Dogs at Weddings

If you have a dog and are debating whether or not you should include him or her in your wedding — the answer is YES! But, please, do not dress them in cheesy tuxedos and frilly dresses. After a quick Pinterest search I found a few cute pups ready to walk down the aisle. Enjoy!

 

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Keep is simple and sophisticated with a thin ribbon and fresh flower.

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If your pooch is well-behaved opt for a full wreath with flowers that compliment your bouquet. Make sure the flowers are dog friendly!

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Match your dogs bow tie with the wedding party for a chic look.

If you are looking for dog friendly attire check out these Etsy shops – LA Dog Shop, Bow Wow Couture and Me and Matilda.

Happy planning! xoxo

Life of the Party

Check out the party I styled for Borrow the Bash — a little side project I am working on. And, check out who is grazing in the background — Louie! The best horse and perfect model.

Want to learn more about Borrow the Bash? Email me at theundomesticbride (at) gmail.com.

 

 

Getting to know Kalla

During the day my job requires me to scan local newspapers to find mentions of the organization I work for. To some it’s a tedious task, but to me it’s a great way to stay on top of things and even discover a new recipe, restaurant or trendy business.

Earlier this year, I came across a  short mention about Kalla, a floral design company that serves Miami and Chicago. I’m usually not a fan of flowers. I think they are beautiful, but I can do without lame floral arrangements for Valentine’s Day, or a box of flowers I have to arrange myself for my birthday. Typically, they only last a few days, and I can really do without the flowery aftermath of a vase filled with slimy leaves and dingy water…But my hatred quickly disappeared when I started reaching Kalla. I was immediately drawn in by the gorgeous blooms and chic vases, so I snipped the mention and tucked it in my bag for safe keeping….Fully aware that my husband would soon inquire about what I wanted for our anniversary.  I’m proactive…what can I say!

Without fail, my husband asked about gifts as our anniversary approached, and I casually handed him the newspaper clipping. A few weeks later, a beautifully packaged floral arrangement arrived at my doorstep. I was smitten…with the box. It was amazing.

The flowers also didn’t disappoint. They were fresh and possessed a strong but not overpowering floral scent that lingered in the room — it was heavenly– and theywere arranged in a fancy vase, which tied everything together and matched perfectly with my office.

 

Kalla definitely {hand} delivered a quality product. Did I mention the arrangements are delivered using a white glove delivery service? How cool is that?  They also offer same day delivery if the order is placed by 11 a.m.

Oh, and there’s also a box of chocolate perfectly positioned in the velvet lined box. Really, really delicious chocolate.

I was over the moon with my anniversary gift, and I am now a huge fan of Kalla. They know how to make someone feel special, and their attention to detail is impeccable. They sent a card to my husband a few days later to thank him for his order. A+ for customer service!

Based on my experience of receiving the Kalla Bea & the Lady floral arrangement as a gift, I highly recommend them to anyone looking for an out of the box present for a special someone….or even yourself. I’m debating about ordering the Athena & Artemis just because.

For more information on Kalla, visit Kalla.com or call 1.888.580.2462.

Enjoy!  xoxo

 

 

Dream it, believe it, achieve it

“She turned her can’ts into cans and her dreams into plans.”

Day 2 and 3: Going Vegetarian – Tacos

I confess. I cheated and had a few chicken tenders last night (day two) while out celebrating a friend’s birthday.  I tried really hard to resist the urge, but my day was stressful, and all I wanted to do was indulge in fried food while sipping a strawberry martini. Sad I know.  But don’t worry, I am back on track. For tonight’s dinner we tried Beyond Meat, a gluten-free and soy-free beef substitute, and made one of our favorite meals — tacos!

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I was pleasantly surprise with how good the beef-free crumbles were.  They didn’t taste fake or processed and the consistency was very comparable to ground beef. I especially like the seasoning.  We opted for the “fiery” option and it had a slight kick but it wasn’t overpowering at all.  It tasted just like the seasoning we would have normally used if we bought one of those handy taco seasoning packages at the store.  Oh, and the best part…The beef-free crumbles just need to be reheated to eat so prep time is minimal.

I don’t have a recipe that I can share…Basically, we just used the Beyond Meat Beef-Free crumbles, opened a can of black olives, chopped some lettuce, green and red onions and had some salsa and sour cream on the side.  Instead of hard shells, we used soft flour tortillas. Super simple but satisfying.

Day three was definitely better than day two, and I promise no more cheating…well unless martinis are involved!

enjoy! xoxo

Going Vegetarian: Day One – Stir Fry

It’s day one of our vegetarian challenge, and I’m {somewhat} confident that we go seven days without meat. Tonight we made vegetarian Stir Fry, which was basically a smorgasbord of vegetables thrown in a frying pan and drizzled with a store bought Szechuan sauce.

The original recipe was discovered on Pinterest. We added in a few additional colorful veggies to add some pizzazz and served tonight’s meal with quinoa to add a little substance.  The results…Delicious, but I just finished eating, and I’m already hungry again….

 

 

Cabbage and Mushroom Stir Fry {…with a few extra veggies for a pop of color}
adapted from divinehealthyfood.com

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1 scallion
2 cloves garlic
A pinch of red pepper flakes
½ medium cabbage (about 4-5 cups chopped)
5 mushrooms (about 1 cup)

1 red pepper

baby bok choy

1 cup shredded carrots
¼ teaspoon Himalayan/sea salt
2-3 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce (optional)
favorite Szechuan or stir fry sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
A sprinkle of ground pepper

Instructions

1. Wash and chop the cabbage into small pieces.
2. Slice your mushrooms into 4-5 thin slices, peel and chop the garlic into small pieces, chop the scallions lengthwise in small pieces and chopped the red pepper and bok choy.

3. In a frying pan, add the olive oil, scallions, garlic and red pepper flakes.

4. Turn the heat on medium high and let it warm up for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, bok choy, red peppers  and salt and let it saute for about 5 minutes, be sure to stir!

5. Add two teaspoons of low sodium soy sauce and taste, if it needs more, add another teaspoon. Otherwise, add the Szechuan sauce to taste, garlic powder, paprika and pepper. Saute for another 5 minutes and turn the heat off and serve.

 

We were invited to go out to dinner tomorrow night to celebrate a friend’s birthday. I’m a little nervous about dining out. So many meaty temptations. Wish me luck! And if you have any restaurant vegetarian suggestions, please let me know.  xoxo

NOH8 Campaign – Posing for Equality

I’ve been following the NOH8 campaign for a while and have been anxiously waiting for the organization to take their cause to South Florida. Luckily, a few weeks ago my husband and I had the opportunity to finally show our support and strike a pose.

The NOH8 Campaign is a photographic silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photo participants are featured with a painted “NOH8” symbol  on their cheek and duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world.

The event was held at the Westin in Fort Lauderdale and to participate the rules were pretty simple — come camera ready, wear white and pose and make a statement. A challenge my husband and I were ready to take.

To prepare for the shoot I headed over to Blow and Go in Parkland and had an amazing team of glam fairies help me get ready for my close up. After my hair was curled and make-up was perfected, we headed over to the hotel, filled out our paperwork and patiently waited our turn — taking #selfies to help pass the time.

 

The atmosphere was incredible and the room was full of positive energy and love.  Everyone was there for a reason and it was an amazing feeling. When our number was finally called, we donned the infamous duct tape and were greeted by Adam Bouska, the photographer.  He was extremely friendly, welcoming and easy to work with. In fact, he hugged and thanked every single person he photographed. He positioned us in a few poses and snapped away.  He even gave us a sneak peek of the photos, and from what I saw, they looked awesome! We were told the photos take about 8-10 weeks to receive, and I believe you receive one or two from the bunch. I can’t wait to see them.

On our way out, we decided to take one last photo, thankfully a few volunteers offered to help. Overall, the experience was amazing, and I highly recommend participating, if equality is your thing… To see if the campaign is coming to a city near you, check out the event page on the NOH8 website. Take a stand and join the fight, because if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.

enjoy! xoxo

 

 

Fashion Friday: California Chrome

Today’s post is dedicated to California Chrome, the product of a $10,000 breeding investment, Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner and latest contender for the Triple Crown. I don’t usually follow horse racing too closely, but California Chrome has a great story, and he has been really exciting to watch. Plus, I have a soft spot for horses.

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Since California Chrome’s colors are purple and green, today I am posting my favorite purple and green combos to commemorate the American Thoroughbred on his way to make history. Good luck!!

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Cheer on California Chrome on Saturday as he races in the Belmont Stakes.

Fashion Friday: A day at the beach

I put together this laid back pool outfit but lost all of my sources! I’m sharing it as my first Fashion Friday post, a weekly update I hope continue.  Enjoy! And, if you know where I can buy the cover up and sandals, please let me know!

 

 

Simple Watermelon Margaritas

If you are a fan of watermelon you are going to love this simple margarita recipe. My husband and I whipped up a pitcher last night and the drinks were a huge hit. In fact we had to quickly make another batch because they were so good. And, they were really easy to make, which I loved, and they paired perfectly with the chicken tacos we served for dinner.

Now,  I am not a fan of tequila and rarely order margaritas when I go out. But, this watermelon margarita recipe had a subtle hint of tequila thanks to the lemonade, fresh watermelon juice and triple sec. However, don’t let all of the juice  fool you, these drinks had a kick!

Simple Watermelon Margaritas
Makes one pitcher

Ingredients:
5 oz of your favorite white tequila (add more or less to taste)
2 oz of Triple Sec or orange liquor (add more to taste)
2 or 2 1/2 cups of lemonade – I used a store-bought brand called Simply Lemonade
1 – 2 tablespoons of sugar
1 1/2 cups of fresh watermelon juice (cut in cubes and toss in the blender)
1 1/2 cup of frozen watermelon cubes (use as a garnish in the pitcher and each cup)
2 cups of ice, or as needed
2 limes

Directions:
In a blender, puree the watermelon and sugar until smooth. Pour the puree through a fine mesh strainer (I did this for the first pitcher but not the second…and you couldn’t tell the difference). Transfer the liquid to a pitcher and add the lime juice, tequila and 2 ounces of the Triple Sec. Stir to combine and top with frozen watermelon.

This recipe is perfect for summer, Saturdays or signature wedding drink. Enjoy! xoxo