October 2024:
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Southern Belle in Training!
Highs of the Month:
- I got to attend my first NFL game with Ryan and his family! We went up to DC to see the Washington Commanders play the Carolina Panthers. I felt like I lucked out in so many ways for this being my first NFL experience. 1) The weather was perfect that day. 2) I was excited about both teams. Excited for the Commanders since they're the closest team to Virginia Beach (and are doing well this year), and was also intrigued to see the Panthers, since I went to school in Charlotte. My senior year of college is the last year the Panthers went to the Super Bowl. 3) I had three guys from my Fantasy Football team this year playing in this game.
- I took a wonderful little day trip to Edenton on one of my days off work to visit my aunt and uncle. They were on vacation during my bridal shower and bachelorette weekend in Edenton in September, so it had been awhile since I'd seen them. We had a great lunch downtown and also did some shopping at a few of my favorite Edenton stores.
- I hit the goal I had set for myself for LTK affiliate link earnings on my blog and Instagram for the month of October. Between wedding planning and my career change this year, I haven't had as much time to give to blogging in 2024 as I had originally hoped. So having small wins like this one means a lot to me! I am truly so appreciative of everyone who shops through the links on my blog and Instagram.
Lows of the Month:
- Wedding planning stress got rough for me. Mid-October (about a month out from our date) is when things started getting both very stressful and very expensive. I feel like I've done a good job with wedding planning for most of our time engaged by breaking up tasks as much as I could, and balancing everything I had to do well over large chunks of time. But of course there is a lot that you do need to wait to do once you have a final headcount, and I have found that last push before the wedding of things to do is just so overwhelming. I definitely let the stress get to me on a personal level, and in my relationship with Ryan.
- I didn't get to dress up or do anything for Halloween this year. One of my days off work happened to fall on Halloween (Thursday), so I didn't get to dress up for work for the first time in many years. I ended up having a lot of wedding stuff to do that day and it wasn't the most fun day off. Hopefully next year I can once again dress up for work, or at the very least plan a fun costume for a blog or Instagram post!
- This is kind of a funny one, but I had one of the worst meals at a restaurant that I've had in years with Ryan's family after we went to the Washington Commanders game! There is a Ruby Tuesday a few miles from the stadium that we went to. 10/10 do not recommend! All in all, attending the game was a great day, but it didn't end on the best note with such a bad restaurant experience, lol.
October Weekend Recaps:
- 4th-6th: I was off work Friday, and had my first wedding dress alterations appointment in the morning! Ryan and I went to get our marriage license in the local courthouse in the afternoon, and then we went out to dinner at Longhorn that evening. I worked on Saturday, and then went to check out a local Indian culture festival with my friend Bea after work! On Sunday, Ryan and I went for a walk at Norfolk Botanical Garden, and then I worked on wedding stuff the rest of the day.
- 11th-13th: I was unexpectedly off work for the whole weekend! I went to walk to Norfolk Botanical Garden on Friday, and also picked up my wedding dress from alterations. On Saturday Ryan had golf plans with his coworkers, so I took a day trip to Edenton, NC to see my aunt and uncle. On Sunday, I went to church, and then attended a fun Halloween themed tea at a local tea shop with a few other ladies, thanks to my friend Amanda for organizing a little group of us to attend!
- 18th-20th: I worked on Friday and Saturday. Bright and early Sunday morning, Ryan and I headed up to the DC area for the Commanders game with his family! We went to a big tailgate with several of his aunt's coworkers, and then enjoyed the game. We spent the night in the area, and then drove back home on Monday.
- 25th-27th: I worked Friday and Saturday, but we did have fun plans Saturday night. Ryan and I attended our final wedding of 2024 as guests! My friend Maddy married her fiance Trent in Virginia Beach on the most beautiful day. Their wedding had a Black Tie Optional dress code, so I got to wear one of my more formal dresses, which is always fun! On Sunday, I worked on more wedding planning stuff, and a wedding DIY project.
October Purchases:
- I did a little shopping on my day trip to Edenton this month! I found the most darling floral applique sweater that I had to get. The one I purchased is from Simply Stated Boutique, but this one is almost identical!
- I found the most comfortable jeans at Simply Stated Boutique in Edenton! Such a good find. My aunt kindly bought them for me as a belated birthday present.
- Not a color that I normally wear, but I purchased this bright yellow-gold cardigan to wear to the Washington Commanders game! It was perfect for my game day look and very comfy, but since I don't normally wear this hue I'm not sure how often I'll wear it. I would consider buying it in another color though!
- I've been on a quest to find the perfect affordable pair of white wide leg dress pants. I wanted them to wear with a cute top for a dinner on our upcoming honeymoon, and knew I'd also find many reasons to wear them regularly after that, too! THIS pair is an absolute winner! High quality, flattering and comfortable to wear. They come in tons of other colors besides for white, too. I would however not recommend these pants. I returned them immediately! Poor quality that looked nothing like the photos, and my pair showed up in the wrong size and with a stain.
- Totally fell victim to a Facebook ad for this super cute going out top! I had been on the hunt for the perfect outfit for a concert I'm going to in December, and this is absolutely it!
October Wishlist:
- I am crushing on this sequin skirt for the holiday season! I am tempted to order it for the annual Christmas party that I throw.
- A classic oversized striped shirt at a great price. I love how many color options this comes in!
- I'm such a sucker for a classic and feminine pink winter coat. This one is just perfect.
- I saw this shimmery blouse in-store while running an errand at the mall a couple weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. So lovely for the holiday season, but also work appropriate!
October Blog Posts:
God Bless,
xoxo Annaliese
Hopefully wedding planning is easy going and not too stressful! It's hard not to get overwhelmed in it. It's totally worth it! Your wedding will be awesome. And way to go on hitting your LTK goal!
ReplyDelete