Someone To Tend the Light

*Post and photos will have nothing to do with each other today.  

    Graduation day is almost here and it will be time for the last little bird to leave the nest.  Looking back, I feel almost dizzy seeing how quickly the years have passed.  The days were long, but the years were short as the saying goes, and it's when the days are so long that it becomes easy to take it all for granted.  Standing on the other side now I regret all the time I spent, "just getting through it," and have become more grateful than ever for the times when I forced myself to slow down and savor the moments.  

    We all take things for granted.  We forget to be grateful for even the smallest of gestures until... one day they're gone.  As a teenager, it never once occurred to me to thank my parents for the little things they did, things as simple as leaving the light on for me when they went to bed while I was still out with friends.  It never occurred to me that they didn't have to do that, that something so small took time and effort that they didn't have to take.  Something so small meant that they cared.  It never occurred to me until I was living on my own.  I remember well that chilly feeling of coming home late night after night to a dark empty house.  It's a light.  One single light, one single flip of one single switch, and yet when it was gone, it suddenly meant more than I could ever express.

    In the evenings now, I get ready for bed in a too quiet house.  A house that used to be filled with the sounds of bathtime splashing, and noisy happy singing, with the clunking of toys being tossed into cubbies, with blankets being ruffled, and stories being read.  Now I wash off my makeup and brush my teeth in the still darkness.  My children are grown; they have their own lives and soon they'll have their own homes.  They don't realize yet how much care I take, before I pull back my blanket and crawl exhausted into bed, to make sure to cross those creaky floors, and flip that single switch, and leave the light on.  They don't know it just now, but it means that they are loved.

Outfit Info:  Teuta Matoshi Dress

Whispering Forest Gown

Mr. Bleu and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary this year and he very sweetly suggested that we have a ceremony to renew our vows.  At first I was so touched and thrilled by the idea that I started planning.  The more I thought about it, the less excited I became.  The first go round was extremely stressful and expensive that I really didn't think I wanted to go through it all again.  However, 20 years of marriage is a thing worth celebrating and it needed to be done right, so in lieu of a ceremony, we went to the chapel that I always wished we had used for our wedding (but we didn't have the  money), bought a new dress and a new suit, and booked an hour with a talented photographer just to capture our moment in a less stressful and more private way.  It was truly wonderful and so much fun.  I couldn't find anyone to do my makeup, but I did get my hair styled and it was a beautiful mild evening. I originally thought I would wear a dress I already owned, but nothing felt quite right for what I wanted.  Fortunately, Teuta Matoshi has never let me down and I found the perfect gown for the occasion.  For a full dress review, click on my YouTube video below.

 Outfit Info:  Whispering Forest Dress from Teuta Matoshi

Fondant Wedding Cake & Summer Tea

Sometimes a Low-Buy Year means not spending very much money and sometimes it also means not buying very many things; I guess technically it should be both of those aspects together in order to truly live up to the name "low-buy."  I suppose as this is my first go-round with a Low-Buy, I'm going to simply make it about spending less money, because there have been some amazing thrifted finds that I just could not turn down.  Take for example this Buttercream Fondant Dress by Hitherto, a BHLDN/Anthropologie brand:

BHLDN is Anthro's wedding shop and while the dresses are absolutely stunning, the prices definitely match.  I can't say for sure how much it originally cost at Anthro, but it was frequently selling used for anywhere from $175 to $250 and occasionally higher.  This dress has been on my wishlist for a while but I never expected to see it for $35!  So of course I caved and bought it.  Hey, I never said I was perfect, and this is my first try, so perfection was really never on the table.

I know that in this fast-fashion world dress reviews are fading fast, most especially for items like this that are no longer in-store, but in the past I found all the Anthro blog reviews to be lifesavers because even though I was buying second hand, these dresses are rarely cheap and always an investment.  With that in mind, I'm going to go ahead and review this dress, especially since it is a wedding dress and the bridal crowd has very specific tastes and is more likely to need reviews, so we're doing this!

Aptly named, the Buttercream Fondant dress is just the perfect cream color and has oodles of tulle and ruffles plus it has those darling vintage vibes I adore.  You might think it's just a simple cotton dress, but not so.  This is a wedding dress indeed.  The fabric is a cotton silk blend, so already it's not just a sundress.  It also has a built in strapless bra, plus two layers of tulle and viscose lining.

Just a matter of personal taste here, but as far as wedding dresses go, this really isn't my cup of tea.  However, as far as summer tea dresses go, then it's an enthusiastic yes, please!  I must say this dress gives me all the Grace Kelly vintage elegance that I adore and if one were to consider it as a wedding dress, it truly is a solid investment.  I've looked at a lot of wedding dresses over the years and found that tea length dresses tend to be much cheaper because there's less fabric involved, and also because they tend to be rather plain-jane.  

But, this is Anthropologie we're talking about here, so you know they went all-in.  This dress is perfect in every way and totally gorgeous.  They definitely didn't skimp on the details and truly, if I had to pay full price for it, I can see where every penny went from design to creation.  This dress is definitely dreamy and I give it my full endorsement.  There are quite a few available on Ebay and Poshmark as I write this post, so if you are in the market for this dress, purchase with confidence!

 Outfit Info: Hitherto Buttercream Fondant Dress by BHLDN/Anthropologie

*Side Note:  This dress looks strikingly similar to a Sweet Melissa Wedding Dress from 2010-2011 that I spotted on Poshmark recently. I love both!

Bridesmaid Dresses with Ever-Pretty

Prom season is right around the corner, but of course, Formal Dresses are something that one may need at any time because there are always things in life to celebrate and it's best to celebrate in style.  I have collaborated with Ever Pretty on a number of wedding dress posts, but today's post is not only for weddings but all the other special days as well, so today we'll be looking at two dresses from Ever-Pretty.

First up is this lovely burgundy chiffon dress.  I was so impressed with the wedding dresses I have tried from Ever Pretty that I was thrilled to be able to showcase some of their bridesmaid dresses as well because they really do have lovely dresses in a great size range at very reasonable prices.

Being a bride's maid is such an honor, but it can also come with an expense that not every bride or member of the bridal party can afford.  Ever Pretty offers a wide selection of dresses in sizes 4 to 26 for under $75 such as this lovely Chiffon Illusion V Neck dress which comes in five colors and was only $63.

Another great feature of Ever-Pretty?  They also offer custom sizing and 15% off your first order and orders over $80 get free shipping!  Sounds too good to be true, right?  But, it's totally true and it gets even better.  With so many great things to offer, you might think they would skimp somewhere, but the quality of these dresses is fantastic and in my experience, the fit has always been spot on.

This Chiffon dress was flowy and lovely and had that sexy slit at the side to show a little leg.  The sleeves are comfortable and flattering, and I love the little faux V neck and fitted waist.

Since it's winter and the snow is barely off the ground, I wanted to showcase a velvet dress as well and this Double V Neck Short Sleeve Dress with the Lotus Hem seemed like the perfect choice for a winter wedding.

This Dark Green color is just right for the season and this stunning dress is only $67.  I know sleeves are a concern for many, and I have noticed that the wrong sleeve can really change the overall silhouette to have an unflattering effect, but these sleeves are ever so flattering, I absolutely love them!

This dress is so soft and with just a little weight to make it warm but not heavy, it really is perfect for a winter wedding.  With a fitted waist and this lotus hemline, this dress is accentuating my curves and hiding my flaws, I think I could confidently stand next to any lovely bride and feel just as lovely.

So, no matter what special occasion comes along in life whether you're part of the wedding party or just need an evening dress for a night out, Ever Pretty has something you'll love.

Outfit Info:  

Chiffon Illusion V-Neck Flutter Sleeve Front Slit Evening Dress-$63,  Double V-Neck Short Sleeves Stretchy Velvet Evening Dress with Lotus Leaf Hem-$67   From Ever-Pretty.com

Autumn Brides: Ivory Lace & Classic Tulle with Ever-Pretty

Traditionally spring is the time of weddings because the days are warmer and the whole wide world seems ready to celebrate with new babies being born and flowers bursting into bloom, but for me there was never any question that I would be an autumn bride, which is why this collaboration with Ever-Pretty is absolutely perfect timing.  Ever-Pretty has a wide range of Formal Gowns, and in this post we'll be looking at two beautiful bridal dresses from Ever-Pretty, beginning with this Classic Tulle Dress.

Autumn weddings are a bit of a gamble.  The leaves might not change or might have already changed, it could be boiling hot outside or freezing cold and either way it will likely be raining.  But, if one does decide to take the chance and all the stars align just right, it will be a wedding truly thrown by nature herself and completely breathtaking.  And while nature can fit the bill for most of the decoration and ambience nature can't do all the work.  The most stunning center piece of any wedding is the bride in her glorious gown.

As a young bride who had just graduated from university, I had managed to save up a little money while getting my education, but I was still on a budget.  Oh, how I wish I had known about Ever-Pretty all those years ago.  I opted for a handmade gown that was incredibly plain and with just the cost of the supplies for the dress alone, not even taking into account the cost of the seamstress, I still shelled out $100-$150.  If I had known about Ever-Pretty, I could have had an ornate and elegant gown for under $100.  Thankfully, I can share them with you and with Ever-Pretty Black Friday Deals, you can get an amazing bargain on a beautiful dress.

This gorgeous Classic Tulle Gown comes in at $99 and has lovely layers of glittery satin and tulle and a train for true bridal elegance.  The knotted front is such an excellent touch to the bodice that I truly feel like the belle of the bridal ball.  And the best part is that you can save even more on one of Ever-Pretty's beautiful dresses during their Black Friday Event

If you're a bride who prefers Pearl and Lace to Satin and Glitter, this Ivory Lace dress is ideal.  With a train and a layer of organza lace underneath a tulle skirt and a ruched tulle bodice and pearl belt, Oh, this dress is luxe! The straps are adjustable and that underlayer of lace is just divine.

I've been watching a lot of style videos lately and there is a common theme running through them all, which is elegance is understated, it's not over the top.  It's in the little classic details, the pearls and lace, so to speak, the satin and delicate trails of glitter, in other words, all the things I love about these dresses.

There is something about ivory which is just perfect for fall weddings.  All the colors are changing to red, yellow, orange, and brown, and ivory just seems to fall perfectly in line with that palette.

All that's missing on this gorgeous day with this gorgeous dress is an ivory veil, and my groom of course, who in this case was behind the camera, busily swatting at the hordes of ladybugs between clicks of the shutter button.  Watching that certainly did generate a few genuine smiles and laughs, and bring back a little nostalgia for our own special day so many years ago.

If only I had had an Ever-Pretty Dress, that special day would have been just perfect.  I can't go back in time, but I do try to tell as many brides-to-be as I meet about Ever-Pretty

Check out my YouTube Review for more details!

Shopping Info:  Spaghetti Strap Waist Pearl Sweetheart Collar Tulle Wedding Dress with Lace-$99 from Ever-Pretty

 Shopping Info:  Classical Tulle Glittery Pleated Double V-Neck A-Line Wedding Dress with Train--$99 from Ever-Pretty