bachelorette parties

Can y’all believe it is December already? We already have a Christmas tree up and lights on our house. Hubs has declared himself the “exterior illumination specialist” and spent the weekend running to Target for more lights and extra extension cords. Our house has become a mini winter wonderland. We don’t have lights synchronized to music or huge inflatables in our yard but I wouldn’t put it past him for next year!

So today I wanted to share with y’all a few fun bachelorette party ideas. I know it has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas or the holiday season but I have been holding on to this post for a while and finally had time to share it! Now, y’all have already heard the story of my bachelorette party here. It was unconventional, a little crazy, and so much fun! My sister came up with some great creative ideas like a photo shoot in our old prom dresses, going to the Fort Worth Stock Yards for a country concert, and spending a morning shopping and fueling up on Starbucks. When it comes to bachelorette parties don’t feel like you have to do what is expected! If your bride is up for some adventure and loves to try new things, go for it! Here are a few ideas to  jump start your creativity and help you come up with an outrageously fantastic bachelorette party.

1.  The Wild West

My sister-in-law took old time photos with her bridesmaids during her bachelorette party and it was the cutest thing ever! Why not make the whole weekend a western theme?

2. Cooking Classes

How many girls out there have lived off of pasta because it’s all they know how to cook? Sign up for some fun cooking classes, bring some wine, and have a great time learning how to make amazing food!

3. Girl’s Weekend

No, I’m not talking about some wild bar-filled girls weekend. Is your bride more into quality time than dancing? Go shopping together or get pedicures then host an outdoor dinner party with her closest friends. Make it a meaningful weekend that is filled with lots of fun and time with her bridesmaids!

4. Glamping

This is my new favorite idea. (Madeline, when you get married get ready for this) Go camping with your girls! Set up an adorable camp site, make s’mores, and spend the weekend adventuring. You can always camp close to town so you could still go out for dinner and drinks!

 

Did you have a super creative bachelorette? Let us know! Remember that at the end of the day a bachelorette party isn’t about how many shots someone does or even their last “fling before the ring.” It is a time to celebrate the friendship you have with your bridesmaids and friends. Make it what YOU want, not what everyone else says you should have.

Stay merry, friends!

 

piles of pie

It’s Thanksgiving week. I could not be more excited! I am also a little bit nervous because I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner all on my own this year. This morning, I got all of my groceries and I had to call my mom multiple times to ask questions like, “Will this feed all of us?” “Where is corn syrup?” and “I can do this right???”

In our house, pie is the star of Thanksgiving. Hubs LOVES pie. He has been picking out the pie I will make for weeks. Y’all, I’m not kidding. He has stalked Pinterest, Food Network, and so many other websites looking for the perfect pie. Fruit, chocolate, pecan, pumpkin, he doesn’t care. If it has a flaky crust and a sweet filling, he loves it. This year, I am definitely looking forward to the pie. We moved into a new house last week, we both start new jobs this week, and I am working on launching a business. As you can guess, my stress levels have been a little high so I am looking forward to calming myself down with a few slices of sugary goodness.

To celebrate Thanksgiving and it’s special dessert, here are some of my favorite pie recipes. Enjoy!

bacon bourbon pecan pie

chocolate espresso pecan pie

classic pumpkin pie

coconut chocolate cream pie

spiced plum pie

cider caramel apple pie

apple ginger cranberry pie

maple heaven pear pie

Are you drooling? Hub’s ultimately landed on the Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie so that is what I will be making this week. Let us know your favorite pie recipes and what you will be cooking in your kitchen!

Hope your day is filled with thankfulness and all things merry!

 

grapevine bridal session

Y’all it’s Friday. HECK YES. This week has been a little crazy- Hubs and I moved to a new city on Monday and have been spending all of our days unpacking. Next week he starts his new job, I start my new job, and we celebrate Thanksgiving. Our schedules will be packed from now until January so I am thrilled to have a Friday off to relax and recuperate before next week. To celebrate today, we are bringing y’all a lovely bridal session from Grapevine, Tx! The very sweet Sarah Carpenter of Sarah Carpenter Photography and Design sent this to me a few weeks ago. They shot this bridal session in August in the height of the Texas heat- seriously impressive. What is even more impressive is that even with the heat this bride looks STUNNING! Not all of us are that gifted . . .

Anyways, take a break from your busy fall week (I know you have had one) and spend a few thinking about nothing other than weddings, brides, and all things Merry!

 

Bouquet- Petals Couture

Hair & Makeup- Anastasia Strattan

Dress- Lewisville Bridal Boutique

 

Thanks Sarah for submitting such an adorable bridal session! If you are a photographer we would love to see your work- head over to our submission page and send us some pretty pictures of weddings, events, fun parties, and lifestyle sessions!

Hope you have a fantastic Friday- stay bundled up, relaxed, and enjoy the start of your weekend.

See y’all tomorrow!

alternative christmas trees

okay. some of you might think i’m one of “those people” that cranks up my christmas music early (nope. can’t stand it for too long), starts posting pictures of my red starbucks holiday cups (well, i’m not necessarily above it), or starts posting christmas countdowns in august (listen, i barely know what year it is), but in reality, while I LOVE christmas and all it stands for and brings– i am not one who SIMPLY CANNOT WAIT TO PUT UP ALL MANNER OF CHRISTMAS DECOR. Go ahead and call me scrooge but something about storing lots of stuff and putting up knick knacks of every shape and size; whether it be snowmen, santa or snowglobes, just doesn’t get me jazzed about the christmas season. instead, i’d rather have a few season-y pieces that still get me in the holiday mood but doesn’t require lots of storage and time. Also, while we’re at it, let’s discuss something else…. the EXORBITANT PRICES OF FAKE CHRISTMAS TREES. first of all, no. and second of all, don’t talk to me about how they last for years and all that because come january 1st, when i have to pack that sucker up for days, i’m gona be mad it wasn’t a real one that i could just toss and sweep up the needles of.

so now that i have thoroughly convinced you that i am a sour scrooge, let me say this: decorating the christmas tree used to be one of my favorite pastimes. me and my three siblings all had about 200 christmas ornaments we had made over the years in various vbs-es and school projects. we all got to put all of ours up there and my mom didn’t worry too much about having a perfect tree because our handmade ornament is what made it special and meaningful. (also, real quick: saw a cheetah print themed tree and.. not okay, people) But, getting all the ornaments out and the tree put together when we only have a few days together around christmas has become a chore. and the trillions of store-bought ornaments starts to seem like money wasted and space taken up. I think recently i have tired of stuff and material items and the excess and so while i hope one day i get to have meaningful tree time with my own family, i’d much rather go easy on spending money and focus more on what the season is really about — family and friends and the grace that was born that day.

so, naturally, when i started seeing alternative christmas tree ideas, i thought “these are genius”. circle claps for the clever people that wanted to celebrate with a tree but didn’t necessarily have the funds, space, time, etc. to go traditional. i already have a fake baby tree (thus nullifying all my previous arguments) but i’m already dreaming of other ways to incorporate a tree without the real thing. let me know what you think!

which one is your favorite? any other ideas, you better send ’em this way!

beautiful bridesmaids

Do y’all ever have days where you just need to see something pretty? Where all you want to do is curl up with wedding magazines and spend a few hours ignoring the clutter and mess around you? Today is that day for me. Hubs and I are moving in five days and our apartment has become a maze of furniture, boxes, and packing material. And our washer flooded the laundry room and kitchen this morning. And I fell down the stairs in front of my neighbors a few hours ago. So believe me when I tell you, I need to see some pretty things today! To remedy my crazy morning, I have pulled together some of the most stunning bridesmaid dresses I could find. Over the past few years bridesmaid dresses have gone from ugly to fabulous. Brides are now using their bridesmaids as a way to show off some serious fashion. I LOVE IT.  Tulle, lace, neutrals, brights, similar, or mixed, I don’t care, I love them all. As long as they are fashionable, adorable, and girly, you can bet I will be drooling over them. Ready to see some great dresses? Let’s do this- 

Bonus: bridesmaid tights- whoever came up with this idea is GENIUS

 

Oh, my morning is brighter already! These make me want to get married all over again (to Hubs of course) so I can pick out some more fabulous bridesmaids dresses. Especially that black tulle number, did you see that beauty? Swoon! Let us know what your faves are!

Hope your Tuesday is off to a great start,

Long live beautiful bridesmaid dresses!

Thursday Trend: Thankfulness

Hi friends!

Colder weather has arrive with November. I finally get to break out the fall boots, best day ever! Thanksgiving is coming up- it’s one of my absolute favorite holidays. How beautiful is it that we get to take a day alongside family and friends just to be grateful. While every day should be filled with gratitude, I love the idea of throwing a big party for those we love to hear what they are thankful for. So let’s look at some Thanksgiving party trends. I am seeing a lot of non-traditional outdoor parties, which you should know we are a fan of here at Merry!

Instead of going with the cornucopia in the center of the table, try some bright flowers! I love the added pops of color in these tables. Fall colors are gorgeous- the golds, burgundies, bright reds. But it’s okay to mix in some cool colors or bright creams in to lighten the mood! Throw in some fuchsia or even some bold blue like the bottom picture! I also adore the long tables with wooden benches. It adds a rustic charm to the table, throw on a burlap table runner but add in some unexpected decorations. Pumpkins covered in gold glitter! Place cards that you can fill in with a thankful list! Or maybe even some apples for pops of color! Get creative. Just because Thanksgiving is an old holiday doesn’t mean it can’t be spiced up in new ways! Here are some pictures to get you started. Enjoy the season of thankfulness.

Love and Sunshine! Thanks for reading, friends.

fashion finds part two

A few weeks ago I (Meredith) posted some fashion finds that I was loving. Well, I am back with an update of what I actually bought. Keep in mind that I had a tiny budget so I wasn’t able to get everything off my list but I did manage to get some similar jeans, a crew neck sweater, a sleeveless top, and a cardigan. Somehow, I have managed not to own a cardigan for the past few years. I am not sure how I have gotten through so I had to use a little of my budget to remedy this problem. Seriously, best decision ever. I got it about two weeks ago and have worn it almost every day. Hubs is starting to ask me, “Are you sure that is what you want to wear today?” I think he is getting a little concerned that I am going to replace my entire wardrobe with cardigans. Don’t worry, I’m not that addicted!

Here is what I bought-

One thing I have learned from my shopping this month is that I am HORRIBLE at buying accessories. I can never seem to find shoes or jewelry that I 1) love or 2) think will go with things I already own or 3) think I can pull off. Next time I have a little extra room in the budget for clothes those are the things I will focus on. Any suggestions for inexpensive places to get cute shoes, jewelry, or clothes? Let us know! We are in need to some style help and would welcome any advice you have. By we I mean me, Jenna and Madeline both have style in spades.

Help a girl out and let me know where you get your best fashion finds!

Enjoy this gorgeous fall day & stay merry!

 

 

colorful confetti kids party

November is here! The month of Thanksgiving, pies, and fall leaves has arrived. I don’t know about y’all but for me October flew by. I can’t even remember what I did most of the month other than be busy. I am hoping November is a little slower so I can actually pause and enjoy the fall merriment that is all around.

Ok, y’all know that we rarely talk about kids parties, baby showers, ect on the blog. I guess it’s because none of the Merry team is close to having kids so we often forget about all of the events that are centered around kiddos. Not today, today we are celebrating the colorful world of confetti and how it would make the absolute best little girls birthday party. It looks like so much fun that anyone would enjoy it, even say someone who is turning 24 and still loves glitter, confetti, the color pink, and all things girly. Not me obviously. Of course I don’t wish it was acceptable to wear a crown, twirl in public, or anything like that. (side note- friends take notes and I will pretend to be surprised when y’all throw this party for me next year) Anyways, back to the kids.

This inspiration board is awesome. It is girly, fun, and even includes GAMES! Yep, games. That is how cool this party would be. See, y’all are starting to want it for yourself aren’t you? Ok, let’s get to the goods.

 

Isn’t this adorable? I want to go make those slingshots and use them to surprise Hubs when he gets home. Speaking of Hubs, today is my main man’s 26th birthday! Happy birthday, babe! I don’t think he would appreciate this confetti party as much as I do so instead we are going to celebrate with delicious food, A&M football, and spending some time with family and friends.

Let us know your thoughts on the confetti party and if you would rather throw this party for your kids or yourself! No shame.

Hope you all have a wonderful Saturday,

stay merry!

thursday trends- non-candy bars

No we aren’t talking about alcoholic bars or signature drinks today (although I will save that in my head for another week). I know that is what you were hoping for when you saw that title. Me too, girl, me too. If It was acceptable to start every day with a Mimosa believe me I would but instead I am drinking gingerbread coffee which is a pretty great substitute.

No, today we are talking about one of the biggest trends at weddings. You have all heard of or seen the candy bar at a wedding, right? Jars filled to the brim with different types of candy that guests can eat and usually fill goodie bags with to take home. Now, I have nothing against candy bars, I love a good bag of M&Ms just as much as the next girl. However, I adore when people put their own creative spins on a good trend and make it even better. So today I am presenting you with my top ten favorite non-candy bars.

Get ready for your mouth to water.

TOP TEN NON-CANDY BARS

10. Fruit & Veggie Bar

9. Potato Bar

8. Yogurt Bar

7. Trail Mix Bar

6. Ice Cream Bar

5. Decorate Your Own Cupcake Bar

4. Chocolate Dipped Banana Bar

3. Caramel Apple Bar

2. Chips & Salsa Bar

1. Waffle Bar

I don’t know about you, but now I am seriously hungry for some chips and salsa and some waffles. I am thinking that is a totally normal and nutritious breakfast. What is your favorite non-candy bar idea and how would you rank these differently? Or what cool non-candy bar ideas have you seen out there? Let us know!

Have a great Thursday friends and if you eat chips & salsa and waffles for breakfast or have a mimosa (or two) we won’t tell. In fact, we may just be doing the same thing!

Happy Halloween and see y’all Saturday!

fall has fallen

okay so here in Texas, we don’t have seasons necessarily (this pin about sums it up: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/245305510924134033/) BUT we can still dream about fall decor and what ways we can incorporate fall-ish inspiration into our lives. THIS picture seriously makes me dream. The organic feel of using food as adornment is genius.

The color scheme is the other element of this image that jumps off the page. here’s the thing. i like fall, but i don’t always love the drab, dark, disposition of it. Some days I do. The simplicity and boldness of the colors is often beautiful and reminds me of the shifting seasons (or the idea of it at least). so, the balance in this picture of the colors in the corn and the blue, is just the combination that makes me long for real seasons and a cup of coffee snuggled up.

 

What’s your favorite thing about fall?