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DIY Tutorials, Entertaining, Wedding

Sequin Letter Garland DIY

When it comes to throwing parties the more festive the better!In this post I teach you how to make your very own sequin letter garland one of many things I did as I was planning the biggest celebration so far… my own wedding! With that came a lot of planning, expenses and things that need to be pretty-fied! Since I had an ongoing complete home remodel my wedding needed some tender loving care full of a lot of DIY projects to keep cost low without loosing the festive and fun look I was going after. I am a Pinaholic and this DIY comes from a pin I saw originally on Beautiful Mess.

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If you are a bride to be or simply someone who loves to entertain at your home this pretty and easy to do sequin garland will make any room look more festive. You can opt to change the phrase to whatever you would like. I selected the word LOVE as my garland. I plan on using this at my wedding possibly decorating either the dessert table or maybe a table with our pictures. Who knows, but I am sure it will make any basic table look better.

So first of I hit up my favorite craft store. Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores. Make sure to check online for their coupons and simply bring in your phone. I had a 50% all items so I scored and saved a lot! Here is a quick list of what you will need

 

Supplies:
stretch sequin gold trim (I bought 5 yards. You can use any color of your choice)
-scrap cardboard ( go to the back of a grocery store or any department store to find some ready to be rescued)
X-Acto knife
hot glue gun
– Metallic Gold Trim of your choice.

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First you’ll want to print each letter in your phrase so you can use it as a template. I used Photoshop to be easier than Microsoft Word. Photoshop allows you to easily set the font size. I chose to make my letters 10″ x 4″ in width. My sequin that I bought was 2″ thick so the trim would nicely fit in two layers. Tape each letter to your scrap cardboard and cut out the letters with an X-Acto knife. As your template.

 

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To make the ends of the trim look as neat as possible, you’ll want to fold and glue the ends under so the trim doesn’t unravel and drop sequins. I learned this by making a mistake on the first letter I made. So, at the end of the outside edge of your letter, use the hot glue gun to glue the trim end face down going away from your letter.

Fold the trim back the opposite way and continue to glue the trim all around the outside edge of the letter. When you reach the other end, cut the trim so it hangs a little past the end, fold the trim under and glue in place.

Very important: Make sure both lines of trim are going in the same direction so they will look more like one piece instead of two.

If you have a letter with intersections, don’t worry about doing the folds on places where you can cover those ends with another row. So on the “V” I just cut and glued the middle horizontal lines, then covered those cut ends with the vertical lines that had folded ends.

Once you have all your letters completed, you can line up your phrase (backwards of course!) and glue your hanging cord to the back of the letters. Once the glue sets, you’re ready to hang your garland!

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Did you try it and make one? Share with us what phrase you made! xoxo- Adriana

Buzz & Bella, Love & Marriage, Wedding

San Diego Engagement Photo Locations

There are hundreds of beautiful locations for San Diego engagement photo locations. Where else in the world can you be surrounded by hundreds of miles of coast line, beautiful country sides, cozy mountains and stunning desert scenery! And all within 45 minutes away from each other! Makes for one killer engagement photo shoot location. We took our engagement photos last summer with Dan Rice Photographey after interviewing and viewing tons of San Diego wedding photographers I ended up going with my very first choice. He was the very first photographer I met at a Bridal Bazaar and happened to shoot in the style I was looking for. Casual. Romantic and Dreamy. At least that is what it looks like to me! So now the challenge was where to shoot.

I read tons of post and yelp reviews of locations to pick the very best location for my shoot. I wanted to do a beach photo shoot and I was also envisioning a beautiful field shoot kind of like this:

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So my photographer Dan suggested Marian Bear Memorial Park in La Jolla. At first look I was well….under impressed and thought how the heck is this going to look pretty in pictures.

park Not very pretty huh? Well do not be fooled!

That day my fiancé had forgotten my other outfit changes at home. Let me tell you something: Things will not go perfect! This was my learning lesson and we made the best out of it!

I originally was planning on wearing a very casual look my white Abercrombie & Fitch dress with my favorite brown cowboy boots that my fiancé Mark bought me…but because of our little mishap and I ended up keeping on the gold sequin dress. I bought the dress on Tobi for under $50. I wanted something form fitting to show off and preserve in pictures what I think is a pretty fit body! Lol hey I am going to want to show my kids mom has always been hot!

This is how our engagement pictures turned out:

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Our second San Diego engagement photo location was Del Mar Dog Beach. Mark & I LOVE it here so it was a very special place to us. There is no other beach in San Diego that captures beautiful shoreline and the amazing multi colored cliff formations and where we could bring the two loves of our lives, our Boston Terriers Buzz & Bella. We decided to go to the beach an hour before sunset so we can capture sunlight and the amazing San Diego sunsets. We took our engagement photos in July so the days are long, but make sure to check sunset hour during the time of the year you want to take photos. Also, check the tide…. We didn’t and as you can see by some pictures it was a high tide! The high tide made for a very interested and fun photo shot. We had so much fun shooting here! Our dogs were having a blast and Dan was amazing photographer willing to capture and pretty much do whatever it took to get the shot. I am talking about getting all wet and ruining his shoes! I am telling you he is a great photographer.

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Click here to visit our engagement photo shoot gallery.

Some of my other favorite San Diego engagement photo shoot locations include:

  1. Balboa Park – Love it here! I have reserved this location for our wedding day!
  2. Sunset Cliffs Beach – Beautiful secluded beach one of the best places to view the sunset. Cliffs says it all so you need to be daring to climb your way down to reach the beach
  3. Pacific Beach Board walk – great for traditional California beach boardwalk shoots
  4. Belmont Park – Right on the beach. Carnival rides & all!
  5. Gaslamp Quarter – Historic downtown area. Beautiful buildings.

Ask your photographer for more and remember chose what best suits you! Do you have any favorite San Diego photo shoot locations you love? Share with us!  Comment below.

 

Love & Marriage, Wedding

Our Engagement Photos San Diego

Loved our engagement photo shoot with Dan Rice Photography! Here are some of our favorites!

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Del Mar Dog Beach – San Diego, California

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My Ring

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Location:Marian Bear Memorial Park La Jolla, CA   and Del Mar Dog Beach.

Hair: Blo Blow Dry Bar 

Photographer: Dan Rice Photography

Makeup – Me, Myself and I 🙂 Laura Mercier silk creme foundation, NARS Orgasm blush, Diorshow mascara, forgot my lipstick color!

Outfit Fields: Gold sequin bodycon dress Tobi

Outfit Beach: Abercrombie & Fitch lace dress.

His Outfit Fields: Distressed Levi bootcut jeans.

His Outfit Beach: Abercrombie & Fitch cargo shorts & tee.

Boston Terriers: Homemade collars.  Bow tie was bought at WalMart kids section.

Love & Marriage, Wedding

How to take timeless engagement photos

How to take timeless engagement photos is something some of us strive for. I mean how many times have you come across an old photo of your parents or an old wedding photo and thought “WTH were you wearing?” I admit I have. I have also come across old photos of them or my grandparents and still look at them and believe they are beautiful. I do not consider myself to be very fashionable. In fact I think I lack a lot of fashion sense and often times I dress for comfort more than I do to be “in” on a fashion trend, but it doesn’t mean I care to look like a slob! I love nice well fitted clothes and well made shoes. So the stress kicked in when I realized I had to plan my engagement pictures and live with them for life! I wanted a look that I can look back 20, 50 years from now and think “wow we looked elegancegreat!” I want to capture the moment of who we are and how we are right now. One of my fashion icons is Jacqueline Kennedy. Look at her wedding day look! Still looks good!

Engagement pictures can go and be done many ways. I have seen many beautiful pictures taken! Some are funny, use props, dramatic, formal, casual, with kids, with pets, you name it! Most importantly you have to do what YOU like and what showcases you and your fiancés personalities and preferences.

Here are some pictures showcasing different styles!

 

Casual & Symbolic Hometown  

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With Pets

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Formal

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Cultural 

 

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So determine the following for yourself….

  1. What is your style

Are you and your fiancé people who love to snuggle up in sweats and watch football on Sundays? Go on hikes together? Dress up and enjoy a five star dinner? This helps you determine who you are and what style photos to take. Biggest mistake to do is to take photos that are not very representative of you. If your friends and family know you as the couple that love to spend weekends at the park and bbq the it may be weird to take engagement photos in a 3 piece suit at a museum smoking a cigar and drinking champagne….

  1. What to wear

Look good, but look like yourself. I find it very interesting who people take engagement pictures and wear things that they would never wear on any other day or party. Wear what you feel the most sexy and confident in. Look good and do not be afraid of being cheap. These photos will forever be showcased in your home and in your story. Wear something you already own and love maybe a favorite watch or shoes or jersey. Buy a new outfit or rent one on sites like RentTheRunway. Ladies…. Do not cake on the make up! Professional photos are less forgiving on our skin and wrinkles so every little crease is noted and every layer of make up and powder you use is also noticed. Either lay it off or get your make up done professionally using airbrush make up. I got my hair done professionally, but since I have never been one to wear a lot of make up I decided to do it myself and wear my signature red lipstick. You chose what is best for you.

  1. Favorite Places & Things!

For me it was easy. We love our dogs, we love the beach and he loves his hometown of New Orleans! We took our engagement photos at Del Mar dog beach in San Diego with our two Boston Terriers and in New Orleans. We also took a very whimsical dreamy shoot at a park in La Jolla. Click here to check out our full engagement photo session. Our Engagement Photos

xoxo – Adriana

 

DIY Tutorials, Wedding

Cute DIY Ways To Ask Bridesmaids

I promise I am not turning into bridezilla…but I sure am having fun being a bride to be! Let me share with you two quick and easy DIY ways to ask your girlfriends to be your bridesmaids. Here are two cute DIY ways to ask bridesmaids to be a part of your special day!

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One is your very own Bridesmaid “Pop The Question Diamond Ring” and the other is a “Message In a Bottle”

First,

I scored these super cool paper weights that look like diamonds! Who doesn’t like diamonds!!
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They already came in a cute little box so all I had to do is write a personal message on each one of them.

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The message in each diamond ring was:

” My turn to POP the question… Will you be my bridesmaid August 8th 2015??

 

Second I decided to send my cousin who I was asking to be my bridesmaid not just a card and I didn’t just want to pick up the phone and ask her or ask her when I saw her… I got the idea of “message in a bottle” when I spotted these cute glass bottles at Michaels craft store.

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I then used Microsoft Word to type out my message. Mine was this…. I used different fonts.
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Lastly… after picking up some sand from my local beach.. yes people I DID go and pick up some sand from the beach and adding a few gems to it I put it all together and wahlah!

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Love & Marriage, Wedding

We’re getting married- Setting your wedding date

We’re getting Married!!

Last December 6th 2013 my friend of 8+ years, boyfriend of 3 years proposed to me in front of a few dozen friends after serenading me with the Back Street Boys song “My Love Is All I Have To Give”… I know cheesy song, but hey we were at a karaoke bar with limited choices!

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What was supposed to be a farewell party turned into much more than that! We had decided months before to make a move from our East coast single life to move out west to be closer to family and start a family of our own. Still, I wasn’t expecting the proposal that night and in that sort of a way, but knowing how Mark is a romantic and strives to always top what one would think is already great…of course he would propose to me in that manner! This proposal took us through a whirlwind the next 12 months. Including setting a date and planning a wedding!
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I had plenty of time to set a date and plan. Here are some things we considered when setting a date and planning a wedding.

  1. Get married when your are ready.

There is no rule as to when you should set a formal date to have a wedding. Many couples feel there is a certain expiration date as to when to set their wedding date and end of rushing into it and others well… still haven’t set one. Set a date when it is right for you. Many of us have a lot of financial responsibilities to pay for and do not have the luxury of having the bride’s family pay for everything. Maybe you just got a new job and planning a wedding is the least important thing for you at the moment. Or you may want to wait to have your celebration when your kids can be a part of the big day. At the end of the day there are no rules and a wedding date should be set when both of you feel comfortable with it.

 

  1. Wedding is for you AND your family

Often times we hear that future brides and grooms shouldn’t care too much about everyone else and should make decision that are in their best interest…true I agree, but with that said we believe it was in our best interest to have our wedding during a time where those people we love could attend. What would a wedding be without loved ones surrounding us anyway? party

So knowing we had many friends and family who would need to travel from afar to attend and bring their children we decided on a summer wedding when San Diego weather is at its best and when those attending could take advantage of summer vacation time to come and stay for a few days. Can’t have a wedding dance floor empty!

So our wedding date? August 8th 2015 … 08/08/2015. (2+0+1+5=8)

#MarkMarriesAdriana    #TheNewlyNguyens    #08082015  #SummerWedding

xoxo-Adriana

Love & Marriage, Wedding

5 Things To Do After You Get Engaged

Congratulations! You are engaged! Every girl dreams of it. Every girl can’t stop thinking about it when it happens to them: The moment they get engaged. Here are 5 things to do after you get engaged.

I joined the club this last December when my boyfriend of 3 years grabbed a microphone (yes people homey proposed using a mic!) got down on one knee, popped the question and busted out a beautiful Tiffany round diamond engagement ring. My answer: “of course!” with snot running down my face not looking too cute! I am surprised he didn’t think twice because I had one of those ugly cries. Needless to say I was completely surprised and extremely happy.

When he proposed

When he proposed

For the married ones reading this maybe it will bring some nostalgia to you to remind you of that special day he asked the question and I hope that you are as in love with each other if not more than you were on that day. For my single ladies nothing wrong with being single. It is the predecessor of being engaged. And for the newly engaged ones here are 5 tips to share with you on what to do after you get engaged.

1. Make sure you tell your most loved people first, before publically airing the news on all social media profiles
So your mom and your best friend who live in a different state found out about your engagement through your Facebook status?? Yeah not a very good move. Such a special moment in your life needs to be shared with these people you hold dear to your heart first. They value and love you so showing them that they are important by giving them an “in” on what happened in your life before the 13 year old neighbor of yours finds out is pretty damn important.

2. Don’t talk about how “expensive” or big your ring is.

Can you say low class? I always feel that people who have to publically share how much they paid for something or how “expensive” something is just make themselves look that much cheaper. We can all see the size of your ring and the size of the diamond so you don’t have to inform anyone. Let the ring be shared and admired by others on its own.

3. Do share a nice photo of the ring.
The ring is like your mans trophy. Give him some public recognition on what awesome taste he has and what big b@lls he has to take this step into manhood. Personally, I was so proud of my man for selecting something so beautiful for me on his own without me knowing so excuse me if I praise it 🙂 I have NEVER been into jewerly until this…I guess I care about what it represents.. nothing wrong with that! 5 things to do after you get engaged

4. Get your ring insured.
I am not a diamond expert nor an insurance one, but I do know that insuring your ring is one of the first things you should do. Every ring should be appraised for its value by a certified appraisal company who specializes in diamonds. Next you should find out if your current homeowners insurance covers your ring if not look for an independent company. Take lots of pictures of the ring for documentation purposes.

5. Don’t rush into a wedding, but do set a date.
There is no rule or expiration date on when you should get married after becoming engaged so don’t rush into it, but in my opinion the days of being engaged for 6 years and still not making a commitment are over! Engagement is not a “screensaver” for your relationship. Men you really shouldn’t think that just because you popped the question means you have a guaranteed full time faithful girlfriend without all the “wife” responsibilities. Many women get stuck in these long term “girlfriend” roles and stay with a man another 3-5 even 10 years being “engaged” without them ever taking that real step into forming a marriage or taking a more formal step such as home ownership, babies, etc. Whatever your hear fancies! My point is don’t hang around as a girlfriend. There is something very important about having the “set the date” talk. Set a date. Set a budget. Set an objective and then start working towards realizing it.


6. BONUS: Remember that an engagement is just an initial step towards what really matters: Developing a long lasting loyal, respectful, faithful and loving marriage.