Our wedding album!

by with No Comment familylifestylewedding

Just in! Our wedding photos! Prepare your eye holes to be bombarded with all of my favorite moments, photos, and memories of this most perfect day! This is just a handful of snapshots that I had to share immediately, a mini wedding album, but don’t you worry- more to come! It was just so hard to pick my favorites, they’re all my favorites!

I had three dads walk me down the aisle, that’s right, THREE! I was so damn proud of that too because my birth father, step dad, and dad were all present to walk me, all drama free, and nothing but love. That’s my twin – my beautiful mom with my dad in his dress blues! And that’s THE kiss <3

My daughter Corrine was my Maid Of Honor, and my bridesmaids in order from left to right . . . my best friend from college Kiki (11 years of friendship!), my sister Maria (whom I hadn’t seen in 11 years!), Nikki- who easily became one of my favorite all time forever friends over all our wedding bonding, Corriney- my heart, and Miya who I traveled the world with! Joe’s Groomsmen were: Steve- (Nikki’s husband) one of the most genuine people you’ll ever meet, Mark- the Best Man who Joe grew up with, Michel and Bobby (Joe’s handsome brothers), and my brother Roger dawww <3 What a good looking group! I’ve never seen Joe so happy, so emotional, so serious, and so strikingly good looking than on the day of our wedding . . . just look at that face.

One of my favorite photos captured is that above, of our wedding party and parents greeting us as we were announced for the first time into our reception. Our first dance was to an acoustic version of Joe’s and my favorite karaoke songs! Right after the song played the DJ played the original version and those two songs will forever be special to me. Afterwards, I’d ran over to our “L.A. friends table” and that’s this picture with my babes Bailey, Linz, Ashlee, and Jamie and we’re probably giggling and oogling over Joe’s vows – these ladies are some of most closest friends in life and I was so happy to have them all there.

The Great Room at Savage Mill is where we had our reception held, 127 of some of the most important people in our lives were there to celebrate with us and it was a 3 part, 12 hour party! A chapel ceremony, Great Room reception, and an after party at Joe’s childhood home! I gotta tell ya, every single person rallied and partied until the very end. They ate, drank, and laughed with us from start to finish. It all began on Thursday June 29th with arrivals in Maryland and wrapped up on Monday the 3rd with the final departure of our friends Nikki and Steve back to L.A. To say that our wedding weekend was the most magnificent 4 days of our lives is an understatement yo. It’s become the most beautiful memory for us to reflect on and I’m so happy that we can relive that week through photography, video (coming soon!), and social media.

Of the many gifts that our friends and families gave us, two particularly remarkable items made me so very grateful. A beautiful girlfriend of mine, Michelle (and wife of Best Man Mark!) made our wedding cake! Like with her hands! And lots of love. She made enough cake for 127 people and I was blown away by how gorgeous and delicious (homemade marble!) that cake was. Like, how do you even. And then there was the ‘guest book’. My insanely talented sister in law, Emily (and parter to Groomsmen Michel!) hand painted that stunning bee with oil paints. Like staaaap. She painted it on vintage wall paper that I got to pick out, also in our wedding colors. It became our theme and our guest book that everyone left lil love notes for us on. “Meant to bee”. Get it 😀 Our wedding favors were jars of honey and jam, homemade in Virginia. “Meant to bee, so spread the love”. Yes we are cheesy and we love it.

That’s Mark giving his Best Man speech, making us all laugh and cry at the same time, and that’s Joe more than likely saying something surprising, hilarious, and inappropriate all at once to Fr. Leo. I thought those two photos represented the beauty of the room and the beauty of friendship. Leo and Joe have known each for years and he’s legit the coolest priest you’ll ever meet. Also, he beat Bobbly Flay making Bobby Flay’s famous fajitas – yea that guy, he married us!

Ugghhh I could go on and on and on. I’ll save it for next time. Thank you for sharing this day with us, you all made it so remarkably memorable and I can’t wait to share the video with you all! Now off I go to pressure Joe into editing it for me <333 #welcometomarriagejoe

P.S. if you want to see some of the photos from some of our guests, look up #exoticnationwedding #jessjoewed and #jjmarriedlife on Instagram xoxo

 

 

 

Raspberry Champagne Float – Wine Not Wednesday!

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For all my fellow #winemoms out there, this is for you! My babes over at Tone It Up started a Wine Not Wednesday IN their meal plan, talk about balance! It inspired me to get shakin’ and I’ll take it up a notch each week for you here, sharing my favorite cocktails, spirits, and liqueurs – because sometimes wine’s not enough and a cocktail is in order! So cheers to feelin’ frisky, no whining allowed. Pun intended.


Raspberry Champagne Float

Shake it up baby! You’ll need:

  • glass of champagne
  • your favorite sherbet
  • fresh fruit

Mix it all together and enjoy babes! It is National Ice Cream Day on the 16th so double cheers to the freakin’ weekend <3

Are there any particular ingredients you’d like to see used in next week’s #winenotwednesday?

 

 

 

Make Your Own DIY Floral Sage Smudge Stick

by with No Comment DIYhome decorlifestyle

The other day I realized we have waaaay too many candles in the house. Out of the desire to make something simple with my hands and steer away from our candle-overload problem, this little DIY came about. I’d always read about making your own smudge stick and seen so many Pinterest DIY’s but I’d never taken the plunge and just did it. So I finally decided that would change and just went for it, and it was super easy and inexpensive!

Aside from being visually appealing and all around lovely, smudge sticks are a fantastic way to get any indoor or outdoor space cleansed, energized and smelling great. They’ve been used in sacred rituals for centuries and I kind of hold a little place in my heart for them because they’re magical and so easy to make.

I used those little pre-packaged white sage and rosemary sprigs from the fresh produce section because they were easy to find and inexpensive. You’ll only need one package of each herb you choose, because one package will be enough to make at least two smudge sticks. You can switch it up and add cedar, sweetgrass or any other herb that you please. Flowers are a great idea too, they’ll add some color and smell wonderful, so I also added chamomile to mine. Roses, lavender and pretty much any flower with soft, bendy petals will work. You wouldn’t really wanna use tulips, for example.

What You’ll Need:

It’s really as simple as you’d think. Take your herbs and flowers and arrange them however looks best to you. There really is no messing up with this one, because it’s going to look beautiful and smell so good. You can’t even be mad at that! You may have to cut the ends and modify them to match one length. When you’ve used up all your herbs or you’re content with how it looks, wrap it in twine and tie it up nice and safe. Voila! A beauty is born.

As far as letting the herbs dry out, I hung mine upside down for about a week and a half. When they’re all dried up, they’re set to be used. Burn them in your space or outdoors for a good energy cleanse, give them as gifts or put them in the bathroom for whenever someone lays a stinky one. They even work as decor, just lying around on the coffee table.

Corrine

HOW TO SPEND TIME NOT MONEY

by with 4 Comments adventurefamilygiveawaysinspirationlifestylemobile applicationstechnologytravel

If there’s one thing I would go back and tell my younger self, it’d be to invest in time not things. As a single mom – not only was I unable to save money each month due to my strained budget, but even if I had, no one had ever taught me what to do with it … or at least I don’t remember that part.

However, I do remember that each holiday no matter how dreary my bank account was, I made sure Corrine had gifts under the tree and a pumpkin to carve. Looking back, I can tell you exactly where my money was going . . .  child care, credit cards, and bills. Even now, many years later, I find myself in awe of how much I spent on things like fancy baby formula and phone bills! From one mama to another, from one human to another, we don’t have to be doing it all wrong.

I recently tried AT&T GoPhone prepaid service on a monthly plan with Unlimited Data, Talk & Text. We wanted to see how much saving on a common everyday service can lead to investments in our family that we’re able to make with the money we’re saving. Since I’m also a girl on the go- signing up for AutoPay and saving $5 a month on my GoPhone service is just a little icing on the cake. Who doesn’t like cake! Just having the financial control and pliable spending, has made all the difference. And, AT&T GoPhone has the nation’s best data network making the switch to GoPhone even more sweeter!

Always capturing our adventures on the go! Explore explore explore!

Luna is a super model. And also an adventure pup!

I try to capture all the memories I can with my phone and now they hang on my wall. 

Why yes, that IS 2 cameras you see, and the one taking this photo, AND the 3 phones we toted around lol 

What’s in my purse? Oh, just the essentials 😉 

Isn’t she a beaute!

We now actually have savings set aside especially for family vacations, adventures with our pup Luna, weekend travels with our friends, and most importantly – as of recently, for our upcoming wedding. Money isn’t everything but it sure does fund your options, and when you’re a parent who’s also planning a wedding, money goes away when all you want it to do is flow.

To pay it forward to you, my fellow adventure seekers and dream weavers (quick what’s the next line of that song?) we’re spreading the abundance and giving away a pair of tickets to the San Diego County Fair which we’re attending, and I’ll also have a giveaway for you on social media, where you’ll get to win a little something from AT&T GoPhone!

I love the work we do but I particularly enjoy when we get to team up with a premium brand that has an ethos that falls in line with what we’re already doing. As a mom, it’s important to me to save money because every penny counts, and with extra money you realize all the things you used to have to say no to. Let’s start saying yes, and you can say yes to this opportunity and enter our giveaway 😉

We’ll be at the San Diego County Fair on Saturday June 10th and we’d love to see you if you’re in the area! You can find us at the AT&T GoPhone booth from 2pm-4pm so I hope we get to say hello and bring it in for a hug! Plus you can play skeeball, ring toss or wiffle ball toss for free with a chance to win a prize at the AT&T GoPhone booth! You can enter our giveaway by sharing with us what you’ll do with all that extra money you’ll be saving and TAG me on Instagram. Use the hashtag #ATTGoPhone and #Giveaway. You can read all about it at https://www.att.com/gophone/ and we’ll announce the winners on my Instagram before the fair! 

Okay, don’t forget to call your mom, it was just Mother’s Day and she’ll appreciate it. I hope this post inspires you to do more, save more, and connect more!

So, what would you do with extra money each month? Each year?! Share with us your bucket list, your big dreams, and even some frivolous aspirations that you have! 

This post is proudly brought to you in partnership with AT&T GoPhone. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own as always.

COACHELLA ESSENTIAL MAKEUP SKINCARE PACKING LIST!

by with 2 Comments adventurebeautyfestivalsget the lookhealthlifestylemakeupreviewsskin caretravel

We’re in the final weekend of Coachella 2017 so I thought today I’d hook you up with my top 5 makeup and skincare essentials for your Coachella packing list! You’re not only going to be dancing in the desert, swinging under the sun and sky, and walking for miles each day, but NOW you’re gonna be prepared for all of it!

PURPLE TALE MASKS

You’re only 5 simple steps away from absolutely LOVING the skin you’re in! With the wind, the dirt, the dust, and the sun weathering you all day this weekend, you’ll definitely need this 5 step system to bring your face back to life! *you’ll get 10% off your next order if you sign up for their email list

K&K SEA SALT TEXTURE SPRAY

This sea salt spray is making a come back because I use it ALL the time! It smells like a vacation and will give your locks some body and movement! Extra point for it’s coconut sexy scent that will refresh your do after a day of struttin in the sand!

LAURA MERCIER LIGHT STRUCK

This festival season we’ve seen a lot of highlighter, glitter, and glittered highlighter! 😉 We’re obsessed with this Laura Mercier lightstruck prismatic glow palette. This cream highlighter is super light, blendable, and highly pigmented to give you that fresh Coachillin soul glow baby!

HANALEI LIP TREATMENT 

Don’t neglect your pout it’ll be lip syncing all through the weekend! With kukui oil and grape seed oil, this lip balm adds sheen while moisturizing! Yes please!

PROPLENISH COLLAGEN SATCHETS

Hydrate from the inside out why dontcha! Proplenish is my favorite collagen supplement, a powder that you can pour into any drink (I put it in my tea with fresh lemon!) and it will restore and replenish your skin from within! Do it, you’ll see the difference within a week!

Did you go to Coachella this year? What was your favorite performance?! What was your number one favorite product to pack?! Share! 

 

 

 

 

5 WAYS TO SPRING CLEAN YOUR LIFE!

by with No Comment healthhome decorinspirationlifestylepersonalwellness

Spring has S P R U N G! Have you heard?! Everyone I talk to is all buzzing about Spring time, the change in season, the change in weather, and the change they’re feeling internally. What is it about a new season that makes us feel the need to turn a new leaf? Pun intended.

So June 20th will mark mid Spring- like we’ll officially be in the middle of the season! I said June… can you believe we’re talking about JUNE?! So I thought instead of freaking out over how FAST this year is flying by, I’d chill out and share with you the top 5 ways to spring clean your life. Hey, if I have to deal with the crazy so do you 😉


FRESH FLOWERS – this is a good one. Not even gonna lie, spending the $3 at Trader Joe’s for some fresh flowers is totally worth having fresh flowers every week. Can’t put a price on attitude amirite? There’s something about the presence of flowers (like real ones) that makes a difference in your space. The color, the movement, the smell. Yes, stop and smell your flowers. Did I mention they’re only $3!

CANDLES – this is a real one. All the candles, light them. Every time you light a candle a Fragile Rock finds its way home … or something like that but it works. Use it for meditation. And to rid your space of that bad bad ju ju.

MEDITATION – this is a big one. Which moves me into the next tip which is to actually meditate. I personally don’t know how to be still and appreciate it so I’m still working on it. But even if it means you close your eyes for 10 mins and be still, practice yoga, read a book, or take some time in the car to just breathe, it all helps. Everything helps when everything hurts. Okay now I’m just being dramatic. Taking some time to regroup will allow your mind the ability to focus on the purge to come. *being super extra now

ACTUALLY SPING CLEAN – this is a literal one. Yes clean, clean your closet out, clean out your fridge, get rid of the 347 mugs you’ll never use but that you’re waiting to Insta-Story because they say things like, “Go the extra mile, it’s never crowded”. Get. it. together. Oh, no pressure I know! I hear people talk about Spring cleaning and my eyes glaze over. The last thing I want to do on a chill Saturday morning is go through all of my things and organize. But we gotta do it! We’re adulting. It’s also okay if now’s the time you purge toxic people from your life. Just blame it on cleaning out your closet.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR GOALS – this is my favorite one. It may be time to revisit your vision board, does anything need to be added or removed? Is it in a place you can see every day and not shoved behind the dresser? Does it reflect your current goals? It’s normal to look at your vision board and go “pffftttt!” LOL because where you were 6 months ago may  not be where you’re at today and that’s okay. Jot down your current feels, be realistic, and remember to think big – like still aim for those stars baby!

And that’s it! Those FIVE super simple steps to Spring cleaning your life. Mostly this is for me too because I’m stuck somewhere between learning to be still and actually cleaning 😀

 

When you Spring clean what’s the first thing you go through? Your car? Your home? Your mind space? Have you glazed over yet? 

 

 

 

 

 

Antelope Valley Poppy Blooms! Travel California

by with 5 Comments adventurecommunityinspirationlifestyletravel

It’s kind of a big deal here in California when things actually bloom! So you can imagine how we straight F L O C K to sights like these poppy blooms in Antelope Valley. Fields of rolling hills and open spaces just covered in vibrant flowers –  it was an Instagram dream!

There’s distinct trails that you’ll want to trek along when visiting the blooms and if you detour off path not to worry, a park ranger will be sure to kindly redirect you LOL


How marvelous are these meadows! Pro tip: stay on track to avoid snakes (or so we hear?) and please be careful not to step on or disturb the flower beds. We saw a lot of spectators running around in them and I cringed at the thought of a crawly critter jumping up BUT also them stomping the beautiful blooms away! As our camp director once said, “leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures” lol

Leaving you with some hill-hiking fashion courtesy David, Corrine’s boyfriend who helped her capture all of these beautiful images! I hope you make your way to find some flowers and fun adventures for yourself this summer! Picnics out in nature are one of the best things ever given to us by the world, do it!

Do you have trails of blooms where you live? Does it cause quite the commotion like our breathtaking poppy fields do? Share pictures! 

 

 

 

 

FESTIVAL FASHION AND ACCESSORIES!

by with 2 Comments adventurefashionfestivalsget the looklifestylelook bookmusicstyle

Ultra Music Festival, Spring Craft Fest, C O A C H E L L A!!! Yes it’s festival season! So with festival season approaching, Spring a springin’, and new fashion trends, I thought today I’d share with you my favorite festival fashion and accessories!


Fringe is IN! And in a big way from fringe capped booties, layered fringe cross body bags, to stunning tassel key rings from Led To Believe. Swoon! There’s something playful and fun about fringe that I want to put them on everything. And don’t get me started on these gorgeous tassel earrings, the bright red adds a pop of color and will elevate any look <3 Double swoon.

But is it really a festival if you aren’t draped in floral chiffon? Maxis are all the rage and this one is dreamy, flowy, and allows for a breeze to make it’s way through all of that dessert dancing you’ll be doing!


Trendy and purposeful, a wide brimmed hat and some cute sunnies will keep the sun out of your eyes and off your face. #teamnosquinting Pro tip: don’t forget to charge your camera batteries and bring extra SD cards if you’re toting it along for the duration of the festivities. I’ve lost many a great memories due to dead batteries lol

Ahhh yes, and the shoes. Saved the best for last with these Billy Ella celestial booties! I mean, how stellar are they, just look at em! Granted, a great pair of comfortable shoes are essential for any festival trekking- but oh HEY THERE magical constellations … on my feet!


Every boot, pump, and wedge deserves to be given a chance with some good insoles, so pick you up a pair and go ahead- dance for hours baby!

I hope this inspires you to run out and grab the first tasseled-trinket, fringed n’ frolicked look and then buy yourself some festival tickets!

 

What are your current favorite festival fashion pieces?! 

 

 

YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED! NOW WHAT?! – BRIDE GUIDE

by with No Comment bachelorette partyinspirationlifestyleparty planningweddingwedding planning

YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED!!! I’m getting married too yayyy ! So now what do we do?!

Get married they said, it’ll be fun they said. Except, they forgot to say that there’s a lot of planning and unneccessary details that go into your wedding. And it IS fun, but what’s up with all these RULES! Who made up things like, wedding favors, a wedding theme, oh and do you know the color of your linens?! OH OH and will you need chafing sets?! Ummm what? I just want to wear a pretty dress and say I do to my best friend in front of everyone we love.

So incase you too are going through all of the details of wedding planning, here’s a little bride guide from me to you, as I navigate through all of this with you. From sorting out the to-do list, to prioritizing the following umpteen things that must get done. So deep breaths my pretty, here we go!

1. Create a website or landing page for your guests – we’re using Weebly but there are a ton of other web hosting sites, we just love that this one is FREE! This is a great place to put who, what, when, where, and how to get there for all of your friends and family members. Include accommodations (if you block out rooms they’ll get a discounted rate), shuttle or bus information if there’s any, schedule of events, where you’re registered for gifts, and a deadline for their RSVP


2. Send out Save The Dates – this part doesn’t make any sense to me. You’re sending guests a Save The Date WITH your wedding date on it, but then they need a formal invitation also . . . the rules part. We sent out Paperless Post save the dates and on them we included our wedding website and asked our guests to RSVP that way.  I purchased ‘coins’ and sent it out after importing all of my guest’s emails- made it so easy! There’s also Evite and other places that you can send online invitations through. If you choose to have them printed, Minted and Paper Divas are great I’ve heard and won’t cost your first born!

3. Location, Venue, Food – oh and the DJ, centerpieces, wedding gown and accessories, bouquet, and other big ticket items to sort out. Once you’ve chosen your venue and location, set a day and time and get to planning baby! Don’t forget to ask your venue if they provide tables, chairs, linens, and a set up/ break down crew. Food options, open bar, centerpiece arrangements, and cake cutting fees are also some things you’ll want to confirm with your venue. If you get a ‘day of wedding coordinator’ than they’ll make sure you’re standing where you should be when you should be *ie when you’re dancing with your girls, champs in hand and it’s cake cutting time*. Otherwise, do what we’re doing and have your DJ keep the timeline.


4. Pictures, flowers, and things that get lost in the shuffle – like ordering wedding favors, picking out a cake topper, and making sure you order 2 sets of garters (one for throwing and one for a keepsake). All of these things you’ll get to as you go down your list of To Do’s but some things that could help you stay within budget are to DIY some easy things, and to research the hell out of everything.

  • see if you can drop off vases and containers to your florist and just pay them to fill them with your floral arrangement choices. They’ll usually also credit you for this since they won’t need to use their own vessels
  • shop around for shoes, accessories, gifts, and your veil. I ordered my veil from Melinda Rose Design (who also specializes in headpieces!) and she’ll send you samples of the veils so you can color match with your wedding gown. Pretty brilliant and for a fraction of what A LOT of veils will cost you. I love the ‘try before you buy’ option that she offers
  • search sites like Luna Bazaar and Oriental Trading to order centerpieces, gift boxes, etc. They’re very reasonably priced and I guarantee whatever your shabby chic heart desires, they WILL have
  • delegate responsibilities to your bridal shower, see above photo 😀 (and here’s fun ways to ask your best girls to be a part of your big day). They’re there to help you and to make sure your most special day goes as smoothly and stress free as possible. No one wants to be around bridezilla! LOL So recruit the help where you can
  • if you’re planning your wedding in another city/ state/ country, it does help to create a mock table on your living room floor to get an idea of 1) how many people you want sitting at each table 2) how many pieces you’d like to have as your centerpiece 3) if you’re having favors and if you’ll place them at the table with your guests or not . . . Joe came home to see this (below photo) had taken over our living room and I was SERIOUS about picking out those damn centerpieces! haha

5. SET A BUDGET – okay okay this prolly should’ve been the #1 thing to do but honestly, we went over budget just in planning where we’re having our wedding so there’s that. Budgeting out your expenses does help to wrangle your ideas and keep priorities in order. If you go over on your dress than maybe order your shoes from DSW instead of Christian Louboutin 😉

At the end of the day, it’s going to be THE most special day and the love your life will be standing beside you, in the presence of everyone you love. None of those little details and stressors will matter, I promise. So just enjoy the magic of planning it all, take time to reassess what you want over what you need, and everything else is just decoration (thank you Pilar for that one!).

There are a ton of other tips and tricks I’d love to share with you but I’ll put them all together in another post, so stay tuned <3 I really hope these #JessBrideGuide posts and videos are helping you.

 

Have you used any of these resources already? Are there any other tips you have to share with us brides to be? Thank you in advance for the help!