FF91C70D-29C5-45C6-92C5-5B6BD5E1DBB4 Relatively Offbeat: September 2014

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Soaking up the Remainder of Summer

While in Baroda last weekend, we were blessed with beautiful weather and a cool breeze to remind us that summer is soon coming to a close. We knew that we had to take full advantage of the higher temperatures while we had the chance, so we grabbed our brand new bikinis and sat in the jacuzzi. These suits from Lime Ricki are super comfortable and flattering. Check out the adorable one-piece styles they have, I want them all.

Oh, summertime. We will miss you.
Katelyn's wearing: Swimsuit- Button Leopard One-Piece ℅ Lime Ricki // Shorts- Thrifted // Earrings- Target
 Laura's wearing: Swimsuit- Princess Rose One-Piece c/o Lime Ricki // Shorts & Necklace- Forever 21 // Sandals- Target
Headband- World Market

It officially feels like autumn now. Temps are in the low 50s and leaves are falling from the trees. Although we LOVE this time of year, it always seems to pass by too quickly. Praying for higher temps next Saturday for the big day!

xoxo,
Laura & Katelyn

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Laura's Country Chic Bachelorette Party

This past weekend was my surprise bachelorette party and it was incredible. I started off the weekend early with a spa appointment thanks to Katelyn. :) She got me a one hour Swedish massage to kick-start the festivities. After my hour of nirvana, I went home to pack before Katelyn picked me up around 6. We headed out and I still had no idea where we were going. As we headed south, a few different locations came to mind, but we passed each and every one that I thought could be a possibility. We finally parked it at Worthenbury Country House in Baroda, MI where my mom and sister were prepping for the party. Although the official party wasn't scheduled to start until Saturday morning, we settled in and had dinner and drinks. My friend Sarah even drove in that evening from Chicago. I already knew the weekend was going to be 100% perfect.
The rest of the gang showed up the following morning and we conversed over mimosas until our ride picked us all up around 11:30am for an exclusive wine tour through Southwest Michigan. We visited Hickory Creek Winery, Round Barn Winery, Gravity, and Lemon Creek Winery. 
 
My sister worked so hard to make this the perfect weekend for me and I'm so grateful for all she did. My mom was also a huge help and I don't know what I'd do without them. They have been the best during this very stressful and chaotic wedding planning process.  
 Dress- Blooming Prairie Dress f/ LuLu*s // Shoes- Steve Madden // Necklace- Boutique Emmanuel
Headband- World Market

So grateful for the people in my life and moments like these. Thank you to everyone who made this past weekend such a dream. I'm so very blessed.

Cheers to an amazing weekend with my favorite ladies!

xoxo,
Laura

Friday, September 5, 2014

Reeds Lake with Vedette Swimwear

Over Labor Day weekend, Katelyn and I made a stop at Reeds Lake in East GR. Those long holiday weekends we get in the summer always seem to go by way too quickly, so we wanted to take some time out of our day Monday morning to enjoy the beauty that is west Michigan. Fellow Michiganders understand what it's like to have such a very short summer before fall and winter arrive all too quickly. We made the best of the overcast weather and wore our swimsuits out to the lake.
Laura's wearing: Bettie Swimsuit Vedette Shapewear // Shorts & Necklace- Forever 21
 Shoes- Steve Madden // Hat- Target

Katelyn's wearing: Alexandra Swinsuit ℅ Vedette Shapewear // Sweater- Zara 
Shorts- Forever21 // Shoes- Kohl's
We absolutely love having a reason to get out and get in the sun. What do you pack for your weekend getaways in the summer? Aside from tons and tons of sandals, I always make sure to pack some shares and lip balm with a browse-worthy magazine. 

Laura's bachelorette party is tomorrow so we're gearing up for some fun! What are your weekend plans?

xoxo,
Laura & Katelyn

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Wine Club: How to Host Wine Night

A few months ago a friend sent out an invitation to a few close girlfriends in Grand Rapids to see if they'd be interested in participating in a wine club. Without hesitation I clicked 'accept' and couldn't wait to have a fun evening with some girls while we sipped on wines and ate delicious hors d'oeuvres.  
What does Wine Club entail?  It is a monthly get-together of GIRLS ONLY where we eat cheese and snacks, drink wine, meet new people, and have fun! Each month holds a new theme. Our first theme, selected by my friend Sharisa, was Chardonnay. 
 
The Rules:
-Every person brings a bottle of wine (every month is a different wine theme) and an appetizer dish to share.
-We place the bottles in paper bags (it's a blind taste) and label them with letters 'A' through however many bottles are brought. Set out some note cards and pens for the girls to rate the wines as they are poured. Then score them on a 1-5 system: 1 being the worst and 5 being the best.
-The owner of the bottle with the most amount of votes picks next month's wine theme. The owner of the bottle rated the worst is your next hostess!

Our second hostess, Tieka, brought the bottle of Chardonnay that received the fewest votes, so she hosted Wine Night #2 and the theme was Moscato. So how did I become last month's hostess? I apparently picked the most disgusting bottle of Moscato that received the least amount of votes. Because of this, I was set to host the next wine night after Tieka. The theme for Wine Night #3 was Pinot Noir. Mmmmm...
After taking the voting very seriously, we said 'cheers' to another successful Wine Club night and conversed and ate some more. My heart was overflowing by the end of the evening. 
Once the votes were counted, we had determined a winner and a loser. Stacey, with the most votes, got to pick the next wine theme. Lauren, with the fewest votes, is set to host Wine Club for September!

I totally recommend putting together a wine club for you and your best girlfriends. It's a great reason to have a scheduled get-together once a month to drink wine, eat, and catch up. I always look forward to the next one!

xoxo,
Laura

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

The Owens

Before I share these absolutely beautiful photos of my dear friend I want to preface with this…just because I have a good camera does not make me a photographer. I didn't go to school for this and my skills are sub-par, but I enjoy doing it and bossing people around to get some breath-taking shots. Breen is my co-worker at The Spa, and she and her husband are expecting little baby Isla Mae in just a few weeks! We headed over to an apple orchard for some pictures:

Words can't describe how excited I am for them! This little baby girl has had so many prayers and love for her already, and these guys are just the most excited to be parents. Their Godly love for each other is truly inspiring, and they've been a great example for me and my marriage. I've been so fortunate to meet some really great people in my jobs ( even got to marry one of my co-workers ;) and I'm so happy to call Breen one of my really great friends. You guys rock, and you're going to be the best parents!

xoxo,
Katelyn