beauty secrets.

I've had a few brides to be ask me about how I did my hair/makeup for my wedding, so I figured I'd make a little list of the products I used, along with my best kept beauty secrets any bride should know.

I had my hair and makeup done by the lovely ladies over at the beautymarkgirls. They came to our hotel and did just about everyones look for the wedding. I can't begin to say how much I loved my hair (I opted for down, lots of volume and huge waves) and my va-va-voom makeup. I would highly recommend these women to any bride to be, or any gal looking for a great glam squad.

Now, for my must-have beauty products.

1. Lash extensions- my best friend does them, and man are they amazing. They were perfect for my wedding, and on our honeymoon I never had to wear any makeup, which was really nice. Confession: I actually doubled my lashes on the big day. I wore false lashes on top of my extensions to create a more dramatic eye.

2. Clip in hair extensions- I went back and forth about getting actual extensions (to add some texture to my hair) but after lots of thinking I opted for clip-ins. This option was less expensive, didn't damage my hair and gave me just the right volume I was wanting- score!

3. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs- One of my bridesmaids told me that Carrie Underwood {yes my absolute idol} uses this product to make her legs shimmer and shine, and after just hearing her name, I was sold. And not only did I use it on my legs, but everywhere else as well. It was the perfect tanning spray- really it was. It's now my go to if I need an instant tan, and hey it's a lot healthier than fake baking, might I add.  You can buy this bottle at your local drug store, Wal Mart or Target, AND it's only 12 bucks. What a steal, right?

4. Nerium- Now before I start, I've met women who hated this product and totally broke out from it- so just remember everyone's skin is different. However for me, I loved this skin treatment. I would put it on every night before bed and could feel my skin tighten. It also smoothed out any uneven skin tones as well. It's like magic in a bottle!

5. Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Powder- A mouthful to say, I know. But this puppy is genius. Listen, this is exactly what it says on its label: "Its silky powder is infused with Photochromic Technology, which diffuses light and adjusts to new sources of light throughout the day. Soft, silky and luxurious to the touch and undetectable on the skin, this weightless formula applies evenly and blends effortlessly. One of the best parts? Fine lines, wrinkles, and pores optically fade as skin is visibly smoothed. Additionally, revolutionary microfine mineral powders are loaded with glycerin and antioxidant vitamin E to help guard against dryness and keep skin comfortable all day." So, in lemans terms, it enhances the look of your foundation, extending your make up wear and optimizes light reflection to the skin. All in all it makes you glow, and in pictures it makes your face look flawless. This is a must have for any bride.   

So there you have it, all of my beauty secrets revealed. 

xoxo

bachelorette party.

So my bachelorette party, was one of the best nights i've ever had. It was a well needed girls weekend in Old Town Scottsdale, that i'll never forget.

 We started the evening out at a "sexy dance"class that was absolutely HILARIOUS. Like stomach hurting, bending over laughing from all the crazy moves we had to do.. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun girls night out activity- it was a trip! 

Then we headed to our hotel to get ready for dinner. We stayed at a vintage boutique resort called the Scottsdale El Dorado. Again I would seriously recommend this place for the perfect girls weekend. It was totally 60's, completely retro and even had a peacock roaming around the pool area. Each room was decorated differently, and we had the Frank Sinatra room. The price was affordable, the decor was adorable and they literally told us there were no rules! So we stayed up till 3:00 am lounging by the pool, it was bliss.

For dinner we opted to go to Buca Di Beppo in Old Town. It was walking distance from our resort, and the vibe and space was just what we needed for a big group of ladies! After we ate, we headed back to our room for dessert, bubbly, games and gifts. I had a blast with the naughty games- and the presents were to die for.. I LOVED them {and I think Zak did too}. 

Okay so I could go on and on about the night, like I said it was my favorite part of this wedding process {besides the wedding, obviously} because we just relaxed and had a good ole girls night. Thanks ladies for the giggles, gifts and great experience. 

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bridal shower.

So I had my shower in April.. and it's now July so I figured I need to upload the pictures.. finally. I'm a horrible blogger, I know.

It was such a sweet day, and I cannot wait to share all the photos with you {the 3 people including my mom who reads this thing}. We opted for kind of untraditional shower, in that it was late afternoon, it was outside and located right near campus to give everyone a taste of our college town neighborhood.

The decorations were adorable, the food to die for and the company was my favorite part. There is something very special about celebrating my future marriage with family and friends. I cannot express how grateful I am for all of the love and support- really, it means the world. 

My sister was my maid of honor and I cannot thank her enough for everything! She was the head chef behind the delicious food {just wait for the pictures} and she made my vision come to life. She took my crazy Pinterest ideas, super long OCD emails and all my brainstorming and turned them into a beautiful shower. 

I seriously can't stop saying "thank you" to everyone. Thank you for all of your help, your company, your gifts and your support. You all sure showered me with lots of love, and for that I am forever thankful.

Oh and another special thanks to Tyson French for shooting the shower. He's the greatest. Such a talented young man, well beyond his years.