Wedding Wednesday: The Engagement Party

The reason Joel and I were back home in Chicago last weekend was because my God Parents were hosting an engagement party in our honor.

A lot of people were surprised that we had our engagement party so close to the wedding - but with timing, it just worked out that way. And, quite frankly, I'm so glad it did. All of our families got to be reacquainted only six weeks before the big day, our bridal parties are now fully versed with one another, and it got everyone really excited for the big day.

My Aunt and Uncle held the party at their gorgeous house in Lincoln Park - and besides the basically  freezing temperatures (it was May 11th, mind you), the night was pure perfection.  

 

 

Everything was so well done, we honestly should have just gotten married that night.

 

There were passed appetizers, a pianist playing in the front room, a divine dinner and almost all of our favorite people in the world.

 

My God Father gave a sincere and touching toast , and it pretty much solidified the fact that I'll be a crying baby on my actual wedding day.

 

It also happened to be my Dad's birthday, so after dinner was served, all three of us girls were able to bring him his cake and have the entire party sing happy birthday to him.

 

After our tasks were done, it was time to close down hit the bar and crank up the Top 40.

 

The night was beyond spectacular - everyone had the most amazing time and it was a party I'll never forget. It's an amazing feeling to be in a room filled to the brim of people that love you.

 The entire wedding process has been such a lesson in humility and generosity and everyone - especially my God Parents - have played a huge role in bettering Joel and I for the future.

And, most of all, I can't wait for these families to merge on June 22nd.

Chicago Weekend

 Somehow, I just wrapped up my LAST trip to Chicago as an engaged woman. The next time I go back home, it will be for my wedding. This trip home was a lot more relaxing than the last few. I got to spend quality time at home with my parents and just relax at home.

For the first time since I moved away, I was able to find time to leave my parent's house in the suburbs and head downtown to the city.

Hannah and I spent Friday shopping in the freezing cold temperatures - you know, on May 9th - and I was able to stop in to my old office and visit all of my co-workers. I hadn't seen them since last February so that was one of the highlights of my trip. So much has changed in all of our lives in a year - it was almost eerie.

Afterwards, I met up with Claire and Amanda and we all had a bottle of Champagne at Paris Club on Hubbard St. to start the evening right.


For dinner, we went to my old, favorite sushi place by our old house Ukai. Joel and I used to have sushi there every single week, and had made friends with the entire staff. I didn't think they would remember me, but when I walked in they were all so shocked to see me and treated us like queens for the entire dinner.

It was so good to be home.

Saturday during the day we just walked around our favorite placed in the city.  I ran into a friend in a bagel shop on Armitage Saturday morning, and Joel saw an old co-worker running in Lakeview, and we popped into our old favorite wine store to pick up a few bottles.

 

We got to spend time with our families, and it really, really made us miss Chicago. Los Angeles is a great "for now" place, but Chicago is home, and always has been and always will be, and now, we need to figure out a way to get back there as soon as we can.

We of course had to visit our old apartment, where this whole thing started and took a picture for our little bambino back in L.A.

Saturday night we had an engagement party (all those pictures are coming tomorrow) which was one for the books. And then, Sunday morning, after a few cups of coffee with my mom to celebrate - we headed to spend Mother's Day with Joel's family at his niece's baptism.

We were so exhausted by the time we got on the plane back to L.A., but thankfully we were upgraded to Main Cabin Select and sat by this cute little bambino that flirted with me for the entire 3 hour flight.

Now, it's back to reality - we've got 39 days til GO time!

Friday Thoughts

While you are reading this, I'm spending time at home in my favorite city in the world - Chicago.

Joel flies in tonight, and then tomorrow we have an engagement party in Lincoln Park at my Godparents home. Sunday we have a baptism for Joel's niece, and then it's back to Cali. This is our last trip to Chicago before we come for the wedding and I'm going to try and savor every last minute.

Have a great weekend.

My New Living Room Addition

You may have read here that while we were in Laguna Beach we picked up this pretty baby at an antique store while we were out shopping.

The china cabinet squeezed into justbarely but we made it home and I couldn't have been happier. I literally ran out of bed on Sunday morning to get a look at her in the sunlight.

She has been hanging outside for the last month in Laguna Beach, so Sunday morning we gave her a long bath and good rub down.

I don't have the perfect pieces to decorate her yet, but for now, I'm happy with what I was able to do.

Whoa! Sneak peek at our wedding invite ;)

In a room full of Crate and Barrel, Urban Home, and Ikea, I think this antique place warms up the entire room and makes it feel more like a grown up home. 

 

Plus, the storage space she gives us is unreal. Someone knew what they were doing building this bad boy forty years ago.

And, I'm sorry, but would it not be the most precious piece of furniture in a babies room someday??-

Quarter Century Baby!

I'm pretty transparent around these parts, but in honor of my 25th birthday, here are 25 things that make me, Me.

Me on the left and my cousin Amanda on the right at our FIRST birthday!

1. I believe in The Secret. I read the book when I was a sophomore in college about 4 times, and have been a believer ever since. The gist it, if you haven't read it, is that positive thoughts bring positive outcomes. So, the way I see it, even if the "magic" part isn't your thing, or happens to be fake, isn't it better to live more positively anyways? I forced Joel to read the book and now we both are converted! I highly recommend the book - it's an easy read and was a game changer for us. 

2. I am 50% Irish and 50% Italian, and I love to play up either card depending on my company. I always love to tell people my heritage because it seems like everyone is becoming more and more of a mutt - including my future Children, thanks to Joel ;)

3. I never take off my engagement ring. I shower, sweat, and sleep in it. Honestly, the only time I take it off is to clean it - which I try to do every other month with windex and an old toothbrush.

4. I light candles every single day, normally around 5pm, but sometimes earlier if I feel like I need it. My parents always had candles burning at our house growing up, and it just makes my house feel more like a home. 

5. I'm obsessed with flying Virgin America. It's kind of like the SoulCycle of airlines. You pay a little extra for a fancier experience and you always see celebs.

6. I find the traffic to be worse in Chicago than it is in L.A.

7. I feel very lucky to have found Joel at such a young age. I like that he knows everything about me and he is really my best friend in the entire world.

8. I have met seriously amazing friends online/this blog. Even when this blog seems like a pain in the ass and a waste of time, I just have to remember that, and I realize it's here for a purpose.

9. Twenty five random things about me is getting really hard to accomplish!

10. I decided to give up wine until I get married. I drink a lot of it, and I'm hoping cutting it out of my diet will help these last sticky ten pounds fall of. I'm still allowing tequila and champagne, so do not fret!

11. I get car sick - especially in the back seat or in taxi's

12. Lately, after a night out with friends and a few cocktails, I wake up in the morning sick to my stomach with anxiety that I said something that came off too harshly - or inappropriate. I have to talk myself down all the time, reminding myself that I'm likely the only person who remembered it, but it's not a fun feeling.

13. I love to read inspirational quotes & sayings

14. I love my sisters - and I'm finally understanding all of the year my parents told us that the three of us were all we have in life to count on. We are three very different girls, but there is no one else in the world that wants the best for each other the way we do. I can't wait to see how these little girls lives unfold, and I am a better person for knowing them.


15. Most days I think I want to have kids sooner than later

16. I grieve the loss of my Aunt Peggy every single day of my life. I still have not been able to wrap my mind around the fact that someone so healthy and vibrant and full of life could be taken from this earth so fast.

17. I want to burn the candles, use the fancy china, and take the damn vacation because life is SO short.

18. I read www.TinyBuddha.com every day

19. My parents, my sisters, and I all have the share the same computer password

20. I like to have a cup of tea after dinnertime - especially at restaurants

21. The older I get, the more I hate to shop. I find it to be an annoying process - and I'm never satisfied with anything that I find. I also really don't like shelling out tons of cash, and yet, I have expensive taste.

22. My twenty-fourth year has been my favorite to date.


23.  But my 21st  birthday party was the most phone. It was a weekend full of inappropriate college antics, and I love thinking back to that weekend.


24. I hate cucumbers

25. I am so thankful for the COUNTLESS blessings I have in my life. My family, my fiance, my house, my friends, my health, my job, my dog, my cousins, the list could go on and on......I could cry at how much goodness I have in my life.

 I can only hope that all of these things continue in this next year of my life and that you too are lucky to have these in your life as well.

xoxo,

Weekend Report

My birthday is actually on Wednesday, but we decided to celebrate this past weekend because we are heading back to Chicago next weekend for an engagement party.

On Friday we grabbed a few drinks before going to see The Big Wedding.

The movie turned out to be really funny for both Joel and I. It's super inappropriate, but I found myself tearing up and laughing out loud, so it was a win in my book.

I'm still not used to spending Friday night's at malls, but I'm working hard to redefine my mid-west idea of them. If I don't fight against the principal of it, they're actually quite pretty. 

On Saturday morning we drove out to Laguna Beach for a day of shopping, eating, and drinking.Our first stop for lunch was at The Rooftop were the views did not disappoint.


We split an Ahi Tuna sandwich and bacon wrapped dates and both were freaking divine. It was pretty chilly up on the roof with the ocean breeze but the restaurant supplied blankets which was a cute touch.

 

After lunch we hit the shops. The first store we went into - Laguna Beach Antiques, Joel spotted this beauty hanging out on the stores patio.

We have been talking about the need for a china cabinet, and just figured we would buy a standard one at Crate and Barrel after the wedding.

We both quickly fell in love with this pieces charm, and the store owner gave us a big discount, so we loaded the baby up into the car and called it my birthday present. It looks SO good in our house, so I'll show you more pictures tomorrow.

After our big furniture purchase, we decided we were pretty much done shopping - so we headed to Laguna Canyon's tasting rooms for a few sips of wine.

Laguna Beach is a very walking friendly city, with the water, sand, restaurants, and shopping all within a few blocks from each other.

We walked the beach, watched some sand volleyball, and even caught sight of a huge whale hanging way to close to the shore for my liking.

By this point, it was about 3pm and we decided to head to the Surf and Sand hotel for one more cocktail before dinner. This hotel is absolutely gorgeous and there happened to be three weddings going on while we were there. Aint gonna lie, seeing the brides semi made me break out in a cold sweat.

We grabbed a drink at their downstairs bar Splashes and just enjoyed being up close and personal with the water. It was such a relaxing and beautiful place for happy hour.

For dinner we went deeper into town to a restaurant called Cafe Zoolu. The actual restaurant isn't much to write home about, but it was the best food I've had in California to date.

Everything was absolutely perfect but I'm pretty sure I'm still full from their enormous portions and my lack of self control.

We ended up driving back to LA that night to reunite with our puppy and all three of us slept like 12 hours that night. The day had us all wiped out.

Sunday we spent the day cleaning our new cabinet, running errands, and having dinner with my cousins. It was a perfect weekend - and now I have a few more days in LA before it's back to Chicago.

No rest for the wicked! 

Friday Thoughts

It's my birthday weekend so you better believe I'm going to live it up! 

I love a good excuse for celebration!

This week was long and hard, and I'm so happy to see Friday show it's pretty little face. 

Last night I watched The Queen of Versailles which I had DVR'd from Bravo. Have you seen it? It's about this over the top wealthy family that spends uber amounts of money on unnecessary things - like a 30 bathroom estate, and then loses it all. It's worth watching - and it's a good reminder to keep the abundance level in check.Which on my birthday weekend, is probably a timely reminder.

In other news, my wedding invitations went out yesterday and should hit mailboxes across the country by Monday. No going back now!!

And, because it's only appropriate, I'm dragging Joel to see The Big Wedding with me tonight. Plus, if you go on the website here, you can buy one ticket and bring your guest for free!

 

I am giddy with excitement to check out Laguna Beach tomorrow too! I've never been and have no idea what Joel has planned for us, but I'm hoping it consists of lots of bubbly drinks and ocean views.

 

And yes, I'm going to pretend I'm Andee.

Cheers!

1 dress, 3 ways

So, I totally lost it last night. 

It seems the reality of wedding planning, traveling back and forth to Chicago, working a full time job, keeping up the house, and trying to have friends has proven to be a wee-bit too much for this girl.

But, let's be real, I am not the first bride to feel overwhelmed, and I'm sure I won't be the last. 

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In other news, I'm heading to Laguna Beach this weekend to celebrate my 25th birthday and totally unwind. 

Next week, we have our final pre-wedding bash in Chicago. The party is on Saturday and then on Sunday we are able to attend Joel's niece's baptism. 

I figured this was as good as excuse as any to stock up on a honeymoon dress too.

So what do all three of these events have in common?

The same....$30 dollar dress.

Now ladies, that is smart shoppin'! 

And yes, you'll see this dress quite a bit in the coming weeks!