Author: healthbyhaven

February 27, 2022

Very Berry Salad

IMG_2345
IMG_2343
IMG_2344
IMG_2346

If you’re looking for a super simple yet delicious salad, look no further! This one can be the star of the show or a tasty side salad. Whip this up in 10 minutes, tops. It’s sure to be a fan favorite at a dinner party or your new favorite prepped work lunch.

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 4 c spinach (or spring mix or kale)
  • 1 c blueberries
  • 1 c strawberries
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 c chopped walnuts
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 c goat cheese
  • Red wine vinegar, to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil, to taste

Directions

  1. Rinse and dry all produce. 
  2. Slice the strawberries into quarters.
  3. Dice the avocados. 
  4. Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl.
  5. Toss in extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. 
  6. Enjoy!

Did you like this Very Berry Salad? Let me know in the comments below or over on Instagram at @haven_quinlan. 

February 27, 2022

Cacao Coconut Overnight Oats

IMG_2342
IMG_2341
IMG_2340

This one is for all you dessert lovers out there! Replace your morning poptart or breakfast pastry with these yummy overnight oats. The cacao brings a decadent, chocolatey flavor, but unlike most sugary breakfast snacks, this recipe is packed with the good stuff. Cacao is a great source of magnesium, and the flax seeds and chia seeds provide filling fiber and healthy fats. The shredded coconut and almond butter drizzle also provide healthy fats to keep you full and won’t spike your blood sugar first thing in the morning like most sweet breakfasts. 

Pro tip- use all the optional toppings listed below. Trust me.

Ingredients 

  • ½ c steel cut oats
  • ½ c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tbs cacao powder
  • 1 tbs ground flax seeds
  • 1 tbs unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
  • 1 – 2 tsp pure maple syrup, depending on preference 
  • 1 tsp chia seeds
  • Optional toppings: blueberries, almond butter drizzle, cacao nibs, additional shredded coconut

Directions

  1. Mix the oats, cacao powder, ground flax seeds, 1 tbs of unsweetened shredded coconut flakes, and chia seeds together.
  2. Once the dry ingredients are combined, add the almond milk and pure maple syrup.
  3. Thoroughly mix ingredients and place in an airtight container. 
  4. Store the oat mixture in the fridge at least three hours, and up to overnight.
  5. Enjoy at home with your favorite toppings, or grab and go for an easy, nutritious breakfast on the run!

Did you like this Cacao Coconut Overnight Oats recipe? Let me know in the comments below or over on Instagram at @haven_quinlan. 

January 22, 2022

Brunch Avocado Toast

Brunch is hands-down my favorite meal. On weekday mornings when you’re running out the door, this Brunch Avocado Toast recipe will help spice up your day and bring in those weekend vibes!

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of bread. I love using sourdough for this particular recipe! 
  • 1 avocado, mashed
  • 2 eggs cooked to your preference (my favorite for this recipe is poached, but I also enjoy them scrambled, fried, or hard boiled)
  • Everything but the bagel seasoning to taste
  • Optional: goat cheese

Directions (if poaching an egg)

  1. Bring water with a splash of vinegar to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the water to a simmer.
  2. Using a spoon, swirl the water as you lower a cracked egg into the water using a metal latel or ceramic or glass ramekin.
  3. Cook the egg for 2 – 4 minutes. 
  4. Repeat for as many eggs as you want, or cook your egg to preference.  
  5. Next, toast 2 slices of your favorite bread.
  6. While your bread is toasting, mash 1 ripe avocado in a bowl. 
  7. Remove toast from the toaster and spread the mashed avocado over both slices. 
  8. Place your poached egg on top of your avocado toast.
  9. Top with everything but the bagel seasoning and optional goat cheese.
  10. Enjoy! 

Do you love avocado toast as much as I do? Let me know if you try this Brunch Avocado Toast! Check out my Very Berry Avocado Toast recipe as well! 

Did you try my Brunch Avocado Toast? Let me know below in the comments or on Instagram @haven_quinlan. 

January 22, 2022

Matcha Latte

Match green tea has been used in Asian cultures for hundreds of years for its tremendous benefits, including its rich antioxidants and ability to help improve focus. Lucky for us, it’s now a health fad in America and I have fully jumped on the bandwagon. Try this Matcha Latte recipe when you need a pick-me-up without the afternoon coffee crash! Learn more about the history and benefits of Matcha here! 

Ingredients

  • 1 c unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp ceremonial grade matcha tea powder. I like this brand and order it from Amazon!
  • Optional: ½ tsp of agave for a natural sweetener 
  • Lots of ice

Directions

  1. Blend the almond milk, matcha, and optional agave until well combined. 
  2. Pour over a large glass of ice and enjoy! 

Let me know what you think of this delish Matcha Latte in the comments below or over on Instagram @haven_quinlan.

January 22, 2022

How to Make a Vision Board

Hey friends! How are you?! We’re having a lovely snow day here in Columbia, SC- words I never thought I’d type! It’s magical! I decided today was the perfect opportunity to share with you some tips on making your own vision board. 

As I discussed in my “How to Set Achievable New Year’s Intentions” and “2021 Recap & 2022 New Year’s Intentions” articles, I love envisioning what I want out of the year each January. This year, that not only included writing out my intentions, but also adding a visual element. I created a vision board for what I want my 2022 to look like. You can take a look at the collages below, if you’re interested!

So what is a vision board? A vision board is simply that- the vision you have for the year ahead. My personal board this year is a mixture of images of things I do that I enjoy- running and eating healthy foods- and images of what I aspire out of the year- travel, glamor, and living for joy in the moment.

Here are four simple steps to create your own vision board: 

  1. Think about what you want out of the next year. In an ideal world, what do you want your year to look like? What do you want to accomplish or experience? 
  2. Search for images that remind you of your goals or make you feel how you want to feel as your best self. I have a board on Pinterest where I found images I liked and then narrowed them down on my board, but you could also clip magazines if you want to make a physical board! 
  3. Either create a physical or digital collage with the images. You can add words as well! Anything that speaks to you or brings you joy or inspiration for the year ahead. There are no rules here. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. Just add what brings you joy and inspiration! 
  4. Display your board everywhere! I have mine in 3 versions: phone-sized, as my laptop background, and printed out hanging on my bathroom door. That way, I see at least one version of my vision board every day. It reminds me of my goals and the vibe and feel of how I want to live my life. It’s a great boost on a day I’m not feeling particularly inspired! 

If you try making a vision board, let me know! I’d love to see your collage. I really enjoyed making mine. It was a wonderful creative outlet! Took me back to my crafting and scrapbooking days from childhood. It’s also a great reminder to me when I see it each day that I am in control of building the life of my dreams. What’s on your vision board this year? Let me know in the comments below or over on Instagram @haven_quinlan. 

January 3, 2022

January 2022 Peloton Strength Challenge

Helloooo and happy 2022! In an effort to move more this year and with intentions to supplement my running with more strength workouts, I created a January strength challenge through the Peloton app. I wish I was sponsored by Peloton, I really do, because I rave about them for free allll the time. It’s truly such a great, affordable resource and you don’t need their equipment to take advantage of the offerings. If you’re a Peloton member, I’d love for you to join me in this challenge this month!

I’ve outlined various classes and instructors below to take each day, but if a certain class or instructor isn’t your jam, just switch it up! As you can see, I did not include lower body workouts, as I will be doing a lottt of running, but if you want to add that in for yourself, please do! Basically, this is just a suggestion for anyone wanting to move for at least 5 min every day this month. No crazy rules, just make it your own and join me for a healthier 2022!

*Note I’ve listed a few stretches in this plan. I HIGHLY recommend you complete at least a 5 min stretch after your workouts each day. I will certainly be doing so after each run. The stretches outlined on this plan are just the days I intend to take a longer time to stretch my muscles. Take care of your body!! No injuries allowed.

Date Day Class Type Instructor Class Date
Jan 1
Saturday
10 min arms & light weights
Leanne Hainsby
12/16/21
Jan 2
Sunday
10 min Taylor Swift stretch
Ben Alldis
12/25/21
Jan 2
Sunday
5 min core strength
Emma Lovewell
12/30/21
Jan 2
Sunday
10 min arms & light weights
Tunde Oyeneyin
12/7/21
Jan 3
Monday
10 min core for runners
Becs Gentry
12/20/21
Jan 4
Tuesday
20 min New Years Day stretch
Mattie Maggiacomo
1/1/22
Jan 4
Wednesday
20 min Taylor Swift core strength
Robin Arzon
12/25/21
Jan 5
Wednesday
10 min arms & light weights
Alex Toussaint
10/25/21
Jan 6
Thursday
5 min core strength
Callie Gullickson
12/15/21
Jan 7
Friday
10 min arms & light weights
Tunde Oyeneyin
11/9/21
Jan 7
Friday
5 min core strength
Rebecca Kennedy
11/4/21
Jan 8
Saturday
5 min core strength
Adrian Williams
12/18/21
Jan 9
Sunday
10 min arms & light weights
Emma Lovewell
11/4/21
Jan 9
Sunday
5 min core strength
Andy Speer
10/18/21
Jan 10
Monday
10 min core strength
Rad Lopez
12/11/21
Jan 10
Monday
10 min full body stretch
Ben Alldis
11/8/21
Jan 11
Tuesday
10 min arms & light weights
Kendall Toole
10/27/21
Jan 12
Wednesday
10 min core strength
Olivia Amato
11/4/20
Jan 13
Thursday
5 min core strength
Robin Arzon
12/28/21
Jan 14
Friday
10 min arms & light weights
Ben Alldis
10/20/21
Jan 15
Saturday
5 min core strength
Emma Lovewell
11/18/21
Jan 16
Sunday
10 min post run stretch
Daniel McKenna
11/16/21
Jan 16
Sunday
10 min core strength
Rebecca Kennedy
9/20/21
Jan 17
Monday
20 min full body stretch
Hannah Corbin
6/3/21
Jan 18
Tuesday
5 min core strength
Jess Sims
7/21/21
Jan 19
Wednesday
10 min arms & light weights
Cody Rigsby
9/13/21
Jan 20
Thursday
5 min core strength
Rebecca Kennedy
10/14/21
Jan 21
Friday
10 min core strength
Chase Tucker
9/21/21
Jan 22
Saturday
10 min arms & light weights
Leanne Hainsby
8/26/21
Jan 23
Sunday
15 min core strength
Olivia Amato
3/10/21
Jan 24
Monday
20 min full body stretch
Rebecca Kennedy
4/13/21
Jan 25
Tuesday
5 min core strength
Ben Alldis
8/4/21
Jan 26
Wednesday
10 min arms & light weights
Hannah Corbin
8/13/21
Jan 27
Thursday
10 min core strength
Mattie Maggiacomo
9/12/21
Jan 28
Friday
10 min core strength
Jess Sims
7/7/21
Jan 29
Saturday
10 min arms & light weights
Ally Love
7/22/21
Jan 30
Sunday
10 min World Mental Health Day stretch
Erik Jager
10/9/21
Jan 30
Sunday
15 min core strength
Olivia Amato
10/28/20
Jan 31
Monday
20 min Beyonce full body stretch
Hannah Corbin
10/21/21

Let me know your favorite classes and instructors in the comments below or over on Instagram @haven_quinlan. I’ll be documenting this challenge in my stories every day. I’d love to connect there over this fun challenge! Best of luck!

January 3, 2022

2021 Recap & 2022 New Year’s Intentions

2021. What a blur of a year. After COVID-19 brought 2020 to a grinding halt the year felt more like 10 years in one. In comparison, 2021 felt like it was over in the blink of an eye. Anyone else??

This year brought about big life changes for me. We moved into our new house in November 2020, so much of 2021 included settling into our new space and making our house a home. 2021 was also the year Billy and I FINALLY got married after a COVID wedding postponement. 

While 2021 brought many, many happy days, I can’t lie that I started the year feeling a bit lost and hopeless. I knew just because 2020 came to a close didn’t mean that life would immediately go back to normal, but still dealing with the effects of the pandemic in a second calendar year really started to take a toll on me. Before the vaccines became available to the general public, I was still working from home and not seeing much of my friends or family. It was definitely a lonely season, especially because Billy was back to working from the office.

Luckily I had the privilege of getting my vaccines in March and I returned to working in my downtown office in April. I closed out the last of my virtual work events in May and it seems like after a summer of my wedding and honeymoon I hit the ground running at work with in-person events (including tons of travel) and didn’t come up for air until December. 

I love taking time to reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead. Reliving the year through my phone camera roll is one of my favorites. I love the sense of a fresh start- a new day, week, month, year. While I’m not into setting “resolutions”, per say, I do think it’s important to write out what I want out of the year ahead. Manifestation is powerful.

So here’s a recap of my 2021:

JANUARY

  • The first photo on my camera in 2021 was of my New Year’s Run. Seems fitting. It’s one of my absolute favorite holiday traditions.
  • I attended (virtually) and passed my training to teach Pure Barre Empower classes. 
  • I got to stand by my ADPi Little/college roommate, as she got married. 

FEBRUARY

  • Not a ton to show for on my camera roll besides new recipes. This was probably the month I struggled the most with just longing for some sense of normalcy and missing my friends and family.
  • Simultaneously, I completed my certificate from Cornell in Nutrition and Healthy Living. I learned a lot and it’s something I’m really proud of.

MARCH

  • I hosted a virtual race through my job throughout the month of March to raise money for student scholarships. Crazy rewarding and I felt my passions aligning with my work. Love that.
  • I taught a pop-up class for Pure Barre Columbia at Tasty As Fit, a local vegan restaurant. So. Much. Fun.
  • I ran a virtual half marathon (Hops Trot) with the goal of PRing and hitting a sub-2 hour time. I ran it in 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 3 seconds. Still a 10 minute PR for me, but I was definitely disappointed I didn’t hit that sub-2.

APRIL

  • I went back to work in the office after 13 months remote. 
  • Billy and I took a spontaneous weekend trip to Savannah, GA. Highly recommend not overthinking it and just doing it if you’re able. Seriously- prioritize memories over stuff. 
  • I had my bridal portraits taken and had the most wonderful bridal shower with family friends. 

MAY

  • Billy and I hosted a Kentucky Derby party at our house, marking the first time our friend group had been together in over a year (can we all just agree COVID is the worst?!).
  • We flew to Texas to see my cousin get married (the fam had a BLAST) and Billy and I made a pit stop in Waco. When in Texas, am I right?!
  • I stood by another college roommate/sorority sister as she married her college sweetheart. 

JUNE

  • I had the sweetest bridal shower with my Pure Barre family AND had the most wonderful friends throw me a surprise bachelorette.
  • Also the month we finally got MARRIED!!!
  • Flew to Punta Cana and spent a week in paradise with my husband.

JULY

  • I turned 26 and celebrated with a morning run with Billy and a rooftop bar with friends at night. Two of the best ways to celebrate, in my opinion. 
  • My family was finally able to visit Columbia and see our house!

AUGUST

  • Another spontaneous weekend trip with Billy. This time to Isle of Palms. 

SEPTEMBER

  • September kicked off college football season, and I traveled to East Carolina University and the University of Georgia for work.
  • The annual Quinlan beach trip to Hilton Head Island. 
  • Hit my sub-2 hour half marathon goal!! Too bad it wasn’t at a timed race haha!

OCTOBER

  • My dad and I finally got to run a half marathon together in Knoxville, TN!
  • Quite possibly the craziest work month of my life. I hosted the University of South Carolina’s Homecoming Weekend and traveled to the University of Tennessee and Texas A&M University for work/football.

NOVEMBER

  • Billy and I traveled back to Tennessee to watch the Bucs defeat Mercer and become the SoCon football champions! We also celebrated two lovely Thanksgivings with our families. 

DECEMBER

  • Enjoyed a month packed with holiday festivities, from work parties, to friend parties to family time.
  • Billy & I had a mini vacay in Asheville, NC.
  • I attended and passed my training to teach Pure Barre Reform classes!

Additionally, here are my 2022 New Year’s intentions: 

  • Run my second marathon (eeppp!)
  • Deliver my best possible class at Pure Barre every. dang. time. I walk through those doors.
  • Continue to nourish my body with delicious foods that make me feel good. 
  • Celebrate my 1 year wedding anniversary with Billy on a fun vacation.
  • More quality time, less screen time.
  • More experiences, less stuff.
  • Be fully open to new experiences and let go of how I think things “should” be.

What about you guys? What do you want to see in 2022? Write it down! Make it happen! You only get one life and time is your most precious asset. Don’t waste it. Go get what you want.

January 3, 2022

How to Set Achievable New Year’s Intentions

HAPPY NEW YEAR, friends!!! I hope you all had a joyous holiday season filled with loved ones and rest from the hustle and bustle of daily life. I enjoyed 10 nights (yes, 10! crazy!) away between my parents’ house, Billy’s parents’, and a little vacay in Asheville, NC.

The new year is such a magical time. As a type A, Enneagram 3, I absolutely love planning out my year ahead. While I don’t believe in “new year’s resolutions”, I do think there is something super powerful about dreaming up what you want out of the year to come. 

  1. Pick a handful of attainable goals.

    Definitely no more than 10 big ones for the year. Really prioritize what is most important to you for the next 365 days. Maybe you have a goal in a variety of categories (health, finances, hobbies, career, relationships), or maybe you really want to hone in on one focus for the year. Remember, make these goals realistic so you don’t burn yourself out after a few weeks. Slow and steady wins the race. 

  2. Write. Down. Your. Goals.

    Seriously, manifestation is some powerful stuff. Speak what you want into existence. Claim. It. And for real, read up on the power of manifestation if you haven’t already. 

  3. Make a plan.

    Once you select your goals, make step by step plans on how you’ll actually get there. Quantify it. Make it tangible. Break it into monthly, weekly, or daily steps. Bite size pieces make big, audacious dreams seem less intimidating. 

  4. Share your intentions with your loved ones.

    They will want what’s best for you and truly want you to succeed at what you set your mind to. This will help when you (as we all do) inevitably hit a wall or lack motivation from time to time. For example, if your goal for the year is to run a 5K, tell your friends and see if they’ll put in some mileage with you. If you intend to pay off your student loans, tell your significant other so they can help keep you in line when you just reallyyyyy need that cute outfit (note, you don’t actually need it).

  5. Know your “why”.

    Why are you setting those specific goals? What will keep you disciplined to reach them on the hard days? This is soooo important. 

  6. Put little motivational quotes everywhere!

    For real! Your mirror, your desk, your car, your fridge. I love doing this. It gives me a boost on days I’m feeling sluggish and helps remind me why I set my intentions in the first place. Nothing like being your own biggest cheerleader with a little help from your fave quotes.

Just to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with loving your current life. I just truly believe we can all be learning, growing, and improving every. dang. day. And remember, you don’t need a new year, month, week, or even day to have a fresh start. It’s YOUR life. YOU have the ability to make it what you want.

Looking for some inspiration for your 2022 intentions? You can read about mine HERE. I want to hear your biggest goals and dreams for this year too! Let me know in the comments below or over on Instagram @haven_quinlan. 

Let’s crush this new year together! Bring it on, 2022! 

September 21, 2021

Heathier Pumpkin Spice Latte

Happy Fall!!!!!! It’s that time of year again, when everything you touch turns to pumpkin. Kind of like a reverse Cinderella story.. Anyways.. I adore all things pumpkin and I don’t care what anyone thinks about it! Lately I’ve been loving this healthier version of the classic pumpkin spice latte. Enjoy it hot or iced! I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Ingredients

  • 1 c oat milk or cashew walnut milk
  • ½ c of your favorite brewed coffee. I love using local brands!
  • 2 tbs pumpkin puree. Just straight up canned pumpkin. Find something without additives! 
  • 1-2 tsp maple syrup, to taste
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions

  1. Brew your favorite coffee.
  2. While your coffee is brewing, add the rest of the ingredients into your blender and blend until well combined. 
  3. Once blended, transfer the mixture into a saucepan and heat over low to medium heat, careful not to allow the milk mixture to boil. 
  4. Finally, combine the coffee and warm milk mixture in your favorite coffee mug and enjoy!
  5. If you prefer your coffee iced, skip step 3. Instead, pour your milk mixture and coffee over a large cup of ice! Perfect for when you’re in the mood for Fall but the temperatures outside aren’t cooperating. 

Did you make my Heathier Pumpkin Spice Latte? I want to know! Comment below or send me a message over on Instagram @haven_quinlan.

August 1, 2021

Wedding Recap & Tips

Hey friends! It’s been a while! Hope you all have been doing well and have been enjoying my previous articles and recipes. I’ve been a little MIA over here lately, well, because I got married!!! I thought I should give you a little recap of what has been taking up so much of my time and energy over the last few months. I also included a few tips for anyone planning a wedding. Hope you enjoy!

As many of you already know, Billy and I have been together a longgg time and also had a bit of an extended engagement. Billy proposed on April 13, 2019 at the Biltmore (it was magical!!), and we planned on getting married on June 13, 2020. Well, we all know our evil stepsister, COVID, decided to come to town in late February/ early March 2020, and Billy and I made the difficult decision to postpone our wedding. While it was a major bummer, we didn’t want to risk anyone’s health. We also are very aware many people had much worse experiences with COVID, losing jobs and loved ones, so we really can’t complain.

Engagement photos from Summer 2019 in Charleston and Folly Beach, South Carolina. Images taken by @emmaliliphotography.

Fast forward to May 2021. Wedding planning really ramped up again, and we were fortunate enough to get to travel for a few weddings of friends and family! Such a fun season. And then BOOM, I looked up, it was June, and I was a bitttt behind on content creation. When running a website isn’t your full time job or even your primary side hustle, sometimes ya gotta step back during busy seasons to still enjoy life and get adequate rest.

Images from the weddings we traveled to this May. On the left, photos from my cousin’s wedding in Texas. On the right, photos from my college roommate’s wedding. I was in her wedding and she was in mine!

Anyways, on to what you’re here for, the wedding! Our wedding weekend was truly just so much fun! There’s no better way to explain it. We drove up to Knoxville on Thursday, June 17 and really began the celebrations on Friday, June 18. I had lunch and got my nails done with my childhood besties (We’ve been friends for over 20 years now! Crazy!) and then we headed to our venue, The Emporium, for our wedding rehearsal. To be honest, the rehearsal was such a whirlwind that it totally didn’t hit me that Billy and I were practicing to get married the next day! After the rehearsal, we had the most lovely dinner with our families and wedding party at Lakeside Tavern and then headed back downtown to Pour Taproom. We wanted to be able to spend more time with our wedding party and out of town guests, so we took over the porch and had a few (maybe too many) drinks until my bridesmaids whisked me back to my hotel room around midnight. 

Photo of our wedding party and their dates at our rehearsal dinner at Lakeside Tavern.

The next morning I was feeling a bit worse for wear between the extra drinks, the travel, the lack of sleep, and just generally being out of my routine. BUT, I met my dad for a run through downtown Knox to kick off my wedding day, a memory that I will forever cherish. For those of you who don’t know, he’s my #1 running buddy. The run may have been hot and a little slower than we wanted it to be, but we pushed through 5 miles and then had a smoothie for breakfast. Best start to the day, in my opinion!

Photo of my dad and I on our morning run and a photo getting ready at the hotel.

Once I got back to my bridal suite in the hotel, all 8 of my bridesmaids came to hang out and get ready together. This was just so much fun, and made me so much more relaxed. After getting ready and what seemed like 1 million photos, we headed to the Emporium for the ceremony! The ceremony was just the sweetest and I finally got to see Billy! We decided not to see each other or even talk that day to make meeting at the altar even more special. 

My bridesmaids and I getting ready at the hotel. Photo by @amandamayphotos, @erinfoxphoto, @bsidwellphoto.

After we were officially husband and wife, we took another million photos, this time with the entire wedding party together, with our families, and of course of the two of us. Once we finally got to go inside and join the party, the rest of the night was such a blur of non-stop fun. Nothing will ever beat getting to be together with all of the people I love most celebrating my marriage to my best friend! 

More wedding photos by @amandamayphotos, @erinfoxphoto, @bsidwellphoto.

After eating amazing an amazing meal (breakfast for dinner, duh!), drinking champagne and moscow mules, and dancing the night away, we continued the party at the rooftop bar of our hotel on Gay St. It was just so wonderful to be able to spend even more time with everyone, because the reception felt SO fast.

The next morning we had a huge brunch with my side of the fam before everyone left town. It was the perfect close to the best weekend of my life! 

If you’re planning a wedding and want some unsolicited advice, here are some of my tips: 

  1. Your day won’t be perfect. Something will go wrong and that’s okay! Just put that in your head now, and you won’t spend your wedding day upset about something silly. This leads me to my next point.
  2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Literally no one will remember it! 
  3. Give your phone away and appoint someone to be your decision maker that day. Your only job is to have fun and get married. Let go and let someone else do the work that day. I know it can be hard for control freaks like me, and I know it can be hard to accept help, but if you’re going to pick one day in your life to do so, this is that day. I promise you will enjoy yourself so much more. Also- literally who could you need to be in touch with that day that isn’t already coming to the wedding?! Let me repeat- put. your. phone. away.
  4. Try to simulate as normal of a morning as you can in order to feel your best all day long. I went on a run and then had a smoothie like it was a random Tuesday. I know this made me feel my best all day. Oh and HYDRATE! 
  5. Add in the extra events if you want to and have time to. We added drinks after the rehearsal dinner on Friday, drinks after the wedding on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. One of my favorite parts of the weekend is that I truly got to spend time with ALL of my guests. 
  6. Find a few minutes of alone time with your spouse that day. I feel like I barely saw Billy all day, but at the end of the night we sat up eating goldfish and reliving the day. So fun.
  7. At the end of the weekend write everything down in a notebook. Your emotions, what happened, all of it. Every year on your anniversary, go back and read that and look at wedding photos and relive the best day ever with your person. I’m already looking forward to doing that next year on our first anniversary!