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(image via the hungry house wife)

By now everyone who reads my blog knows that I LOVE me some Nutella... and I also LOVE me some hot cocoa. So NUTELLA HOT CHOCOLATE?!!!! Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! This is blowing my mind right here! I found The Hungry House Wife's recipe for Nutella Hot Chocolate on Pinterest and boy oh boy am I glad that I did! Anyone who wants to try this too should go check out the recipe here! Yippee! Nom nom to all! And happy fall!!

Inspired Idea | DIY Paper Roses

(image via DIY or Don't)

Ever since Lauren + Drew's DIY wedding with handmade paper florals I have received so many comments from readers wanting to know more about how they can achieve this look! I am not a wedding planner or a crafty expert, but I did google around and found these lovely instructions for DIY Roses. The result is a little different from Lauren's but I think these are still pretty cool, and of course crafty brides are free to experiment with the instructions! As much as I LOVE real flowers (especially at the hands of a floral genius like Honey + Poppies), I also love crafty floral alternatives! So if you are up for hours of crafting and want a unique look to your big day, check out DIY or Don't's instructions for DIY Paper Roses here!

5 Reasons Why Wedding Photography Is A Specialized Art Form (and why you need a wedding photographer)

I get it a lot. I can't tell you how many people I've come across-- friends, potential clients, strangers-- who think photography is photography. And I understand. For the average person who doesn't know much about weddings or spend day-in-day-out thinking about them, it is hard to understand the difference between photography and wedding photography. But there is a difference. A huge one.Photography is a large umbrella for many different specialized art forms. But just because someone is a great landscape photographer, or commercial photographer, or even a family photographer, doesn't mean they are a great wedding photographer. Wedding photography is kind of an Olympic sport-- or even a triathlon-- of photography. You see, a wedding photographer works for 8 hours, in a high pressure situation (ummm the BIGGEST day of their clients' lives!!), in varying lighting conditions and on a tight timeline. Handling all these obstacles while creating gorgeous images is a specific skill-set one must develop for a very specialized art form. There's a reason you want to hire a wedding photographer and not your Uncle Bob who has a fancy camera and takes amazing photos on all his vacations, or even that cheap guy who's website says he does do weddings in addition to commercial work and pet photography. ;)Here are my top 5 reasons why wedding photography is a specialized art form requiring a specific set of skills different than other types of photography, and in turn why it's so important you hire a true wedding photographer:1. A wedding photographer must be skilled in portraiture.One of the biggest, and in my mind most important, aspects of wedding photography is portraiture. In a typical wedding day I spend about 2.5 hours on portraiture-- between the getting ready portraits, bride and groom individual photos and romantics, family formals and bridal party photos. These are photos every couple wants and expects, and so it is crucial a wedding photographer know how to handle them. Directing portrait sessions on a wedding day is one of my strongest skills and I think that is one reason why I am an awesome wedding photographer. I know exactly what I need and want to get out of each different portrait session on the day (whether it be romantics or family shots), and I know how to guide my clients and their family and friends into looking beautiful and relaxed.Taking romantic portraits is a skill in itself... you have to take a real couple (read: not models) and get them comfy enough to be themselves on camera while still looking effortlessly glamorous. And you can see that I achieved it in this photo...Every bride is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful on her wedding day. And of course she wants to have photos to document it. It's just as important knowing how to pose a bride and groom solo as it is to pose them together. I am really good at getting my clients feeling relaxed and confident, which makes them look stunning. Part of how I do this is being confident myself-- showing them the poses I want from them as well as the facial expression. When my clients see that I am confident in explaining the photo and pose I am after, they feel more at ease to give it to me. And then I can capture stunning photos like the one below! Note, Skylar is a REAL bride and not a professional model (but I bet you can't tell from the photo!). I highly doubt a hobbyist or travel photographer could capture a portrait SO strong and confident.Another big aspect of wedding day portraiture is group shots, whether they be family formals or bridal party. There are a TON of elements that go into creating a fabulous group shot, from posing the group so that everyone can be seen, to making sure everyone is looking their best, to simply getting a large group of people to focus and look at the camera all at the same time. You need to be loud, good at handling all kinds of personalities (I've dealt with my fair share of rowdy groomsmen), and, frankly, bossy. If your photographer can't be heard and take charge of a group, the group portraits will certainly get out of hand. Fast. And nobody will be happy. But a true pro wedding photographer can handle groups, and make even the most wild groomsmen look as slick and cool as this:2. A wedding photographer must excel at capturing candids.While wedding photographers have to be able to step up, take charge, and direct portrait sessions throughout the day, they just as easily and readily must be able to hang back and capture candids. The modern approach to wedding photography that I, and most other professional wedding photographers, subscribe to is a mix of creative portraiture and photojournalism. These candid moments are some of the most precious photos to my clients because they tell so much of the story and the emotions of the day. I am always happy to quietly hang back, unnoticed, and click the shutter just as a tender, funny, or emotional moment happens in front of my lens. I love this moment below of my bride hugging her mom and sister:...or this moment full of laughter during the reception.......or all the anticipation that fills these two photos, which were taken right before the bride and groom saw each other for the first time...Having an eye for candid moments is a must for wedding photography. But a huge part of capturing amazing candid moments is knowing how to look for them. Shooting weddings week in and week out really trains the eye for looking for these emotional moments, so you can be prepared to capture them when they happen. There is an art to candids, even though they appear so happenstance. It's the fact that candids don't look contrived in the least that you know a skilled documentarian took them!3.  A wedding photographer must be able to see and photograph details as still life.Couples spend so much time, thought, energy and money on the little details that make up their wedding day. From the rings, to the shoes, to the flowers, to the decor... all of it is special. And almost all of it will also be gone, put away, and forgotten after the wedding day is over. You invest in wedding photography because you want to invest in your memories. So while you of course want some to capture how great everyone looked (via amazing portraiture) and all the stolen moments (via candids), you also probably want all the physical details you put so much work into to be remembered as well. Details or "still life" photography is an art form in itself and is a major part of a wedding day too. It's important your photographer know how to photograph your details to make them look truly special...Whether it's vignettes of vintage items, like the books above from my bride Lauren's wedding, or beautiful floral arrangements, like these beauties below from Skylar's wedding, I take care to photograph my clients details like they are great still life masterpieces. And my couples always appreciate having their wedding details documented! I mean, how else can you show off how awesome and unique your wedding was to all your facebook friends?!4. A wedding photographer must be able to handle various (and unexpected) lighting conditions.This is a BIGGIE. Hands down the toughest thing about wedding photography is knowing how to successfully handle all kinds of various lighting situations. Not only does each wedding I shoot have different lighting conditions (some days are overcast, others extremely sunny, others partly cloudy) but even within one wedding day I deal with many different types of light. From getting ready indoors in a hotel, to portraits outside, to a ceremony which can happen in all sorts of light conditions (a dark church, indoors but backlit, outdoors but with harsh or uneven sun), to the reception... there are just SO many different kinds of light I deal with on any given wedding day. Being prepared and knowing how to handle whatever comes your way is key. The experience of years of shooting weddings, enables me to be prepared and confidently and competently handle whatever lighting issues I'm dealt with. But I have seen amateurs, inexperienced/newbie wedding photographers, and even pro photographers who work in studio/controlled light environments fail at handling these light issues on a wedding day.And trust me, the last thing you want is to get your wedding pictures back only to see they are over exposed, under exposed, or that your photographer put you in unflattering light for portraits. And sadly, this happens a lot.Here is an example of a difficult lighting situation-- a dark church with NO windows. Oh and did I mention, church rules state no flash? Most photographers probably wouldn't know what to do when faced with this tricky situation. But as a wedding pro it is my job to handle it. And I think I handled it well. Using a 135mm 2.0 lens and the high ISO capabilities of my 5dmkii I captured these precious moments:On the opposite end of the spectrum was Nikki and Dave's beach wedding, held mid-day in high, harsh sun. There was plenty of light all right, but it wasn't all flattering light. The trick was to find just the right places to stand where the light fell mostly even on the couple. Also, exposure was crucial as I didn't want to blow out most of the details in the bright light, but I also didn't want to over-compensate for the brightness by making everything really dark (which is an easy mistake in this type of light). Again, since I deal with crazy light situations like this all the time I was able to capture beautiful images.After Nikki + Dave's ceremony, the couple asked that we do some portraits on the beach. It was really important to them. But the light? Yeah, it was still really harsh. Most photographers know to look for open shade to take flattering portraits. But what do you do when there is NO open shade? Again, this is something I am used to dealing with. Wedding timelines being what they are, I don't always get to take portraits during the best lighting times of the day. But I know I still must deliver gorgeous images to my clients. So I know how to work with light in a lot of different ways... here are a couple portraits I took of Nikki + Dave on the beach. The even light I created by back-lighting them makes them look gorgeous!! Harsh sun? What harsh sun?5. A wedding photographer must be able to catch fast-happening (and important) moments.The final thing that in my mind makes wedding photography it's own special art, is that wedding photographer must be able to quickly capture very important moments. And when I mean quick, I mean QUICK! When the important moments come a long, they happen fast, and your photographer better be ready. A first kiss and a recessional last all of about 30 seconds, and yet 2 huge moments need to be documented perfectly in that short time. Here's a recessional photo from Nikki and Dave's wedding that I just love:Then there is the bouquet and garter toss. Literally a FAST moment, as within seconds a bouquet goes from the brides hand to lucky single lady! Below is a great fast moment captured-- a lucky single gal catches the bouquet, and another single gal looks like she's about to fight for it!!

At least moments like the recessional and bouquet toss are announced before they happen. But there are also lots of great moments that happen out of nowhere and seem to vanish just as quickly as they came about. Moments like this when a guest decided to show the bride some hilarious moves on the dancefloor...Fast moments happen, and even for a pro it is not possible to catch all of them. However, that is why I always bring a second shooter to the wedding. With two sets of eyes on everything, and two cameras going, the odds become very small that we will miss a moment. I'd say 90% of most professional wedding photographers bring a second shooter with, and this is definitely another huge reason why a pro is so valuable to you. Because not only will you have one person shooting your wedding who knows how to handle all kinds of wedding-specific situations, you will actually have two people doing this! Score!I know this was quite the long post... hopefully you made it through! Because the point is, Wedding photography is not just photography. Wedding photography is it's own special species of beast, and you need someone behind the lens with enough experience to handle it. A true wedding photographer is a specialist. In just the same way you wouldn't go to your general family physician to treat lung cancer, you shouldn't go to just anyone who says they are a photographer for your wedding photos. I get that wedding photos aren't as severe and serious as cancer! But we are talking about the photos, and in turn the memories, of one of the most important days of your life. Don't you want to make sure your memories are in the most capable hands?

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(image via prudent baby)

When I was shooting Frances + Jared's wedding at Sherman Library and Gardens, I noticed there were many STUNNING succulent wreaths for sale at the Garden's gift shop. I had never seen succulents used in a wreath before but I was delighted by how lovely it looked... I couldn't help to peaksy at the price tag and was a little disappointed to see that the wreaths run from about $150-250. When I got home I kept thinking about the wreaths and was wondering if it was something I could DIY. I googled and yay! I found some excellent instructions for a DIY Succulent Wreath on Prudent Baby. I have been pretty overwhelmed with wedding season, but when the off-season arrives I definitely want to tackle this project!! How cute would this look on a front door.... and even better it lasts year round! I'll keep you posted on how this turns out when I get around to tackling it!

Inspired Ideas | Pumpkins as Decor

(image via Adelyn Stone)

With Halloween (my FAVORITE holiday) being just around the corner, I thought I would make my Inspired Ideas post this week quite seasonal. I am actually shooting a wedding this Halloween, and while I have NO idea if the wedding decor will at all reference the holiday, I kinda hope it somehow will! And no, I don't think Halloween time weddings need to go gothic or macabre... But a little fun pumpkin decor is well... FUN!!!!! I have seen very elegant jackolanterns used for weddings but one trend I love is these DIY Color Block Painted Pumpkins via Adelyn Stone. It's very hip and trendy and yet soooooo easy and cheap to pull off. It says "late October Wedding" without being cliche or obvious. It's pretty much awesome.

Check out the instructions for these color block pumpkins here... and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!

{Featured in Hostess With The Mostess} Retro Baby Shower by Just Chic Events

Paola of Just Chic Events planned my wedding. For a whole year I emailed with her almost daily with questions and ideas. Through it all, she happily guided me through the world of weddings. She was basically my fairy-wedding-godmother and I just adore her. So early this year when I found out Paola was having a baby girl, I was thrilled!!! And when Jessi, a fellow planner on the Just Chic Events team, asked me to photograph Paola's baby shower I was delighted! The whole day was beautiful and I was so excited to be a part of it. It meant a lot to me to document Paola's precious memories, because by planning my wedding to perfection, she created so many wonderful memories for me!Jessi of Just Chic Events planned and designed the shower! It was lovely! One of my favorite florists ever, Kate Baker, did all the florals and they were loverly for sure! Also, My Sweet and Saucy made the cute dessert bar which was as beautiful as it was delicious. The retro theme was so cute and clever, but also very classic and elegant.I couldn't be more happy to see this event featured on Hostess With The Mostess! Go check it out on HWTM:And.... Here are a few of my favorite shots of the day:Paola + her hubby Eric posed for some shots in the new nursery! How cute is that room??The tables were so pretty! Loved Kate Baker's floral clusters!YUM! Dessert bar by My Sweet and Saucy!! What could be better??Treats!!!Deeeeeelicious.I'll end with this touching photo of Paola with her mom!! So sweet!!!

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I have been watching a lot of HGTV lately and one show I am simply loving is Home By Novogratz!! The designs that Rob and Courtney Novogratz do are simply STUNNING! They are so bold and fun and really quirky, which I love. I honestly wish I had the creativity and courage to try some of their color combos and ideas in my home decor! I honestly love their style so much and would just swoooon and die to live in a place designed by them! But it's very hard for me decorating on their own to try to envision how things would look their way. But I want to try. As I think about revamping some rooms over at Chez Henning, I definitely want to try to infuse a little Novogratz inspiration! Because seriously, they ROCK!!!

Do you watch Home By Novogratz? What do you think of their quirky design aesthetic?

FAQ - 6 Tips for Getting Your Wedding Published

Because so many of my clients find me through inspiration sites, like Style Me Pretty, where my work has been featured, I get a lot of couples who express interest in getting there weddings published! Everyone wants to know what it takes to get their wedding on the same sites they looked at for months while planning. I'd love to share my insight on what it takes to get your wedding published on a top wedding blog!1. Be Unique, But Be Yourself!The number one tip I can give any couple with their sites set on having a published wedding is BE YOURSELF. The weddings that stand out are the weddings that are unique... where you can really tell the couple put their heart, souls and personalities into the event and it's details!! Lauren + Drew infused their love of books into so many handmade details, it is no wonder they were published on Style Me Pretty! Everything about the event was so them, making it one-of-a-kind!2. Details Count!!!Blogs need to show details! Detail photos are what they show to inspire other couples, so details of course count! Put thought into the details you would already have to spend money on-- like the bouquets, bouts, centerpieces, shoes, cufflinks, other accessories! If there is cohesiveness among the standard details, we are already on a good track to get published!!Really going the extra mile on details is what can make or break a wedding for publication though. Extra special touches like programs, menu cards, a unique escort card display, fun favors or anything else unique you can add to the decor are super important! These extra details give you more opportunity to infuse your wedding with your style, colors, and even theme! And like I said, blogs want to see as many details as possible!!!3. Don't Think You Need To Spend A Ton!Just because blogs love details doesn't mean you have to spend a ton of money or break your budget. I know for a fact that blogs LOVE weddings with a lot of style that were done on a budget-- that's a great sell to their readers. If your budget is tight, turn to DIY and re-used/up-cycled items. The more creative you get, the more unique your details will be!My bride Christina DIY'd her programs which were so cute and helped get her wedding published...Turning to vintage, used, or up-cycled materials can save you a ton of money and give your wedding a unique look!! Lauren decorated her big day with vignettes of used books, and crossword puzzles that she made! Super low cost, super huge impact!!4. Get Help!Weddings are overwhelming! Get help!!! Enlisting the help of others will not only keep you sane, but it can help you get your DIY projects done quickly and have some fun doing so! But I also highly recommend hiring a wedding planner. Seriously, no matter what your budget or your desire for publication... EVERY bride should have the help of a wedding coordinator/planner. A planner can actually help save you money by keeping your vision in check, telling you what details are worth spending on and what you can save on, and by making sure all your details are perfectly displayed on the day of!! Seriously, get the help of a planner AND friends/family! You'll thank me ;)5. Pick Venues and Vendors That Rock!A gorgeous venue can be a detail in itself. Don't underestimate the power of a beautiful venue for your ceremony and reception!! A big venue like Bacara is so spectactular... you can't argue with a view like this!Frances + Jared chose the gorgeous Sherman Library and Gardens for their venue. Though small and unassuming from the outside, the inside is full of so much charm and character! And the venue had built in floral and succulent details! Can't go wrong with a place like that...Vendors are just as important as a venue! Awesome, talented, creative vendors (especially in the planning/design, floral, cake, photography and stationery departments) can really make or break the look of a wedding! If you really have your heart set on getting published, you should hire vendors with a track record of getting their work on blogs. The below photo features florals by Honey + Poppies and Stationery by Pitbulls +Posies-- two top notch wedding vendors!!6. Plan Ahead With Your Photographer!Let your photographer know you want to submit the photos to publications after the wedding. That way they will be able to plan a timeline with you to allow for enough time to photograph all the important detail shots. One shot that is so important (that there isn't always time for) is a shot of the empty, but decorated ceremony set up, like this photo below! I always shoot a wedding as if it was going to be published and try to get all the shots publications love! You never know what can make it to a blog, and also I think it's very important my clients have photos of all their pretty details. I think the reason I have had so many of my real weddings published is because I shoot with an editorial eye.These are my tips for the couple that hopes to one day have their wedding featured on the sites they turn to for inspiration. However, please please please don't get lost in the idea of getting published. You're marrying the love of your life. And that's what counts!!!Hope this was helpful!xo,Ash

Inspired Ideas | DIY Handkerchief Rosettes

(image via Eco Proper)

I am super duper in love with these DIY Handkerchief rosettes by Eco Proper. Just look at how darling they are! I think they would make beautiful hair adornment, or an adornment for a sash or clutch! You could even make corsages with them for the moms and grandmas at your wedding! What I really love is that is a modern and whimsical way to incorporate a vintage, and hopefully meaningful, handkerchief into your big day! It's super unexpected but very sweet. I have a LOT of vintage handkerchiefs that my grandma gave to me before she passed away, and honestly they just sit in a bag in a drawer. I appreciate their history and delicacy, but they have little stains and honestly when do I ever use a handkerchief?! My wedding is over, but I may just use this project as well for a hair adornment or corsage to pin on a jacket! But this is truly a project just made for weddings and I love it!

Go check out Eco Proper to get the instructions!

Featured on Style Me Pretty

I am soooo excited to share that Skylar + AJ's wedding is being featured on the front page of Style Me Pretty today! As many of you know, I am thoroughly obsessed with SMP and it is always a thrill and an honor to see my work featured on their site! Amazing!Go check out Skylar + AJ's vibrant San Diego wedding on Style Me Pretty:

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By now everyone who reads my blog should know I am a HUGE fan of HBO and Showtime original programming. More so the former, but every now and then Showtime really hits it out of the park with a show as good as anything on HBO. Homeland is one of these shows, and is quickly becoming my favorite TV show this fall! Full of espionage, mystery and intense moments, Homeland has me hanging on at the end of my seat with each and every episode. And the acting by Claire Danes and Damian Lewis is so convincing, and so good... even when they have scenes filled with silence they manage to be completely compelling. And is it just me or is Damian Lewis like SUPER SEXY? I usually can't get past crooked teeth, but for Damian I am willing to try! hehe!I am definitely a huge new fan of this show and can't wait to see where this premiere season will take us! Any thoughts? Any of my readers watching this amazingness?

Are You Naughty or Nice? Holiday Boudoir!!

Believe it or not, the holidays are fast approaching!! Time to start thinking about holiday gifts!! It's always so hard to think of something new to give your sweetie, isn't it? A video game? Books? Movies? Clothes? A watch? Ho-hummm....This year you can be a little bit naughty and also verrrrry nice by giving your love the gift of YOU! What would be a better surprise than some sexy photos tucked under the tree?If you are interested in giving the gift of boudoir to yourself and to your significant other this holiday season, let's chat!In order to receive your disc of images by December 7th, you need to schedule your boudoir session before November 30th! Contact me for pricing details and date availability! Space is limited.And, if you are still not convinced here's what some of my past boudoir clients have said about the experience:"Ashleigh is TRULY amazing to work with. The most bubbly energetic person! I felt so comfortable when she walked into the room, I felt like I was with a Best Friend. She was professional and yet so friendly. I truly LOVE the work she does and the pictures came out truly amazing." - Jennifer"Oh Ashleigh!  There are no words.  These are beyond amazing!  I am so excited and can't wait for him to see them! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" -Melissa"You did such an terrific job! Thanks again! Your eye is amazing!!!" - Miss K"I had such an amazing time!!! All I keep thinking about is other reason or excuses for me to do this all again! I love my sneak preview!! Your work is awesome!"-Sherry

Inspired Ideas | Luminarias

(image via Martha Stewart Weddings)

As a photographer I of course love LIGHT! So glowy aspects of wedding decor always make my heart go mushy in a good kind of way. Lately a huge trend has been towards candles in mason jars, which I of course love. But I rarely see luminarias done and I think they are simply gorgeous!!! To me luminarias have a warm and cozy quality which perfectly fits fall and winter weddings. They are also inexpensive, which is a bonus! Martha Stewart Weddings has some instructions for DIYing your own lacy luminarias! A fun, easy and affordable project that would make a HUGE impact on your wedding decor! Love!!

Go check it out here!

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Oh man, oh man!!!! I have been watching AMC's Breaking Bad for several years now, and is it just me or does every season get more and more INTENSE?! The premise of the show is Walter White, a former high school chemistry teacher with terminal cancer, turning into a very bad drug dealer/meth cooker. The creators have said its watching "Mr. Chips turn into Scarface." And with this season... looks like our sweet old Walter has turned Scarface indeed!!! This season was full of twists and turns and painfully intense moments that had me holding onto AJ squealing "OMG! OMG!" The finale was unexpected and well written!! So I had to give a shout out to this show because it's truly awesome, and my Sunday nights will feel very empty during its off season....Do any of you watch Breaking Bad?? If so holla at me!!'

Featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs

I'm so thrilled to share that today Frances + Jared's fabulous garden wedding is featured on one of my favorite blogs, Elizabeth Anne Designs. EAD was one of the blogs I turned to when planning my own wedding, so it is very excited to see my work featured on the site for the second time! I am also so excited for Frances as I know she put so much thought and hard work into planning her wedding, and now it will serve as an inspiration to other brides! :)Go check out Frances + Jared's classic wedding on Elizabeth Anne Designs:

Inspired Ideas | DIY Papel Picado Flags

(image via green wedding shoes)

I LOVE anything that adds color to a wedding! And any unique or unexpected details always thrill me because I LOVE photographing details! So it is no wonder why I am totally in love with this DIY Papel Picado Flag project via Green Wedding Shoes! These flags are fairly easy to make, inexpensive, and yet add so much character to a wedding. They of course work perfectly with a Mexican themed wedding, but really this would be fabulous for any wedding that is a little funky, hand made and modern! I also love that you can make these in any color you so choose! They look great above in purple but I could also see them in pinks, teals, yellows or oranges. In fact, even all white would be lovely! You could make many strands of these to string across an entire reception, or just one strand to hang behind a cake or dessert table! So many possibilities with this one which is why I love it so! Go check it out!!

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(images via Nordstrom)

I have always envied gals with Tory Burch flats. Mainly because my feet are SOOOOO small (a size 4 in womens) and I had never seen them in my size before. Until one day I got a little email for Nordstrom saying new sizes 4's were in my size and lo! and behold! TORY BURCH SHOES! In MY size!!!! YIPPEEEEE!!!! I feel in love with the Caroline flats. They are pretty comfy and I love the shape and that they are patent leather. At first I bought the black but then I had to get the nude color too! The nude ones are lovely!!! I have so much fun wearing these shoes and finding new outfits to pair them with. They are a major obsession! Love!!!

What's your current favorite shoe? Let me know below!

Insipired Ideas | DIY Feather Boutonnieres + Corsages

(image via 100 layer cake)

I love well done hand made details in weddings!! They make the wedding extra unique and special, and the other bonus is that they can be budget savers. So it is what I call a win-win. Ever since Lauren + Drew's handmade wedding I have been loving non-floral details in weddings. One non-floral detail that is very easy to tackle are boutonnieres! And even better is the beaus can all keep their handmade bouts after the wedding! Cool! I absolutely love these super easy DIY instructions for Feather Bouts + Corsages via 100 Layer Cake. The final product is so adorable and no one would ever no that they took practically no time or money to make. So what are you waiting for? Go check it out!

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(all images/outfits via Atlantic-Pacific)

I am SOOOO in love with the whole sailor stripes trend that's been going on. I have a cute dress with sailor stripes from Nordstrom as well as a short sleeve sailor striped shirt from Zara. But sometimes it can be hard to think of new creative combos for these beloved pieces of my wardrobe. Enter Atlantic-Pacific, my current obsession. I LOVEEE the way Blair pairs unexpected patterns. And I am totally using her sailor stripe looks as inspiration for my own outfits this fall! I mean I never ever would've though stripes could work with camo, checkers, leopard, or other types of stripes! Simply genius!!!

What is your favorite pattern to pair with stripes? Let me know in a comment below!