Friday, February 24, 2017

Wedding Weekends - Veil Shopping


Hi lovelies!

I'm checking in today with a very exciting wedding update; my bridal look has just had one major addition - my veil! One appointment and two very enjoyable hours later, I found the perfect complement to my gown: a cathedral length tulle veil with amazing shape and a pencil edge. Yay!

If I have one piece of advice for anyone in search of their perfect veil - DO NOT BUY YOUR VEIL ONLINE. I too was very tempted to save some money by buying online, figuring veils were pretty much all made the same since I wanted something fairly simple. This, my friends, is wrong. I walked into the boutique asking for a simple, plain veil, thinking they maybe had one in store, I'd try it on, and be on my way. Little did I know there was a huge variety of types of tulle, cuts on the tulle (even when they were all cathedral length) and edging. The veils all fell differently, some going straight to the floor while other floated out a bit more. I ended up trying many different cuts and tulle types until I found a veil that perfectly framed my face and shoulders, and had a shape that would add dimension and interest to the skirt of my dress. So exciting!

If you're in the market for a veil, do yourself a favor and go ahead and book yourself a consultation. It's a once in a lifetime accessory shopping experience! Make sure you grab your mom, like I did, and make a day of it. So fun!



Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Celebrating Love With Framebridge's Heartstagram

I'm a week late, but I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's day! My (slightly self gifted) gift for cam this year was one of Frambridge's adorable Heartstagrams. I chose one of our favorite engagement photos to be matted to a heart and it couldn't be more adorable.

I don't know if it's just me because I'm decor obsessed (and the internet knows it), but I'm ALWAYS getting ads for Framebridge. I've wanted to try their frames for a while and wanted to try something small and affordable before investing in a larger piece.

I'm very impressed with the beauty of the piece. The frame looks great and you can tell the mat quality. I was surprised with how light the frame is, expecting it to be a more substantial weight. I admit that sometimes I equate weightiness to quality, so I was a little disappointed when I first picked my piece up. However, I really can't deny that the piece looks gorgeous, which lets be honest, is what really matters.

It should be mentioned that the website was super easy to use, and shipping was super quick. I even missed the date for Valentine's day delivery by a day, and it came on time anyway!

Overall, I appreciate Framebridge as an option somewhere in between pre-fab frames and frames from custom framers in both price and quality, and I wouldn't hesitate to order from them again when I want a gorgeous, artistic frame for a fair price.

Until then, I'll enjoy gazing at this little beauty. I have it adorning my dresser at the moment and couldn't find it any cuter! You can create your own heartstagram until the end of February.

Have you tried Framebridge yet? What is your favorite go-to for custom framing? I'd love to know! Let me know in the comments below.

With Love, Katie
Sunday, February 19, 2017

Barre, Hot Yoga and Cycling - ClassPass Review



So I know I may be a bit late to the party, but I. Love. Classpass. Starting my clinicals for school meant LA Fitness was no longer convenient for me. So, after years of putting up with the mediocre zumba and bootcamp classes that came with that membership, Classpass feels like a major breath of very fresh, very bougie air. And I love it. Let me tell you more:

The app is amazing. All the classes available at all the different studios in my area are incredibly easy to search. It's so much simpler to compare class times, studios, and reviews than it is trying to compare by navigating to individual websites. I can view my schedule of upcoming classes really easily. I also love opening up the app after a workout to be congratulated and asked to give a quick rating or review. I find the app easy, and most of all, motivating.

One of the major critiques of classpass is the penalty when you miss a class; you are charged a whopping $20 (and that's Philly area prices. I'm sure it's more in upcharged New York). I have to admit, this seriously sucks. However, you better believe this penalty made me get my butt to class on days that I surely would have skipped if no penalty was attached.

Another less than ideal limitation that comes with classpass is the studio limit per month. With my membership (5 classes a month) I can only visit the same studio twice. However, once you hit that limit you can purchase individual classes from the studios, through the classpass app, at reduced prices. The cost of an individual class from my favorite Barre studio is $19, but I can get it for $14 after I've hit my twice monthly limit and buy it through the classpass app. This limit forces you to diversify for at least 3 classes a month (something I think is a GOOD thing), and still lets you get classes for a reduced price after the limit has been hit. In my book, that's a win.

So, with my love for classpass made clear, I want to share with you the three studios classpass has helped me discover that have become my weekly routine to get ready for the wedding: barre, hot yoga, and spin!




1.) TruBarre Lafayette Hill

This was the first class I tried with classpass, and I loved it! I was always intimidated by barre, but somehow signing up for classpass gave me the oomph I needed to finally try this studio. I'm so glad I did! Barre is hard, like everyone always says, but it's definitely not impossible. You burn out each muscle to the point where you think you can't do another rep, and then it's over. And you stretch. I love it, and I feel like my posture has improved immensely even after only doing barre once a week for a little over a month. This workout works, and this studio is great!

2.) Dana Hot Yoga - Glenside

I've attended this studio in the past, but I was thrilled to find out it was on classpass. I've been doing hot yoga Sunday mornings after doing barre on Saturday, and let me tell you, by Monday I'm sore! I enjoy the ambiance at Dana and in winter the warmth is wonderful. I can't recommend this studio enough!
3.) Chestnut Hill Cycle Fitness

I'll confess, I HATED spin at LA fitness. Spin at college was ok, but still something I suffered through just for the calorie burn. I've taken 2 classes so far at Chestnut Hill Cycle Fitness, and I can't believe I actually ENJOYED my classes there! They are 45 minutes, which is perfect, and I've found the music to be great and the instructors to be so motivating. I've been cycling once mid-week, and I think a 45 minute cardio blast is the perfect after-work workout.