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OUR WEDDING: FIRST LOOK

08.01.14
Happy August! I’m back again today with part two of our wedding series – Our First Look! From the very beginning we knew we wanted to have a “first look” moment. Logistically, it made sense to see one another before the ceremony so we could take photos together while the lighting was still perfect. However, emotionally, I knew that I did not want to wait to see Scott for the first time when I was walking down the aisle. I wanted him to see me in my dress for the first time in a private moment for  just us two. It was also a major bonus that this gave us time to calm our nerves and breathe together before we said, “we do.”



Scott waited for me in the park in front of our venue, back turned so he couldn’t see me walking toward him. I didn’t know this at the time, but apparently he had been standing there for quite a while and he was hot and a ball of nerves by the time I got there! Sorry I made you wait honey – I may have taken a little extra time to get ready!

I remember standing behind him and whispering, “Are you ready?” The moment he turned around all my nerves floated away and I was SO happy that he finally saw me in my dress. For months I had been asking him if I could share the details of my dress (half kidding and half being totally serious because I just wanted him to know), but he stuck to his guns and never glimpsed at a picture or listened to any details that I tried to tell him. He really wanted it to be a surprise, and looking back I’m entirely grateful for his strength because it was such a special moment when he finally saw me in my dress.





Standing there, he looked so handsome in his suit. While I had already seen what it looked like and knew what color tie he would have, seeing him standing there all dressed up on our wedding day and knowing that in less than an hour he would be my husband felt so amazing. He was glowing and so, so happy. I knew this was going to be the best day ever!



If you’re debating on whether or not to have a first look moment, I say go for it! Looking back, I’m so happy we got to have these few minutes to ourselves to love on and cherish one another before we walked down the aisle. It was incredibly calming to be with him before I walked down the aisle, and I’m so happy that we have these photos to remember this moment in time right before we become husband and wife! We also have our first looked captured on film in our highlight video if you want to see this moment in action!
Thank you so much for reading and I’ll be back next week with more photos and stories from our wedding day soon!
-Chelsea (& Scott) xo
Details:
Makeup and hair: Mariana Marie

Dress: Uptown Bridal in Chandler, Arizona
Cover up: Handmade by Cleo & Clementine
Suit: White by Vera Wang
Tie: Topshop
Tie bar: Forage Haberdashery
Shoes: Hers – Jcrew, His – Kenneth Cole
Photography: Arrow & Apple

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DIY WARDROBE

07.31.14

My husband, Scott, and I are always dreaming, drawing and thinking of projects we can work on together. Lately I’ve been wish for a little extra closet space, but wanted something pretty that I could put on display in our living area. So Scott and I sat down and sketched out a simple wardrobe that he could whip up for me in an hour or so. We thought this would be the perfect project to initiate our DIY collaborations, and we hope you love it too!
Supplies:
– One 23/32 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. sanded plywood
  -Cut into two 6 ft. x 16 in. pieces (cuts can be made at most hardware stores)
  -Cut into three 3ft. x 16 in. pieces (cuts can be made at most hardware stores)
-One 1 1/2 in. x 4 ft. dowel
-Twelve 2 in. wood screws
Tools:
-Circular saw (if you need to make your own cuts)
-Drill
 -1 1/2 in. wood boring bit
– 1/16 in. drill bit
-Marking pencil
-200 grit sanding block
-Table clamp
-Scrap wood for straightedge (if making own cuts)
-Tape measurer (not pictured)



Step One: If you plan on making your cuts at home use the circular saw, keeping dimensions in mind.

Step Two: Clamp two vertical sides together.

Step Three: Mark pilot holes three inches in from the edge.

Step Four: Drill pilot holes through both pieces of wood.

Step Five: Repeat pilot marks and holes for the bottom two shelves. We made our shelves a foot and a half a part.

Step Six: At the top, use a tape measurer to find the center. The center will be 8 inches in and 4 inches from the top.

Step Seven: Using the boring bit, drill through both vertical pieces of wood. Dust off excess sawdust once done.

Step Eight: Assemble pieces! Use a table (or a friend) to sturdy the pieces.



Step Nine: Using the pilot holes you’ve already made as guides, make pilot holes in the shelves. Then, drill screws into the two pieces of wood on both sides. Repeat this process on the bottom, middle and top pieces of wood. Flip and repeat!

Step Ten: Clean up your final piece with the sanding block to smooth out any rough edges! 



This would the perfect project if you’re in need of some extra closet space, or are wanting a pretty way to display your favorite pieces. I love, love how this turned out and will be filling it up with my most cherished blouses, dresses and shoes soon! This would be the perfect spot to plan out daily outfits, or just as a place for style inspiration! The options are endless! 
If you would like to see more DIY collaborations like this, please let Scott and I know in the comments!
-Chelsea & Scott xo

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A SUMMER EVENING

07.30.14

Now that we’re deep into summer and can see fall on the horizon, I’ve been trying my best to knock things off my summer to-do list. Today, I finally took a tour of Scott’s new grad school building, and also made a cold summer pasta salad for dinner. One of these activities left me in a state of pure heat exhaustion (it was 108+ degrees outside today), and the other left me feeling completely refreshed. Scott and I also cut into a giant watermelon and had some of it for dessert – the best summer treat, if you ask me! Since its been so hot the past few weeks, I’ve been doing my best to dress in the coolest outfits I can. I’ve had this dress hiding in my closet since this spring, and finally decided it was perfect for a HOT dinner date with my guy! We just celebrated six months of marriage and couldn’t be happier (and also can’t believe how quickly the time has gone by!).






Outfit details:
Dress: Jcrew factory
Clutch: Fossil
Flats: Madewell
Tonight we’re working on a few projects together and getting really excited about the future of Citizen Home Decor, Scott’s handmade woodworking business! I’m also thinking that I need another coffee to keep me awake because last night I was out karaoke with a bunch of girlfriends until MIDNIGHT! WHAT! We got a private room at this neat karaoke bar in Tempe and sang the night away. It really was so much fun, but I’ve been exhausted all day. ZZZ. Send more coffee, please!
What’s everyone up to tonight?
-Chelsea xo


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OUR WEDDING: GETTING READY

07.28.14
Hello there! Today I’m so excited to kick off a new series: Our Wedding! While our big day was back in January, and we received our wedding photos in March, I wanted to keep our photos private for a bit. I know I’ve shown a few peeks here and there, but it felt important to me to have time to take them all in before I shared them here in the blog. With that said, today I’m so happy to start off this series with my getting ready photos! Scott and I stayed at The Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale the night before and of our wedding, so the day of I got ready there with my three bridesmaids and my mom. The amazingly talented Mariana Marie did my hair and makeup and kept me entirely cool and calm during the process. If you’re local and looking for someone for your big day or a special occasion, Mariana is your lady!


To be honest, the best part of getting ready was being surrounded by my family and friends. My makeup artist, our photographer and videographer are all close friends of ours, so it felt extra special to be surrounded by them while I got ready for such a big day. Not to mention, I felt entirely comfortable with them all so there was no awkwardness during the process. The room was literally buzzing with love and excitement, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.



My mom and my bridesmaids helped me get into my shoes and dress when the time came. In this moment, I remember thinking how real this day felt right then. I was in my wedding dress and about to marry my best friend and soul mate! WOW! It was a moment that I’ll never forget, and one that still gives me the chills when I think about it today. Also, funny story – my seamstress was supposed to sew a clip in the back of my dress to hold up the bustle and for a good three or so minutes we could not find it and I was panicking that I wouldn’t be able to bustle my dress after the ceremony. Finally, the tiny clip was found hiding under a flower! Whoops!



Later on this week I’ll be back with more wedding photos and stories from our big day! Thank you all for celebrating now and then with us. We’re so excited to share these special memories with you all!
-Chelsea (& Scott) xo
PS You can see Scott getting ready in our wedding video!
Details:
Makeup and hair: Mariana Marie
Photography: Arrow & Apple
Dress: Uptown Bridal in Chandler, Arizona

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MY SIX BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

07.25.14
It may come as no shock to you, but I’m kind of a makeup junkie. I’ve had my moments over the years where I’ve become completely obsessed with every new product on the market and can’t get enough of beauty Youtube videos, but I’ve also been in a place where I like to stick to my old favorites and only occasionally pick up new products when they immensely spark my interest. Either way, I love a good beauty product and certainly have my essentials that I can’t live without. So I thought it would be fun to share my six beauty essentials with you all, just in case you’ve ever wondered what I wear on my face day-to-day.

From the top: MAC powder blush in Fleet Fast, bareMinerals Mineral Veil, MAC Painterly Paint Pot, Maybelline Great Lash, bareMinerals highlighter in The Love Affair and MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20.

1. This powder blush is the perfect mixture of a light coral and golden shimmers. While it was special edition, Nars Orgasm would be a close second. 2. I use this powder every day, whether I’m putting it over a liquid or powder foundation, or just as an oil barrier right on my skin, it’s the best for keeping the shine away and evening out your skin tone (in my case, at least). 3. I LOVE this cream shadow! I wear it almost every day either on its own, or under another eye shadow so it can act as a primer. 4. What can I say, you can’t beat the classics! 5. Highlighters are my weakness and I LOVE the golden shimmer and light this one brings to my face. 6. I’ve been using this concealer for years and it works great to cover up those dark shadows underneath your eyes. It can be a bit drying, but I love it just the same.
I would love to hear about your beauty essentials! Please leave a comment below and we can bond over the magic that is makeup! 😉
-Chelsea xo

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TEA TALK X ROCKPORT GIVEAWAY

07.24.14

Today I’m so excited to announce that I’ve partnered with Rockport for their Summer Wedding Wardrobe #RockportChallenge! The folks at Rockport challenged me to style up the perfect summer wedding ensemble around a pair of their lovely heels. Being that I’m a big fan of love, weddding, and shoes, I accepted the challenge and ran with these ideas as my inspiration. I chose the Seven to 7 Cross Band Sling sandals as the base for my outfit, and then let my dress and bracelets be the pop of color that  my perfect wedding ensemble needed.

This dress is actually quite special to me, as I was wearing it when Scott got down on one knee and asked me to his wife. AWWWH! I thought it was the perfect dress to celebrate love and marriage in, and it didn’t hurt that it’s comfy to boot (just like my Rockport sandals!).




Outfit details:
Dress: TJ Maxx
Bracelets: Kate Spade
Seven To 7 Cross Band Sling sandals: c/o Rockport

Along with the challenge, the folks at Rockport are always giving away FIVE pairs of my their Seven to 7 Cross Band Sling sandals to five different Tea Talk readers! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and you have six ways to enter below! Good luck, and thanks to Rockport for hosting such an amazing giveaway! xo

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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HOW TO STYLE A BAN.DO TWIST SCARF

07.22.14

In the summer months, I’m a big fan of pulling my hair back and keeping it up in a loose bun/side pony tail. Since my every day summer style can get kind of boring, I like to spice things up by adding a scarf to the mixture. Aside from my vintage scarf collection, I love my ban.do twist scarf! The sweet ladies at ban.do recently posted a photo of me wearing my twist scarf, and since I saw lots of questions about how I keep it on without having it fall off throughout the day, I thought It would be fun to make a tutorial to show you all just how I style mine! Keep reading for my four easy steps —

1. Straighten your twist scarf out completely so there isn’t in kinks in the fabric or wire. 2. Take the twist scarf in both hands and place the middle at the base of your head (if your hair is in a bun you can place the scarf around the bun for extra support). 3. Take each end of the scarf and twist it across your head, keeping it tight and switching hands so it’s easier to hold 4. Twist the ends one more time and pull down gently to finish your twisted knot.
That’s it! Easy as pie! If you like this tutorial and found it helpful, please let me know in the comments below! 
-Chelsea xo
PS This post is not sponsored by ban.do, I just love their twist scarfs so much!


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MAKE A STATEMENT

07.21.14

Happy Monday! Another weekend has whizzed by and a new week is upon us. While today didn’t start off how imagined it would (I had an awful reaction to some sinus medication), I’m not going to let it bring me down! Our kitty, Boots, must have known I wasn’t feel well this morning because he was all over me – snuggles, arm grabs and kisses! He was being the sweetest! Does anyone else’s cat act this lovey? Anyways, in the early afternoon Scott and I had a book store date and took a little drive to scout out some new photo spots. Even though I’ve lived in the Phoenix area my whole life, I still feel like I’m discovering new places and spaces every day. I guess it’s just the adventurer in me always looking to find something new in my own backyard! 





Outfit details:
Madewell sweater
Gap leggings
Sam Edelman booties
Speaking of new, ILY Couture recently sent me this darling Black Opera Bib necklace from their shop and I’m loving how easily it dresses up an otherwise basic outfit. The shop owner is a sweet gal and her darling shop definitely deserves a look through! 
Have a lovely evening, friends!
-Chelsea xo

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IN THE MIDDLE

07.18.14

Happy Friday! Scott and I are currently relaxing after a busy morning working and spending time with our niece. We were doing a little shopping with her and her momma and it was so hard for me not to purchase every cozy sweater and jacket that I saw. There are some killer deals out there right now, and I saw so many great staple pieces that would transition from year to year. I guess you could say that right now I’m “in the middle” when it comes to my summer and fall wardrobe, hence wanting to purchase every cozy item I see, but still wearing my summer duds because it’s going to be scorching hot for months to come. Anyways, there’s no harm in sporting pre-fall colors to get me in the mood for my favorite season. I’ve also been searching the shelves of World Market for any signs of their fall goodies – I need some of their pumpkin coffee ASAP! 




Outfit details:
Monroe & Harlow Celtic Knot headband
Madewell Top
Levi’s leggings
Blowfish Shoes sandals (c/o)
Tonight, Scott and I are heading out for a little celebration with friends, which will include dinner and the new Zach Braff movie, Wish I Was Here. I’ve been waiting for ages for Zach Braff to come out with a new film and I’m sure this one won’t disappoint.
What are your plans for the evening?
-Chelsea xo


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TOP KNOT TUTORIAL

07.17.14

One of the most requested posts I get is how to do my signature top knot! Lately I’ve been rocking this style once or twice a week thanks to the hot summer months and the 100+ degree heat in Phoenix. I love a good top knot and how it can take you from feeling messy to put together in a snap. I also love how you can wear it either with a casual outfit for class, running errands, etc. or with something a little more dressed up and date night ready. So I thought it would be fun to finally write up and photograph my full proof method for the perfect top knot! 

1. Flip all of your hair over your head (Cousin It style!). 2. Use a brush to get out any tangles – I used my favorite Wet Brush. 3. Grab the front of your hair in one hand, and smooth/grab the backside of your hair with your other hand – then hold it all with the hand closest to your forehead. Make sure your pony tail is in the middle of your head – you don’t want it too close to the front or back. 4. Lift your head up and twist from the bottom to the end of your hair, keeping it as tight as you can. 5. Twist your twisted pony tail around and around until you come to the end of your hair. 6. Take your hair tie and twist it around your knot twice, trying your best to keep the tie hidden underneath your hair. 7. Take a peek and make sure the knot is sitting just how you want it. 8. If desired, pull your knot out in places where you would like more volume and finish with a little hair spray. 

Ta-da! For a more messy look, don’t tighten your hair as much and be more carefree when you’re twisting your pony tail. I did this top knot with freshly washed hair, which keeps it smooth and tight. However, I usually prefer working with day-old hair so I have a little more volume and wave to work with.
Now it’s your turn! If you try out this tutorial and find it helpful, please let me know! Also, if you have any questions or would like to see more tutorials, feel free to leave a comment below. Hope you enjoyed this tutorial just as much as I did! 🙂
-Chelsea xo

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