Life

Latest Obsessions 06.18

| The Bee Life

May seemed like such a blimp in the radar, that I totally forget to share my latest obsessions! Fear no more, here are the latest and greatest things that have been consuming my life lately from the latest headlines, to the finish touches for DIYs, to just hanging out with friends!
Latest Obsessions 06.18 - the bee life
Anthropologie Hardware. …Sorry that was me just drooling a little bit. Talk about a swoon!  Anthropologies hardware covers all the bases; knobs, hooks, handles, bath hardware, door knobs, switch plates, curtain hardware, and shelves and brackets!  My search started with just wanting a few fun, unique knobs for a DIY project to wanting a complete re-do on my bath hardware and finally finding some decent curtain rods, however I’ll be saving my pennies!

Plans with Friends. Since the summer is that weird time of the year that is either super busy for everyone or has random lulls of nothing, I’ve been finding myself trying to plan ahead with friends from drinks after work, to dinner parties with the significant-o’s to just hanging out in the back yard sharing a few drinks & stories.

Kate Spade. Upon learning about the tragic passing of Katherine Brosnahan, better known as Kate Spade, I found myself scrolling and scrolling through all the beautiful creations that build her brand.  My social feeds were filled with photos of people’s own Kate Spade bags or favorite pieces of clothing – her signature black and white polka dots and bright pink accents have become a staple.  My bridal shower was inspired by the signature look as well. She was so young and it’s just sad to see (but also amazing) how much she accomplished and the joy she brought to millions of people through her brand.  Read a few other times I’ve gushed about Kate Spade on the bee life here and here.

The Cavaliers.  It’s NBA finals season and we find ourselves back again for the fourth year against the same damn team. In our house we are basketball lovers, and the Cavs are our favorite team so we don’t start watching other teams until their season is wrapped. This season has been a whirlwind for the Cavs, and just getting to the finals has been no easy feet – but here we are up against the odds again, against “the best team in the league.” We had fun celebrating in 2016 and are looking forward to celebrating again this year!

Share your latest obsessions with me in the comments below!

 

 

Image Sources: Anthropologie Hardware | Cleveland Cavs | Kate Spade Bag 

 

#EmnBWed – The Venue

| The Bee Life

If you are an avid bee reader, you may recall we had a whirlwind of wedding planning from traveling out to Jackson Hole to plan our intimate wedding of 30… to halting planning completely… to changing all our plans after falling head over heels for our venue.  As soon as we saw our venue which (by the way) was under construction with puddles of water, open walls and no fixtures we were heart-eyed emojing with goosebumps.

The venue was a bank from the 1920’s – 1923 to be exact, that was restored to be an event venue.  The original bank vault is in near mint condition with it’s nearly foot thick original door, and the bankers office was the perfect space for photos ahead of time with original wood ceilings and a stunning fireplace. So without further ado, please enjoy the finished product with lights, flowers, lots and lots of marble and pure perfection.
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One of the benefits of this venue was that it was so beautiful to begin with that we really didn’t have to do much with the florals, or other decor, although we had some stunning centerpieces that definitely made a statement.  Pro-tip: Look for a venue with natural beauty, you’ll save with the extras in the long run.  Although to further show off the beauty and details of this venue, we rented six, sixty-inch mirror table tops that reflected the gorgeous original ceilings, allowing our guests to enjoy the original beauty at all times.  The venue also had original bankers tables that we were able to use as bars in the main room, this pulled everything together and really tied in the history of the venue.

We were so in love with how it all turned out, how beautiful everything looked and how it all came to life for the most perfect day!

Image Source: Timothy Logan Photography 

Weekend Recap – Rock & Mom

| The Bee Life

This past weekend was a fun one! With an impromptu visit from my parents, we quickly had plans for a busy weekend ahead of us.

Our activities were perfect for a cold and rainy weekend, as we headed to a grand estate sale (more to come in an upcoming post) and from there visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  Although B and I have been to the Rock Hall a handful of times, it was the first for the group we went with, the collection of memorabilia items is incredible and covers a full range of musical influencers with something truly for everyone.  Not to mention the building is a super fun space to visit in and of itself.
Weekend Recap - the bee life
We dined along the river at Collision Bend Brewery, voted best Brewpub in America, and enjoyed everything from their incredible brussel sprouts, sauerkraut balls, their Collision Bend popcorn, buffalo tofu, and burger.  The table ordered a handful of their different beers that received rave reviews from everyone. Although the food and drinks are always on point, one of my favorite parts of Collision Bend are the views and atmosphere, it’s really a complete package.

Sunday we went to church and then had a delicious brunch at my aunts house to celebrate Mother’s Day. With another impressive spread, we were eating well with good company and ready to take a nap!  With a jammed packed weekend full of fun, delicious food and great company we were exhausted by the time everyone left, but had a great time.

I got it from my momma.

| The Bee Life

I mean, it’s so true. And while I love most of the things I got from my momma… there are certainly some other things as I get older that I don’t love getting from my momma, but there is not a thing I can do about that, besides laugh and shake my head.
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But beyond that, the one thing I love the most that I got from my momma is a best friend.  Looking back, especially to high school although we were close there was definitely a portion of time that seemed like constant arguments and disagreements.  And now, she still drives me a bit crazy but I understand it comes from a place of love … and that she just can’t help herself!  But she is still the person I call almost every day on my way home from work, who I text with my latest rants, random questions just about anything, and we have a great time together.
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Now that it’s official and my FMIL is now my MIL – I look forward to becoming closer with her.  We have always had a good relationship, similar interests and style not to mention good laughs. And, she raised the man of my dreams, my best friend and my life partner – how cool is that? I am so lucky to have another caring, genuine, boss woman in my life that I can officially call family.
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As the years go on, this day’s meaning changes a bit – as I start to have more mother’s in my life, from my aunts who’ve been my mom’s away from home since I moved, to my friends who are becoming mom’s, my fellow dog mom’s, adopted grandparents and now gaining another official mom this past winter.

Happy Mother’s Day!

 

 

Image Source: Timothy Logan Photography

Local Love – Two Cafe & Boutique

| The Bee Life

This weekend I finally got a chance to visit the Two Cafe & Boutique in Chargin Falls. From the outside what appears to be your typical farm to table cafe, quickly turns into something special when you walk in. Two Cafe & Boutique is a training center for individuals with exceptionalities allowing these individuals real work experience and employment within a fully integrated setting.
Local Love - Two Cafe & Boutique - the bee life
So let’s talk about the cafe. With a full breakfast and lunch menu you’re sure to find something you’ll like. I ordered the Apple Peanut Butter and Bacon Toast with some organic brewed coffee. Both of which were phenomenal. Allie had the Avocado Toast with Chopped Egg and said she would’ve had another! In addition to a robust coffee menu, fresh smoothies are also available and a variety of pre-bottled beverages. The lunch menu also looked great, especially once I saw what a few other people ordered. So many options! So little time – a trip back is definitely in the books for the future.

The boutique has a variety of organic facial and beauty products in addition to candles, jewelry, clothing and kitchen decor – all sourced in line with Two’s mission and values.  They’re constantly sourcing new products in additional to updating their cafe menu seasonly!  There is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, the cafe is a great spot to grab something to go, hunker down on some work, or a catch-up with good friends.

As their website says; “The cafe is not only a place you can count on for healthy and local food. It is a place where you can truly make a difference in the world.”

Seven.

| The Bee Life

This is going to be my last year ‘celebrating’ this date. Well… not even, because I told B we don’t have to celebrate it anymore, ha! But Cinco De Mayo marks seven years with B, a lucky seven years.  And although we have a new awesome anniversary every November to celebrate our marriage – this day will always be sentimental to me! It was a day that forever changed my life, the day I knew B was the one – that’s pretty major right?
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I’ve shared our first date story and I talked about how we’ve grown together especially through our wedding prep… so what else is it about my guy, B and us? A lot of it is everything we have in common, our similar hobbies and interests, but also that we help balance each other out.  I’m a bit more open and honest, B is much more reserved and kind.

Here are seven things, you may not know about us:

  1. Throughout the year we write memories on little pieces of paper, throw them into a jar and then read them to each other on January 1st of the new year!  I then tape them into a note book so we have each year “handwritten” according to us!
  2. We attend church weekly, usually on Saturday’s at 4pm with all the old people
  3. We have a daily banter which consists of me talking as Moz to B – it could be a comedy skit, although maybe it’s only funny to us… *grins*
  4. We both cook and clean the house – our rule is whoever makes dinner, the other one does the dishes (we don’t have a dishwasher!)
  5. B and I both have a crazy sweet tooth, surprisingly sometimes his can be worse than mine!
  6. Our saying was you had me at “Yeah, Me too” – because when we first talked we would follow-up by saying, “Yeah, Me too.” We had a custom cake topper made with this phrase too for our special day!
  7. I finally got B to join me in my bootcamp classes (he actually really likes them!)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again only because each year the ways change slightly but we still continue to be blessed by each others support, laughter, honesty, teamwork and love.

Love you, B! ❤

 

 

 

 

P.S. I’m not naked in that picture – I had a strapless dress!

#EmnBWed – The Guys

| The Bee Life

When we were coordinating with our wedding photographers, I was a bit anti the “getting ready pictures,” mainly because I think a lot of them are overdone and just for the sake of the photographers portfolio, and me as the bride it may be great in the moment but in 20-years looking back am I going to be swooning over the artsy getting ready photos?

Well… maybe.

But I may be biased because my hubs is so handsome and these behind the scenes pictures captured precious moments of him laughing with his brother and parents, sweet moments with his niece (who shall not be named/pictured) and then just his overall happiness on our wedding day.  So because the guys don’t always get a ton of wedding love, here are a few of my favorite photos of the guys getting ready the morning of the big day!
I28A8992I28A8939I28A9052I28A8952I28A9057_TLOCCI28A9107I28A9231I28A9179B and I had fun putting together all of the pieces and parts for his wedding day look, after a lot of inspiration, we started with a custom suite in the most beautiful blue, then created a custom vest, and pulled everything together with beautiful ties and pocket squares from Sweden.  Without these pictures a piece of our special day would be missing, all those details lost, and these help complete the moments of that day!

Xo

 

 

 

Image Source: Timothy Logan Photography

Weekend Recap – April Showers

| The Bee Life

This past weekend was definitely the definition of ‘April Showers’ … the rain honestly reminded me of our wedding day, just nonstop and a complete soaking! But despite the rain, we had a pretty great weekend.

Saturday started with the new norm, waking up, a quick cup of coffee and then heading out to bootcamp, with B in tow.  He’s strong into his second month so it’s been fun having a workout buddy especially on Saturday’s!  We reluctantly pulled out from the white wicker for the front porch – but I figured maybe it’ll help the weather figure it out! We had a low key night in after church and watched the start of the NBA playoffs.
Weekend Recap - the bee life
We packed all our fun into Sunday! The morning started off with a celebration for our dear friend, E at her baby shower! It was ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ theme and I was lucky enough to be asked to help with some of the decor. I made a wooden sign with the theme’s slogan and then some fillers for the floral centerpieces – the whole room turned out great and was so E.  The food, sweets and company were all a perfect combination to celebrate the mom-to-be! We can’t wait to meet Baby T!

From the shower I made a quick stop at home, then B and I were headed downtown to go to the Cavs first playoff game! We had scored some awesome seats during the ticket pre-sale (before the game schedule was even set), although, the game was a bit rough as a fan. We saw a few clearings of hope, but never gained the lead.  Being our first playoffs game the crowd was electric and the energy throughout the game, even during the hard parts, was incredible.  Apparently, we just had to get some of our bad playing out of the way!

How did you spend your weekend?!

8 Wedding RSVPs You Won’t Be Expecting

| The Bee Life

About to send out your wedding invites? Get ready for the fun with these 8 real life wedding RSVPs you may not be expecting… I realize that in the grand scheme of life, they’re not a big deal, but in the moments of wedding planning they are excruciating annoyances on top of all the last minute details. Perhaps these will even prepare you so that you might be able to laugh it off, and not be so surprised by your nearest and dearest who made it onto your guest list.  I am a super organized person and we RSVP immediately to weddings (unless it’s a destination), so this was a particularly frustrating part when it came down to it. So, please enjoy this little rant… *smiles*

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Image: Timothy Logan Photography

The Text Message. Yup. Sadly this happened, and it happened with a question inquiring about what the food options were available, because they ‘lost their RSVP card.’  They had texted B – had it been me, I probably wouldn’t have responded, tough luck.

The Resended RSVP. In a nut shell; “Yes! We are coming to your wedding” Then, one-week before deadline… “Some family emergency popped up, we won’t be able to make it in a month on that day.” … oh BTW there is a thing called social media, remember what you said you were doing when. #busted
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The White Out. We had a few folks actually white-out the ‘M’ as a placeholder for Mr./Mrs. and replace it with their Dr. – I mean we addressed the envelope properly to them but god forbid the RSVP card be generic to everyone. We get it, you’re a Doctor!
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The Dog Ate the RSVP.  But didn’t eat the envelope! So they did still end up sending a piece of paper with all the correct RSVP info filled out and a sweet little note AND we received it before the deadline! It was actually kind of cute.

No RSVP.  There were a handful of peeps who we never received an RSVP of any sort, no text, no call, no card… it will forever be a mystery if they just didn’t receive the invitation or if they’re just plain rude.
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Directions? What Directions! We had asked people to initial what food option they wanted, since we had 4-different choices to choose from – when a family of 5-RSVPs with numbers instead of initials, it just meant we were back tracking to see who wanted what meal. People also reached out asking “what kind of fish?” or “what’s with the steak?” … and I’ll just leave it at that.

No Show RSVP. There were about 5-people who RSVPd ‘yes’ with meal choices who came to our ceremony and then completely didn’t show to our reception.  That’s essentially an entire table – which is also a floral arrangement, linen rentals, centerpieces, favors, alcohol, a plated dinner, shall I continue?
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The Late RSVP. This is unavoidable and extremely annoying – so to try and make my point I posted a nice little reminder on my Facebook page that read the following ❤

“RSVPs received after October 16th will be submitted into a review and approval process. Upon completion of the review process, applicants will be notified if approved or denied based on receipt of submission.

*To improve your chances of RSVP approval, be sure to do the following: send RSVP via mail in the addressed and stamped envelope, indicate if your accepting/declining, initial your desired entree (i.e. check mark, X or other symbol by entree will further delay review process and/or you may not receive your desired entree) and be sure it arrives by October 16th. Text messages, DMs, comments or other ways of RSVPing will delay and lessen chances of approval.

Thank you to those who have already RSVPd.”

So that’s it. Those invitations that you hemmed and hawed on will get lost, they won’t even get sent back or read, those stamps you bought for RSVP envelopes will go to waste… and all those hours assembling the pieces and parts will simply go unnoticed (by many, but not all!)  On the flip side, we did love receiving these in little batches day by day, guessing who it would be from. A lot of closer friends wrote sweet notes on the cards or envelope so that made it even more special and exciting to receive! I am also pretty sure I had almost everyone’s meal memorized by the time our wedding rolled around… *grins*

Have a wedding RSVP that tops these? Comment below, I want to hear it!

Image Source: Timothy Logan Photography