what i wore this wedding season 2017

Friends getting married > friends having babies. I'm all for the dancing and eating and the open bars and the reason to go shopping and get all dressed up and make personalized gifts [more on that later]. Sometimes I'm even all for the traveling it requires.

This year was a good year. THE best friend got married and so did some of his best friends and his brother. SO MUCH PRESSURE.

There has never once been a time that I felt like the best dressed guest at a wedding, but I learn each time... kinda. Still, I seem to think you care about what I wear to these events so here I am posting these terrible cell phone pics again. I'm such a professional.

WEDDING ONE, on the water in MD, in May: #darrlybeloved

I'm pretty obsessed with this dress from Forever 21 [and the Charlotte Russe shoes that I wear to every wedding every year], even though it seemed pretty out of my norm. It's the right amount of trendy and appropriate for a wedding. It may have been better for the more fall-season wedding, and maybe I shouldn't have looked like one of the bridesmaids in navy blue... but damn if my make-up wasn't on point...

For each wedding, I just did a blend of the NAKED3 palette and an awkward attempt at contouring.

WEDDING TWO: Maid of Honor in SC, in June. #partyharding

I've already posted all about this dress and all the dresses I tried on to pick it, but thanks to her photographer, I have better pics of my hair. 

Whenever I do an updo, I throw in some braids, then finish my make-up, then figure out how much time I have to create something with the rest that isn't in a braid. I had five minutes, so I did a quick topsy-tail, bobby pinned some pieces, and prayed it looked good because I never look at the back of my hair. After seeing these pics, I'm amazed by how good the rainbow looked! 

WEDDING THREE: Outside in upstate NY, in August. #hughesidos

Half the fun in getting dressed up is doing subtle matching, right?! Although, based on everyone's comments, I wasn't so subtle with the matching at this one. His $9 tie from TJ Maxx, $5 coral shirt from H&M, and my NastyGal dress were a match made in Heaven. The only issue was that my lady parts fell out when I walked until I put some safety pins near my hips to keep that wrap-over part together. Don't you hate the slutty girls at weddings??!? 

WEDDING FOUR: At Pinstripes in DC, in September. #yeswayjose

An Express dress that I thought was simple and fun enough for a wedding at a bowling alley, but with the amount of compliments I've gotten- I need to wear this more often! I finally switched up the shoes for blush wrap around heels from JustFab, and blush fringe earrings that I bought at Target 90 minutes before I went. I'm gonna need to update this post with a close-up of these things.

I normally allow myself an hour to get ready after a shower, and soon I'll need to admit to myself that's not enough time to do hair, make-up, put on the right jams, make some pre-wedding drinks, and gather my things before ordering an Uber. I did another version of a side braid then had to straighten the pony because I convinced myself that sleek was cute [and I was almost running late].


Maybe next year I'll re-wear some of these dresses for a wedding. lololol JK. A more realistic thing would be trying to find some friends who will trade with me. Isn't that a genius idea?! Swapping dresses you've worn for weddings?! WHO'S IN?!

love,
elizabethany

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photo diary: wrapping up wedding season in chicago

Continuing on with my year of traveling and weddings, last weekend I headed to Chi-town for my college "roommate's" vows! [I say it in quotes because it was 7 of them who lived together and I lived in "the guest house," AKA a house down the street because roommates and I are never a good idea.]

It was the most extravagant wedding I've been to. Lots of people, beautiful decor, surprise performances from singers and bagpipe groups and probably more that I'm totally forgetting. 

Not gonna lie, I kinda sucked at getting pictures this time because I was running on 90 minutes of sleep, but here's the beautiful couple: 

And the setting of the resort: 

And the dinner/reception setting: 

New mailbox for cards! 

She's giving the table numbers to her BFF for her wedding this winter- recycling for the win!

And my outfit: 

-dress from Forever21! I looked at so many stores and finally sighed before one last try by going in there. I love this beaut. 

-shoes from Ross

-BlueLans necklace

And I did my hair with a little twist, a little braid, and a messy bun. I liked it from the front, but seeing pictures from the back now makes me cringe a little. My make-up was a medium-dark smokey eye with teal worked in the corners/under eye.

I'm quickly learning that my favorite parts of weddings are the "extra celebrations." Like the weekend long excursion in Texas, or this Cubs game that 70 of us went to in a party bus the next morning. Not only does it give us out of towners more time with the couple, but I got to explore the city more, too!

Wrigley field- with bleachers on top of the apartment buildings outside of the stadium!

My only picture with the bride. I'm terrible. But how great does she look for the morning after her wedding?! Props.

With the wedding on Friday and everyone peacing out Sunday, I decided to stay an extra day and explore alone [mostly because I wasn't supposed to be alone, but life happens] and meet up with some radio friends I've never met in real life. 

Radio is cool like that. In every city that I go, I can holler at people I've talked to online a few times and crash on their couch or at least meet up for a while. For Chicago, I met two friends who are close to my DC radio fam, and then two that I have a "let's copy each other brainstorm together" relationship with. 

Check out the view of one of their homes: 

CAN YOU IMAGINE ACTUALLY WAKING UP TO THIS EVERY DAY?! Stop it.

Had to get the Bean picture, obviously. We're making fun of him on his phone, like a true radio peep.

True life: I have a weakness for sunrises and sunsets. Accidentally catching this while walking around was fantastic. 

For being taken on my phone, these pictures are pretty legit, right?! I guess it's not hard with a pretty city. 

 Now I don't have any more trips planned for the rest of the year! I want to go on at least one more, but I have no idea where that will be. An easy ride to NYC? A visit to Salt Lake for my station event out there? I'll figure something out, duh. Suggestions always welcome!

Another congrats to the new Conroys! Thanks for having me out to the beautiful start to your new life!

love,

elizabethany

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my kick-off to the wedding season

You know you're getting old when your entire summer is planned around weddings all over the country. That's my life this summer.

The first one was Jared, part of my gymnastics family, and his beautiful bride Tara.

I wore one of the dresses I got during my giving-zero-effs shopping spree last weekend. It's from H&M and was a whopping $13. [Unfortunately I can't find it online for you.]

Kept it pretty simple everywhere else, since the dress is so busy. Black open toed pumps, pink lipstick, and a pink purse I got from my clothing swap. [It was perfect for holding a pair of shorts and shoes inside.

I keep it classy with a hair tie on my finger instead of wrist...... 

And if you're wondering why I would need to bring a pair of shorts to a wedding, it's because gymnasts like doing handstands. 

I'm the one with my knees bent about to get taken out by a tall guy. I love that everyone is so disappointed in the groom just falling in the middle.

And of course, we had to do a team picture of sorts. 

BUT... none of this is even close to the best part of the night. You know how much I love surprise dances or skits or plans or whatever... and the entire bridal party & more did an entire scene from Pitch Perfect.

HOW GOOD IS THAT?! The bride is former Miss Virginia, host of a morning news show, and basically one of the most all-around talented people you'll ever meet, so it's no surprise that happened and was so fantastic.

It's always good to be reunited with people I haven't seen in forever, but it's even more special to look at a couple and have zero doubt that they'll last forever. SO many smiles while watching them all night. So CONGRATS to Jared and Tara!

love,
elizabethany

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