Look 1: belted tan leather skirt, cable knit cashmere sweater, white calf high boots
Look 2: button front denim a-line skirt, Â white ribbed crop top, white ankle boots
Look 3: suede a-line mini skirt, cream turtleneck, lace up over the knee boots
Code Q4Tate15 gets 15% off your SHEIN purchase, including this $38 teddy coat.
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Bryson’s U-Pick Apple Orchard
Apple Picking 2020 in Mountain Rest, South Carolina
Apple Picking in Oak Glen, California at Willowbrook Farm and Snow-Line Orchard
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Skip to content Posted on May 19, 2017August 20, 2018
Red Two-Piece Set
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This set is my new favorite! It is so soft and cozy, I could wear it all day just around the house. My favorite thing about matching sets is that you can wear them together, or split the pieces up to mix and match with other items in your wardrobe. I styled the set here with a chained belt bag, black leather beret, and chunky black combo boots for a more edgy than feminine vibe.
shop the look and get 15% off with code Q4Tate15
It has been about one month since Joe proposed, and let me just tell you that being engaged is the best thing ever!! However, the timing of our engagement has been different for us than a traditional engagement. And of course that is because we are in a global pandemic. It comes with some pros and some cons, we are just doing our best to continuously love and support each other through them all.
Let’s be honest for a second: one side of getting engaged in lockdown kind of sucks. Not being able to celebrate and enjoy this incredibly happy moment in our lives with family and close friends is tough. We want to be able to hug, pop champagne, toast, and discuss nuptial plans with the people that mean the most to us. But for now, it is just us – and that in turn has been the biggest pro to a lockdown engagement.
This time during lockdown has made me more grateful of Joe, my fiancé, than I ever dreamt imaginable. It has given us so much time to grow our relationship even deeper and make our bond even stronger. Plus, we get to spend A LOT of time wedding planning!
Thanks to lockdown, we have actually gotten a lot done wedding-wise. We have chosen a color scheme, readers and readings, the complete bridal party, and a good amount of the ceremony and reception music. But we are not announcing any of these things just yet; we want to be able to tell everyone/ask people properly, in my person. We have been able to get all of this done because lockdown has given us the time to sit down and be able to honestly talk and express our wants and expectations of our wedding.
Most importantly, we SET THE DATE! And we have also chosen a location. We will reveal both of these at a later date, but for now I will share this: it is about one year away and will be a destination wedding. We have not chosen a venue yet, but we do have a good idea of the area and some great options (irons in the fire as my parents would say, lol). Unfortunately, before we can actually have a full tour of any potential venues we must wait for the travel bans to be lifted. We have faith, though!
Any guesses where or when we will get married? Comment below!
5 Current Favorites:
View of London from the Tower Bridge
After Christmas, there always seems to be a lull when no one really knows what to do with themselves. So on December 29, we decided to hop in the car and drive the three hours south to London! It is an easy drive that I am beginning to learn well, lol. We were only in town for just about twenty-four hours, giving us not much time but we were able to see everything we wanted.
View of Knightsbridge from our hotel window in  Egerton House Hotel.
To Stay
Studio Suite at Egerton House Hotel
Not only is this a charming boutique hotel located in Knightsbridge, in the heart of Kensington, but  We originally decided on this hotel because. they are dog friendly and even provide a pet sitter, which was perfect for us traveling with Leo. He got to explore the entire hotel and meet all the staff. We were even greeted with an upgrade to a suite and complete pet welcome kit upon arrival (bed, towel, blanket, food and water bowl). The service was above and beyond from everyone we dealt with. We were SO pleased with our stay here (and even got an AMAZING upgrade thanks to Leo) that we know  the Egerton House Hotel will be our home away from home whenever we are visiting London.
Studio Suite at Egerton House Hotel.Â
Bathroom at Egerton House Hotel.Â
To Eat
The food was good, although portions are HUGE. Plan on going hungry and sharing. The atmosphere is busy and loud. but we had a well enough time other than service being a little bit slower. But when you are craving Indian food, who can complain?
Haandi, an Indian restaurant.Â
Christmasmarket by the Tower Bridge
Lots of stalls selling all sorts of different foods. I saw cuisines varying from Mexican, to Greek, to German, to Italian. We opted for a hot dog stall, lol.
Hotdog stall by the Tower Bridge.Â
Our hotel also served an excellent afternoon tea. We ate there for lunch upon arrival, and the club sandwich and mozzarella sandwich were both good. Best served with a glass of champagne, of course.
Egerton House Hotel at Christmastime.Â
To Do & See
Hyde Park (and Winter Wonderland)
A walk through Hyde Park has always been on my bucket list, but it was even more special walking through with Leo – and Joe of course! We walked by the Winter Wonderland (that was swarming with tourists and families FYI), and made a stop at the Peter Pan statue I had wanted to see. It was a nice afternoon, giving us pretty clouds for sunset. Leo loved the green grass and all the other dogs. We even saw two other french bulldogs he said hello to. It is such a big park and there is so much to explore. I would love to see it again in the spring…and summer…and fall!
Peter Pan Statue, Hyde Park, London, England.
Hyde Park, London, England.
Buckingham Palace
Expect big crowds. Always. Oh, and tours are available in the summer during July and August when the Queen goes north to the Scottish Highlands.
Buckingham Palace at night.Â
Tower Bridge
A lot of people confuse this with the London Bridge, but it is cooler. I advise getting here early in the morning because the crowds were insane. And if taking a tour, book in advance.
On Tower Bridge, London.Â
Tower Bridge, London, from a distance.Â
Tower Bridge, London.Â
Harrod’s
Unfortunately, Leo couldn’t go in for his shopping spree, lol, but he managed to pose for a photo. They do have a restaurant and a really nice terrace champagne bar where we went in summer for my birthday.
Harrod’s, London.
At this time of year, we ran into TONS of people everywhere. It was way more crowded than in the summer. There were some locations I could barely move in, like on Tower Bridge. And in one tube station, we had to turn around and leave because it was so insane and no one was moving! If you want to visit without the maddening crowds then you MUST wake up early (like before the sun rises) to be one of the first people there for morning light. London is always a fun time, even with the crowds.
Knightsbridge, Kensington, London.
Fall is my favorite time of year. Football returns. Leaves change colors. Pumpkins and apples become ripe for picking. The weather gets cooler. Pumpkin spice lattes return. And starts as a great prelude to the holiday season. What’s not to love? Watching the leaves change colors then fall of their branches is just magical to me. It is beauty in its most natural form. So pack your bags with sweaters, jeans, and boots and get ready for cool weather, falling leaves, apple cider, pumpkins, and all of the fall feels with these amazing fall destinations!
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Tucked away at the base of the Julian Alps in Slovenia, is a gorgeous glacial lake surrounded by a charming town. The town is called Bled, so the lake is Lake Bled. Although you may not have heard of this magical place, I am almost certain you have seen photos! This destination is screensaver worthy (I actually have seen images of it on TV screensavers).
Bled HotelÂ
Bled is a very romantic destination, so why not stay somewhere the oozes romance? Like the Grand Hotel Toplice.
The Grand Hotel Toplice, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is located directly on the shore of Lake Bled. It boasts views of both the castle and island, the main two point of views on the lake.
This hotel is a great home base for your trip. Here are a few reasons why it is such a great choice.
Tip: Make sure to get a room facing the lake side! Bonus if you get a balcony. Waking up to the sunrise with the view of the castle and the lake is absolutely breathtaking – a memory I will truly cherish forever.
Take the hike up to Bled Castle for unparalleled views of the lake and to explore the castle itself. I, personally, was terrified of getting too close to the edge and plummeting down the side of the cliff…. So I kept my distance and enjoyed the view from a safe way back. However, most people were getting right up to the ledge, some even sitting on it, just to get the perfect shot.
Take some time to walk around and explore the castle. It isn’t huge, but large enough to spend a few hours wandering. Our lunch reservation wasn’t until 3, so we got there in early afternoon with a bunch of tourist groups. Try to go early if you can! Tip: if you have a dining reservation your party gets free entry to the castle – simply tell them the reservation name at the ticket counter and you will be allowed right in.
The castle wine cellar is a great place to stop. The guys working there are great and an absolute delight to chat with them. Unfortunately, they do not do wine tastings. BUT, you can buy a bottle of wine and enjoy in the castle. We had ours in the wine cellar because Joe had such a nice time chatting with them, but feel free to take your glasses and bottles and sit somewhere with a nice view.
Restaurant review coming soon!
https://www.jezersek.si/en/
Be sure to make reservations well in advance, and request the best seats if available.
The Food: A-
The View: A+++
The Service: A
Bled Cream Cake
I cannot even describe just how delicious this yummy goodness is. Mouth-watering decadence in a perfect, powdered sugar topped square.
Bled Island
The small island in the center of Lake Bled is definitely what the area is most famous for. In order to get there, you have two options: rent your own boat and row yourself or ride with a group of people on a ‘pletna’. We opted to row our own boat (i.e. Joe rowing us) to Bled Island and the church there. It took about thirty minutes to get there and about an hour to get back. We may have had a little wine, and the wind was working against us! Rowing our own boat gave us enough time to enjoy the little island at our leisure.
The second option is to ride a ‘pletna’ with a group of people to the island. Basically the Slovenian version of a gondola, you get rowed to the island for a small fee of twelve euros. You get forty-five minutes to explore the island. You also have to wait for the pletna to fill up before it will depart for the island.
Once you arrive to the island, climb up the 99 steps to the Church of Acension. It is tradition for grooms to carry the bride up all 99 steps! We even saw a newlywed couple attempt it, and they made it all the way up. Once at the top, pay a small fee (I think 5 euros?) to enter the church and ring the bell. Be sure to ring the bell three times and make a wish!
All seasons in Lake Bled are said to be magical. Swimming is available in spring and summer, and there is snow in winter. I cannot wait to go back one day. It will always hold a very special place in our hearts.
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He has popped the question, so what is next?! It is a whirlwind of feelings, ranging from happy to excited to completely overwhelmed. Here are my top five to do’s immediately after getting engaged!
Optional: set up your wedding website.
Note: People will constantly be asking you how you met and how you got engaged, so be READY! You will be a pro at telling your story.
Update:
Not much wedding planning got done this past week since we got so much done the week before. However, we did plan a rough outline for our honeymoon and we are SO EXCITED!!! We will have a phone call with our wedding planner towards the end of the month to discuss when we can possibly move forward and visit the destination again due to COVID-19. We are hoping it will not effect our wedding next year, but we are wanting to be cautious. We hope to know more soon!
Five Bridal Favorites: