Month: October 2016

{ Laura & Augie’s Wedding Weekend }

On By mrs. harrisIn Friends, Gratitude, Seattle, WeddingLeave a comment

One of the most fun weekends of the summer was our first trip TOGETHER back to Seattle to celebrate Laura and Augie’s nuptials. Zach and I had each attended their bachelor and bachelorette parties and we couldn’t wait to be back in the PNW for the occasion.

Summer in Seattle is like no other place on earth. Zach’s parents have the most incredible view of the Puget Sound from their condo so day one of basking in the glow was the BEST!

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Rehearsal Dinner Luau. Laura and Augie hosted a luau-themed rehearsal dinner at their beautiful new home in North Seattle which also overlooks the Sound. It is a stunning property and Laura has made it a cozy yet elegant home. The evening was a reunion of sorts for all of Zach’s old Kappa Sigma college buddies as well as a reunion with our nearest and dearest friends in the Northwest. They went all out with Hawaiian attire, Hawaiian beer (and of course champs), as well as a food truck with Hawaiian food. We loved every moment! And true to form, the Seattle summer sunset did not disappoint.

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And of course I insisted on a cheesy photo shoot… 😉

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Wedding Day! The next day was a beautiful sun-shining day in Seattle! The boys went golfing while the girls worked out and brunched and at 3:30pm we all gathered at Laura’s parents’ house for the big day. Laura’s parents’ house is picture perfect – it belongs in a magazine! According to Laura, when her parents were building the house she had some major input into the design and layout as she knew she wanted to get married there one day. It was so special to see her and her family’s vision finally come to fruition.

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Augie’s sister, Jessica, was the officiant and it was a sentimental, intimate ceremony. Our most favorite part was when Jessica passed the rings through the congregation so everyone could touch the rings and bestow well wishes upon them for the happy couple. We had never seen that before and absolutely loved the sentiment. Laura was a stunning bride! She had done a last minute dress swap and boy was it worth it! You looked gorgeous, girl! (I may have cried a little!)

After the ceremony the catering crew flipped the outdoor lawn to create a seaside dinner. The guests went back to the house to enjoy appetizers and cocktails but Z and I were the most PUMPED for the oyster bar. We are missing Northwest oysters so much in NYC. The East Coast oysters are giant and lack flavor and we’ve just given up trying to find decent ones in New York. Needless to say, we hovered around the oyster bar for most of the cocktail hour.

The crew was also lookin’ mighty fine that day…

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The evening included the traditional wedding formalities of speeches, dinner, and toasts but every moment was inherently Laura and Augie. The sunset was spectacular and it definitely made us miss our Northwest home. We were so grateful to share a table with some of our closest friends and then bust a move on the dance floor all. night. long. True to tradition, Z and I were the first ones on the dance floor and worked it until the final song played. The night was a BLAST.

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Augie & Laura: We hope your day was everything you had planned it would be and so much more! It was an honor to be a part of it and share in your intentional, thoughtful, and gorgeous day. Your vows touched our hearts and we can’t wait for you to enjoy this newlywed season of life. It truly is the BEST. We love you and wish you a lifetime of adventures in love! 

{ Visit to SoCal }

On By mrs. harrisIn Family, Friends, Manhattan Beach, Zach <3Leave a comment

In addition to being back in LA for Allie and Eric’s wedding we had several days to spend time with my family and friends. It is likely our only trip to SoCal this year and we cherished every minute of time we had there.

Jess & Newport Beach. My soul sister and best friend Jess lives in Orange County and we had to make a visit to see her darling beach bungalow apartment and show Zach Newport Beach and the Peninsula. Jess and I have spent a lot of time there over the years so it was a blast to reminisce and visit some old bars and restaurants we used to frequent. The visit was not without a stop at a real deal Mexican restaurant. The Mexican cuisine is SoCal has yet to be matched in any of the other cities I’ve lived in so I always make a point to eat a local spot when I’m home. And of course, we had to make a trip to the beach to put our toes in the sand and ocean. I miss it so much! Thank you for hosting us for the day, Jess! We loved seeing your digs!

Parents Night Out. My parents wanted to show me and Z their favorite new spot at the Hermosa Pier, Greenbelt, so we made it a night out and had dinner and drinks by the beach. Dinner was followed by one of our go-to’s that makes the BEST speciality cocktails, La Pamilla. Even though we had just seen my parents in NYC it felt so good to have the more quality time with them to pick up where we left off from their visit. Big laughs and strong cocktails!

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Family Friday. I am so lucky to have a family that will go above and beyond to make time to see us when we’re in town, even for the short window of time we had to spare. Grandparents, cousins, aunts, and the kiddos came out to spend the day in Manhattan Beach with us at the house. It was such a wonderful day with good eats, cold drinks, some neighborhood games of Horse, and quality catch-up time.

I insisted on getting a group shot of everyone. The first pic was the best version and the one below it is an example of what the other shots looked like haha. We were just missing Jords & Rick, Uncle Gary, Brooke & Clint, Greg & Nicole, and Jon & Voula!group-shot-nicegroup-shot-prep

One of the highlights of the day was that Papa drove my car, Pearl, from Glendora where he has been keeping it for me. Crazy stupid how much I miss that car! The subway is not nearly as enjoyable as driving your own car. It was so fun to see it again. It feels like I haven’t had my own car in years! Thanks for taking such good care of her, Papa 😉

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The kiddos eventually took off with their GG/my aunt and the adults made our way to a couple of local breweries in Torrance. Loved all the belly laughs and beer tastings with each of you!

So incredibly grateful for all the quality, albeit brief, time I had with all of my family and closest friends. I miss each of you everyday and Z and I can’t WAIT for our next visit! We’re missing California like crazy. Blessed to call such a wonderful place HOME.

Mom & Dad. Miss you everyday. Grateful this long distance life is only temporary and soon we will be back on the same coast! In the mean time, thank you for always being the most gracious and FUN hosts a daughter could ask for!

{ Allie & Eric’s Wedding }

On By mrs. harrisIn Friends, Gratitude, LA, WeddingLeave a comment

Some MAJOR catching up on the blog today! I am going to try to get this blog up to date as we are already in the middle of fall and the blog is still in the middle of summer!

One of my absolute favorite weekends of the year was celebrating one of my oldest friends, Allie, her now hubby, Eric, and their beautiful wedding. Southern California is picturesque year round but this particular day in July was simply stunning. The sun was out, the coast had a cool breeze, and the bride was glowing!

The wedding was particularly special as it meant my high school best friends and I got to reunite, which only happens a couple times a year. We were able to be with the bride before the wedding for getting ready/bonding time and see her off before the ceremony. We met Allie at the Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes, one of the most beautiful resorts in the South Bay, and we enjoyed brunch and champagne while Allie got pampered. It was an emotional and precious time to share with her and for us as a group of close friends to share altogether.

One of my favorites moments was watching Allie, her mother, and her sisters take photos before Allie left for her first look with Eric. The Sevy women looked gorgeous and their close-knit bond glowed with pride for their big sister/daughter. So special!

After the family left the villa for photos, Kelly, Miranda, and Rachel and I enjoyed some classic female bonding, sharing the same mirror getting ready, doing each other’s hair, sipping lots of champagne, and reminiscing on the past 16 years of our friendship. So grateful for these women in my life! Eventually the husbands came to join the fun before we headed to the venue.

We arrived at the venue shortly before the ceremony and it took my breath away. Catalina View Gardens had the view of all views! A panoramic view of Palos Verdes, Catalina, and the Pacific Ocean was an idyllic backdrop for such an occasion. The ceremony itself was authentically Allie and Eric and told their love story of the past eight years. Neither the bride or groom could stop smiling and the happiness was contagious!

Allie was the most STUNNING bride! She was glowing from the inside out. In true Allie form, she was saying hello and giggling to all the guests the whole way down the aisle. Loved watching you soak in every moment, Al!

The reception did not disappoint. Every detail was perfectly executed and delivered the rustic elegance theme beuatifully. From the centerpieces to the lights to the music, every detail was intrinsically Allie and Eric. We danced the night away to classic rock, oldies, top 40, and everything in between. True to form in our group of friends, we were the first and last ones on the the dance floor.

And what wedding is complete without a photo shoot with your gorgeous friends…

Allie & Eric – Thank you for including us in your special day! We are so thrilled for you both and know that the next year as newlyweds will be one of the most memorable of your lives! We will cherish your special day with you always! We can’t wait for more good times together in all the years ahead! We love you!