was just as pretty as I expected!

You may notice my friend Amanda (far right) is wearing a slightly different dress due to her upcoming new little addition in December The BHLDN team was beyond helpful at finding me a bump-friendly dress for her that would complement the Mila Gown. She’s wearing the Twobirds Ginger Convertible maxi dress— it’s the perfect gown for mom’s to-be because it can tied and worn so many different ways. Doesn’t she look gorg??

MORE BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES

GROOMSMEN LOOKS (all via The Black Tux) // Shawl Collar Tuxedo | White Dress Shirt | Cap Toe Shoes | Suspenders | Bow Tie | Cufflinks

I mentioned in our First Look reveal that Nick’s groomsmen all wore the same look as he did, except as you can see their tuxes were all black. Renting through The Black Tux made getting the guys their looks a complete breeze. Through The Black Tux website, Nick was able to send a complete breakdown to each guy that explained exactly what items they needed to order and by when.

GROOM’S LOOK (all via The Black Tux) // Midnight Shawl Tuxedo | White Dress Shirt | Cap Toe Shoes | Suspenders | Bow Tie | Cufflinks

Following our wedding, The Black Tux provided instructions and a mailing label so they could return everything. Nick was really happy with how he and his guys’ looks came together and their entire experience renting through The Black Tux — highly recommend!

MORE WEDDING POSTS
Our Personalized Decor & Favors
Our Fall Rehearsal Dinner
Getting Ready Photos
My Wedding Gown + First Look Photos
Cocktail Hour + Wedding Reception

OUR WEDDING VENDORS
VENUE: Lion Rock Farm
PLANNING: SHG Event Planning
PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Joy Photography
VIDEOGRAPHY: Madison Grey Media
FLORALS & DECOR: Country Gardeners Florist
CATERING: Hunt & Harvest
CAKE: Blackberry River Baking Co.
RENTALS: Borrowed Blu (dinnerware/glassware)
RENTALS: Party Rentals (chairs, seat cushions, serving ware, heaters)
RENTALS: Events Unlimited (tent, dance floor, stage)
LIGHTING + PYROTECHNICS: Handyboys Entertainment
BAND: Silver Arrow Band (9 piece with 2 vocalists)
GLAM: Facetime Beauty Concierge
OFFICIANT: Joe Mustich
STATIONERY & SIGNAGE: Minted

BRIDE
Dress 1: Riki Dalal Juliet Gown & Veil
Dress 2: Riki Dalal Laura Gown
Crystal Drop Earrings via BHLDN
Badgley Mischka Heels via BHLDN
Crystal Hair Clip via BHLDN
Crystal Hair Pins via BHLDN
Rings: Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry 

BRIDESMAIDS
Jenny Yoo Mila Gown via BHLDN (shade Hibiscus)
Twobirds Ginger Convertible Maxi Dress (shade Bordeaux)
Kendra Scott Bracelet
Earrings via BHLDN
Ankle Strap Heels via BHLDN

GROOM (all via The Black Tux)
Midnight Shawl Tuxedo
White Dress Shirt
Cap Toe Shoes
Suspenders
Bow Tie
Cufflinks
RING: Cartier 

GROOMSMEN (all via The Black Tux)
Shawl Collar Tuxedo
White Dress Shirt
Cap Toe Shoes
Suspenders
Bow Tie
Cufflinks

The post Wedding Reveal | Ceremony & Bridal Party Portraits appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

BRIDE // Riki Dalal Juliet Gown & Veil | Crystal Drop Earrings via BHLDN | Badgley Mischka Heels via BHLDN | Crystal Hair Clip via BHLDN

You’ve all seen glimpses of my wedding gown on Instagram, but I’m thrilled to finally be able to share how I knew it was the one for me. My wedding dress search started a bit rocky– I had no idea what I wanted and the entire process/hoop-la of going to bridal appointments gave me so much anxiety. Prior to finding my gown, I had done just one  bridal appointment at L’Fay Bridal in Midtown with my Maid of Honor Allie.

Doing that first appointment with just her was the best decision because it helped me get over my nerves of the process and wrap my head around the style dress I wanted– something off the shoulder with a flowy skirt. I also knew I liked embroidery and added accents like crystals, beading or lace– as long as these elements were discreet and didn’t take away from the dress as a whole.

Luckily I didn’t find my gown at that appointment, because if I had I would’ve never discovered Israeli bridal designer Riki Dalal. I can’t remember how I stumbled on her dresses– I think it was probably Instagram? Gotta love the discover page!

I went down a blackhole looking at all of her collections online and immediately was struck by the Juliet gown. Right away I could see myself wearing it– the off the shoulder neckline, the not-overly-obvious floral accents and beading adorning the sleeves and bodice, the flowing skirt comprised of layered ivory, oyster and dusty blush tulle. It was really everything I wanted all in one dress. All I had to do was actually try it on!

Long story short, I said yes to the dress in Paris! At the time (February 2019) Riki Dalal didn’t have a US-based boutique, but luckily they had one in Paris and were able to squeeze me in for an appointment when Nick and I were there on a trip.

Love Riki Dalal’s designs but don’t have an upcoming trip to Paris? Well I have good news! Riki Dalal recently opened a boutique in Brooklyn and another in San Francisco. American brides rejoice! I actually had all my fittings at the Brooklyn store in the two months leading up to our wedding.

I feel quite lucky that I was able to decide on my dress so easily. I really didn’t struggle with the decision at all– the second I put it on I knew it was the right choice. People looooove to tell brides, “you never end up getting the dress you think you want” and that you “shouldn’t let your heart get set on a dress based on a picture.” Well both of these statements were completely false in my case. Even without seeing my gown in person or trying it on, I knew it was the one I was going to say yes to. Thankfully it all worked out! PS my veil is from Riki Dalal too.

At our wedding I really wanted my dress to be the focus, so I kept the rest of my accessories low-key. I ended up going with these ankle strap heels that were surprisingly comfortable– I lasted in them the whole night! For jewelry I wore a pair of small crystal drop earrings from BHLDN and this bracelet from my mom.

GROOM’S LOOK (all via The Black Tux) // Midnight Shawl Tuxedo | White Dress Shirt | Cap Toe Shoes | Suspenders | Bow Tie | Cufflinks

Alright, enough about me. Let’s talk Nick’s look! Nick and his groomsmen rented their tuxes, shoes and accessories from The Black Tux. Around the time that I found my dress, Nick and I hit up The Black Tux’s Manhattan outpost for a little try-on session. Similar to me, Nick had an idea of what he wanted (a navy blue tux) but wasn’t sure of his options and what he wanted his groomsmen to wear. He ended up going with a navy blue tuxedo with black lapels.

His groomsmen wore the same style tux, except in all-black. You’ll get to see photos of them tomorrow when I reveal our ceremony and bridal party pictures! Get ready because the guys were all reallyyyyyy feelin’ themselves. I thought Nick looked particularly handsome and dashing

Now for our first look! I’m so happy with how these portraits turned out I hope you love them as much as we do!

MORE WEDDING POSTS
Our Personalized Decor & Favors
Our Fall Rehearsal Dinner
Getting Ready Photos
Ceremony + Bridal Party Portraits
Cocktail Hour + Wedding Reception

The post Wedding Reveal | First Look + My Wedding Gown appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

It was surreal to wake up in our suite at Lion Rock Farm on the morning after our incredible rehearsal dinner. I remember I woke up super early (per usual) and I spent about a good hour walking around Lion Rock’s main guest house and garden patio just taking it all in. I even made coffee for everyone! A few of our vendors had already arrived and I could see their trucks parked outside the barn tidying up from the previous night’s festivities and prepping for our reception. Once it reached a reasonable hour (7:30AM :P) I finally woke up Nick and our friends who were also staying in the main guest house with us. Like please hang out with me?!

Knowing that all the events of the day were going to happen at the farm and that we wouldn’t have to move or drive anywhere gave Nick and I such a sense of calm and peace. This aspect, plus the fact that Lion Rock has three guest houses that can sleep up to 30 people, were big contributing factors as to why we chose it as our venue. We loved the idea of having our bridal party stay on-site with us. Nick and I stayed in the main house, along with my Maid of Honor Allie and her fiance Matt, plus our good friends Amanda and Dan who were also in our bridal party. It was kinda like going on a trip with your bffs! The rest of our bridal party (a mix of friends, siblings and cousins) plus my mom, stepdad and grandparents had rooms in Lion Rock’s two other guest homes.

Having access to all these spaces really made the entire morning leading up to our ceremony quite enjoyable and stress-free. After Nick and the guys grabbed some coffee and pastries, they headed down the long driveway to Lion Rock’s lower guest house where the guys would be getting ready and all the girls posted up at the main house with me. I was like bye bye boy I’ll seeeeee ya when we’re married!!! Keep on scrolling for more photos and details from the morning

MY GETTING READY LOOK

Lace Robe (also avail in knee-length) | Silk Chemise via BHLDN | Birdies Slippers | Crystal Hair Clip via BHLDN

BHLDN made picking out wedding day getting ready looks a breeze. They have such an amazing selection of robes and jammies for brides and bridesmaids! It’s where I found my entire look and my bridesmaids’ robes. Tip: if you see something you love on BHLDN.com snag it because items sell out so dang fast and inventory of certain items can be limited. I learned this the hard way because the first bridesmaid robe I had selected sold out soooo quickly, but luckily another that I loved even more hit the site just in time for me to order. It’s actually still available along with my silk chemise! My lace robe is sold out on BHLDN, but I do see it in stock at another store here. I actually already owned my getting ready slippers (I blogged about them here!) and thought they paired perfectly with the rest of my look

BRIDESMAID GETTING READY LOOK

Floral Robe via BHLDN | Kendra Scott Bracelet | Pink PJ Set ($20 find!) | Earrings via BHLDN 

Shortly after I woke up that morning the team from Facetime Beauty arrived to set up glam for the day. I was a little worried that getting married in such a remote location would leave me with very little glam team options, but thanks to my planner Stephanie I ended up booking Brooklyn-based Facetime Beauty. They’re basically a one-stop shop beauty concierge that will travel wherever you need! PS they have outposts in Brooklyn, Palm Beach, Nashville and Southern California.

Over the course of six hours everyone got their glam done in the sunroom of the main guest house– the natural light was incredible! I really wanted all of my bridesmaids to have their hair and makeup professionally done, so I covered the cost for everyone. I know some brides ask their bridesmaids to pay for their own glam or they make glam optional in case someone would rather to do it themselves, but I just wanted everyone to have a stress-free day and walk down the aisle feeling their best. My grandma, mom, Aunt Jen and Aunt Sue also got their hair and makeup done as well! Talk about a big party :p

Back in March I did a hair and makeup trial with the two Facetime Beauty artists who would be helping me get ready at my actual wedding: Natasha who did my hair and Olivia for makeup. Having already met them and had conversations about what I wanted made everything really easy. At one point one of them even commented that I was “the chillest bride ever,” which was shocking to me because I’m pretty much never chill. It was true though! I felt oddly relaxed that morning, but at the same time a little on edge because I literally had nothing to do for six hours besides getting my hair and makeup done, eating Chick-Fil-A and drinking champagne with my friends. I was even tempted to walk over to our reception tent and ask our vendors if they needed help setting up… LOL. Is anyone else a weirdo who always feels like they need to be working or just me?

Ok back to glam! For my makeup I asked for a “soft glam” look with glowy skin and sultry eyes. Essentially I wanted to look like a 10/10 version of myself– not like I had on a mask or that I was a different person. I had originally planned on doing minimal eye shadow, but in the moment decided to go for a bronzed eye with lashes, which I ended up loving. I also had a pretty bad hormonal acne breakout on my forehead our entire wedding weekend (you can slightly see it in some close up photos) but Olivia did an amazing job covering it and making me feel like a million bucks.

In terms of the actual cosmetics I know we used the La Mer Cushion Foundation in shade petal– it’s my absolute favorite! Some other products I recall are this matte contour stick (shade amber) and setting powder (shade lavender) — everything else was a mix of products from brands that the Facetime gals use and love! I also did an SK-II sheet mask to hydrate and prep my skin about an hour before my makeup was applied.

Similar to my makeup, I wanted my hair styled in a way that looked like “me.” I was between wearing it in a braid or leaving it down with a side part and ended up opting for the latter. I do my own braids allllll the time, but very rarely do I have the motivation to curl my mane in big soft waves like you see here. I loved the final result much more than I expected so I definitely made the right decision. We added this crystal clip from BHLDN for a touch of sparkle! You know me– I had to have some hair bling

I didn’t give much direction for my bridesmaids’ glam– just whatever they and the Facetime Beauty gals thought would be best and complement the group as a whole. I know I’m bias but think everyone looked gorgeousssssss.

At one point while we were getting ready, our photographer Sarah popped upstairs to the bridal suite to get some shots of my dresses and accessories. I plan on talking more about my two Riki Dalal gowns in tomorrow’s post, but you can see above some closer shots of them along with my shoes and rings– both designed by Stephanie Gottlieb.

I also can finally reveal our wedding invitations that we designed using Zola! We had such a great experience with Zola for our save the dates, that we went back again to get our invites. I really loved how they turned out– simple and elegant. PS Zola has a very large selection of paper goods and stationary and many of the designs are quite affordable!

After everyone had their fill of Chick-Fil-A and was finished getting glammed up, we all headed upstairs for a final toast and to get ready. We popped some more champagne and I got to open a sweet handwritten note from Nick (I sent one down to him as well) that almost made me have to get my makeup re-done LOL. My mom also gave me an embroidered hanky that belonged to my great grandmother that she carried on her wedding day. So sweet!!! She also let me wear her prized emerald and diamond tennis bracelet that was a gift to her from my step-dad.

MORE WEDDING POSTS
Our Personalized Decor & Favors
Our Fall Rehearsal Dinner
My Wedding Gown + First Look Photos
Ceremony + Bridal Party Portraits
Cocktail Hour + Wedding Reception

OUR WEDDING VENDORS
VENUE: Lion Rock Farm
PLANNING: SHG Event Planning
PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Joy Photography
VIDEOGRAPHY: Madison Grey Media
FLORALS & DECOR: Country Gardeners Florist
CATERING: Hunt & Harvest
LUNCH CATERING: Chick Fil A
CAKE: Blackberry River Baking Co.
RENTALS: Borrowed Blu (dinnerware/glassware)
RENTALS: Party Rentals (chairs, seat cushions, serving ware, heaters)
RENTALS: Events Unlimited (tent, dance floor, stage)
LIGHTING + PYROTECHNICS: Handyboys Entertainment
BAND: Silver Arrow Band (9 piece with 2 vocalists)
GLAM: Facetime Beauty Concierge
OFFICIANT: Joe Mustich
STATIONERY & SIGNAGE: Minted

The post Wedding Reveal | Getting Ready Photos appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

It’s WEDDING WEEK! Nope, not getting married again or renewing our vows just yet. This week I’m going to finally be sharing with y’all the details of our incredible October wedding weekend. Our photographer Sarah is a gem and immediately after our wedding sent me about 40 sneak peek photos, which is what you saw on Instagram in the days after the big event. However I wanted to wait until we had our full photo gallery (nearly 2000+ photos!) with all the pictures of our loved ones to really dive into things here on the blog. Eeek I’m so excited!!!

MY REHEARSAL DINNER LOOK // White Off The Shoulder Dress (budget-friendly & avail in lots of colors!) | Badgley Mischka Pumps via BHLDN | Faux Pearl Headband (set of 6 colors for just $16!)

So let’s start from the beginning shall we? We decided to kick off our wedding weekend with a few of our favorite things, pizza and wine, at our food truck-themed rehearsal dinner. From the beginning we knew we wanted a low-key rehearsal– nothing fancy or seated. Just good food and drinks in a casual setting where everyone could ease into the wedding festivities. I loved the idea of having lawn games (more on these below!) and everyone playing together and chatting underneath the barn patio lights. It was magical!

Since this post is a bit heavier on photos than normal, I’m going to let y’all scroll and enjoy. More details and information will be included at the bottom of the post

REHEARSAL DINNER ENTERTAINMENT // Cornhole Board Set with Custom Board Decals (talked more about these in this post)

REHEARSAL DINNER ENTERTAINMENT // Personalized Jenga Game

MY REHEARSAL DINNER LOOK // White Off The Shoulder Dress (budget-friendly & avail in lots of colors!) | Badgley Mischka Pumps via BHLDN | Faux Pearl Headband (set of 6 colors for just $16!)

Over the last few weeks one of the most-asked questions I’ve been getting from y’all is: where did you get your rehearsal dinner dress? Believe it or not it was a relatively inexpensive find and SO flattering. I ordered a few little white cocktail dresses as options, but the second I put this one on I knew it was the winner. I just felt so good in it and loved how I didn’t have to worry about wearing shapewear and that it could stand on its own without a ton of accessories. I kept the rest of my look simple with these white pumps (RIP since I spilled red wine all over them at the end of the night) and my favorite faux pearl headband (comes in a set of 6 colors!)

SHOP MORE WHITE COCKTAIL DRESSES

SHOP REHEARSAL DINNER HEELS

Now for the details!

Our entire wedding weekend took place at one venue: Lion Rock Farm. The rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception all happened at different areas on Lion Rock’s 600+ acre property. We looked at a number of venues in Litchfield County, CT and the Berkshires that were lovely, but as soon as we drove up the road to Lion Rock and saw the barn above I knew we had to get married here.

The fact that we could host every event of our wedding, plus stay on the grounds (Lion Rock’s guest homes can accommodate 30+ guests) made the venue choice a no-brainer. Lion Rock is just simply gorgeous. The farm has a full-time staff that keep the grounds and buildings in immaculate condition. We always wanted to get married somewhere with a rustic country-vibe, but at the same time hoped to find a location that was still elegant and elevated. We found Lion Rock to be the perfect combination of all our desires and more!

We wanted to keep our rehearsal small so we only invited immediate family, our bridal party, their dates and a few loved ones who were traveling from far out of town. I think it ended up being around 40 people? I’m not sure of the final count, but we felt it was the perfect number of guests to kick off the weekend and not feel overwhelmed. The intimacy allowed both of our families the opportunity to get to know one another a lot better– many of our extended family members were meeting for the first time! Seeing them all together in one place was incredibly heart-warming.

Our rehearsal took place inside Lion Rock’s party barn and on its adjacent patio. We loved how everyone could go out to grab food from the pizza truck or play a game and then come inside to eat and warm up by the stone fireplace. The vibes were so cozy and upbeat!

One amazing aspect of getting married at Lion Rock is the beautiful barns and grounds. You really don’t need to do a lot in terms or florals or decor if you don’t want to. We decided to keep things simple at our rehearsal so we could focus the majority of our aesthetic budget for our wedding day. To keep with the cozy Autumn vibes, our florist created simple tablescapes with greenery, fall flowers, white pumpkins and tea lights over a charcoal grey runner. All of these elements were then re-used at our cocktail hour and reception the next day!

For catering we hired the Big Green Pizza Truck to make custom wood-fired pizzas and salads (SO good!) They also provided gelato cups for dessert!

We kept drinks easy (not trying to have hungover guests at our ceremony lol!) and served beer along with two varietals of Chateau Souverain wine. See the personalized bottle labels? You can order these from Chateau Souverain for any event– a wedding, birthday, anniversary, corporate– list goes on! I thought they were such a cute way to add a personal touch to the night and our friends and family got such a kick out of ‘em!

To add a little entertainment to the evening, I ordered this personalized Jenga and a cornhole board set with custom decals. These were a hit with our guests– young and old! Everyone loved these so much that we ended up setting the cornhole boards out again at our cocktail hour the next day for a second round of fun.

Since Nick’s dad and my Pop Pop were giving speeches the next day, we thought it would be sweet at our rehearsal to take the time to highlight our moms and let them say a few words of welcome. They each gave a toast and a short speech that left more than a few in happy tears.

Our rehearsal dinner turned out even better than how we’d envisioned. Family and friends coming together over great food and games– what more could you ask for?

MORE WEDDING POSTS
Our Personalized Decor & Favors
Getting Ready Photos
My Wedding Gown + First Look Photos
Our Ceremony + Bridal Party Portraits
Cocktail Hour + Wedding Reception

OUR REHEARSAL DINNER VENDORS

VENUE: Lion Rock Farm
CATERING: Big Green Pizza Truck
PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Joy Photography
PLANNING: SHG Event Planning
FLORALS & DECOR: Country Gardeners Florist
WINE: Chateau Souverain
GAMES: Personalized Jenga + Cornhole Board Set with Custom Board Decals

The post Wedding Reveal | Our Cozy Fall Barn Rehearsal Dinner appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

After spending nearly a year and half blogging about wedding planning, it feels so surreal to finally be able to share actual pictures from the big day! Our wedding photographer Sarah is a total gem and sent me a bunch of sneak peek photos yesterday from our rehearsal dinner and reception, I couldn’t resist revealing a few of them here. Just seeing our card box with my new last name and the cornhole boards that were a huge hit with our guests brings back such a flood of wonderful memories.

AMAZON HANDMADE FIND // Personalized Wedding Card Box

While I wait on our full photo gallery, I thought it would be fun to kickoff my wedding reveals with details on where we purchased some of our personalized decor and favors. As we neared the big day there were still a few little custom items that we needed: individual bags for the apple cider donuts we planned on giving as take home favors, cocktail napkins, rehearsal dinner games and reception table numbers. You know… the random things that you don’t realize are necessary until the last second

AMAZON HANDMADE FIND // Personalized Cocktail Napkins
How cute are these custom napkins? I purchased these in bulk for a very affordable price.

Y’all of course know all about Amazon.com, but have you ever heard of Amazon Handmade? It’s a section on Amazon.com where you can shop for all kinds of unique products from local artisans to small business owners across the globe. I’m talking decor, custom signage, paper products, jewelry, artwork and candles. All of these items and more can be found on Amazon Handmade often at a price that’s much more affordable than if you were renting or custom ordering from a name brand.

AMAZON HANDMADE FIND // Wood Cornhole Set + Custom Vinyl Decals
I searched far and wide for a custom cornhole set, but everything was either crazy expensive or would take too long to make. On Amazon Handmade I found the perfect solution: custom vinyl decals. These shipped so fast and easily adhere to any wood cornhole board! Our guests were obsessed!

Since these last few things were all quite small (in the grand scheme) I wanted to be wise with my spending, but at the same time I still hoped to have some element of personalization. Thanks to Amazon Handmade I was able to find exactly what I was looking for all in one place. I shop on Amazon.com nearly every week so the ordering process was a piece of cake. I also really liked knowing that I was purchasing products from a small business.

AMAZON HANDMADE FINDS // Rustic Wood Crates + Wedding Favor Treat Bag
I’m excited to repurpose these wood crates as home decor though I can’t say the same for our donut bags– those were gone in a flash!

The only thing I would point out is that most Amazon Handmade products are only eligible for standard shipping– not Prime. That said, nearly everything I ordered was at my door within one business week. As long as you don’t wait until the last second you’re golden! Totally worth it for something sweet and custom

AMAZON HANDMADE FINDS // Gold Table Numbers
To make life easy we were originally just going to rent table numbers, but we quickly changed our minds when we saw what our vendor was charging. These acrylic numbers were a fraction of the cost of what we would’ve paid to rent! So crazy! 

This is only a glimpse of what I have planned to share from our wedding. Lots more to come!!!

MORE WEDDING POSTS
Fall Barn Rehearsal Dinner
Getting Ready Photos
My Wedding Gown + First Look Photos
Our Ceremony + Bridal Party Portraits
Cocktail Hour + Wedding Reception

Big thank you to Amazon Handmade for sponsoring this post!

The post Our Wedding | Personalized Decor & Favors appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

We made it to the finish line! I still can’t believe I’m getting married on SATURDAY. The past week has been a whirlwind of nerves and excitement– all completely self-induced of course. For nearly three weeks we’ve had every logistical aspect of our wedding confirmed so it’s really just been a matter of waiting. If you know me then you’re fully aware that patience is a quality I have very little of so it’s taken all of my willpower to stay busy and not get in my head.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Purple Turtleneck Sweater | Skinny Jeans | Over The Knee Boots (these are my fave designer dupe pair!) | Tote Bag (it’s under $100!) | Similar Hat | Sunglasses | David Yurman Bracelets | Michele Watch

Ok so updates! Honestly the list is so long at this point that I truly don’t think there’s a way I can include it all, but all the big things we accomplished in the last month are BOLDED below! So many people warned me that the bulk of the work would happen in the two months before the wedding and boyyyyyy were they right. It’s once you send out the invitations and start getting RSVPs that sh*t gets really nitty gritty. All the little tasks you’ve always known that you’re going to have to do (aka get a marriage license) and those random things you’ve known you’ll have to buy (a guest book and cocktail napkins) can no longer be put on the back burner.

WEDDING PLANNING CHECKLIST

✓ Get GLAM! (book appts for hair, nails, brows, lashes, facial & spray tan)
✓ Finalize our minimoon itinerary
✓ Dance lessons
✓ Write vows
✓ Get marriage license
✓ Finish paying all of our vendors
✓ Get final RSVP count & submit to all our vendors
✓ Final gown fitting
✓ Finalize our wedding bands
✓ Finalize florals, decor & rentals
✓ Order all printed materials & random props (programs, menus, etc.)
✓ Create seating chart for reception
✓ Order any personalized items (welcome sign, etc.)
✓ Pick out jewelry/accessories for bridesmaids
✓ Design, order & send out wedding invitations
✓ Get wedding insurance
✓ Found our officiant
✓ Booked minimoon for after wedding (saving a long honeymoon for 2020)
✓ Did our cake tasting
✓ Had floral design meeting
✓ Booked day-of glam team + did my hair & makeup trial
✓ Had my bachelorette party in Isle of Palms + Charleston
✓ Began planning my bridal shower with my Aunt Jen
✓ Picked out our tabletop rentals + chairs for reception
✓ Found my dress
✓ Picked out & ordered bridesmaid’s dresses + shoes
✓ Sent out save the dates (you see them here)
✓ Created our wedding registry (here are some of the items we registered for)
✓ Shot our engagement photos
✓ Asked all my favorite gals to be my bridesmaids (see how I did it here!)
✓ Confirmed florist + met to go over initial ideas
✓ Met with our caterer for a Q&A + did a tasting
✓ Worked on our wedding moodboard with our planner
✓ Did a venue visit + walk through with planner to map out flow of the day
✓ Created our wedding website on WeddingWire
✓ Got over my fear of trying on wedding dresses
✓ Booked room blocks at local hotels
✓ Confirmed caterer
✓ Confirmed band
✓ Confirmed videographer
✓ Confirmed photographer
✓ Found our wedding planner
✓ Created a budget spreadsheet
✓ Confirmed the date (October 2019!!!)
✓ Decided on a venue

Last week I asked y’all on Instagram what you wanted to me to talk about in my last wedding update and these were the most requested topics!

PRE-WEDDING GLAM. I never thought there’d be a day where I’d find my hair, nail and lash appointments exhausting; but I guess weddings can do that to a gal. Talk about a privileged problem! Since this was the top request of my Instagram poll I decided to write a separate post all about my wedding beauty schedule here.

WEDDING DANCE LESSONS. Back in August we impulsively decided to book ourselves wedding dance lessons at Dance With Me studio and I’m so happy we did! Nick surprisingly took the lead on scheduling our weekly class with our instructor Tyler (he was great!) at the Soho location. At Dance With Me they offer private wedding dance lessons specifically for engaged couples. Once you book a block of lessons (we did 10) you’re assigned a private instructor who can teach you everything from the basics to a full choreographed routine. Over the course of our 10 lessons, Tyler coached us on the fundamentals of dancing with a partner and taught us a fun and easy routine that we’ll debut at our wedding reception. I’ll be honest, I was very skeptical of doing dance lessons and was worried it would be a waste of time and money; but I’m now so grateful we decided to do it. Not only did we both learn a new skill, but it was really fun having a unique date night once a week in the weeks leading up to our wedding. I would highly recommend doing it if you’re engaged!

SEATING CHART + FAMILY DYNAMICS. During an August Q&A on Instagram I was asked what has been the hardest aspect of planning thus far. At the time my answer was family drama. Ay yi yi. It really is true that weddings can bring out the worst negativity in some people– emotions get high and everyone has their opinion. I have to give credit to Nick for creating our reception seating chart. It wasn’t easy y’all! Both our families have some tricky dynamics, but I think we found a way to make everyone happy. Having a couples shower over the summer with Nick’s family and then my bridal shower in September definitely helped break the ice a bit and reunite some of our extended family members who haven’t seen one another in a very long time. We’re nowhere near as worried about potential drama now as we were when we first got engaged. Fingers crossed!

PRINTED MATERIALS. I am obsessed with the custom menus, programs, and cocktail + seating signs we ordered from Minted! I was so impressed with how fast the shipping was too. PS Minted does custom signage now from seating charts to reserved signs– they have it all!

PERSONALIZED DECOR & PROPS. We ended up purchasing most of our non-floral decor and props from a mix of vendors on Amazon Handmade and Etsy. I’m talking things like a custom welcome sign, card box, name cards, vintage baskets, fleece blankets (for guests at our ceremony,) frames and an easel for holding signage, lawn games (corn hole & jenga for rehearsal dinner.) Sure, we probably could’ve rented a lot of these items, but in the end it ended up being cheaper to just buy on our own. Hey our new apartment building has a rooftop lawn so we’ll at least be able to make use of our new giant corn hole boards 😛

BUDGET. So did we go over it? Slightlyyyyy, but not to a degree where we’re going to lose any sleep. Nick and I are both content with where the final numbers have rounded out.

EXPENSES WE DIDN’T ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATE. Unless you have prior experience planning weddings or large scale events, I don’t see how anyone could go into this process fully aware of all the different types of vendors and random expenses that could be needed. Of course everyone’s big day is going to be different and entail different types of costs.

I would say that our wedding probably skews on the more complicated end of the planning spectrum due to our venue. We’re basically paying for use of the space from Friday through Sunday morning and that’s it. They do have reception tables and ceremony benches so that’s a plus, but other than that we have to rent and bring in everything. This includes catering, florals, glassware, dinnerware, linens, chairs, tall tables for cocktail hour– the list goes on. We knew this was going to be the case from the start and specifically chose the location because we wanted to work with vendors of our choice. And since we’d budgeted for a wedding planner, the idea of having such a long list of necessities that we’d need to find and source never felt too daunting. That said, there were a few things that caught us by surprise:

+ Dance Floor & Stage. When you think about renting items for a wedding, physical floors probably aren’t the first thing to come to mind. It wasn’t until we received an updated quote from our rental vendor last month that we remembered we’d need to rent a wood dance floor and raised stage for our band. If you’re envisioning getting married at a venue that doesn’t have a ballroom or large hardwood floor space– make sure you plan for this!

 + Heaters. Another not-so-fun pricey rental that we forgot we’d need. I guess that’s what happens when you tour venues in June, but pick a date in mid-October LOL. We’re anticipating temperatures to be in the low 60s on our wedding day (perfect!) however at night it will definitely get cool. As much as I don’t want to pay for these, the last thing I want is for any of our guests to feel uncomfortable or chilly when they spent so much time and money traveling to celebrate with us.

+ Night-Of Tips. I remember reading an article when we first got engaged about which vendors you should tip and how much you should give, but only remembered it until recently. It’s on our to-do list to hit up an ATM this week and sort all the cash tips for our band, bartenders, etc. into envelopes so our planner Stephanie can easily distribute after our reception ends.

+ Vendor Meals. In our planning process we learned that it’s the norm to feed all of your vendors who will be working at your reception. It totally makes sense– I just honestly had no idea until my planner mentioned how we should be factoring in vendors to the catering headcount. For us this will include our planner, our photographer and videographer + their second shooters and our band. Make sure you talk to your caterer and find out how they price vendor meals and what staff they cover on their end.

+ Vendor Accommodations. If you decide to hire a vendor that’s not based within reasonable driving distance of your venue, be prepared to provide them overnight accommodations. In some cases certain vendors may even require you pay for their flights, rental cars, all meals and incidentals, etc. Check those contracts! Our photographer and videographer are actually both based out of state so we’re responsible for their lodging over the weekend. Hotel options are limited in the area where we’re getting married so we decided it was most cost effective to reserve a big Airbnb nearby that we could have them stay at along with a few friends who procrastinated on booking a hotel 😛

+ Tent Draping & Custom Lighting. I’m going to take responsibility here and admit that I made the decision to add these extra elements to our budget. Our reception is tented and the tent itself is beautiful and has basic lighting, butttt I just felt like it needed a little bit more in terms of decor. When I explained what I wanted to our planner Stephanie, she briefed me that my idea would entail going to New York’s garment district and purchasing rolls of fabric literally as if I was a contestant on Project Runway. Luckily I had her and our florist (who’s doing all of our decor too) to help me. They came to the city one day over the summer and we found the perfect fabric that we’re going to drape in our tent and use as table runners.

For lighting we’re hiring a separate vendor who’s going to be doing a custom installation in our tent. Necessary? Of course not. Is it going to be worth it? ABSOLUTELY.

+ Spark Fountains. Another completely frivolous extra that I decided to add over the summer. I’m blaming Pinterest! PS shoutout to all the helpful girls on Instagram who clued me in that I should be looking into renting ‘cold spark fountains’ from either a DJ or lighting vendor. I’m a ding dong and  totally thought people just used real fireworks!!! News to me that there are so many different types of pyrotechnics that you can rent and use safely without risk of fire.

So I think that’s it!!! Wish me luck that I can make it to Friday without completely going crazy from nerves and excitement. I know everything is going to be wonderful and perfect and ahhhh I just can’t wait to share more with y’all!

MORE WEDDING UPDATES

wedding update #7 | reception seating chart, goodbye breakfast dilemma
wedding update #6 | cake tasting, honeymoon, officiant & more
wedding update #5 | my hair & makeup trial + pre-wedding beauty treatments
wedding update #4 | how i said yes to the dress!
wedding update #3 | engagement photos + bridesmaid proposals
 wedding update #2 | playing dress up with david’s bridal
wedding update #1 | summer tablescape + booking vendors
our proposal story
our engagement photos
our save the date card design
wedding planning q&a
our bed bath & beyond wedding registry
little white dress guide
how to save money on wedding reception rentals

The post Wedding Update #8 | The Final Countdown appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

Let’s talk wedding beauty! When I asked what you girls were most interested in seeing in my final wedding update, overwhelming you requested I share my pre-wedding schedule and how I planned out my appointments. Oye. It took some strategizing, but as the final week before my wedding begins I feel very confident in the way I mapped everything out.

I want to this preface post with a disclaimer: I’m beauty obsessed. I truly enjoy doing #allthethings and nearly all of these appointments are upkeep for services I was regularly having done prior to getting engaged. Throughout my engagement I haven’t gone out of my way to drastically change my routine or spend extra money on beauty or wellness. I’ve really just been doing what I always do to take care of my hair, nails, brows, lashes and skin.

Society puts so much pressure on women already– especially ones that recently have received a ring on their finger. Just because you’re getting married doesn’t mean you suddenly need to start doing all these expensive treatments, lose a ton of weight, follow a restrictive diet, etc. If you do decide to step up your beauty spending or make a change to your eating habits or fitness routine– you should be doing it because YOU want to and not because your mom, a friend, a bridal magazine or some chick on Instagram said so. If you take away anything from this post please please let it be this!

Okay so you just go engaged. What next? I put together an outline of things you might want to consider in the year leading up to your wedding below. Have I done all of this? Absolutely not. Do you need to do it all? Of course not. These are just suggestions to spark your thinking and so you can plan accordingly.

LONG-TERM BEAUTY & WELLNESS (6-12+ MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING)

+ FITNESS ROUTINE

+ NUTRITION / HEALTHIER DIET

+ LASER HAIR REMOVAL

+ SKINCARE TREATMENTS

+ NAIL DOWN YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE

+ TALK TO YOUR HAIR SYLIST/COLORIST ABOUT ANY MAJOR CHANGES YOU MAY BE CONSIDERING (& start experimenting!)

+ BOOK YOUR DAY-OF WEDDING GLAM TEAM (I found mine 6 months in advance)

1 MONTH BEFORE WEDDING

+ TEETH WHITENING TREATMENT

+ BOOK ALL PRE-WEDDING GLAM APPOINTMENTS

+ STOP USING NEW SKINCARE PRODUCTS

2 WEEKS BEFORE WEDDING

+ FACIAL

+ HAIR COLOR & CUT

WEEK OF WEDDING

+ MANICURE & PEDICURE

+ EYELASH EXTENSIONS

+ EYEBROW THREADING

+ SPRAY TAN

+ WAXING

My #1 Wedding Beauty Tip

If you don’t already have salons and professionals that you love and trust, my best advice would be to progressively work on finding these folks over the course of your engagement. That way when it comes to schedule all your week-of wedding appointments it’s just a matter of booking upkeep and you’re not going blind into a service being done by someone you’ve never worked with before. There are going to be so many things that will require your energy the week of your wedding so your glam appointments should feel like a treat. These are moments when you should take time for yourself and relax. This is much easier to do when you have full confidence in the beauty professionals you’re seeing! Trust me!

My 2 Week Wedding Beauty Timeline

Ok so here’s my personal wedding beauty timeline! My goal in sharing this isn’t to make you think that all these appointments have to be done in this order or that you need to do them in the first place. This is just what worked best for my schedule and when my salons had availability. The only thing I would say is that if you plan to get a spray tan that you 100% schedule that last. Getting your nails and hair done involves getting your skin wet, which could affect your tan.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Similar Fuzzy Jacket | White Blouse | Skinny Jeans | David Yurman Bracelets | Michele Watch

THURSDAY OCTOBER 3

Hair appointment at Fourteenjay salon
Yesterday I visited my hair dream team at Fourtneenjay for my regular 10 week color touchup, trim and extension maintenance. No plans to make any drastic changes (I’m a creature of habit) however for extra fullness and some added length for my wedding day hair look I’m replacing my current extensions with new 20-inch wefts. You check out this post for more info on my salon, the type of extensions I get, pricing, etc.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 4

Facial with Nurse Gigi
I’ve been seeing my esthetician Genevieve for over a year now about once a month for laser treatments and facials. I talked more about what I specifically get done in this post. Honestly though no appointment is ever the same– she typically tailors the treatment to what my skin most needs at that time. PS Genevieve offers all my readers and followers 25% off laser services– just make sure to mention me when booking your appointment!

TUESDAY OCTOBER 8: 

Eyelash Fill at Yoshieeyelash
I’ve been going for lash fills at Yoshieeyelash every 3 weeks for the last few months so this appointment won’t be any different than my norm. It took me forever to find a good lash studio in the city, but I really love the girls here! They work efficiently and the salon is super chic and cozy. My lashes really do last too! I experience very minimal fallout as long as I am careful when washing my face, removing makeup, etc. PS if you make an appointment make sure to mention my Instagram handle (KatiesBliss) for 30% off!

Custom Bridal Gel Manicure at Paintbox
I always get a gel manicure before big trips and events for the 2+ week longevity and so I don’t have to worry about chipping. I have no idea what I’m going to do in terms of design or color, but I’m hoping the gals at Paintbox will have some ideas!

Pedicure
When it comes to pedis I’m really not picky and usually hit up whatever cheap salon is near another appointment, my pilates studio, etc. Most of my city errands are around Union Square so I’ll likely look for a spot there!

Eyebrow Threading
For the last five years I’ve regularly had my eyebrows threaded so this appointment will just be maintenance. I go every 2-3 weeks to a hole-in-the-wall salon on 14th street (I think it’s called Brow Studio.) It’s nothing fancy or special, but the girls there have always done a great job and it’s only $9.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9:

Spray Tan at Sugar + Bronzed
I typically prefer to do my own self tan at home (you can read about my favorite tanners here) however I’m planning to get a professional spray tan three days before my wedding. The few times I have gotten a spray tan I went to Sugar + Bronzed in the city– I think they have a location in Murray Hill and another in Union Square. I made an appointment for Wednesday so that way I have nearly three days for it to slightly fade, etc. I also plan on showering at least twice after I get the tan too. My goal isn’t to look super bronzed or dark, I just want a natural glow that will flatter my skin.

FITNESS & DIET

I also want to touch on fitness and nutrition as these go hand-in-hand with beauty. An upcoming wedding or big life event can definitely be a motivating factor to get in shape and make positive changes to your body– both good things! That said, I don’t think a wedding should be the only reason behind undertaking an aggressive fitness regimen. If you do decide to set any fitness or weight loss goals for yourself, I would encourage doing it via a realistic routine that 1) you can afford and 2) that you’ll want to continue after your wedding.

OUTFIT DETAILS // Colorblock Leggings | Sports Bra | Sneakers

Weight loss or a desire to change my body has never been a goal of my wedding journey. I don’t own a scale and honestly have no idea how much I weigh. I exercise because I know it’s good for my body and mind, though the visual changes (for me it’s toned legs & stomach definition) are nice bonuses I’ve been working out regularly for nearly three years, however in the last six months I’ve tried my best to take classes 2x per week at Solidcore or SLT + do 1-2x cardio workouts at my gym. I’ll tell you right now that there were multiple weeks where I didn’t stick to this routine and only was able to make it to the gym once or twice, but I tried my best and I’m proud of myself for making an effort to take care of my body and look forward to continue doing so once I’m a married woman

Eating habits! When I decided to make a fitness a part of my life three years ago, my eating habits also changed. It’s been an evolution for sure because until age 25 my diet was 99% processed crappy food. Looking back I can’t believe I ate that way and would never want to return to those habits. I feel SO much better after eating a healthy meal vs when I have something processed and void of nutrients. Experiencing that feeling is what’s motivated me to continue incorporating healthier things into my diet and cut down on the junk. I don’t follow any specific plan, count calories or obsess over ingredient labels; however I try my best to buy dairy-free/gluten-free/organic when there’s a suitable option available. I also try to balance unhealthy meals with healthy ones. If I do eat junk, I will make sure that at a later meal I’m having something that’s packed full of nutrition. I also regularly make my own green juice smoothies in my Vitamix blender.

The post My Wedding Beauty Timeline | How To Schedule Your Appointments appeared first on Katie's Bliss.

I’m so happy to be able to share these photos from my bridal shower with y’all! My aunt Jen, grandma and mom hosted it for me at one of my favorite restaurants in the city and it was truly the sweetest day. It was really the first time that all the women on both sides of my family, Nick’s family, along with all my close girlfriends had ever been together in the same place. That aspect alone made the shower even more special for me!

OUTFIT DETAILS // White Lace Midi Dress | White Ankle Strap Sandals | Saint Laurent Bag | Michele Watch

I am obsessed with the dress that I wore and highly recommend it if you’re in need of one for a wedding event. It was incredibly comfortable, flattering in photos and the material is wrinkle-resistant. I didn’t even have to steam it!

Snapped with my cousin Georgie, Aunt Jen and my Maid of Honor Allie

And here with my mom and sister Brooke!

I swear my Aunt Jen must have been an event planner in a past life. She took the lead on figuring out everything from the menu to the florals with the team at ABC Kitchen. I told my family from the beginning that I didn’t want an over-the-top shower; just something simple and sweet where I’d be able to easily interact with everyone and of course eat some yummy food. I think they did an amazing job! 🙂

Here you can see my mom giving a little congratulations speech. Isn’t she so cute??

My family knows me well because the menu included so many of my favorite things: donuts, avocado, tuna sashimi, calamari, cheese ravioli, chocolate cake, SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM SUNDAES… Ugh I’m drooling again just thinking about the food!

All my favorites girls! From left to right: my Maid of Honor Allie, Carly, Kendall and my best gf from college, Amanda

Here are some more party pictures! Shoutout to my girl Carter for capturing these for me 🙂

Nick’s never one to miss out on a party (or donuts and cake…) He made an appearance at the end of my shower and event brought me flowers! I was so happy he was able to come and say hi to everyone. It makes me so excited to think that in just a little under a month we’ll be doing the exact same thing again except with all the other people in our lives that we love!

Snapped with Nick’s mom and sister Isabella

My shower ended with Nick and I giving everyone a sneak peek of our first dance! Here’s hoping our moves are improved when we officially debut it next month 😛

The post All About My Bridal Shower appeared first on Katie's Bliss.