Must Read Monday: The One & Only

As soon as I found out that Emily Giffin had a new book coming out I preordered it immediately! After reading Something Borrowed, I instantly was hooked and Giffin’s new book did not disappoint. A story told in a football loving Texas town, The One & Only takes you on a roller coaster of emotion, unconventional love, and finding yourself admits  life’s critics.

To say that Shea Rigsby is a football fanatic, doesn’t hold a candle to how much she loves the sport. At thirty-three she continues to support her collage alma mater in Walker, Texas even working in the athletic department. Her best friend Lucy (daughter of Walker’s infamous football coach), pushes Shea to began her love life and take on new career goals. Shea plays along and even dates one of the most eligible bachelor’s of the Dallas Cowboys! Still, her heart belongs to someone else, too taboo in the small Walker community to ever admit…until she does.

Happy Reading!

National Average Wedding Cost

As someone who works in the wedding industry, I see plenty of photos of weddings from over-the-top whimsy to beachside elopements. Like many girls my age, visit my Pinterest page and you’ll see thousands of wedding related pins. The modern bride is trend savvy and wants her wedding to stand above the rest. This of course puts pressure on many wedding professionals to stay atop of the latest greatest, innovative wedding ideas that their target bride can’t resist. With all of this being said, it should be not surprise that the national average wedding cost is higher than it has ever been! After surveying nearly 13,000 brides, The Knot found the average American bride is spending around $29,858. Be sure to view the image below to see the break down of price by category, and it won’t be a shocker why this price has sky rocketed!

Carolina Girl

Shame on me for ignoring my blog the past week! I promise that I have the best excuse – I’ve been packing, unpacking and starting my new job with the Outer Banks Wedding Association! I couldn’t be happier to be an official Carolina Girl and start my new career adventure in a new city!

One of the most beautiful things about making such a drastic move, is the support I’ve received from my family, boyfriend and friends. It’s amazing how many people ask me about how this move has affected the relationship I have with my boyfriend. (The irony of course being that he is stationed thousands of miles away.) When you love someone and know that you were meant to be together, there will never be any doubt that you will. A support system like that is unlike any other and I couldn’t be more blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

Cheers to the endless opportunities my future holds!

Fab Find: Stacy Brown Designs

I can’t point my finger on the moment that I discovered Stacy Brown Designs on Instagram, but I have been swooning over her lovely work ever since! Bold colors, gorgeous script and details to die for – Stacy Brown certainly has a gift when it comes to creating custom designs for her customers. From hand painted bangles to keepsake picture frames, there are so many reasons why Stacy Brown Designs is today’s fab find! Here are a few of my absolute favorites from her shop…I see the Sparkle Party Tray in my future!!

Like the true Southern lady that she is, Stacy believes that monogramming is a way of life, not simply a hobby. {I’ll just add that to the list of reasons that I adore her!} Foremost, I am a huge supporter of small businesses and purchasing products made in our great nation. I strongly encourage you to show your own support of American made products and check out Stacy’s shop! Prepare to burn your plastic, because trust me, you’re going to love it all!

Happy Shopping!

Move Over Awareness Month

At one point or another we’ve all felt our hearts jump in terror when flashing blue or red lights appear in the rearview mirror. While they may not be hailing you over to give you a speeding ticket or coming to your rescue after a little fender bender; anytime police officers, fireman, or EMS are blaring down the highway we must get out of their way! All too often, you’ll hear tragic news coverage of a tow truck worker or police officer getting killed because a driver did not take proper safety precautions by slowing down and moving over to another lane. Thankfully, the Virginia Senate made the month of June ‘Move Over Awareness Month,‘ and I couldn’t be happier about this resolution!

Even though moving over is a law in many states, it’s my sincere hope that all states adopt similar awareness programs for everyone to be educated on this simple precautions drivers can make to save a life. Take a moment to read Senate Resolution 102, by clicking here, to learn more about this cause and share it with everyone you know. Whether you are a Virginian or as far away as California, please learn more about this campaign and always slow down and move over when you see any vehicle on the side of the road.  Life is too precious to not make this easy maneuver!