A Fairytale "I Do"

So after blogging of bridal showers, bachelorette shenanigans, and a rehearsal dinner leading up to Cait and Grant's big day, I think it's only right to complete the wedding-related postings.

It was July 4th - THE BIG DAY. Mom and I woke up early to grab Starbucks and breakfast  for all the girls back at the suite. We were staying at the lovely InterContinental Hotel (Boston) and luckily were within walking distance from the green awnings of coffee paradise. 

Back at the bridal suite, we changed into our robes and got down to beauty business. With five hair and make-up artists at the ready, we were made-up and updo-ed.

 

It was, overall, a pretty relaxing morning. And a lot of fun. I've decided that when I win the lottery I will have a personal hair and make-up artist for everyday primping. Who's with me?

After putting on our dresses, shoes, and accessories, we were brought our bouquets.

And made our way to the gardens for the reveal and family photos.

Shhhh...

Both Groom and Bride lit up when they saw each other. Many, many pictures followed... 

Here's the Bride's side of the family:

Dad, me, Grant, Cait, Chris, Mom

And the Groom's:

Gary, Tammy, Grant, Cait, Samantha, and Ari

Once family photos were snapped, it was time to rally up the bridal party.

 

We boarded the wedding trolley...

 

and made our way around Boston - stopping at certain destinations for photos.

Keeping it classy

 July 4th at its best

After a dozen trolley stops and hundreds of camera clicks, we made our way to The State Room.

The State Room, where the ceremony and reception was held, is a magnificent venue some 30+ stories above the streets of Boston, overlooking the harbor and city below. With panoramic, floor to ceiling glass walls, the view is breathtaking and makes this modern space a perfect urban wedding location.

While the girls did some touch-ups, the guys got comfy and kept cool.

 

 

 As guests began to arrive, the wedding party lounged and sipped on champagne - prepping for the ceremony and excitement to come.

And then it was time.

A gorgeous bride. A sentimental and personal ceremony with a bit of humor thrown in. Old traditions and new ones. Two "I Dos." One kiss. A very happy couple. A lifetime of love.

Cocktails followed. And then the reception.

Speeches, dinner, cake-cutting, bouquet tossing, and lots and lots of dancing followed.

 

And once midnight struck - the carriage didn't turn into a pumpkin. The fairytale night continued on. 

It was truly a magical day and night.

xo Belle

*Note: All pictures that night (& in this post) were taken by George Street photography. With over 2,000 photos, it's hard to narrow it down to "the good ones," as every photo came out beautifully.

If you're in need of photography / videography  - check 'em out!

Royal Baby

I am a huge anglophile. No, really.

I studied abroad in London my junior year of University and have ever since day-dreamt of living there. There's something about the UK that just makes me feel at home but very much alive and in a new place at the same time. London, specifically. It's such a magical place.

My anglophilia of course went into overdrive today after hearing that The Royal Baby has finally arrived! Or should I say the future King!

A huge congratulations to William and Kate, as well as the rest of Great Britain.

I can't wait to see what they name him!

Update: And so he now has a name... Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge.

Beach Bums

Living in  New England means that summer is a very precious time. As soon as the last of the snow melts, I put on my flip-flops and eagerly welcome the warm, sunshine-filled days of summer. 

Come mid-summertime (right about now), its hard to imagine that in just a few months we'll be back to the crisp fall and then freezing winter weather.

And so, in order to take advantage while we can - it's to the beach on the weekends!

Sand. Ocean. Sunshine. Cool Drinks. Deli Sandwiches. A Good Book. A Game of Scrabble. Sun Glasses. A Nice Nap. Italian Ice. Flip Flops. 

... you can never go wrong with a day at the beach.

xo Belle

Summer by the Water

Who doesn't love a late summer afternoon by the water?

xo Belle

An "A" for Asics

I got a new pair of running shoes today and cannot wait to try them out. 

Having taken up running about 2 years ago, I quickly learned how important it is to have a good set of shoes to preform well and prevent injury. Having to replace my shoes every 4 months or so, I've  "run through" (see what I did there :P ) my fair share and know what personally works best for me.

Asics are my go-to brand. They're nice and light-weight, have gel cushioning, good arch support, and fit my feet well. Not to mention they often come in pretty colors.

Here's the one I just got. It's part of their Gel-Nimbus15 line.

I'll let you know how they feel after a break a few miles into them.

It's my goal to run a half marathon soon so maybe these will be the kick start to that!

xo Belle

**Update: So far so good. I've probably logged a good 50+ miles in these babies so far and have only good things to say!

Newport Mansions

We decided to take a drive down to Newport, RI for the weekend for some coastal views, Black Pearl chowder, Thames Street shopping, and Mansion viewing.

Having arrived just in time for lunch - The Black Pearl restaurant was our first stop. Known for their amazingly good "chow-dah," we each ordered a cup for starters. Followed by our main meal - for which I got a lobster roll. The chowder was perfection and the lobster roll was pretty good--nice and light (not drenched in mayo), it was chunky and fresh.

We strolled around town after lunch, window shopping and people watching, before heading over to tour the Newport mansions.

Kept by the Preservation Society of Newport, there are a number of homes that are open for viewing - those being:
The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House, Rosecliff, Kingscote, Hunter House, Isaac Bell House and Chepstow.
*NOTE: you do have to purchase a ticket to tour the homes.

Check out the Society's website for the mansions here:
http://www.newportmansions.org/

Each mansion is unique, offering views of interesting and ornate architecture and design, groomed grounds,  detailed furnishings, and a whole lot of history.

I personally think it is impossible to visit all of the estates in one trip, so we decided on our top 3 and paced our way through them. Our list included: The Breakers, Rosecliff, and The Marble House.

First stop: The Breakers. This "cottage" is the grandest of all the mansions and was home to the Vanderbilt family. An industrialist, Cornelius Vanderbilt, had this summer home built for him and his family. With Italian Renaissance touches, this 70 room home also includes a stable and carriage house on the property, as well as a life-size doll house (for Vanderbilt's youngest daughter). Not to mention it's stunning view of the water.

The back of The Breakers

The backyard view

Our next stop was Rosecliff.

Built by the  Nevada heiress of a silver fortune, Rosecliff was known for its grand parties. It was modeled after Versailles and supposedly cost only $2.5 million to build. During the "season," Tessie (the heiress) would throw elaborate gatherings and invite the likes of Harry Houdini to entertain guests. 

Fun fact: Scenes from The Great Gatsby and 27 Dresses were filmed here.

Rosecliff is still privately owned to this day.

Our last visit was to The Marble House.

Built for the grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, The Marble House called for 500,000 cubic feet of marble to be brought in, giving it its name. Mr. Vanderbilt gifted the house to his wife for her 39th birthday (pretty sweet present if I do say so). Sadly, the couple divorced shortly after and she kept it.

She had a Chinese Tea House built in the back, overlooking the water below. 

The Tea House is my favorite - and yes, the do serve tea and snacks in there to visitors!

 

Pretty cool, huh?

If you find yourself in Newport with a free afternoon, you should check the mansions out. Make sure to wear comfy shoes/sandals though as you'll be doing a lot of walking!

We worked up quite an appetite after a long day of tourist-ing the mansions. For dinner we headed to El Perrito Taqueria, a small Mexican restaurant in downtown Newport. 

Check it out here: http://www.elperritonewport.com/

Get yourself some of their fish tacos and thank me later. 

I love living so close to Newport; it's nice to mix it up and take a day trip down for a change of scenery.

Now excuse me while I go buy some lottery tickets so I can get myself one of those mansions ;)

xo Belle