Bathroom Game-Changer

Everyone does it. At different times of the day, and some with more gusto than others, sure, but one thing is certain: Everybody goes #2. In fact, I used to think intimacy in a relationship came from knowing a person's hopes, dreams and fears, but now I know better. To know someone is to know their poop.

One friend told me she can't go in public unless it's at Starbucks (the identical bathrooms put her bowels at ease). Another confided she only goes once a week. And yet another friend, who suffers from Crohn's Disease, coined the term "poomergency" to describe the types of accidents she'd occasionally have at the most unfortunate times: while bending over to retrieve her luggage at the airport or right before a long car ride home from a hike with her then new-ish boyfriend.

It's not all bad though. Sometimes we'll share tips and tricks. My friend Dianna just showed me this new contraption she got called the Squatty Potty, which she had delivered to work. It basically positions your body into a more natural squatting posture over the toilet for faster and easier elimination. When she went to pick it up at the front desk, the receptionist said he'd gotten one for each of his daughter's for Christmas. The absurd name had already piqued my interest, but now, people I actually knew were buying them in multiples. My mind raced. I had to know more. Was it legit or was it a joke? Was I missing out? So I set off in search of the truth: I checked Amazon reviews.

And let me tell you, the reviews were glowing. It's been described as perfect, deeply satisfying, and genius. People go on trips and can't wait to come back home to use it again. One guy wrote that it changed his life. His hilarious review made me laugh out loud.

A Surprising, All-Natural Breath Freshener

I just discovered an all-natural breath freshener hiding in my kitchen cupboard: Cloves! The dried flower buds, which I'd previously only associated with baking, kill odor-causing bacteria in the mouth, instead of just masking it. Just suck on one as you would a mint. I was pleasantly surprised at its subtle flavor and mild heat. As someone who dislikes artificially-sweetened gum but loves onion and garlic everything, I've already started a stash in my purse. 

Would you try it? If you have, what did you think? 

Seven Ways to Tell Someone They're Cute

You know those days when your hair is on-point and your eyebrows look perfect? But then there are those other days when your outfit feels all wrong and you have lipstick on your teeth? It made me think about how everyone could use a little extra encouragement now and again, amiright? When I saw these "you're cute" cards, I knew they'd be perfect to randomly surprise people with. (They’d be cute for Valentine's Day, too.) So I packaged them up for people and left them to be found. Below are seven different ways to get the message out to your friends and family.

1) Wrap it up inside nesting boxes. Because opening little boxes wrapped up in ribbon and layers of pretty tissue is fun. 

2) Frame it. Friends can hang it up as a sweet reminder before they head out the door or set it on their desks on bad hair days. 

3) Send it via snail mail. Don’t sign your name. Just add lots of confetti!

4) Tape it to a mirror. Best done when no one’s looking. 

5) Place it in a mini mailbox. Because mini things make everything better. (Mailbox from the Target dollar bin). 

6) Replace someone’s bookmark. Punch a hole in the corner, thread ribbon through and slip it inside the pages of a book. (I did this for Alan; he was pleasantly surprised :)

7) Clip it to a computer screen. Write “This is very important” on the back to get your friend’s heart racing just a bit. 

Pink Pants, Two Ways

What do you do when you need a break from dark and heavy winter clothes? Wear pink pants! I've been on a long hunt for a good pair and was happy to find these TopShop trousers. They're high-waisted (which will look so cute with crop tops in the spring) and cropped, showing just the right amount of ankle. I'm still searching for a petal pink pair, but until I find them, dusty pink it is! So, here are two ways to wear pink pants to brighten up your winter wardrobe.

Mrs. Bed Head and Mr. Hat Hair

Guys, there are 60 days of winter left. 60! I don't know about you, but after the holidays, winter just seems like a nuisance. To help tide me over until warmer weather arrives, I got a few new house plants for these amazing face pots Alan surprised me with. Allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Bed Head and Mr. Hat Hair (I'm not obsessed or anything.) Mrs. Bed Head's hair is a succulent called string of pearls. Isn't it fun? She's trying to grow her hair out, but I think her bang is pretty darn cute.

Wedding Week: A Few Surprises

For the final wedding week post, I wanted to share a few things about our big day that surprised me. 

Wedding Week: The Reception + Shenanigans

Right after the ceremony, we took a bunch of family photos and then I slipped away for an outfit update. Since our wedding wasn't very long and I loved my dress so much, I opted not to change into a reception dress and just changed necklaces instead. This bright peach one matched our decor so perfectly!

The only part of the wedding Alan had strong feelings about was the food we served. Since we've been burned by dry chicken and over-cooked steaks at weddings before, we decided to serve something foolproof: tacos! (Using a non-traditional caterer was also really affordable.) We had Taqueria Cazadores cater, and they grilled everything fresh on the spot. After dinner, they brought out surprise churros for everyone! Hiring them was one of the best decisions we made. People still talk about the food!

During dinner, my sister Sophie and Alan's best man Joe gave speeches. Sophie talked about how I'm a tiger sister, and Joe told a story about their friendship back in elementary school. 

Then we cut our cake. I don't remember what it tasted like—having 100 people stare at you as you cut into a cake is strangely nerve-wracking.

During the bouquet toss, I had to throw it twice because I kept tossing it about a foot behind myself (honestly, sometimes I don't know my own strength.) The second time, my friend Olivia caught it...

...and a week later, she was engaged! The superstition is true!

The dance party at the end of the night was one of my favorite things. Everyone let loose, and our friend Andrew got everyone to join him in dancing to "Thriller."

I did my famous move: the back-your-car-out-of-a-tricky-parking-spot one. 

I got these confetti push-pops so we could pop confetti (and take cool confetti pictures). We briefly snuck away from the dance party and returned a few moments later with confetti all over us. 

It was such a fun night!

Other wedding week posts you may have missed:
Our "First Look" + The Ceremony
What We Wore
Our Decor
Our Love/Engagement/Wedding Story

And don't forget to check out the decor and bridal accessories for sale in my wedding shop!

Wedding Week: First Look + Ceremony

If you're married, did you do a "first look" at your wedding? Alan and I did it mostly for logistical purposes—we figured we could squeeze in some extra time for pictures before the ceremony began. I didn't think it'd be a big deal, but it was much more emotional than I expected.

Wedding Week: What We Wore

The word that came to mind when I thought about how I wanted everyone to look on our wedding day was ethereal. Floaty, crisp, and garden-esque were close seconds. I gave each bridesmaid one of these pretty robes to get ready in and loved that they could wear them after the wedding, too.

Lisa K. Saminathen (who I worked with and loved for our engagement shoot) did everyone's hair and makeup. And then Lucy Liu crashed our party. Okay, not really, that's my cousin Denise. But isn't the resemblance striking?!

I asked Lisa for a subtle smoky eye with winged eyeliner and a messy braided updo. My mom's diamond earrings were my "something borrowed," and I also wore a little birdcage veil.

My dress was by Jenny Yoo. I knew it was the one from the moment I put it on. It was simple and timeless with just the right amount of detailing. But most importantly, it made me feel beautiful! Fun fact: I opted to go sans bra so the seamstress made the top extra tight so it'd stay up. We had a few fun scares when my mom and bridesmaids couldn't zip me all the way up, ha!

I added this asymmetrical sash to add some pizazz.

My gold glitter shoes were by J. Renee. They're a knock-off of the Kate Spade "Charm" pumps and were less than $100!

Since coral played a big role in our decor, I decided to have my bridesmaids wear cream-colored dresses and just wear pops of coral instead. They looked so cute! Also, remember the pinata wedding dress I tried on and loved? Their dresses reminded me of it with all the pretty ruffles.

The kids in our wedding were such a hit. People couldn't get enough of them. The ring bearers wore khaki pants and white shirts with suspenders and coral bowties.

The flower girls wore simple white cotton dresses with gold moccasins and flower crowns.

 And the groomsmen wore khaki suits.

Other special guests wore coral, too, and fit in perfectly with the wedding colors. What a weird and wonderful day to have everyone ask you want you want them to wear and actually have them do it!

Thanks for following along! Tomorrow, I'll be sharing our first look and the ceremony.

Other wedding week posts you may have missed:
Our Decor
Our Love/Engagement/Wedding Story

And if you liked any of our decor or my accessories, don't forget to check out what's for sale in the wedding shop!