Monthly Archives: July 2014

Summer Midi, Spring Weather

It has been absolutely gorgeous this past week in DC – I’m not complaining one bit! In fact, it feels more like Springtime most evenings than Summer which makes for good hair days and midi dresses like this one. This dress and its girly details (read: BOWS on the back) make it ideal for a fancy brunch, evening cocktails and summer weddings.

Essentially, you can both host AND toast in this little number.

 Midi Dress: c/o ASOS // Heels: C. Wonder (sold out – LOVE these) // Sunnies: Anthropologie // Clutch: H&M (similar here) // Earrings: c/o Kendra Scott // Rings: Kendra Scott // Bracelets: J.CREW (similar here) & c/o Loren Hope // Lips: All Fired Up by MAC

Shop this post below!

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DIY: Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

If you’re a bride-to-be, you’ll appreciate today’s guest post from my sister, MEC.  You might be thinking about how to ask your BFFs to be your bridesmaids and/or maid of honor to be in your wedding.

Well, I was completely in love with what my sister did while I was home for her engagement party. I just had to have her share it with you!

I surprised her on dressing shopping day with an early morning “bride to be” latte & bubbly along the way. AND she completely surprised ME with her creative way of asking me to “officially” be her MOH!

The steps for this adorable idea and accordion-like collage are below by MEC!

1. Make your signs. Be creative.

(I made “BE” “MY” “BRIDES” “MAID” “?” & “BE” “MY” “MAID” “OF” “HONOR” for BAC)

2. Take your PHOTOS! Have fun with it too!

3. Fold construction paper in half, cut down the fold and fold the cut pieces in half again. This is what you use for the booklet so create as many as you need.

4. Tape one side to the back of another and alternate. This creates a zig zag shape that’s like an accordion so it will open up!

5. Tape your photos on to the sides you want to show and voila!

It’s safe to say I’m the most honored person in the world to stand by this girl’s side on her big day next year!

MEC also had adorable gift baskets made for us all full of presents and these Kate Spade “love” rings with sweet notes inside.

 Like MEC’s posts? There’s more fun DIY ones to come!

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Summer Engagement Party

A few months ago, I shared the news that my sister Megan Elizabeth (or MEC) was engaged and I put together a little “how-to” on her engagement gift basket.

Well, today I am sharing her & her fiance’s gorgeous summer engagement party in hopes that you will be inspired too when planning and hosting!

I have written before about my aunt (to whom H&T is dedicated to) and well,  I cannot take any credit for this event as my cousin (her son) and his wife hosted the party. It was held in Tampa and was truly a beautiful rooftop affair. I think my aunt and my uncle would be so happy with how it all turned out (now can you see how it runs in the family?).

The lovely hosts worked with a variety of vendors that are credited below and kept the colors simple with shades of mint and gold. On another note, I’m pretty sure MEC will be the most stunning bride this world has seen! Don’t you think?

If you can believe it, she is actually missing TWO more bridesmaids in this photo to complete her party – there’s 10 of us total including my youngest sister.

MEC & her fiance during the sweet hostess toast that celebrated two angels above.

My outfit details are also below because I’m pretty sure I have worn this dress 20+ times this summer!

{Dress: Paper Crown (ON SALE) // Heels: C.Wonder // Earrings: Sweet & Spark}

{Photography: Daria Kopylova Photography // Florals: The Potting Shed //  Event Coordination: K4 Event Production // Invitations & Swag: Nico & Lala // Venue: Fly Bar – Tampa // Candy Bar: Chic Sweets // Cookie Favors: South Tampa Sugar Mama

Also, some more exciting news is that MEC has agreed to “guest post” on a few DIY items that she has put together (with NO help from me!) when asking friends to be bridesmaids plus a few DIY bachelorette weekend items and tips! (MEC is also a MOH herself right now so lots of planning between the two of us.)

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Hosting & Roasting: Glamping Guide

Today I am sharing a fun idea for summer weekends! My girl friends and I got together last weekend and wanted a lowkey “stay in” kind of evening. Instead of the normal “wine and movie” night, I suggested we do a little “glamping” (read: glamourous camping).

We gathered around the campfire (my stove) for some s’more roasting and red wine. Glamping is the perfect summer activity that brings you back to those girl scout days sans the wine out of mason jars.

Alas, below is my guide to perfect night!

{Marshmallow Roasting Sticks // Mason Jars // Gingham Napkins

My Glamping Night as told by Instagram

P.S. If you don’t have a gas stove, use the oven to bake your s’mores instead!

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Recap: Southern Blog Society Conference

As some of you might of seen via instagram, last weekend I was in Atlanta for the Southern Blog Society’s annual conference, otherwise known as #SBScon. It was so much fun to see and meet new and old blogger friends from across the Southeast!

Before we even started the conference, Kristin (Living in Color Print), Emily (Life with Emily), Ashlyn (Let It Be Beautiful), Ashley (Turquoise & Teale) and I were treated to blowouts and bubbles (and coffee for me!) by the lovely staff at Drybar Atlanta. It was the most fitting way to kick off a weekend full of instagrams, ###’s and of course, outfit shots. (It was also here that I began to realize what a “token brunette” I would be for the weekend surrounded by my beautiful blonde mafia blogger friends!)

The conference was hosted at the W Hotel in Buckhead and kicked off with an opening cocktail party hosted by Ahalogy at Whiskey Blue complete with macarons and sparkling (literally) champs.

Bright-eyed and full of arm parties, we enjoyed a coffee talk style conference that began early on Saturday morning with a variety of speakers and sponsors.


After the coffee talk, we headed to South City Kitchen Midtown‘s charming upstairs light-filled room for what I would most certainly call an “H&T-approved” luncheon hosted by ASOS.

Our seating arrangements were assigned by a particular flower that was noted on framed stationery. For example, I was at the “hydrangea” table so I knew where to find my seat at the table full of hydrangeas. In lieu of traditional place cards, we had social media nameplate necklaces from TAudrey. So adorable!

 I mean how gorgeous is that tablescape?

On Sunday, the weekend concluded with a pool wrap up party hosted by Southern Living Magazine at the W’s rooftop pool – complete with DJ jams and berry-filled bubbly’s. (my kind of afternoon!).

If you’re a blogger in the South, you must apply & join SBS for a chance to attend next year! The connections and resources are one of a kind and it was nice to be around so many other bloggers all weekend who did not mind pausing to take (or stage) an instagram photo or two (or 100).

{Yes, that’s me IN the instagram frame}

It was also so nice to attend an event as a guest rather than to be doing the hosting and planning! Special thank you to Cathy and Jessica (below!) for putting together such a wonderful  and successful weekend. Truly no detail was overlooked!

{Photography by Rebekah Carson Photography & Florals by Flower Child Weddings}

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