Wedding Video Sneak Peek

Jill & Lucas // Sneep Peep from Wade! on Vimeo.

The amazing Wade Koch from SharkPig filmed our wedding and sent over this sneak peek of the video. We love it -- when he sent it over, Lucas and I probably watched it 10 times in a row!

Gift Guide: Your Momma

It's always hard to shop for my mom, because she never wants anything. She's just happy to have her kids and pups under one roof for a few days. I'm so excited to go home for Christmas to spend time with my sweet family, and especially my mom. We always drink Bailey's and coffee, do last minute shopping, and play Just Dance (which is her favorite family activity, ever).

Here are a few gift picks, inspired by my mom -- her favorite things include: tailgating, listening to Fergie, DIY'ing, and drinking Two Buck Chuck. :)

1. This Ultra Light Down Jacket since as a flight attendant, she's constantly traveling from hot to cold weather in the same day. This folds up super compact in her suitcase and is very lightweight: Uniqlo - $70.
2. These mason jar shot glasses, which are perfect for southern tailgates: Sur la table - $10.
3. Nail polish in her favorite color: my mom's favorite is OPI Privacy Please - $9.
4. A fun passport holder, since she jets off to cool places like Rio de Janiero and Zurich: Kate Spade via Piperlime - $68.
5. Stylish flats for exploring cities: these are Coach - $119.
6. Lip balm that she can pop in her purse: EOS via Target - $3.

Thanksgiving 2013

We attended our very first Friendsgiving in California this year. We didn't travel back to the south for Thanksgiving since it was so close to our wedding. I was a bit worried about spending our first holiday away from our families, but it was an amazing day filled with love and laughter. Our sweet friends Meredith and Andrew (and their pup, Gus) hosted us, and the food was delicious.

  I tried my very first smoked turkey, which is a Texas thing apparently. So good and flavorful!

Of course we all had to try on Google Glass. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving in Silicon Valley without lots of tech talk at the table. :)

 Thanks for hosting us, Ash family. We have so much to be thankful for this year and always!

Party Dress

Our holiday party is at the Exploratorium this weekend. It recently reopened at Pier 15 in the city, so I'm excited to check it out. I normally shop for my holiday party dresses online, but it snuck up on me this year and I completely forgot about it. I ended up buying this dress at Anthropologie this weekend, which I think I'll pair with this necklace. What are you wearing to your holiday parties? xo

Wedding Partybooth

BFF Kristina made this fantastic backdrop for our wedding Photo Booth. We were super pumped with the outcome of it. It's amazing what 700 tassels and some glitter can make. These Partybooth photos turned out to be pretty epic. There are about 200 more where this came from.

{Pictures by the talented duo Caroline Fontenot and Ben Massey}

2013 Gift Guide: Your Brothers

Next, I'd like to share a gift guide inspired by my two brothers. My older brother is a lawyer in Georgia and my younger brother is finishing up his final year of college. Their shared interests include: Atlanta sports, beer, fantasy football, and arguing with me. :)

Here are a few gift choices inspired by my bros:

1. This brass bottle opener, which is stylish, but more importantly functional: Crate & Barrel - $30.
2. A leather football, to toss around during tailgates: Target - $20-100.
3. A classic-looking backpack: Jack Spade - $195. 
4. Cologne: Kiehl's - $35-42.
5. Whisky stones to chill holiday drinks: Teroforma - $20 for a set of 9.
6. Striped socks in their team's colors: J.Crew - $14.
7. Moleskin notebooks for class/work/grocery lists: Moleskine - $9 for a set of 3.
8. A flask to sneak into games - J.Crew - $42. 

2013 Gift Guide: Your BFF

Just in case the million gift guides circulating in the blogosphere don't inspire you quite enough, I'm going to share a few of my favorite gift picks this week. 

First up, great gifts for your BFF. This is inspired by my BFF who may or may not have crafted 700 tassels for the Photo Booth backdrop at our wedding (more on that later!). Her many interests include: kittens, sparkles, Lauren Conrad, and ballet. That's my way of saying she's the cutest person in the world.

Here goes:

1. Kate Spade 17 month planner since she loves pretty school supplies: Kate Spade - $36.
2. Glittery hair clips because she always has a soft spot for them: Ban.do - $10-20.
3. A cheeky iPhone case, since she loves to change hers daily: Rifle Paper Co. via Modcloth - $34.
4. A kitten eye mask so she can feel like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's: CatBird - $24.
5. Ballet flats in her favorite colors: J.Crew - on sale for $99.
6. A monogrammed gold wine stopper (along with a bottle of Rosé, of course): C Wonder - $34.
7. Sparkly gold champagne flutes because they're so festive: !ndigo - $34 for a set of 4. 
8. A soft PJ set so she can feel cozy yet glamorous: Eberjey - $97.
9. Teeny rose gold cat studs, just for fun: CatBird - $159.

Boom: We're Married!

We're officially married y'all! Our wedding was on November 9, 2013, and it was an absolute blast. It was so incredible to be surrounded by our friends and loved ones. Thank you to everyone who made it such an incredible day. Our amazing photographer, Caroline Fontenot, sent over this sneak peak. We can't wait to share more soon! Now -- back to blogging...

Wedding Invitation Crunch Time

We got our envelopes back from the calligrapher yesterday, and now we're attempting to get them in the mail before we leave for a wedding this weekend. Our living room looks like a disaster zone! Here's a little sneak peak. We're so excited to start getting response cards back -- it's becoming real. Geez!

Favorite Beauty Products

I've officially reached VIB status at Sephora...also known as: Very Important Beauty Insider, y'all. It's sort of a big deal because I'll now get 20% off during their mega sale at the end of the year and more importantly they acknowledge what a beauty genius I am. You can all expect gifts of makeup for Christmas. :) To celebrate my new A-list status, I wanted to share a few of my go-to beauty products. Here goes:

1. Dr. Jart+ BB Cream ($39 at Sephora) - I try not to leave the house without this on. It's not only super moisturizing, but it also has SPF 45 for everyday sun protection. It's sheer and light but covers my dark circles and redness...important. It does all of this and also provides anti-aging benefits, which I'm sure I will thank myself for one day. Can you tell that I love it? This stuff is the best!

2. FRESH Sugar Lip Treatment ($22.50 at Sephora) - I have this in a few different colors, but the Rosé is my default! It smells good, provides just enough color for everyday use, and is super soft. I'd love to be one of those girls that can sport matte red lipstick on a daily basis, but I just can't. I look super intense and it inevitably ends up outside the lines by noon. These Sugar balms provide just a hint of color, which is perfect for me and my unadventurous lips.

3. Smashbox Blush ($24 at Sephora) - This blush provides just a hint of shine and really gorgeous color for the cheeks. There is a built in grinder, so you just twist off as much as you need. Plus, using the grinder is super fun, and I need a little fun when I'm getting ready for work in the morning. Unlike a few other blushes I've tried, this Smashbox blush lasts all day.

4. NARS Pressed Powder ($33 at Sephora) - This powder gives a very sheer, basic amount of coverage without making my skin look too matte. If you have dry skin but want to use just enough powder to secure your makeup without it looking cakey, I recommend NARS.

5. Covergirl Eyeliner ($5 at Target) - You can't go wrong with this drugstore liner. It goes on smoothly and I love the smudging tool at the end (when I draw the line crooked pretty much everyday...).

6. Smith's Rosebud Salve ($6 at Sephora) - I've been using this stuff for years, and I never stop loving it. It's cheap, lasts forever, and is great for moisturizing hands and lips. Do yourself a favor and buy this immediately.

7. Benefit High Beam - I have pretty dry skin, so I love this stuff to add just a bit of shine to my t-zone.

8. Makeup Forever Aqua Cream ($23 at Sephora) - This is hands down the best eye shadow I've ever used. It goes on creamy and then dries quickly, but unlike other cream shadows I've used, this doesn't gather in the creases of my eyelid. The colors are sheer but add just enough coverage and oomph for everyday use. Can't recommend this product enough! I regularly wear #12 and #13, but they all seem great.

9. Covergirl Mascara ($4 at Target) - I've been using this mascara since middle school and it's the best. I've tried more expensive brands, but I always come back to this one. 

What am I missing? What are your favorite beauty products? xoxo

Honeymoon Luggage

I'm in the market for a new suitcase for our honeymoon to Hawaii. Above are a few of my favorites:
1. Bon Vivant Hardshell Suitcase - Anthropologie - $288
2. Longchamp Le Pliage Wheeled Carry On - Nordstrom - $395

Any suggestions of places to find good carry on luggage? xoxo

My Bachelorette Party

Last weekend was one of the best weekends of my life. My BFF, Kristina, planned the most amazing bachelorette beach weekend in FL. I've been close with most of my girlfriends since elementary school, and our moms are close friends too. We decided to just make it a big friends/family reunion weekend and rented a huge house in Seagrove right on the beach.

The first day, we all arrived in the early afternoon, unpacked, and headed out to the beach with cocktails. My future sister-in-law, Anne, is an amazing cook, and she whipped us up a batch of spicy jalapeño mojitos, which were super refreshing after a long drive.

Thursday night we had a game night. We played Catch Phrase and What the F*ck (a hilarious drinking game) for hours.

The next morning, Meaghan, Shelby, Kristina, and I went to a Pure Barre class and then we hit the beach. The weather was perfect and the water was super warm, which was a welcomed change from the chilly California coast.

That night we went to a really swanky town called Alys Beach, which feels like stepping into a Mediterranean coastal village. First we went to Caliza Pool for cocktails (they have amazing happy hour deals for anyone planning a trip to South Walton...) and then to George's for dinner, which was the perfect place to get our seafood fix.

After dinner, the party really began. We went back to the house for a pre-bar celebration. Kristina's sister, Jennie, taught my mom to make Jell-o shots, which my mom was thrilled about. Kristina made me the cutest "Bride" sash. Several shots later and glow sticks in tow, we hit the beach bars. Bud & Alley's has a really fun rooftop bar and they stayed open late. We were up into the wee hours of the night hanging on the beach and then all crashed hard.

The next day we recovered on the beach and then on the last night, the girls threw me a sweet shower and we just hung out and drank beers on the porch. Such a perfect trip -- getting to spend quality time with friends/family is the best when I live so far away. Thanks for everything, Poochie. xoxo

What I'm Listening To...

SF Cheese School

A few weeks ago, my friend Meredith and I went to cheese 101 at The Cheese School in SF. She was planning to go with her husband, Andrew, but he went to London on a last minute work trip, so I was lucky enough to tag along. :)

The school is located in between North Beach and the Wharf in SF. The space itself is super cute and welcoming -- it felt more like a dinner party at a friend's house than a class. They served us red and white wine, bread, and apples for pairing and slowly walked us through each type of cheese (it was sort of agonizing to wait to try each one, but well worth it in the end!).

The class was all about learning the basics of cheese: how it's made, how it's classified, and what to pair with each type. My personal favorites are the alpine cheeses, but I really do love them all. 

The class lasted about 2 hours in total. Being the cheese lover that I am, I had so much fun and will definitely go back. It was a super fun experience to go with a girlfriend, but it would also make an amazing date night. Thanks for taking me, Mer! xoxo

New Bike!

I just bought my first nice bike and feel like an official city girl now. I chose a PUBLIC bike and I love it so far. This weekend, we took an inaugural bike ride to the Ferry Building and to Fort Mason. Besides being totally paranoid that someone is going to steal my basket, so far so good. :) 

Wedding Shower

       

Our friends Meredith and Kristina held the sweetest wedding shower for us this weekend. Hooray for having lovely friends! It seems like just yesterday that the roles were reversed and I was co-hosting Meredith's shower, and now she's all married. :)

The day was so much fun. Kristina made all of the decorations (she's the best DIY'er) and my friend Haley designed the little state print of California, North Carolina, and Georgia intertwined.

Meredith cooked up the most amazing spread of food. We snacked on homemade caramelized onion dip and then she served delicious comfort food for dinner: pulled pork, mac-n-cheese, fruit skewers, baked beans, and homemade ice cream sandwiches. Of course, I ate two ice cream sandwiches (she made two types, so it would be rude not to try them both, right?). She even whipped up individual cocktails in tiny mason jars - spiked Arnold Palmers, which were amazing.

Thank you so much for hosting, Kristina & Meredith. We were blown away by the adorable shower and loved being with such wonderful friends. xoxo