Costa RiiiiCCCCAAAAA!...

5 months after our wedding my newly wed husband and I embarked on the adventure of a life time to the wondrous world of Costa Rica! It was a long awaited honeymoon but it was certainly worth it and even more than we had ever imagined. 

A colourful country full of flavors, lush landscapes, confidant creatures and vast beaches. Our plan involved a 14 day road trip from San Jose to Lake Arenal then on to the north west coast of Guanacaste. Followed by 4 days in the rainforest at Manuel Antonio National Park. Along the way we climbed through lava and up volcanoes, swam under natural waterfalls, bathed in hot springs, zip-lined through the jungle, surfed the waves and went spotting for wildlife! The don't call it the adventure capital of the world for nothing. There really is so much to see and do and the "Pura Vida" way of life is evident as you venture throughout. 

The thing that struck me the most was how friendly, approachable and trustworthy the people are. I had heard so much about them but it really took my own experience to truly understand how magical these people are. Relaxed, caring, thoughtful and happy. I remember saying to my husband that there is just something about them. It is when you look in their eyes that you can really see the kindness. 

The country and the people really touched me and Costa Rica is a place that one day I hope to return to. ♥

Renting the Runway!.....

Me wearing "Badgley Mischka - Night at the Oscars" c/o Rent the Runway

Due to recent work commitments and various travel expeditions I have not managed to find the time to blog as much as I would like to! Luckily for you all, I set aside some time this week to share with you my recent (life changing) discoveries within the fashion industry. Now, you may read this thinking "Yeah yeah....you are behind the times with your fashion just as much as you are with your blog" OR you may read this thinking "Thank you for this post you have opened my eyes to whole new world of fashion possibilities!". I personally hope it is the latter. 

Ok Ok, enough of the chit chat....lets talk (life changing) fashion; well, you see, it all began on the lead up to my 30th birthday. For weeks on end I was searching shops in the hope of finding the most perfect outfit to wear to my "Roaring 20s" birthday party. Unfortunately the more shops I visited the more I realized that a) No shops in Louisville compare (even one bit) to the high end fashion in the UK and b) I was not going to find my perfect outfit in any of the malls that I trailed. I left feeling deflated and a little disappointed by the lack of stylish and fashion forward clothes on the shelves. It was then that I took to the web! After a few hours of internet shopping later and I still hadn't found anything. It was only only then that I thought about the concept of renting. I eagerly typed "dress rental" into google and to my amazement RENT THE RUNWAY popped up! As soon as I clicked on it I knew that this was the place I was going to find my dream dress and sure enough it was!

Since my 30th birthday I have rented a further two dresses. Each time they drop it off at your front door the day before your event, you wear it and then return in in a pre-paid envelope! It could not be easier. The dresses are just beautiful and definitely the type I could never dream of affording. Rent the Runway enables you to wear red carpet dresses at a fraction of the cost. They are the kind of dresses you really don't find anywhere else, unless you are a superstar and it save you buying a new dress for your wardrobe that you really only wear once anyway!

For any future events from now on I will always.....Rent the Runway. 

They really did "Love My Dress"...

Wow! Absolutely delighted to announce that our recent wedding was chosen to be featured on the award winning UK wedding blog "Love My Dress" (www.lovemydress.net).  My husband and I are both over the moon to have been selected and extremely pleased that we can play a part in helping to inspire brides (and grooms) to be! 

Love My Dress played a massive role in helping us to create our dream wedding and enabled us to have the confidence to plan a very special DIY wedding of our own. They feature so many wonderful weddings and it is lovely to see how other couples manage to pull their day together and to recognize how much time and effort has went in to planning such a memorable occasion.  Annabel and the team at Love My Dress do a such wonderful job at celebrating the success of so many wedding days whilst capturing the love of each couple that they feature,

Thank you. With all of my ♥

Debbie 

Click here to view our AMAZING wedding feature!

The Book that is a Bag!...

Hello fellow tea lovers! This week I am sharing a fashion concept which I know you will all LOVE as much as I do. Kate Spade continues to prove she is a fashion genius by combining literature with fashion to create the visionary concept known as: the book clutch. In simple terms, it is a clutch bag that looks like a book! This clutch bag adds the WOW factor to any outfit day or night. Just choose your favorite here at www.katespade.com and start getting noticed everywhere you go. I can't wait to take mine on its first outing this weekend......Kate Spade, I heart you!

         

Happily Ever After......

WOW, it is hard to believe that we have been married now for 6 weeks! It feels like a life time ago and just yesterday all at the same time. Our wedding day came and went so quickly but our memories will last for forever. It is only now that I am finding time to sort through photographs, order prints and write thank you cards. I am also just beginning to find time to reflect on not only the wedding day itself but the whole process of planning what really was the biggest day of our lives. 

Looking back on the day, I have to say that I wouldn't have done a thing differently. Every detail was exactly as we wanted it and a lot of love was put in to creating a celebration that matched our personalities down to a tea. We absolutely loved having the flexibility of a venue that we could decorate as we wished and we were so fortunate to have wonderful suppliers on board as well as a lot of family and friends to support us. If it wasn't for them I am not sure we could have pulled it off! 

Our day was more than magical and by sharing it with you all I am able to relive each and every moment......ENJOY! ♥♥♥

                                         

 

                     

                                         

                                                       

             

  

Photos C/O www.mackphotography.co.uk

 

Number Ten gets 10/10!....(a personal review of a very impressionable place)

As part of our mini-moon my husband and I embarked on a 5 hour road trip from sunny St. Andrews on the east coast of Scotland to the even sunnier Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland. This trip was somewhat spectacular with every corner a new and enchanting surprise. The scenery was even more breathtaking than we remembered and the drive itself would definitely be in our 'top ten drives of the world' book (if we ever got round to writing one!).  

The Cullins, Isle of Skye, Scotland

As we neared our accommodation for the next few nights not only was our breath taken but we were also left speechless.....This was the sight we were greeted by:

Number Ten, Dunvegan, Isle of Skye

Number Ten on the Isle of Skye really does live up to its 'Luxurious Island Retreat' name. The views from the property are second to none and the attention to detail that has went in to making this holiday haven a success is out of this world. Diana and Alan have done a fabulous job of creating a space for two which feels like a million miles away from the rest of the world. They greet you on arrival with a drink of your choice and then walk you round your new home for the next few days. A welcome basket of wine, beers, egg, fresh bread and chocolate (but to name a few) also awaits you.  The living space itself boosts a wood burning fire, an enormous bath tub and sizable bed with sumptuous sheets. There is also a great space out front for you to eat and drink out doors as you watch the sunset. 

The hospitality provided by Diana and Alan makes a great impression and they are more than happy to help you with whatever you need. They even offered to taxi us to the world renowned Three Chimneys restaurant one evening which was well received! 

Not only is this sanctuary a home away from home but there is also a wonderful art gallery on site. Diana (the owner and artist) produces some of the most beautiful paintings and prints of the Isle of Skye landscapes and seascapes. This gallery is worth a visit in itself! 

To conclude, I would have to say that Number Ten is one of the most relaxing hideaways on earth and we wish we could have spent even more time there. Unfortunately our trip only lasted a few days, but we will definitely be back! And for now....we have our very own piece of heaven as a reminder hanging right above our fireplace!.....

'Above the Clouds' by Diana Mackie
http://www.diana-mackie.co.uk

To Blog or not to Blog? That is the Question?.....

After a very busy summer at home in Scotland (getting married and just generally having a blast with all of my family and friends) I have finally returned back to normality to the place I now call home: Louisville. I am now fully settled in to married life and instead of spending our weekends wedding planning we are organizing our honeymoon and house hunting instead. Things haven't got less hectic, the items on the 'to-do list' have just been replaced with new ones. With a lot of 'extra stuff'' still going on and a new full time job just around the corner I recently wondered if I there is still a place in my life for blogging?

Then.....I read this wonderful article (found here) all about the reasons to write a blog and how it impacts positively on your life. My question was quickly answered with a resounding YES! To summarize the article, writing a blog helps you to;

1. Become a better writer

2. Deepen your thinking

3. Live life more intentionally

4. Develop healthier habits (i.e discipline, devotion, commitment)

5. Meet new people

6. Inspire others

7. Develop a more well rounded mindset

8. Remember key life events and keep a personal journal

9. Become more confident

10. Learn from others

Overall, writing a blog changes your life in some way or another. It becomes less about you writing the story and more about the story writing and changing you. If you are considering writing a blog I would highly recommend it. I can't believe that for a short time there I considered giving it up! Maybe one day when I have little kiddos to care for but until then.....I will certainly be making time (and so should you).