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Nashville Bachelorette Weekend

Nash Bach Bash

It’s been a while, so let’s start this one off with a little game of two truths and a lie:

  1. I recently got married to my best friend.
  2. I have the most incredible friends in the world!
  3. I drive a Lamborghini.

Ok, I know that was an easy round, but I do feel like I should make it very clear that I do not drive a Lamborghini… yet. However, I did get married in June of 2021, and I have the most incredible friends in the world who made my bachelorette weekend the most fun ever.

As someone who lives in Nashville, I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to have my bachelorette party here. Obviously, Nashville is the Bachelorette Party Capital for a reason, but I wasn’t sure if my fellow local friends would fine the typical Nashville bachelorette activities a little cheesy. Luckily for me, I think we all found it cheesy in the best way, and we had the BEST time. Here’s what I believe set the weekend apart and made it one of the most fun weekends I have ever had:

Accommodations

For smaller groups, I think staying at The Graduate Hotel in Midtown would be super fun. The lobby is campy yet chic and a great place for an iPhone photoshoot before you head out, the suites are fabulously feminine, and there is a whole rooftop bar (White Limozeen) inspired by the one and only Dolly Parton. I have not had the chance to stay in the hotel yet, but from the lobby to White Limozeen I have had a great time!

I had a group of 12, and due to Covid times, it was really important for me to find somewhere to stay where we could hang out, play games, and watch movies together as safely as possible. We opted for a super cute Airbnb in East Nashville. A nice Airbnb, with good reviews, that is able to sleep 12 in Nashville does not come cheap, so try booking farther in advance to try and get a cheaper rate. Also, really consider what is important to you: are you planning on spending a decent amount of time in the Airbnb? Maybe the price of the aesthetic is worth it to you. If you are just looking for a place to lay your head at night and get ready, consider splurging elsewhere!

All the girls in the living room moments before the pizza arrived!

Meals and Snacks

The first night, since many of my ladies had to drive into Nashville, I wanted it to be a little more low-key. I ordered Papa John’s pizzas to the Airbnb, and one of my sweet friends made the most delicious cupcakes to snack on. I’m glad we kept it chill on Friday night, because Saturday was exhausting!

Saturday morning we went to brunch at Adele’s in The Gulch. I believe they do a weekend brunch buffet typically, but we all ordered from the menu back in April. Their aesthetic is cute, the location is convenient to downtown and has a parking lot (a huge plus in my book). They also have brunch cocktails if you’re into that!

Shout out to our very nice waitress who took this photo and complimented the pink.

We ate brunch around 11 AM, so no one was hungry for lunch. Instead, we headed over to Fifth + Broadway for shopping, photo ops, and snacks at their Assembly Food Hall. My bestie treated me to a cotton candy topped snow cone at Cotton & Snow that was massive and delicious. Fifth + Broadway is a great place to grab lunch during your bachelorette weekend due to the amount of eateries and the fun atmosphere. There is always live music taking requests (shout out to my bestie and co-planner, April, for requesting Ms. Shania Twain for me).

My sister and I in one of the fun photo ops at Fifth + Broadway

For dinner on Saturday we ate at The Mockingbird. The Mockingbird has an incredible vibe and unique food. What drew my crew in the most was probably the very Instagramable drinks in the bags. I had The Mockingburger and truly enjoyed it. A fun fact about this restauraunt is that the owners were house hunters in an episode of House Hunters!

On Sunday, most of my out of town friends had to head back to their homes, but those of us who could went to Von Elrods for Sunday Brunch. Two words: blueberry pancakes. Get them, eat them, and enjoy them!

Activities and Ideas

Friday night we hung out at our Airbnb and danced, sang karaoke, chatted, played For The Girls, and watched Bridesmaids. It was so fun to catch up with my friends who I hadn’t seen recently due to Covid, and introduce my friends from high school to my cousins, and introduce my best friend from college to all my friends! People always say that one of the most special parts of your wedding is getting the people you love all in one room together, that is honestly one of the most special parts of the Bachelorette party too.

Something that has become a trend in recent years is that the bride will wear white during the bachelorette weekend and the bachelorette party goers will wear black. I’ve always liked this, but because I am extra, I had my girls wear pink while I wore white. We got so many compliments on our sea of pink, and it was so pretty in pictures! A big shout out to my girls who didn’t own pink and got something special for the weekend. Love ya’ll!

Saturday after brunch we went to Fifth + Broadway. We hit up the shops, went to Assembly Food Hall, and walked around downtown. We spent most of the afternoon down here before we went back to the Airbnb to rest up and get ready for a night out.

After dinner at The Mockingbird we did something I honestly never thought I would do: we rode a Spocket Rocket. You know, a bike tavern? Yep, my besties and I man powered the Spocket Rocket as it drove around Downtown Nashville. I can’t explain it, and we were all a little sore the next day, but we had the best time. The Spocket Rocket truly bonded us all together, and I can’t help but laugh whenever I think of it.

We ended the night walking Broadway in our cowboy hats decked out with stickers of our names on them (thank you April and Lindsey) and ended up on the rooftop at ACME which has great views of Broadway, the river, and Nissan Stadium. 10/10 way to end the night.

Did I do some of the basic Nashville touristy bachelorette activities? YES. And ya’ll, they are basic for a reason! We had so much fun and so many laughs. I can’t imagine spending my bachelorette party any other way.

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Christmas Date Ideas in 2020

I’ve always loved going out with Jon in the hustle and bustle of December, and getting lost in the Christmas crowds magic.

But this year, avoiding crowds isn’t just a preference – it’s a necessary step to keep the people we love safe and healthy. We are reevaluating how we spend time together this year, and I’m sharing my date night bucket list for Christmas 2020.

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dating lifestyle Uncategorized wedding

Our Engagement Story

I keep starting to write this post, but I don’t know how to fully encompass how incredible this was. It was the sweetest moment of my life.

Jon and I are both very big planners which works really well for us. We are also both big talkers and share every detail of our lives with each other. That being said, it is very hard to surprise one another. We have talked about getting married for a while, and always wanted to wait until I graduated college and found a job to engaged. I graduated in December of 2019, and my plans fell into line from there… and then the pandemic hit and turned my world upside down. Jon held my hand while I got back on my feet, and was the best partner I could ask for. While I certainly didn’t dream of being a “Corona Bride” (who would?), I knew I didn’t want to spend any more time not being his wife.

Like I have said, I am a planner. I was ready. He knew I was ready, my family knew I was ready, my friends knew I was ready… the barista at my favorite Starbucks probably knew I was ready. STILL he managed to surprise me!

We both really wanted a break from our houses since we were spending all our time in them, and decided to take a long weekend trip to Savannah, Georgia. Neither of us had ever been before, but a lot of our family had been and we were confident that we could enjoy the beach and tour the town while still complying with CDC guidelines and keep ourselves safe.

We drove to Savannah on a Thursday, and were leaving that Sunday. Jon suggested we go to the beach on Thursday night and Saturday to break it up a bit. I didn’t question this at all, because like I said, we plan everything. I’m not going to say that I didn’t think Jon was going to propose on our trip, but I really didn’t want to get my hopes up and be bummed if it didn’t happen.

So on Thursday night, we went to Tybee Island. It was so beautiful and Tybee is a such a cute coastal town. I was so excited to be there and be in the ocean that I let my guard down and got stung by a jellyfish. For the first time in my life. On my left hand. The night before I unknowingly would be proposed to. Genuinely, only me would this happen to. We went by a drugstore, got some Benadryl cream, and went back to our Airbnb in Savannah for the night.

That night, Jon kept talking about getting up early and getting a head start on the day. I on the other hand, kept insisting that we enjoy our first full day by sleeping in. Besides, Jon had already told me that the bakery I wanted to hit first thing didn’t open until 10 AM! Big mistake, Jon!

Friday morning rolled around, and I woke up pretty early, but I was still insistent on staying in bed. By 8 AM Jon was completely ready for the day, and I was watching John Mulaney clips on YouTube in my pajamas. Jon kept saying, “Can we please get up and enjoy the day?” And I kept insisting that I was enjoying the day from my bed. I could tell Jon was getting anxious to get going, but again, Jon is the punctual one that keeps us on schedule. It was not unlike him to want us to get moving with the day. Finally, Jon said, “Can you please be ready by 8:45 so we can have a good day?” I was still completely clueless. I jumped back with, “What, do we have a meeting or something?” He said, “No. I just want us to have a good day.” Liar! I got up and was ready by 8:45.

Our Airbnb was right beside Forsyth Park, and to get to downtown you really had to walk the perimeter of the park. I remember grabbing his hand and it was freezing cold, questioning it, and him assuring me that it was because of how cold I had the AC on in the Airbnb. Liar!

We turned the corner at the far end of the park near the fountain. Jon said something like, “Let’s go check out the park.” As we approached the beautiful, white fountain with the shady trees hanging over the sidewalk I saw a photographer taking pictures of the fountain to my right. Jon walked me toward the fountain, stopped right in front of it, said the sweetest words I’ve ever heard, and asked me to marry him. I said, “YES!!!!!!” through my tears and Jon put the most beautiful ring on my hand. I put everything together and realized the photographer was there for us! Wendy with AptB Photography was absolutely incredible and captured the moment so perfectly. She took pictures of us afterward that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

There was truly no one around but the two of us and Wendy. Once she left, we sat on the bench where it happened and took the moment in. Almost instantly a crowd of walkers with dogs, tourists, and two big landscaping work trucks pulled right in to the fountain. I am so glad that Jon asked me to be ready by 8:45 AM!

We immediately went back to the Airbnb and called our parents and siblings to tell them the good news. I feel so blessed to be joining a family that I already adore, and adding Jon to my family where he fits in great. I’m going to be Mrs. Peytyn Wheeler y’all!!!!

xoxo

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My Collective Quarantine Watch List

Who else is filling their new found free time with all the TV they’ve been wanting to watch but haven’t had time yet? 🙋🏻‍♀️

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Bathroom Refresh: $100 & a Target run

When I first moved into my house as a college freshman I bought typical college home products for my bathroom. A mostly white shower curtain with blue accents that looked dirty very quickly, a cheap plastic toothbrush holder and trash can that were blue to match the shower curtain… I’m not even a blue person, so I’m not sure why I made these creative decisions! I never loved the space so I figured it was time to freshen it up.

A few disclaimers: I picked these items up in store back in February and very early March. Also, I know this bathroom needs painted, but I am not a painter… yet!

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I picked up this pink shower curtain that I am absolutely obsessed with. It really brightened up my bathroom, which is surprising because the last curtain was white. It added a nice bit of color that was so needed. It looks much better in person than in my photo or the photo online, in my opinion.

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I was going for a feminine boho vibe, and I was instantly drawn to this framed poster.  I love the wicker border, and I think it pulls together nicely with the trash can! I really like that this trash can has a lid, it makes everything look a little neater.

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Unfortunately, the toothbrush holder I got is now sold out, but I also like this one! Lastly, I picked up this rug which might be my favorite part. It is small, but I have a small bathroom so it works well for me. 

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This all comes out to about $92 before tax! I am so happy with the results. Now, what color to paint my bathroom? I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!!!

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Feeling Twenty Two + Relaunch!

Today I am twenty-two years old. To quote Ms. Taylor Swift, “It’s miserable & magical.”

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good stuff TRAVEL

What To Do In Asheville + Black Mountain

The week before Christmas my boyfriend and I spent a few days in Asheville to celebrate my graduation and enjoy some time together. We stayed at the cutest little Airbnb in Swannanoa, NC which was perfectly between Asheville and Black Mountain so we were able to enjoy both!

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Small Business Saturday

Small businesses play a big part in who I am and where I want to go. My dad’s parents owned a grocery store, and my mom’s mother owned a daycare. All 3 of them worked so hard to provide for their families and do good in the community. I like to think that my desire to serve businesses is in my blood, and that it was passed down from all of my grandparents.

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Gift Guide for Guys

I asked my Instagram followers who the hardest person to shop for is. No surprise, a lot of ladies said it is their dads, grandpas, and boyfriends! I can totally understand this one, the guys in my life are always such a struggle to shop for!

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fall fashion good stuff lifestyle Uncategorized

Pumpkin Patch Outfit Inspiration

Happy fall y’all! It is officially the most wonderful time of the year, do not fight me on this. My house is decorated for the season, and my fall candle is lit. The only thing missing is a pumpkin on my front porch!