Wedding Wear

necklace c/o Cheerfully Charmed  Dress: Next (similar here and here *love the emerald green  )

So this would be my ideal wedding attendee outfit...

I had every intention of wearing this exact outfit for the full day/night at S's friends wedding in his hometown..

But I ended up taking off the necklace because of the stares..

In S's small town, big hats=yes  big necklaces=confused

This blogger trend has apparently not made it to the rural country part of Northern Ireland,

and as much as I typically love screaming "HI I'M AN AMERICAN AND A BLOGGER LETS BE FRIENDS"

this just wasn't the moment for making a statement.

Can I talk about how these two items are my new favorites though?

I know the bubble necklace infiltrated the system awhile ago,

but o.m.g is it fun to wear and pair with outfits.

I typically am a delicate jewelry wearer, but I might be converted.

And this dress...

I felt so fancy in it..

The train was way too much fun,

and it made me feel really feminine and elegant.
More importantly, I got to wear it WITHOUT a jacket..
because this was the ONE day in about three weeks that it didn't rain and was warm.
Victory.

And in case you are wondering,

S and I ROCKED the Ceilidh.

At one point we heard a few people say "Oh they have done this before."

No my friends,

we haven't.

Who knew an American could rock an Irish/Scottish jig?

Just doing my country proud.
Next i'll be rocking a Ceilidh WITH a bubble necklace on.
LOOK OUT.

Making things official

The wedding yesterday (yes on a Thursday..explanation later..)

was SO much fun.

Can't wait to share it with you...

but for now I am going to leave you with some awesome ladies while S and I put down some deposits for wedding stuff..

that's right...

just making it official.

******

Heather is from Chicago,
and is a journalism major,
so naturally,
the girl can write.
See her love story here...
because who doesn't love a good love story?
She is newer on the blog scene so be sure to show her some love!

Hello Across the Pond readers!

I'm Heather, a senior journalism major at Bradley University in Illinois. I blog over at Morning Glory, my home for the strange and wonderful things that happen in my life.

I fell in love with Megan's blog the first day I read it. Partially because she's hilariously entertaining, and partially because I got to visit the UK myself a few years back, and she's basically living my dream life. (Those accents! Those castles! How is anything that green?!)

I spend my days downing caffeine in any one of the three newsrooms I work in, stress-baking (much to the pleasure of my friends, I am often stressed), going on adventures with my boyfriend and feeding my sassy, one-year-old fish named Lloyd, who I am far too attached to. 

Come stop by my little bloggy corner of the world, I'd love to have you!

BLOG

*******


Noa is the beautiful and talented photographer behind Noablog.
Her space is full of gorgeous photography, but with a touch of her real life mixed in amongst the stunning images (my fav combo)
You can get to know her better here.

Hi everyone! I'm Noa from www.NoaBlog.com. I'm a mama to two kitty furbabies and one four year old spunky girl named Aviv. I love getting lost in a good book, sharing a bottle of wine with friends, 

shopping at Anthropologie, traveling abroad, and singing at the top of my lungs in my car (off tune, of course, hence super loud music to minimize embarrassment *wink* ). I'm originally from Israel, but

fell in love with an American man and ended up moving to northern New Jersey right after I finished my Israeli Army service (I was a drill sergeant! BooYa!). I majored in political science at Columbia University yet ended up

steering farrrrr away from politics and starting a photography business instead :) . Last month I made a big dream come true by opening my own natural light photography studio - a huge step for me that

has me both thrilled and scared shitless at the same time! My blog is about my journey through life - from business to personal to contemplative and everything in between. I hope you join me there!!

BLOG

*******


Bobbi...
I love this girl.
I have been given the honor of getting to know her over the past 6 or so months,
and she is awesome.
She is funny, sweet, and an amazing blog designer.
I am actually working with her on a couple of secret projects.
If you are in the market for a new friend (which, lets be honest, finding new friends is mainly why we all blog)
or a new blog design, she is my current #1 recommend.

"Hi, lovelies! My name is Bobbi-Jo {parents thought I was going to pop out a boy, let me tell you how fun middle school was with a name like that} and I blog over at Today, I'm Bobbi. I spend my days working on brand strategy and design and trying to figure out why the Lohan family can't pull their lives together or at least try to be crazy in private. I blog about life, music, books, design, and my ongoing struggle to behave like an actual adult. I'm looking forward to meeting you! :)"

BLOG: SHOP

Ceilidh

Ceilidh (pronounced Kay-lee) 

is traditional Irish/Scottish dancing..

and Stephen and I are about to take part in this fun tradition at a wedding tomorrow in Northern Ireland!

(yes we are going back to Northern Ireland tonight...a blog friend commented on my last NI post and said, "I love how you can casually say, 'We're going to fly up to Ireland..' as if you're going to a taco stand." ...and it is actually starting to feel that way..minus the tacos..and mexican food altogether)

I have been dieing to go to a ceilidh since I moved to Scotland,

so I was pretty pumped when Stephen's friend said she was having one at her wedding.

It's kind of like in the states when you go to a country western bar for some square dancing.
(I had to do square dancing at camp in fifth grade and I was PISSED I didn't get paired up with my crush..life is hard when you are eleven)

I found this video on youtube..it is sorta cheesy and hilarious.

But it gives you an idea of what a Ceilidh looks like.

Men are wearing kilts.

You'll love it.

If you really knew me...

saw this post first from my friend Jenni...and then saw it all over after that..I loved it so I thought I would play along :)

If you really knew me...

 You would know that I cannot eat sandwiches without fries or chips..

Okay,

I CAN do it, but I don't like it..at all.

I need the crunch.

If you really knew me you would know that I have a horrible fear and phobia of throwing up.

I hate it more than anything in the world...

and it is this fear that has kept me from having slumber parties,

going to summer camps,

etc.

All because I am scared I will get sick while I am there.

If you really knew me you would know that I hate sharing bathrooms with other people.

The only people I can share a bathroom with is my immediate family (mom and bro)

and a significant other.

I will literally not go somewhere and stay the night if it means I have to share a bathroom because it gives me so much anxiety.

It has nothing to do with hygiene or cleanliness..but I think it goes back to the fear of getting sick thing...

I haven't psychoanalysed myself fully on this topic yet.
(public restrooms for #2 is not even an option)

If you really knew me you would know I do not have a relationship with my dad. I haven't been able to bring myself to talk about it on the blog yet..but maybe this is a good start.

If you really knew me you would know that I used to pick my nose and wipe it on anything and everything other than a tissue. Some may call it gross, I call it resourceful.

You would know I am allergic to caffeine, dislike the color purple, and love my forehead rubbed

If you really knew me you would know that I want to teach psychology/neuroscience when I get back to the USA (I can't teach in the UK due to different requirements for teachers out here)

 You would know that some days I physically cannot move due to back pain stemming from a car accident years ago, and that I go to physical therapy once a week to try to get me mobile again.


 You'd  know that I am super sensitive; one mean comment will have me in tears for an entire day, seeing someone cry on tv or in a movie has me in tears even if its the likes of Kim Kardashian or one of the Real Housewives, reading or seeing news of horrible tragedy has me fighting back sobs, and don't even get me started on abused animal commercials/shows.
. 

If you really knew me..

You would know that I hate the cold (er..you may actually know this) and get really bad seasonal affect disorder in the winter.

You would know that I happily share information about my life, and love to know other people's stories.

You'd  know I have an obsession with golden retrievers and HAVE to pet one anytime I see one on the street.

you'd know I love psychological thrillers, criminology, naps, fresh flowers, and good food.



Okay..now that I feel vulnerable..
Tell me something about you!
Or if you have done this post,
link to it in the comments so I can read yours :)

Sweetest Engagement gift

Recognize those words?

yes?

It's because I wrote them!

My sweet sweet blog friend Candis took the words from my blog and made them into this beautiful typography print as an engagement gift to me.

I got super teary-eyed when I saw this in my inbox..

It was such a kind and thoughtful gesture...

This is a piece of my story..

my journey..

and it is so special and sacred to me.

 I love that she has turned it into something so lovely for me to have displayed in my home...

a constant reminder to not only take hold of second chances,

but believing you deserve nothing less in life than spectacular.

Candis even put it up in her shop if you want to download it for yourself..

but be warned,

she has some amazing necklaces in that shop that you are probably going to want to buy..

The blog world is just so good.

August

I am holding spots for August Sponsors!!

I have very limited spots available so contact me to reserve yours! 

(If you want..duh)

iReland

1. The church where our union will kick off  | 2. heaven | 3. baby boy| 4. People gathered to watch a wedding

brothers

I gathered two bits of information from this weekend..

1. Getting married in Stephens hometown means the whole town will come to stand outside the church (the uninvited ones) to watch the arrival of the bridal party and bride; and they love nothing more than to exchange opinions on what everyone looks like. 

 No pressure or anything. 

Lucky for me Stephen is a hometown celeb and is marrying an american...

 His family seemed to be excited about how many people should be expected to come for the show..

gulp.

2. Mommy dog boobies get really big..

I am now officially scared to breastfeed after watching the puppies pull and tug on their mommy's nipples all day every day. 

Her giant nips gave me the chills on the inside.

Just popping in...

chillen with my babies

Just popping in to say hello,

and show you what I have been doing for the past few days..

this photo pretty much sums it up.

We are not taking any home with us, unfortunately...

one day..

one day...

We leave N. Ireland tonight,

but then come back again in five days for a wedding!

I will be back tomorrow to share some photos,

and some fun information regarding weddings in Stephens hometown.

Oh and btw..

we set a date.

eep.

Vitality Magazine Giveaway

Today I have a super special giveaway from my girl Debbi..

You may know her name because it is sitting right there on my sidebar..

she is the talent behind that lovely water color sketch in my header.

Debbi also recently launched an online Magazine called Vitality that gives a voice to musicians, artists, writers, designers and all those creative and not yet discovered.

Today Debbi is giving away a free print copy of her magazine along with 

TWO custom sketches!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This needed a blog post

My little brother said this blog needs more of him on it...

so I am about to grant him his request..

with a video of him after he got his wisdom teeth out...

best.thing.ever.

warning: This is my little brother...high on meds..so a highly innapropriate comment is made within the first few minutes.

apologies.

sorry about the sideways filming.

My mom is still learning how to use her iphone..

she has had it for like a year..

My personal favorite lines: "wow, you're like a magician"

"I am taking my yearbook photo tomorrow" (he graduated high school like four years ago...)

"Don't be so judgemental"

"She's pretty"

"I wonder if she would go for a man that lives with his mom"

"okay, finger police"

Puppies

The night we got engaged was the night we found out Stephen was going to be a daddy...

to a litter of puppies!
(not birthed by me..for the record)

Did you just pee yourself for a second there?

His dog back at home in N. Ireland gave birth to five puppies on July 4th.

Unfortunately,

one of them recently had to be put down due to a cleft palate :(

We are flying up on Sunday to go nuzzle the rest of them...

and maybe check out a few wedding venues ;)

If you dont already,

you can follow me on instagram to see what we are up to in Ireland

username: msgram

I'll leave you with a few awesome ladies to keep you entertained while I roll around in some puppies.

*******

Erin is the hilarious, sarcastic, and sometimes innapropriate blogger behind the blog Living in Yellow.

So basically she is a lot like me..

And assuming you like me (right..??)

you will definitely like her too.

"Hello you lovely people you. My name is Erin and I write over at Living In Yellow. A blog that is dedicated to absolutely nothing at all. I take that back. It is dedicated to all things humorous, embarrassing, and meaningless. Which really keeps it pretty easy to write. You can learn more about me here. I would love for you to pay a visit to my parts. And by parts I mean blog. That could've been awkward. "

BLOG

**********

Sando (coolest name ever) is the amazing self taught healthy DELICIOUS food-cook over at 

The Daily Deelight.

She says she is a Bethenny Frankel wanna-be,

and as someone who LOVES Bethenny and has been compared to her a time or two,

this makes me fall even more in love with Sando..

because good cooking with a little sarcasm thrown on top is my kind of blog.

"Well hey Across The Pond readers! I'm Sando from The Daily Deelight. My blog is a mix of food, fun, fashion, with a dash of sarcasm sprinkled on top. I'm a teacher by day and a Bethenny Frankel wannabe by night. Interesting combo, aye? I started my blog as a way of keeping track of the recipes I throw together in my kitchen...because sometimes they're kinda fabulous [toot-toot, that was my own horn]. I like to keep it real, keep myself amused, and drop it like it'shott. Sound like something you could digg? I would be deelighted if you stopped by to say hello! Toodles :)"

BLOG

******

Sienna is a girl after my own traveler heart,

except she has FAR surpassed me when it comes to the amount of places we have been..

This girl is full of life and adventure,

and I really admire her ability to go anywhere and do anything.

If you want to see the world,

go to her blog immediately.

Hi guys, I'm Sienna from Peace, Love, Wander. I'm a graduate student at NYU and I have a severe case of wanderlust. I grew up traveling all the time, moving constantly from place to place in a rather bohemian sort of lifestyle and it instilled a desire in my adult life to see as much of the world as possible. I'm a bit gypsyish and a wild child at heart, I don't own a hair brush, and I never wear shoes, but I love life and culture and am completely fascinated by how life goes on outside my own sphere of influence. I've recently returned from Thailand and the Caribbean, and I'm currently traveling through Croatia, Northern Africa, and Amsterdam. Follow along with me at www.peacelovewander.com ! 

BLOG

Wedding Plans (subject to change..a million times)

all via my pinterest here

So naturally, a lot of you have asked where Stephen and I will be getting married.

We have talked about it a lot,
and gone back and forth many a times..
But the one constant is that we will definitely be getting married in the UK..
Northern Ireland to be specific.

Ideally we want to do a more formal wedding in Ireland,
and then a very informal gathering in the USA.

For now, our focus is on the Northern Ireland affair,
since for me, it is going to be the most difficult to plan..
and planning one in California can basically be taken care of all in one trip out there..

that may seem a little backwards..
you would think it would be harder to plan a wedding from another country..
But I am finding it harder to plan a wedding in a country I am totally unfamiliar with.
I know california, I know everyone there (yes, I know the entire state of california), and have a whole lot of friends who work in the industry..
But planning a wedding in northern ireland?
I am at a total loss.
My bffs/bridesmaids and family all reside in so-cal..
and if i am being totally honest with you,
I feel completely alone here in planning this for a few different reasons.
(Stephen is a wonderful help..but I mean, he is a boy).

We had initially planned to do this giant destination wedding (for the americans)
but the thought of having to coordinate a group of people who would be paying a lot of money,
and taking a lot of time out to come here,
actually made me physically ill.

One thing you may not know about me,
is that i am a huge people pleaser and worrier..
And as much as everyone would be like "it's your day! just worry about you two!"
it would NEVER happen that way for me.
I would stress throughout the whole thing making sure everyone was okay.

So we ex'ed that idea and that is how the two weddings was born.


We still need to find a venue,
but what I love about having a wedding in the UK is the venue possibilities.
Castles? Huge Historical manor houses?
Totally do-able and shockingly affordable.

The date is for June of next year.

So you get a whole year of me talking about this process..
(I know, you are pumped)

Anyone out there ever have to plan a wedding in a country foreign to them?
Any expats out there have a destination wedding for people from your home country in your current country, or any destination wedding couples out there at all?
Anyone want to come out here and help me? ;)



On a related kinda unrelated note...
I had quite a few people ask about my ring..
and I was originally going to post yesterday,
but then I got uncomfortable and thought people might think I was being too forward or something..
( I do actually hold back sometimes..who knew?)
but, for those that asked and want to know,
it is a oval cut blue sapphire with two pear diamonds on either side. It is set in a platinum setting on a yellow gold band.
And yup, I told Stephen I wanted a sapphire and yellow gold.
I wanted it to be unique and different, but also timeless.
And I wear mostly all yellow gold..
so duh.
I am IN LOVE with it!

The next day

should have painted my nails. #engagementfail

We did a little after engagement photo shoot..

to remember the moment..

and for posting purposes (obviously)

Tomorrow I am going to be answering the burning question of "Where are we getting married..UK, US, both, neither and when!?"

Well, i'll try to answer.

I promise this week will be the last week of engagement/marriage talk for awhile..

unless you beg..

then I may oblige.

I am very selfless like that

Part IV- Engagement

“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.” 
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

I wrote out our "love story" awhile back...

Not really knowing where this was going,

but having a pretty decent idea...

(you don't typically stay thousands of miles away from friends, family, and sun, for someone you just kinda like).

Life can give you whiplash with how fast it changes on you..

but I always told myself no matter what trials and hardships I faced,

that I would continue to believe in love..

believe in fairy tales..

and believe in second chances.

Yesterday Stephen told me he wanted to surprise me with a small trip..

I woke up at 9am (basically the crack of dawn)

got myself ready,

and walked down the seven flights of stairs to the car

(Its always important for me to throw in how many flights of stairs we have to walk up and down for dramatic effect)

We got in the car and he blindfolded me.

An hour later the blindfold came off and I was outside my FAVORITE place in all of Scotland..

The Cameron House Hotel.

I figured we would lounge by their pool and just relax..

When we got inside S made me wait by the fireplace while he checked in.

He got the room key and he said "Okay, we are going to drop off our stuff in the room and then we are going to the carrick spa."

GASP.

This spa is something I have been observing from a distance via the Internet for a very long time now.

The room was a lovely suite.

I couldn't believe he splurged on such a nice room.

A driver picked us up and drove us to the spa where we were pampered for four hours.

Massage treatments, lunch, infinity pool..

heaven on earth.

When we finished at the spa we came back to the hotel..

Stephen said he had to get the key to the room from the front desk..

then all of a sudden this butler man appears and says "right this way."

We went through the double doors only used by swanky people..

and went up these fancy flights of stairs..

and entered our NEW and even MORE luxurious suite.

Then i got teary eyed because two flat screen tvs and heated floors make me emotional.

There was champagne and chocolates waiting for us,

and big white bathrobes (nuff said).

We showered, snacked, and rested before dinner.

We dined at the Cameron Grill,

which was delicious.

We decided what our posh alter ego names should be,

(Gawfrey and Merriweather for those curious)

and then had dessert.

We got up from the table to leave,

and next thing i know stephen has stopped me.

He turned to me and grabs my hands..

and got really serious..

My face I'm sure went white then red and I said

"oh my god are you really doing this in front of all these people???"

He said some lovely words..

then boom.

he was down on one knee.

The woman next to us screamed.

The restaurant turned to stare..

gasps, yelps, and then a hush.

For those that know stephen,

know that he is a very private, quiet person..

So never in a million years would I have thought he would of proposed in front of a group of people.

My stomach nearly fell out of my butt.

He opened the box and my first reaction to the ring was

"holy shit"

I know..

classy.

It just happened so fast.

And it was so sparkly..

I said yes, duh,

and then everyone cheered and clapped.

A Scottish man married to an American woman bought us drinks,
(the irony)

and the restaurant gave us champagne.
(they told us later all the women in the restaurant were crying)

We sat down at the bar/lounge next door to celebrate,

and when the shock wore off i just started crying.

It could not have been more perfect...

more beautiful..

I feel so blessed to have met a man like stephen,
who cares for me and loves me in the most amazing way.

I feel lucky to have friends,
near and far
those I have met and haven't,
who have loved and supported me through what has been the craziest couple of years..

 I stated this in a post once before...

This is a testament to second chances...
to maintaining integrity..
to healthy separations..
to honesty,
selflessness,
to love,
kindness,
and most all,
to believing you deserve the best in this one life you have been given.

Stephen, my love, you are life's best.

more pictures to come soon...

3x3

Stephen told me today that I need to pack a bag and be ready to leave tomorrow morning for a two day adventure..
I have NEVER been taken away on a surprise trip before,
seriously, never.
So I am really excited.
He said he was just going to pack a bag for me..and have it be even more of a surprise..
but then thought against it
(wise man..)
SO while I am away I thought I would leave you to do a little shopping
(you're welcome)

Yesterday I was doing my usual blog runs..
which includes some of my fav fashion blogs..
and much like after I pinterest for awhile,
I end up walking away feel inspired and super anxious and sweaty..
because I am just not one to drop a lot of money on designer clothes,
even if I could afford it.

I think trends are so interesting,

especially the fact that the same stuff comes in all different price ranges. 

I am not an expert bargain hunter or thrifter,

I just end up getting really overwhelmed,

but like I said I am definitely not the person that will pay a ton of money for any one item of clothing or accessory.

(I let other people do that for me for birthdays or christmas...duh)

I usually try to just find the best quality for the most reasonable price..

fluctuating between high street stores like Zara (obviously)

and stores for great basics like Target.

I thought it would be a fun idea to look at some trends, in the three different price brackets..

to help others like me, see that they can get what they see on their favorite fashion blogs,

for maybe a little less money.

So three trends, three prices.

Maxi Dress

1. Rachel Pally Maxi $238.00 | 2. Asos Maxi $41.43 | 3. Old Navy $26.99

Blazers

1. Rag & Bone $ 346.50 | 2.  Zara $79.99  | 3. Forever 21 $32.80 |





Boyfriend Watches

1. Michael Kors $396.02 | 2.  Guess $135.00 | 3. Asos $49.71 |



PS

To all of my American readers..
Tell the USA I say Happy Fourth of July tomorrow!
*tear*

Ramblings

THIS is what Summer is supposed to look like, FYI. (side eye scotland)

1. I know I never complain or talk about the weather....

But it is now July...and Scotland still continues to think it is December...

2. There is such a thing as too much Keeping up with the Kardashians....trust me..after this weekends marathon, I would know.

3.   {after being in the country and seeing a little boy playing with a dog and feeding a horse}

S: I want to raise kids with lots of animals around, tons of land, fresh prawjuice, and running around and actually being outdoors and being a kid.

me: Me too...I meant to ask..what is prawjuice?

S: Prawjuice? like fresh vegetables and fruits and stuff..home grown.

Me: oh.......wait. You mean PRODUCE??

S: yea. prawjuice.

Me: right. The way that word is supposed to be pronounced can totally be confusing...but also not at all.

4.  Facebook is EXPLODING with engagements, marriages, pregnancies, and new birth announcements. It is a happy world in facebook right now. I just want to curl up inside it.

5.  Does it ever seem like people are just sitting and WAITING for someone to say something that they can argue with? A good friend of mine posted something on fb about not wanting to see a certain film..OMG HOW DARE SHE..but you would have though she had said "I HATE PUPPIES AND KITTENS AND RAINBOWS AND HAPPINESS" you know, something that people maybe should get upset about in response. This makes me really nervous sometimes when I blog, because i feel like if i say "I cannot stand Salad" people are gonna be all "WHAT? HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE SALAD? YOU LIVE IN A WORLD OF DARKNESS AND DESPAIR..unfollow"

6. For the record, I do like salads.

7. Stephen has wednesday and thursday off this week (random) and I am looking forward to going on an adventure and discovering new places that will hopefully make me like scotland again. Because right now we are fighting (Scotland and I)

8. I started lifting weights. They are actually just the bars that you put the weights on because the bars are like 5 lbs and adding weights is way too heavy (like 10lbs). baby steps.

9.  little fact about me: I actually used to be somewhat active back in the day before my back decided to rebel against me and put me out of commission for a year. But we are getting back on track people (pun intended).

10. this post happened because the only eventful thing that occurred this weekend was #2

11. t-5 months until I am back in california!