Number One Wedding Planning Tip to Relieve Stress

The dress has been chosen, the photographer has been secured, and even the cake design is in the works. Right now I feel pretty good about what we have accomplished in the wedding planning department. We gave ourselves lots of time to plan the wedding so it has been nice having the time to enjoy it and go relatively slow. In order to enjoy the process, we booked three things right off the bat.

1.Venue 
2. Photographer
3. Music (band)

To me, location and food, music and someone who can capture the day with our vision were all non-negotiables. I did not want to have to settle on either of those things. I've said it so many times, picking a venue is your first step as you need to finalize the date before the bookings can begin. Once we did that the big-ticket items came next. One thing I would have added to this list was to start sourcing out hair and make-up early on. I was shocked to see how far in advance my desirables were booked. I mean there was still plenty of options, but I had to make a fast decision. So just an FYI to add that to your biggies! 

But moving on... we’re getting down to it, people. We’re less than eight months away! AH- just saying that out loud is a bit frightening/exciting! Lately, my thoughts are surrounding accessories, the shower, the honeymoon and the overall set up of the day. And I still have the stress over the little to-dos like invitations and favours. I know it will all get done but sometimes the panic does creep up! 

Now that the countdown is on I’m going to be tackling the remainder of the tasks very strategically.  I know this tip may seem small, but it's been huge for relieving anxiety and stress (and those minor moments of panic)! 

Here is my number one wedding planning tip to relieve stress:

Each week I am creating a list of a few simple tasks to accomplish. I know that if I create an overall list with everything on it, it will be far too overwhelming and nothing will get done. So I’m starting small. For example, Monday’s tasks include: reach out to jewelry designer, figure out the gift registry and contact hotel for transportation recommendations. Midway through the week, I will see how far I’ve come in figuring these details out then I will create new tasks with deadlines or finalize the unfinished ones. It's important not to move on from a task and have so many on the go because they end up getting pushed aside and delayed. I've noticed that in doing this I can cross more off my list and ultimately get more done! 

I can't wait to share more details soon! Are you following along on the "GB WED" highlights tab on my Instagram? There are many updates that go up there weekly. Keep checking! 

Also... have you checked out: 
Wedding Dress Shopping 101
How to Plan Your Engagement Shoot 
How to make the Most of Your Engagement 

Now share your tips below!

How to Change Your Hairstyle Without Cutting It

One of my 2019 goals is to change up my hairstyles. I know what you're thinking... aren't goals suppose to be more related to personal development? Yes, sure. But why not have smaller, easy to attain actions plans, too?  I've just been getting bored with my hairstyle and I feel kind of empowered when I had a new hairdo. Like I'm a spy or something! Just me? Anyways, today I'm sharing three easy ways to spice up your hair without going drastic and pulling a Britney. You could always shave your head, but I'm not there... not yet anyway (lol). I'm just looking for easy tools to fall back on when I'm feeling rather blah in the hair department. By the way, not mentioned here is the wearing of hats as they cover your hair. It's always fun to put on a toque or a wide brim hat, so try that out if you'd like too!

But here are some easy ways to change up your hairstyle without cutting it. 

1. Bands, scarves, ribbons
Lately, I've been loving the look of something just at the front of my forehead (seen here). It takes a bit of getting used to in my opinion if you're not too comfortable with wearing something on your hair, but once you play around and find how it works for you, you will not look back. Try wearing the bands of the hairband behind your ears, does that work for you? If not, what about on top of your ears? I've recently become obsessed with velvet and satin hair accessories. Anthro has some insane styles right now. When I saw this mock turban I was sold. The colour is perfectly periwinkle and I love that it's actually attached to a band, so you don't need to play around for 10 minutes tieing it together. There is no way you can mess it up and you instantly feel put together. Legit-- I need this one.

2. Barrettes
Sometimes just adding a simple pin to your front strands is all it takes to elevate an outfit. Try gluing gemstones or pearls to bobby pins (or just pick some up that are already made at stores like Ardens, Anthropologie, etc), and add one or two parallel to one another. It's such a cute way to dress up any outfit and makes you instantly feel and look polished.

3. Do the opposite
On any given day it's pretty much guaranteed that my hair will be done in loose waves. That's why it's so striking when I wear my hair completely straight. Everyone asks if I got a haircut, or acknowledges how great my hair looks because it's something completely out of the norm! Plus, I really feel like a different woman with pin straight hair. Makes me feel mysterious! On New Year's Eve, I wore my hair straight and it was so fun to change it up, and it made me question why I don't do it more often. Sometimes just doing something a little different (like wearing it up if you always wear it down, or try a different ponytail height) can create all the drama in the best way.

How do you spice up your hair when you get bored of styling the same way day in and day out? Will you try out any of these?
S H O P T H E P O S T

Best Lipsticks of 2018

Lipsticks are on their own level, am I right? At any given time if you open my purse you are bound to find a minimum of 7 lip products. I just have favourites for everything! I can't help it. There is no way I could incorporate them into my beauty round-up post since I am beyond addicted to skincare, too. 2018 served up a lot of lippies. Silky, shiny, plumping, matte, stick, tubes, pots, wands-- and the list goes on. In fact, I am spilling my purse right now to scour through them all to bring you the most used, the most loved and the most impactful lipsticks I tried. The shells may be cracked, dirty and fading, but that just means they are the best of the best, right?

Here we go, the best lipsticks of 2018:

Firstly-- A little lip prep:

Boosh Lip Plumping Balm
A perfect peppermint balm, natural and made with organic ingredients! I am hooked on this little stick. The peppermint is so invigorating and I love how hydrating the formula is (thanks to the beeswax). Recently, I've been trying out more lippies from Boosh (Dusty Rose is a serious contender for the best pastel pink!). I also love that Boosh is a local company and the products are produced with local ingredients. Plus, the container is aluminum and not plastic!

Buxom Va-Va Plump Shiny Liquid Lip
My go-to, no matter the shade! I did a whole video on these because I love them so much. The hydrating formula plumps your lips,  are long-lasting and they shine so magnificently without getting sticky or smudging. And I don't normally love a shiny lip, but something about these makes you feel like you're ready for the red carpet. Beg for Mauve and Boldly Go are two of my favourite shades. Apply the Buxom Big O for some serious plumping! I can't even count how many of these I used in 2018. A favourite, for sure!

BareMinerals Gen Nude Liquid Lipstick
This is my Buxom counterpart for matte lips. I especially love the silky smoothness of this formula. Luxe is a dirty pastel pink which is in my purse every single day! I can't get enough of the texture since it goes on like a cream but has a matte finish. They also smell like vanilla cake, which I am obsessed with. Even the red shares are so deep and long-lasting. Gen Nudes are also found in shiny versions, so make sure you're sourcing out the liquid lipsticks for the gorgeous matte finish.

Lipstick Queen Nothing But The Nudes
A more recent discovery for me which I love! And the name says it all... Queen is right! I first fell in love with the "Nothing but the Nudes" collection, which is the creamiest collection of nudes. The colour is rich and pigmented. This can be hard to come by with nudes as they are typically so sheer. I've been wearing "Hanky Panky Pink" all fall! I especially love how they are packed with vitamin E to make them hydrating and smooth.
Spoiler alert: The Rear View Mirror Lip Lacquer collection is launching Spring 2019, and prepare to fall head over hood (they are inspired by the feel of a new car)! I love how easy this application is, the lacquer glides on perfectly. You can line the lips and then fill them in all with the same stick. Lately, I've been loving "Little Nude Coup". These are going to be such a hot release for 2019.

Pixi MatteLast Liquid Lip
Oh baby, do I love these, too! They are an amazing price point so you can literally stock your shelf. They recently came out with 5 additional bold shades which I have been loving. I always get asked what I'm wearing when I wear these. That is because the colour is striking, it is extremely matte, ultra pigmented and it does last hours. They contain rosehip and beeswax so they are super duper hydrating and long-lasting. Also you can't beat the angled applicator to really shape the lip.

I think matte was my go-to look this year...

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick
No 1- Le Rouge. It is the ultimate, BEST red. The formula for this creamy lipstick is absolutely divine. My lips could be dry and cracking and the minute I apply this, all is healed! The staying power on this lipstick is also revolutionary. Eat, drink, sweat... it does not budge! Plus the gold sparkling case is an added bonus. Luxe, glam and worth the hype!

Do you need a little extra lip care? Check out my top beauty picks for 2018 for two lip must-haves!

Some of my other all-time faves are Pillow Talk by Charlotte Tilbury, Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lips, NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment and L'Oreal Colour Riche Ultra Matte Lipstick.
S H O P T H E P O S T :

{ top left to bottom right: wearing PIXI, YSL, bareMinerals, Buxom }