let me see you dance ~ bachelorette time

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I’ve had a whirlwind of a week. I originally planned to be in New Jersey last Friday through Monday and was already stuffing in a bachelorette party for my best friend and my own bridal shower {#1}. As it turned out, T and I headed to NJ a week early and spent some quality time with his family.

Now that’s just too much excitement for one post, so I’ll start with the bachelorette party.

The plan sounds pretty simple {and it did pretty much go off without a hitch}: start with a wine tasting just outside Atlantic City, check into our hotel, have drinks, dinner, and a girls night out. But, as with any well-laid plan, there was a lot of research and rationale behind those key events.

First, the location. With the bride in Maryland, bridesmaids in Virginia, Philly, and Colorado, we were looking for a fun place to go out that wasn’t too far {or expensive} for anyone. Atlantic City was an obvious choice as it’s pretty much a mecca for girls’ nights out and debauchery in general {not that my friend is that kind of girl, but shouldn’t every bride have 1 wild night?}.

The wine tour was the perfect way to start the day {at Renault Winery for anyone in the market for an AC bachelorette} especially with lunch at the on-site restaurant ahead of time. The winery is the 2nd oldest in the country and had ties to Boardwalk Empire, which I loved.

Tour of Renault Winery in Atlantic Cityrenault winery tour outside atlantic city

After about a 30 minute drive, we checked into the Borgata hotel, which honestly reminded me of Vegas. Just a touch of girly, very modern and clean, and off the boardwalk. We quickly decorated the room for the bride-to-be with some silly neon decorations and a “pin the kiss on the stud” game. We had a few drinks at one of the bars while watching the Kentucky Derby, then headed back to the room to change into sparkly dresses {a must for girls night} and drink prosecco {my favorite!}.

Bachelorette Game Bachelorette Decorations
decorations & party games

I believe every party should have some sort of gift bag, so in addition to some risque gifts for the bachelorette, I pulled together simple treats for each girl — a zebra print bag, some glow sticks, candy, sippy cups for prosecco {obvi} and silly party hats.

Bachelorette Party Gift Bagsgift bags

To spice up the night just a bit, we gave the bride a list of challenges in a game I called “One Naughty Bride”. She was told she needed to complete 3 before the night was up AND for every challenge she competed, she could  assign one to a bridesmaid. We didn’t take it too seriously, but still had fun with it. To complete her first {and get a good laugh} we made a pitstop on the way to dinner at Jim Beam’s in the Tropicana where they have a mechanical bull. You simply sign a waiver with the bartender and hop on. I think she lasted 4 seconds, but that was twice as long as the two people before her.

One Naughty Bride Bachelorette Challenge Game

Dinner was at Budakkan, which totally met my NYC expectations. I requested a private booth, which are on the side of the restaurant and perfect for a 4-8 person group wanting to feel separate and be able to be silly at their own table {which we totally did}. The food is served “family style” but they aren’t obnoxious portions. We ordered 1 thing from 5 different sections of the menu and it totally hit the spot without overfilling us. We also got the bento box dessert — a total must!

Afterwards, we made our way to the Tropicana because I thought we’d have a fun, cheesy time at Boogie Nights, the 70s-80s club. We should’ve known better when our cab driver asked “don’t old ladies go there??”… it actually would’ve been great except we happened to go out on May 4th… also known as “Star Wars Night” {may the 4th be with you}. Things got really weird, really quickly… dancing Princess Leia’s and lots of people in capes.

No surprise, we decided to head back to the Borgata and went to Mixx, one of the clubs in the hotel. The DJ was great, there were a plethora of creepy men dancing with each other, but overall it was the exact way I had hoped to spend a girls night out dancing {besides maybe the ringing ears for me, and cramped feet for the other girls… and maybe a slight headache the next morning}.

 I’ll leave you with my top FOUR pieces of advice for planning a classy bachelorette party:

  1. Buy the bride-to-buy something non-traditional as her “gear” for the night — I opted for a sparkly, beaded necklace instead of a sash and a Hello Kitty crown {a long-standing joke/obsession between me and the bride}. For a bride who you know is going to wear a fascinator or birdcage veil for her wedding, why not get her an inexpensive version for the bachelorette party?
  2. If you have an overnight party, plan a simple breakfast. We ordered in bagels on Sunday. No one wants to get dressed and have a nice meal after a night of partying and dancing.
  3. Keep it as simple as possible. While we had several events, we also had a small group, which allowed us to move quickly through each of these. If we’d had 10-15 people, coordinating cars/cabs, rooms, reservations would’ve been complicated.
  4. Keep the bride-to-be in mind. What would she like to do? It’s not about throwing the biggest bash ever. It’s about allowing her to step just slightly out of her comfort zone but ultimately creating a memorable, enjoyable night for her.

I’m by no means an expert, but I think keeping these things in mind should help if you’re ever planning your own bachelorette party!

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Britney Spears – Me Against the Music – LP Version/Video Mix

you bring the ocean ~ honeymoon planning

Posted in Wedding by

You wouldn’t think it would be hard to plan a honeymoon. I mean really, pick the coolest place you can imagine and just book it, right?

When you’re on a budget, traveling to the Caribbean in August {hello, hurricane season} and just really uneducated about island adventures in general, it’s really quite complicated, though. Not that I’m complaining. I have no right to. But I did spend much of my sunny Sunday starting at a computer screen trying to learn as much as I can to make and educated choice, which is not as easy as I would’ve liked.

Let me back-up… my dream honeymoon  has always been to GREECE. For some reason, it has been my end-all, be-all romantic / idyllic locale. Since I was 11 years old, I’ve been obsessed with Greek mythology so I think it’s a mixture of the history, culture, lore and the absolutely stunning blue waters, posh beaches, and remote islands that do the trick for me.

Honeymoon_GreeceAm I right?

But, since 2013 includes our own long-distance wedding plus MOH duties for a long-distance wedding and 3 other close friend weddings, it’s unlikely we’ll get more than an extra 5 days of vacation for our honeymoon. Plus, frankly with all that traveling east, it just doesn’t make sense to do a big 10-day honeymoon.

Enter my new favorite concept — the mini-moon.

We’re taking the sage advice of friends who promised themselves they’d save for a really big honeymoon trip months after the wedding. Whether they made the trip or not, they all ultimately regretted not making a bigger fuss out of that immediately-post-wedding time period. So even if it rains, storms, and causes us to feel really broke… we WILL do it.

T-man and I have agreed our key mini-moon goal is relaxation. We love exploring, being tourists, and generally staying active, but there’s something to be said for staring off into oblivion with not a care in the world after putting so much time & effort into planning a single day of your life.

Because our wedding will be on the east coast and we didn’t want to spend a ton of money, we felt the Caribbean would be our best bet for a mini-moon. However, knowing late August is also hurricane season, we’re quite limited in the islands that make sense that time of year. Pretty quickly, I was able to narrow down a lot of the ‘traditional’ islands like St. Lucia, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic, instead focusing on the ABC islands. After polling my travel-savvy friends and scouring online reviews, I discovered:

  • Aruba: probably the most beautiful, but mostly high-rise corporate hotels not focused on couples or romance
  • Bonaire: only worthwhile if you scuba dive… which, we don’t
  • Curacao: while Emily the Bachelorette took her suitors there, it’s actually pretty boring

With those options killed, I started over and have settled on either Barbados or Costa Rica. To be completely honest, I had a silly bias against Barbados {I blame Rhianna… not that I wholeheartedly dislike her} but it’s actually growing on me now. Costa Rica sounds fabulously lush and “earthy” but may not have the relaxing and top-notch beaches we’d like. If you’re looking for seclusion though…

Pacuare Lodge Honeymoon SuitePacuare Lodge in Costa Rica

Can you imagine a hotel where you have to whitewater raft in then walk across a suspension to get to your private, secluded honeymoon suite in the rainforest? Tempting, yes {and not outrageously priced}?

So we’ll see. There’s more research to be done and in the meantime, I would love any advice or tips you’ve collected on your journeys. If you’re looking for advice, you’ve come to the right place. Stay tuned to see what we decide!

{ sources }

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Inspired: Family of the Year – St. Croix

love away ~ wedding welcome bags

Posted in Wedding by

For those  reading this blog {semi}regularly, thank you! but let me also apologize for my absence. Last week was a weird 0ne for many reasons. Having attended BU, the Boston tragedy hit very close to home — I spent many a Marathon Monday nearby where the bombs went off — plus, we’ve been dealing with some separate personal issues, which I’ll touch on in coming weeks. For now, I can simply say… I’ve learned A LOT.

But, I’ve been excited to share this post with you and am excited to dive back into wedding planning.

When we were choosing our wedding venue, we considered many locations {even states}, but ended up with a place that would essentially be a mini-destination for all. We thought it would be best to not be in anyone’s ‘hometown’ plus, we didn’t want a city wedding {when we were living in Brooklyn} and absolutely fell in love with Shadow Lawn. You can’t argue with a 19th century barn, luscious green lawn for cocktails and an on-site B&B.

Simply. Magical…. I’m daydreaming about it again…

I’ve heard it said that destination weddings help limit your wedding size and ensure only those most important to you can attend. I agree, but I also know it’s a challenge for some of the people we love to get there, which is unfortunate {but again, the magic at Shadow Lawn will totally be worth it}. That said, 100% of our guests will be from out-of-town. So it’s very important to me to appropriately welcome and thank our guests for making the trek to celebrate with us.

There are so many creative ways to do it — and do it on a budget — and I think it’s the little gestures that make a difference. Whether it be a sign at the hotel check-in {if you hotel will allow it}, a personalized list of recommended activities in the area, and even a “We’re so glad you made it” sign or thank you card… Here’s what’s inspiring me:

Inspiration for wedding welcome baskets by jessalayne.com

I feel truly blessed because my MILTB {mother-in-law-to-be} has offered to help me pull welcome baskets together for the hotel guests. But of course I’m not lacking ideas either :) . Given kraft paper has been a part of our design theme from the beginning {and I can’t possibly afford custom canvas totes for 40+ rooms — I WISH!}, I’m loving the idea of a simple kraft paper bag with a custom stamp on the front. Then, I’d love to fill it with simple, thoughtful things such as:

  • A map of the area
  • A “prop” to bring for photo opps during the event {thinking inexpensive plastic sunglasses… not to spoil it}
  • A hand-written note
  • And snacks… who doesn’t love to arrive to fun things to munch on??

What do you think? What would make you feel welcomed and appreciated at a wedding? What would you take home — outside the favor — and really enjoy beyond the wedding weekend?

And, if you’re looking for more help or advice, you can’t go wrong with Martha — she put together a simply wonderful guide to destination wedding gift baskets.  Adore!

{ sources }

  • Portland sign
  • ‘We’re So Glad You’re Here’ Sign
  • Printed paper bags
  • Matching set with jute bag from Charleston
  • Special Delivery stamp
  • You made it bags
  • Hotel greeting signs
  • Tea for two basket
  • California striped bag
  • Thank you box
  • Matching coral set

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Inspired by: Capital Cities – Love Away

more than you know ~ the power of lyrics

Posted in Design + Decorate, Normal Life by

You know that moment when you hear a lyric that just sticks with you? Maybe you’re driving down the street, listening to a song you’ve heard a million times. You’ve sung the words over and over but they never meant something to you until that moment. Or maybe it’s a new song, by a band you’ve never heard of.  You might not even like the music itself, but something in the lyrics pops out at you.

I love those moments.

That’s why I use lyrics in each of my blog post titles. Lyrics can make you feel so much — or they can help explain how you feel; find the words you couldn’t say.

“A garden bursting into life”… Now that line by itself is pretty powerful. It drums up images of bright flowers and gorgeous plants all moving and growing and blooming. But the full Snow Patrol lyrics are: ”Show me a garden that’s bursting into life.”

To some it may be a nuance, but for me, the combination of those words, the addition of  ’show me’ makes it that much more beautiful, resonate. You wonder what does it mean? and why is this person yearning to see that blooming garden? There’s so much emotion in the way its written.

I’m by no means a song writer or a poet but I wanted to explain why you see lyrics in each blog title. I only hope I can better explain myself through lyrics and maybe… just maybe, introduce you to a new band who’s lyrics will stick with you in the same way.

This week, I heard AWOLNATION’s  ’Kill Your Hero’s’ again. Last summer, it was all over the radio, but  I hadn’t heard it for months. For some reason, a lyric jumped out at me that I’d never really heard before.

AWOLnation Lyric Print

I don’t consider myself a serious graphic designer, but I had fun creating this as I dwelled on the lyrics. Feel free to download and print it out {it’s an 8×10}. Consider it my little gift to you for stopping by and listening to {okay, I guess reading} what I have to say.

Happy weekend!

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Inspired by: AWOLNATION – Kill Your Heroes

have a little faith ~ thank you baskets

Posted in Normal Life by

Sometimes you just need a little project, don’t you agree? And when I’ve got that itch, its not surprising that I often find myself going a little overboard on an everyday task.

Most recently, two friends agreed to watch Petey Mac while T-man and I were away for the weekend — a full 2.5 days. To me, that’s a pretty big gesture and one that can’t go unnoticed and unappreciated. I’d typically run to Target for a great card and maybe a Starbucks gift card, but in this case, I was feeling inspired {dangerous, I know}.

I wanted to put together individualized gift baskets for each girl. And what’s better than a personalized pampering gift set full of lotions and treats that you can enjoy while you camp out at someone else’s house dog-sitting?

I didn’t want standard toiletries — and truth be told, I didn’t want to spend a fortune — so I headed straight to TJ Maxx/Home Goods. Not only do they have the best baskets, they also consistently have lotions, shower gels, and various bath products for around $5-8 each.

Scents can be tricky when picking them out for someone else, so I decided to go with a color theme instead of a single scent theme for each girl {of course, if you know your best friend’s favorite scents or flavors, this could be an even easier project}.

Then, while in the basket aisle, I stumbled upon two adorable cocktail napkins in bright colors. While they didn’t fit perfectly with the spa set idea, at only $2 each, I had to have them. To compliment them, I found candles, lotion, and bath gel in coordinating colors. I think they turned out pretty fun and visually appealing!

Customized $25 gift baskets from TJ Maxx created by Jess Alayne

The cost for each basket was roughly $25. That included the baskets and everything inside — the tissue paper and gray ribbon were from my existing stash of giftwrap and crafts. Don’t you just love TJ Maxx? How else could I have pulled off a multi-part gift basket for $25 or less?

Since I wouldn’t be there to give the baskets to the girls directly, I realized I  needed tags to convey my thanks and also make sure they knew the baskets were for them! So, I whipped out my craft supplies and put together a very simple gift tag. Here’s how:

Step 1: Cut tag shape out of heavy white cardstock

Step 2: Add coordinating washi tape in diagonal shape (trim edges along each side)

Gift Tags with Washi Tape

Step 3: Add a message using a black marker or a stamp with black ink. I used a stamp and went over it with black Sharpie to make it bolder. I then added names and a very brief message on the back {not pictured}.

Just For You gift tag

Every once and awhile, a grand gesture is needed. In this case, I really did want to say a heartfelt thanks to my friends for helping out. But I can’t say it was entirely selfish since I really had fun shopping for and putting these together.

Does anybody else go overboard when it comes to everyday things like saying thanks?

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Inspired by: Mandy Moore – Have A Little Faith In Me
(As a side note, I sort of adore Mandy Moore and particularly love this cover, as well as her version of ‘Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters’. Enjoy!)

a little sunshine ~ makeup I swear by

Posted in Normal Life by

It’s been awhile since I shared ‘a little sunshine‘ – something that just makes me happy or has caught my eye. But this week my friend inspired me to share something that’s such a big part of my life, I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner — my makeup routine {my friend happens to write an adorable blog over here, as well}.

I wouldn’t say I’m a makeup junkie. I’m actually pretty unadventurous when it comes to my look. But, working in beauty advertising for 5 years instilled in me a slight obsession with the industry. I love checking out the latest beauty products {especially mascara!} and seeing the latest trends, even if I wouldn’t dare try them. It also gave me plenty of excuses to try products, read labels, and understand what makes a product truly worthwhile. It would’ve been hard not to learn something… what with free subscriptions to every major magazine and regular team outings to Sephora and Space NK.

So with that background, here are 3 products I absolutely swear by::

Makeup Must-Haves for everyday | from jessalayne.com
I first tried Erase Paste within one of Benefit’s many trial sets and its such a savior product. I’ve never experienced another concealer {especially good for under eye} that works half as well or lasts as long. Maybe one day I’ll get really brave and show you some before & afters just to prove it’s worth… but until then, you’ll just have to trust me.

Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer is one of those things I cringe at paying $42 for every few months. It seems like an absurd mount of money, but I can’t help it. I have combination skin that tends towards oily during the day. While I may need to upgrade to foundation for certain special events {read: our wedding}, I like this for everyday use because it gives nice coverage and isn’t too heavy or ‘makeupy’.

I discovered Badgal Lash years ago and have since dabbled in everything from LashBlast Fusion to Sephora mascara. I keep going back {in truth I started out with Benefit’s Get Bent mascara, but they no longer make it}. It’s a great option for daytime, doesn’t flake, and washes off easily with water. If I’m going out at night, I will upgrade or add a layer of something heavier, though.

I use three products every.day.without.fail.  Sometimes I’ll add on a champagne or brown eyeshadow and smoky eyeliner {my favorite is by Covergirl}. But that’s about it.

If you’re looking to explore makeup a bit more — and do so pretty much risk-free — I’d strongly recommend you sign up for Birchbox, a $10/month service delivering a handful of trial-size beauty products to your door. I find it to be super fun, even though I am stuck in my ways on certain products. And obviously I’d love it if you use my referral link to sign up!

So tell me: What are your go-to beauty products? What would you never leave the house without? Any specific recommendations for bridal makeup {where I hope to be a bit more adventurous!}?

dance if you want to ~ a party playlist

Posted in Parties by

I have a confession to make.

Long before I started blogging, I helped host a bridal shower, mainly by handling games, favors, and overall day-of coordination {I know, are we done talking about showers yet?}. About a month before, I visited the bride in Boston to help with wedding-related projects — we hit craft supply stores, planned her centerpieces, and picked out wedding shoes. Amidst everything else, the bride off-handedly asked if I could figure out music for the shower, since there was an iPod hook-up at the venue.

Well… I forgot.

When the day of the shower came, we all noticed a slightly awkward quiet to the room as the guests started arriving. The bride rushed over to me and said, “The iPod hook-up is over in that closet, so just go turn on your playlist whenever you’re ready.” Whoops.

Luckily T-man came to the rescue, speedily purchased a mobile Pandora membership and put on a “love songs” channel. It was a decent solution given the situation, but it was by no means perfect. The songs went from soft and romantic to upbeat and energetic, were overly cheesy, and at one point, T-man’s phone RANG, startling and confusing the guests as the ringing noise came over the speakers.

Oooiii, not my proudest moment. But it taught me the importance of a carefully curated party playlist — as well as a dedicated wedding binder and MOH to-do list.

So for weeks leading up to my latest party, anytime I listened to the radio, I jotted down songs that might work. I’m lucky enough to have SiriusXM {new car perks!} — and not so lucky to commute 30 minutes each way to work — so I had lots of opportunity to do this. My goal was to find songs with a similar mellow feel and a positive message. My favorite Sirius stations {The Pulse and Alt Nation} feature some less recognizable artists, which work well for background music and to set a unique vibe. I also mixed in some classics and even a favorite of the bride, Incubus.

Since I would hate for anyone else to be stuck without an appropriate party playlist, I thought I’d share the one I created. Hopefully it’ll be inspiring or even applicable for one of your parties:


Confession #2 :: It’s been weeks since the party and I still can’t stop listening to this playlist, so perhaps it was a bit self-serving featuring all of my current favorites. But feel free to enjoy at your desk next week and let me know what you think!

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Inspired by: Men Without Hats – We Can Dance if You Want to