Ocean Breeze Inspiration Board

Rise and shine, Chickadees!  After getting such a good response from the other two inspiration boards {see them here and here}, I thought I might try adding them in more often.  As most of you know, or maybe don't know, I'm originally from Southern California, and I miss it, oh, roughly a billion times a day!:)  Unlike a lot of SoCal girls though, I never wanted to have a beach wedding--too much sand in too many places!  But, now, that I'm so far away from the beautiful beaches of California, I'm appreciating the idea of a beach wedding more and more!

Florals by Lynne Lucente via Green Wedding Shoes, Anthropologie Bowls, J.Crew Bridesmaid Dress, Ocean Photograph by the amazing, Lane Dittoe, and Ombre Cake by Eat Cake! via Wedding Chicks 

Mmmm, I feel warmer just looking at it!:) Hope your Tuesdays are off to a great start, my dears!  And let me know if there's a colour scheme you'd like to see made into a board--always up for suggestions!:) 

Oh, and I just had to share with all of you that I emailed the lovely Kathryn of Snippet and Ink {basically the Queen of Inspiration Boards} to see if she'd take a little looksie at those other boards, and she just got back to me last night with some great tips!  And to top it all off, she was just as sweet as I'd imagined her to be!  Don't you just love when the people you look up to so much end up being just as wonderful as you always thought--made me so happy!:)

See you all tomorrow!

Jillian Nicole

   

Dreams Don't Work Unless You Do!

Good Morning, Blogettes!  I hope you're all feeling refreshed after your weekends off and ready to jump into this brand new week!  I came across this quote early, early, early this morning and, though I had something else planned for today, thought I'd share it all with you!

{I really wish this came in pink!}

Lately, I've been feeling super guilty about the amount of time I've been spending on my own various projects. But I don't really want to stop.  And that just makes me feel guiltier--it's a seriously viscous cycle!    So many times these past few weeks, Handsome Husband has basically had to drag me away from working on the computer, only to find me scribbling in my notebook two seconds later!  And while I'm still trying to figure out how to create a balanced life, I know that the reason I work so hard at these different things is because I love it!  Obviously, if I was working some awful, dead-end job that I hated, I would be relieved to drop everything at 5 o'clock, and not pick it up again until the next day.  But that's not the case!  I love what I'm doing at this stage in  my life--whether it's blogging, working on styled shoots, or getting ready for a new business venture--they're my dreams and they're not going to magically happen while I sit in the corner and twiddle my thumbs.  This quote was such a good reminder that in order for dreams to be achieved, the dreamer has to put in the effort--and doesn't need to feel guilty for it!  And while I do believe I need to get better at balancing my roles of wife/daughter/friend with my roles as blogger/entrepreneur, I also have resolved to stop feeling guilty about my dreams and the effort I put in to seeing them achieved.        

Now, after that semi-heavy post {which I hope doesn't make all you lovelies run for the hills!}, I'd love to hear from you!  Do any of you ever feel this way or am I just totally selfish?  And, if you have any good life-balancing tips, please do share!:)

Wishing you all a lovely Monday!

Jillian Nicole        

Favourite Weddings Friday

Thank Goodness It's Friday!  I feel like it's been such a jam-packed week, with Handsome Husband and I running in two totally different directions!  But this Saturday marks our 6-month wedding anniversary {celebrating the little milestones!} and I think we're going to take it easy with a cosy night in, hanging out on the couch, and maybe I'll even convince him to go through our hundreds of wedding photographs again!:)  And for your viewing pleasure, my dearest darlings, I have six absolutely, stunning weddings for you to fall head-over-heels in love with!  From a sexy, Hawaiian affair to a darling lobster bake, the wedding world did not disappoint this week!  So kick back, relax, and prepare to swoon over these absolutely gorgeous nuptials!:)

{Old Hollywood, Hawiian Affair by Raquel Reis via Style Me Pretty}

{Sweet Napa Elopement by Lacie Hansen via Once Wed}

{Holy Cow, Gorgeous Wedding Re-do by Aleah Lovely via Style Me Pretty}

{Darling, Cooking Engagement Shoot by Dave Lapham via Green Wedding Shoes}

{Romantic Maui by Beloved Photo Boutique via Style Me Pretty}

{Absolutely Darling, Lighthouse Wedding by Julia Hui via Snippet and Ink}

How adorable is that "lunchbox" of lobster and all the fixins'?!  Anyone choose a favourite?  Let me know if I didn't included your must-see of the week--would love to check it out!:)  Here's to a weekend full of cupcakes {can't eat our top tier yet!}, good friends, and lazy mornings with coffee in bed!

Happy Friday!

Jillian Nicole

Pretty in Pink {and Purple}

Morning, Morning, Morning, Lovelies! I'm running out the door, as we speak, to a little project that I've been working on with some uber talented people {who also happen to have amazing Scottish accents, which just makes it way more fun!}  I can't wait to share what we've been working on,  but for today I thought I'd start by showing you all the Inspiration Board I created for this pretty, little shoot!:)  Hope you all are finishing up a fantastic week, and looking forward to an even better weekend!

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

Obviously, we can all tell that I spend a little too much time on BHLDN planning my second wedding {to the same man of course!!}:)  And can you even get over that gorgeous headpiece on the bottom?  Not sure I'd be brave enough to sport it in public, but man, that would make doing the dishes so much more fabulous!

Have a beautiful day!

Jillian Nicole

Ready for Spring!

Happy Wednesday!  It's been busy, busy, busy over here in my neck of the woods this week, so I hope you'll all forgive me for not having a What I {Wish I} Wore Wednesday ready!  Ugh, only a month into blogging and I'm already lazy! Shame on me!  But how amazing does the new blog look?  When Danielle told me it was up, I barely recognized it!  I love it and hopefully, it's a much prettier and fun place for all you lovelies!:)  So, instead of our usual Wednesday fare, I thought I'd share a few things with you that I'm majorly coveting for Spring right now!

How cute is this Kate Spade bag?  I love the bright pop of orange, and I'm all about cake for breakfast!:)

I ADORE these Sperry Top-Siders from J.Crew.  Like so much.  They're on my Have-to-Have-Or-Else list at the moment, and V-Day is coming up, so if HH doesn't get them for me, I might just have to get myself a little present!:)

I collect these darling Anthropologie plates and get so excited when new ones come out! How sweet is this little Hummingbird?!  I love him!:)

Anyone else getting excited for Spring?  What's on your must have list this year?  Hope you lovelies are enjoying your week, and just think--we're half way to the weekend!:)

See you tomorow! {Still in need of a cute closing! Will think of one soon! Promise!}

Jillian Nicole 

A Bit of Business and A Fun Link-Up Party!

Sorry I'm a bit late with my post today, Lovelies!  It's been a bit hectic around here and only promising to get worse!  So, a few of you may have noticed that my blog address changed last night from uniquelychicevents.blogspot.com to miminicoleblog.blogspot.com.  When I started this blog at the beginning of January, I didn't give the title much thought, but knowing my goals for this year and what I want to accomplish, I feel that it's best to change over right now, before Uniquely Chic sticks and I end up having to keep it forever!  The blog itself is getting a snazzy, little makeover this week, by the very talented Danielle Moss, and I'm so excited to reveal it in all its glory after she's done!  So please be patient with me, blogettes, as I'm trying to switch everything over to the new name and hopefully make this a much prettier place to be!:)

I'm also linking up with Jena at Recently Roached today!  She's doing a super fun, Link-Up party called Wedding Whoops and so far, some of the stories have been pretty great to read! Handsome Husband and I had a pretty easy time of it as far as disaster stories go, but I've never met a bride who's escaped without at least one Wedding Whoops! Here's ours:

When it came time to select who was going to marry us, it was a total no-brainer.  Keith Wilson was HH's pastor at his home church and knew the family very well.  I even ended up working with Keith one summer while I was staying with HH's family and we became great friends!  So, it was really important to both of us that Keith be the one to perform the ceremony.  We were a little hesitant because our wedding was going to be in Southern California, and for those of you who don't know, HH is from England, so it would be quite a trek for Keith to get out to SoCal.  But, we were totally ecstatic when he told us that he would love to marry us!  So with that set, I didn't think another thing about it until the day before the wedding.

About three or four days before the wedding, HH's family and friends {including Pastor Keith} flew into LAX.  Everyone was so excited to see each other and Keith {who actually lived in America for quite a few years} was even more excited to try out all his favourite American restaurants.  Two nights before the wedding, while I was at my Bachelorette party, HH, Keith, and the rest of the family went out to eat at a less than sanitary Mexican restaurant.  Well, the next morning, I received an absolutely frantic phone call {keep in mind this is the day before our wedding} from HH's mum.  Apparently, Brits don't stomach Mexican food quite like us Californians, and Keith and Rob {HH's brother and Best Man} were, well, use your imagination...... I was  in a complete panic, and just could not believe this was happening! Keith had flown all the way out here, only to get food poisoning the day before our wedding!  Who was going to marry us? Who was going to be HH's Best Man???

I was sure after all my careful planning, that this was going to be the end of it!  No pastor, no best man, no wedding!  Of course, I was being completely melodramatic, and everything turned out fine: My Papa guided us through the Rehearsal, Rob felt much better by the end of the day and even joined us for the Rehearsal dinner, and poor Keith was forced to drink about a million gatorades, but when the wedding rolled around, he was front and centre and it was absolutely perfect!

Clearly, it was going to take much more than a bit of food poisoning to put a damper on  our day!:)

Okay, now it's your turn!  Head on over to Jena's blog at Recently Roached and link up your Wedding Whoops! {and if you're a single gal, feel free to dish on all the stuff that went down at your friends' weddings!}

Oh, and one more thing: Now, that I'm giving the blog a little face lift, I need to come up with a new sign off, so I'm putting it out there to you readers, what do you think it should be?

Until I come up with something cuter,

Jillian Nicole

Throwing Caution to the Wind!

Good Morning, lovely Blogettes!  I hope you all had a fab weekend doing something totally, crazy fun or just relaxing on the couch, catching up on episodes of Modern Family {give you one guess as to which one it was for me!}.  Today we're tackling the big question of traditional white vs. coloured wedding dresses.  I'd always thought of myself as firmly in the traditionalist camp when it came to wedding gowns, but even I toyed with the idea of a breathtaking, cappuccino Amsale when I first started looking.  And while, in the end, I went the more traditional route, my heart still beats a bit faster whenever I spy a gorgeous bride who's thrown caution to the wind and embraced something a little wilder, a little more unique, a little more her!

Sequin Heaven

Icy Blue

I absolutely LOVE that she wore a red hot dress on her wedding day!

Perfectly Pink and Lovely

Gorgeous Grey

So, darling Chic{k}adees, what's your take on all this colour?  Would any of you dare rock a totally non-tradi-sh. wedding gown?  Would love to hear all about your favourite frocks!:) 

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole 

Destination Anywhere!

Happy Friday, Chic{k}adees!!  Today, I'm super excited because it's my first time guest posting for a fellow blogette! The lovely, Emilee Sutherland has gone on a fun, little trip to Hawaii, and has left a few of us bloggers in her place!  So, if you'd like to join me over at Tastefully Tattered, I'll be chatting about unique ways to create a Destination Wedding anywhere!

Oh, and one more thing! Miss Emilee has made a contest out of her fun Blog Party, so if you'd be kind enough to leave a comment under my post on her blog, I would be just thrilled!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and if you need me, I'll be over here, daydreaming about gorgeous lavender fields and weddings in French Chateaus!:)

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole

Winter Chic

Happy Thursday, Lovelies!  I love Thursdays because you just know that the next day is Friday and you have the whole weekend in front of you!  I'm especially loving this Thursday because it's finally snowing in Scotland!  The only thing that makes a dreadfully, cold winter a bit more lovely, is a perfectly, pristine blanket of snow.  So far, all we have is mush, but a girl can dream!:) 

I've always thought it would be wonderful to get married during the winter.  All cosy and warm in a little chapel in the woods somewhere, and then whisk your guests off {in horse-drawn sleighs, of course!} to a stone lodge to celebrate!  This little inspiration board came out of my love for winter weddings and pops of colour among neutrals!  Any ladies out there planning a winter wedding? If so, what colours are you working with?  

{Winter Bride, Sled and Skates, Red Drum Set, Delish Eggnog, Anemone Bouquet}

How cute is that bride in her cherry red cardigan!?  I love creating these inspiration boards, so let me know if they're helpful {or just make you smile!} and I'll start posting more! Tomorrow, you can find me over at Tasteful Tatters, guest posting for the lovely Emilee Sutherland, while she's on a little vacay to Hawaii!  I'll be sharing my tips on how to turn any wedding, anywhere, into your Dream Destination Wedding, and I'd love to see you all there!:)

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole

What I {Wish I} Wore Wednesday

Welcome back to another What I {Wish I} Wore Wednesday, Chic[k}adees!  With all the hype around the Golden Globes last Sunday, I thought we'd dedicate this Wednesday to red carpet fashions!  I didn't watch the GG's this year, but from the pictures in US Weekly and E-Online, I honestly can't see that I missed much!  Sure, there were a few gorgeous gowns {this and this were my two favourites}, but the majority were pretty disheartening {see: this, this, and oh my gosh this!!}.  To each his own, I suppose, but if I were going to be walking around in front of millions of viewers, and knew that people like Joan Rivers {that lady is scary!} would be critiquing me, I for one, would play it a little safer!

Ballerina Goddess

Fruit Chew

Grease Lightning

So, what about you, lovelies?  What would you wear to the Golden Globes? Would you go for the WOW factor, or just play it safe in a classic, black dress? 

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole

Santa Barbara Engagement Sesh!

Good Morning, my lovely Chic{k}adees!  Today, I'm so excited to announce, that we're featuring our first real engagement shoot on Uniquely Chic!  Real Weddings and Engagement Sessions are my personal favourites because I love to hear the "Love Stories" behind each couple, and hopefully there will be many more in the future for little 'ole me to gush over!:)

This particular engagement session is so fun for me to write about, because that stunning, brown-eyed girl is one of my best friends and bride-to-be, Breanna {Bre}!  She is as sweet as she is beautiful and let me tell you, the girl is funny!  The constant crack-up in our little groupie-poo, she finally met her match with Eric.  They are the silliest, loveliest couple, and I am thrilled to be a part of their June Wedding {and judging by her wedding board on Pinterest, it's going to be absolutely beautiful!}.  And not only am I super excited to see them get hitched, but I'm also so excited to meet their amazing photographer, Jessica Fairchild. She's the genius behind these gorgeous photographs, and from what I've heard, she is one fun lady to hang out with! And her photos, well, clearly, they speak for themselves!

How precious are they?!

        

Top left is my FAVOURITE!! Always making each other laugh!:)

Now, that, looks like a fun Engagment Sesh!:)

From Jessica of Jessica Fairchild Photography:  One Sunday morning Britt Merrick {Pastor of Reality Santa Barbara} asked the congregation what they did over the weekend...and Bre yelled out "I got engaged!!" Britt immediately prayed for their marriage to be blessed...in front of the 1,500 congregation.  So rad!  I remember the first time I met them at Adorn's summer retreat a few years ago and I couldn't handle how cute of a couple they were.  So when they asked me to photograph their wedding I was excited beyond belief!! On the day of their shoot, the fog was rollin' in fast, but as soon as we started shooting it rolled away and the lighting was absolutely perfect!! And to top it all off, Eric brought his guitar out at the end and started serenading her, and I just about died with happiness!  SO so so so so excited for their wedding this summer! It will be epic.

Thank you so much for the gorgeous photographs, Jessica!  And Bre and Eric, I'm beyond excited to see you guys in a few months {it's been way too long}, and even more excited to see you become husband and wife!  Lots of love to you both!:)

Chic{k}adees, I hope you enjoyed this beautiful E-Session and if you've got a Real Wedding or Engagement Session {or any special event!} that you think would look gorgeous on the Uniquely Chic blog, just shoot me an email at jillianmanger@gmail.com and we'll make it happen!:)

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole

      

Funny Things Brides Say

Not sure how many of you lovely Chic{k}adees have seen the video below, but if you're planning your wedding, know someone who is, or are a girl, watch it and laugh your booty off! It's too funny! {And let's just pretend we're at the Golden Globes and bleep that first word out!}:)

{YouTube}

"Pin...Pinned...Pinning..." So much goodness in this video! Hopefully it brightens up a boring, back-to-work Monday! 

And lovelies, take it from me, you won't want to miss tomorrow's post: Gorgeous Engagement Sesh by the uber, talented Jessica Fairchild!!  See you all then!:)

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole

Chicest Weddings of the Week

Happy Friday my lovely Chic{k}adees!  I, for one, am so looking forward to a completely, uneventful weekend.  Watching some of the movies that are piling up in our queue, trying out some new Pinterest recipes, and possibly taking a drive down the coast if it's not too rainy.  But before we all head off for the weekend, I have some pretty, pretty pictures from this past week!  And today we're adding a few special events into the mix.  They're not weddings, but they're all kinds of cute and I think you'll agree they definitely belong in this super chic line up!

{Modern New York Loft Wedding}

{Unfussy, Gorgeously Simple Australian Nuptials}

{Piñata Fun!}

{Classic, Southern Elegance}

{Bright and Cheery Rehearsal Dinner}

{Cutie Pie Birthday Party}

{Beach Chic Styled Shoot}

So, tell me Chic{k}adees, what were your favourite weddings {or events} of the week?

See you Monday, lovelies!:)

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole

Perfectly, Pink Peonies

Morning Chic{k}adees!  I'm off working on a fun, little project today {which I can't wait to share with you all!!}, so in my absence I thought I would leave you looking at something pretty!  Nothing makes me happier than a huge bouquet of the most perfectly, pink peonies and I hope it adds a little something-something to your day as well!  Have a wonderful Thursday lovelies and don't forget to stop back by tomorrow for the chicest weddings of the week!  There's gonna be a whole lotta gorgeous up in here!:) 

{Katie Stoops Photography via The Bride's Cafe}

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole

What I {Wish I} Wore Wednesday

Good morning my lovely Chic{k}adees and welcome back to another Wednesday of What I {Wish I} Wore! I was so pumped about the response to this new addition on Uniquely Chic, that I've basically spent the last week scouring Pinterest and Polyvore for inspiration!  Sadly, this has led to the realization that it is the year 2012, not 2007, and my closet has some serious catching up to do! {Um, hello neon, you defo. came out of nowhere!} But if I can't make over my own wardrobe, I can at least pretend on Polyvore, right!?

I've always loved the idea of combining a large print of something with a much smaller print and this Old Navy polka dot sweater has been everywhere lately, so I thought I'd experiment with the dots!  And just how adorable are those glittery Marc Jacobs mouse shoes--eek! I LOVE them so much!

Okay, so I've given you lots of options with the belt choices here, but since neon is making a hard-core comeback, I'm thinking that the skinny orange belt would be just perfect with this outfit!  Obviously, I love me some colour!:)

For some reason, I can't get the proportions quite right on this outfit, but I wanted to share it any ways.  I love the idea of something super simple paired with something overly extravagant--a la Sharon Stone's Gap T-shirt @ the Oscars!  Plus, the idea of mixing metals is totally foreign to me, but something I would love someone else to try!:) 

Let me know what you think, Chic{k}adees!  Any dot on dot takers out there? What about this whole neon surge, are we feelin' that?  And does anyone even remember who Sharon Stone is--I don't think I've seen her in a move in ages!  Thanks for spending another Wednesday with me lovelies and I'll see you all tomorrow!:)

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole    

Foodie Chic

Okay, so today we're going to take a little mini-vacay from the wedding world and talk about all things delicious! Raise your hand if you're addicted to Pinterest. Now that basically everyone in the worlds' hands are up, can we just talk for a moment about how super yummy everything {and I seriously mean EVERYTHING} on that crazy, little site looks?! I mean, come on, I had never even entertained the idea of a brownie/Oreo/cookie dough pizookie type thing, but have I now? Oh my yes! Our house has turned into a foodies heaven with the discovery of Pinterest and some of the amazing food bloggers that get pinned all the time {if you're looking to follow some great food blogs I highly recommend Annie's Eats, Smitten Kitchen, and The Pioneer Woman}. But, like with everything, there have been some serious failures and even a kitchen fire! I know, bad right? {I like to keep HH on his toes!:)}  So, today, I thought I might let you all in on the yays and nays of my Pinterest food board and hopefully point you in the direction of some seriously good grub and steer you clear of some pretty icky stuff as well!

Make Again and Again and Again:

If you come to our house, the morning of any holiday, this is what I'll be feeding you.  It doesn't get any better than this melt-in-your-mouth Cinnamon Baked French Toast from The Pioneer Woman!

Okay, I think it's just best to admit that when I made these Crispy Fried Goat Cheese bites for  HH's birthday dinner,  I  ended up eating at least four or five while he was in the other room waiting for me to bring them in!  Don't judge me though until you've tried them!  They're slightly crunchy on the outside from the Panko Crumbs, and then once you break that exterior it's all ooey-gooey goaty cheesiness from there on out!  Seriously, eat these!

This little humdinger of a recipe is my pride and joy and absolute go-to dish when company is over!  Annie's Eats is like my all time favourite food blog and this just proves why!  It's Spinach and Artichoke dip at its finest and it's right out of your kitchen! 

This next recipe had me sceptical at first.  It claims to be the "The Best Burger Recipe Ever" and while I had my doubts, it definitely proved me wrong..sortve.  I would say this is "The Best Burger Recipe Ever...That You Can Make At Home" So, a little longer title, but I think it needs to be said.  It's no Island's Maui burger, but it is the best one I've ever had home-made! 

I love, love, love this easy-peasy filled chicken recipe!  It's from a great food blog called Kayotic Kitchen, but this recipe leaves you feeling anything but Kayotic {pun definitely intended!}  It's so easy and makes such a pretty dinner that it's one I save for when I really want to impress guests!

Don't let the simpleness of this little cupcake fool you!  It's packin' some serious yum-factor it that Citrus-Cinnamon Cream Cheese icing and the gingerbread base is pretty delish too!  HH cannot get enough of this icing and I'm seriously not above bribing him with these in order to get the trash taken out and the bathroom cleaned!:)

When it comes to desserts, I'm a Go Big or Go Home kindve' girl!  And this gorgeous Salted Caramel and Vanilla Baked Cheesecake totally fits the bill!  I made it for Christmas Eve dinner this year and it was soooooooo good!  If you have the time I highly recommend this dessert for all you caramel/vanilla lovers out there!  

Never, Ever Make Again:

No matter what you do to a Brussels sprout, it still always ends up tasting like a Brussels sprout!!!  I tried these out for HH because, like my Mimi, he actually enjoys eating Brussels sprouts regardless of the absolute rank smell that permeates everything in our house for days!  So, this may just be a personal vendetta I have against the sprout, but I wouldn't go near these with a ten foot pole if I were you!

This recipe seriously let me down.  I was so looking forward to being able to make Chinese food in my own kitchen, but what we ended up with instead was orange soup with bits of chicken it in--not good!  And I've noticed that this is getting so many pins on Pinterest, but if I were you I'd just get out the ol' Panda Express menu and let them worry about it!

Poor HH, I seriously thought he was going to have a melt down when this BBQ Chicken recipe came out all icky!  He loves BBQ, so this was supposed to be a special treat, but again {and maybe it's the whole crock pot thing just lettin' me down} it was like chicken floating in a soupy BBQ sauce--super unappetizing!  

Well, there you have it my {now very hungry} chic{k}adees--my favourites and absolute never-agains, courtesy of my Pinterest food experiments!  Let me know what some of your favourite Pinterest goodies are and feel free to follow my "Yummy Food" Pinterest board to keep up with all the deliciousness and disasters of my kitchen!  And now that you're all absolutely drooling from the pictures above, go try out one of these yummy recipes and let me know how it goes!:)

uniquely yours,

Jillian Nicole