Winter White.

February 26, 2014 Kelly Donohue

February 26, 2014

Topsfield MA, Salem MA, & Boston MA

While I have certainly been MIA here on the blog front, I have to admit I have a pretty good reason… my sister got married!! In the midst of one of the most bitterly cold and stormy winters that New England has seen in years, she planned a gorgeous, quaint, winter wedding at the beautiful Willowdale Estate in Topsfield MA, and while the week was filled with unexpected snow showers, lightning, and rain, Saturday, her wedding day, turned out to be a “warm” and sunny 48. An unexpected break in a string of chillingly cold and stormy weather, perfectly fitting for a perfect day.

When I arrived in Boston earlier in the week, I remember being astonished, first of all that the plane landed in the middle of the blizzard that was happening and second, about just how much snow had accumulated everywhere. Even though my family provides me with constant weather updates, it doesn’t seem real when you’r living in 70 degree weather every day. Then, as if he was reading my mind, the flight attendant got on the intercom and said “Welcome to Boston. And welcome to an actual, real winter.” I laughed a bit and then quickly found my scarf and hat and braced myself for the frost-filled air that was awaiting me outside.

It was winter alright and I got a heavy dose right away. Quick dinners in the city turned into longer ones, as I attempted to wait out the sudden blasts of snow that set in as we ordered our meals. “Where did that come from?” I’d ask, but no one even seemed to notice. This has become their everyday.

I honestly think the weather made Erin’s wedding even more lovely. She embraced the rainy weather at her rehearsal dinner by wearing adorable blue rain boots (“something blue”) with her white cocktail dress and coat. The few photos that I’ve seen were stunning in the snow and the venue and hotel were both suited for a cozy winter venue. The white candles that flooded the reception area and snow covered windowpanes were truly romantic. Erin glowed in her stunningly classic gown, and my lively family kept the dance floor full throughout the night.

On the way into the church for the rehearsal.

I’m so thrilled that my sister found such a wonderful guy to spend the rest of her life with. She is so happy when he’s around- I could’ve been in LA to feel the love at this wedding. I wish you guys nothing but the very best! xoxo

A Snow Bunny Bachelorette

January 2, 2014 Kelly Donohue

January 3, 2014

Loon Mountain. Woodstock, New Hampshire.

Happy New Year!

I hope you all have had a relaxing holiday break. It feels like centuries since I’ve been able to sit down and blog, but I’m finally back! I wanted take a moment today and deviate from my usual posts to share a bit from my sister’s recent bachelorette weekend. It was a blast and I figured it would be fun to share.

My sister, Erin, has chosen to have her wedding in New England… in the middle of February. Risking a potential blizzard on her special day, she has decided upon the peak of ski season over the typical warmer months that most East coast brides go with, and thus, when planning her bachelorette weekend, I wanted to keep in line with that same wintery theme. Since Erin has already attended quite a few Boston pub crawls I wanted to do something different… and since I also wanted to include a bit of relaxation (for those of her friends who had new babies or were pregnant) with the wild times most bachelorette parties include, I felt like a weekend away at one of the most popular ski resorts in New Hampshire was the perfect fit.

Not knowing much about the area, I relied mostly on the reviews I found online for both dinner/bar/and rental accommodations. Luckily (shockingly??) it all turned out amazing! A few of us got there early and decorated the place with fresh greens we cut from right outside the cabin (errr, I hope that’s okay!), along with candles, white lights, homemade snowflakes, pinecones, and white ribbon. It really doesn’t take a lot to make a place look lovely- some great ideas from Pinterest can really go a long way! The goal was to quickly turn the place from a typical cabin into a page out of Pottery Barn’s winter catalogue… and by the time she got there it (almost) looked like that! Regardless, it definitely looked like a cozy winter wonderland.

On the first night, we got settled in by drinking tons of champagne, eating delicious food, playing Cards Against Humanity, dancing and relaxing. On Saturday, we hit the slopes and took breaks at the slope-side bar. In order to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the diners/bar-goers, we decided to go out in theme… and what could be more fitting for a bunch of ski-side bachelorettes than: SNOW BUNNIES??

When I found these bunny hats on KNITWITS, I nearly screamed with excitement. They were exactly what I was looking for and I knew I had to get them. I told the girls to go nuts with clothing and find sweaters with snowflakes, reindeers, etc. They all went along with my crazy idea and it was so much fun!

I went in search of the perfect all-white snow bunny look for Erin and found these love and snowflake leggings at PINK, and the sparkly white sweater at OLD NAVY.

The rest of the night was an absolute blast and in a smaller mountain town where most of the people seemed to know each other, we stuck out… quite a bit. It was a great getaway for all of us and I think my sister loved it (I hope!)

Every winter, the snow bunnies of the wilderness have to find a way to stay warm. During Erin’s winter wonderland wedding, these snow bunnies will definitely find a way to stay warm, with beautiful dresses, plenty of wine, and lots of laughs. I’m just glad to have gotten things started on the right foot… and I can’t wait to do it all over again at the wedding.

Wedding Hangover

October 3, 2013 Kelly Donohue

October 3, 2013

Cambridge, MA

Greeted after an exceptionally long and delusional redeye, with pumpkin-flavored scones, and hugs, I am truly baffled each time I arrive at Eric’s spacious Boston apartment. How is it that it is four GUYS inhabit this miraculously clean and inviting space? I’m baffled. But after a long trip, it’s been great to have such a welcoming space to look forward to. Now anyone that knows Eric, even just a little bit, knows that he is clearly not responsible for the Martha Stuart living that is going on here, but nonetheless, I am loving it!

That being said, I spent very little time at the Boston Man-escape and most all of it with a group of just plain fantastic women. This past weekend was a whirlwind wedding extravaganza! Yes, that’s really the only way I can describe it. One of my dearest friends from childhood got married on one of the most glorious days of the year, in one of the most beautiful gowns I have ever seen, right in the heart of Boston, and I was able to celebrate with my entire family and close friends. It was truly beautiful. Cori, the stunning bride, thought of every detail: from treating us all to a day at the spa, to teaching us how to learn a traditional Greek dance (her husband was Greek so there was lots of Greek dancing at this wedding) and I personally loved the tradition of the Greek crowns at the ceremony- might be stealing that! It was jam-packed with fun. The bridesmaids were hysterical. We spent most of our downtime sipping mini- champagne bottles in between photos, attempting to do our best Jimmy Fallon #hashtag rants, and stealing one liners from Kristin Wiig in Bridesmaids. What the heck could be better? Oh yeah, singing Miley Cyrus songs at the top of our lungs in the limo… that girl is all the rage right now! All jokes aside, we had an absolute blast and I feel so lucky to have been able to share in such a beautiful day with Cori. It is not often that you hold on to friends as long as we’ve held on to each other. When you find those friends- keep them close and hold on tight! Here’s to you Cori and many years of wedded bliss! #IwishIwasinHawaiiwithyou!

This green pantsuit today is comfy, fun, and may I say a bit of a risk for me. I felt like after days of partying- it was only appropriate to try something new and bold. Perhaps it was all the champagne, perhaps it was the Greek dancing- either way… I love this color for fall. In fact, I’ll go ahead and say it’s one of my favorite colors this season. Pantsuits are certainly not easy to pull off, but I must say, they give you a sense of sassiness and confidence we all need from time to time. Best part about this outfit? The whole thing is under $100 so get inspired!