One Year

Day-to-day can move slow but reflecting on an entire year will put into perspective how fast life can go by. I can't believe Tim and I are already celebrating one year of marriage tomorrow. Most people say the first year is the hardest, but to be honest it's sailed so smoothly for us both.

This year we both intended on traveling for our anniversary; however, with adjusting to home ownership we both wanted to focus on making our house feel like a home. We are homebodies at heart. I wanted to have some pictures to add to our staircase and suddenly my vision to celebrate our one year with an anniversary photo shoot with the talented Shelby Rae Photographs came to light. 

We didn't do professional engagement photos, so other than wedding photos we didn't have anything to place throughout our home. Returning to our wedding venue, Little River Farms, for the occasion would be the perfect setting to reflect on our first year of marriage together. 

I went to a wholesale florist and purchased pretty blooms and created my first DIY bouquet. Let's look past the fact that it's held together with a rubber band! I decorated our cake topper and set the table with pieces from our wedding and our favorite wine. I also wasn't complaining we got to bite into our wedding cake a week early ;) I packed my memory box from our wedding in case we wanted to use anything at the shoot. We ended up re-reading our vows to each other and it was such a sweet moment, not to mention way less intimidating the second time around without the crowd ;)

Picking out the dress wasn't an easy task (I may have ordered 6 or 7 total) but the accessories were a no-brainer. Like I needed persuading to slide on my sparkly wedding shoes again! Although you may notice I switched into another pair once we ventured off the property for more natural backdrops.

Here are some of the highlights from our shoot.

 

 






Related reads: Wedding Series | My Bridal Accessories | Wedding Photos | Wedding Day Vlog

I took today off so Tim and I can celebrate a day early and venture up to the North GA mountains to visit a pumpkin patch and take in the fall mountains. Follow me over on Instagram stories to see what we're up to!

xo Amanda John

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Affordable Fall Dress

 

 

 

I've only had this dress for two weeks now and I've already worn it twice on the weekends! It's one of those pieces you can just throw on and look cute but be comfortable wearing it all day. Both times I've worn it I was out shopping and running errands for almost the entire day and switched from flats to boots and wore it out to dinner. I'm not sure if you can tell in these photos but I got a ton of questions on Instagram stories about my lip color so I'm also linking it below (shade is velvet teddy!). I think it's perfect for fall, and I just dap it onto my lips verse swiping for a more natural color.

The fit is slightly oversized but if you don't like a boxier fit I think it would be cute belted to give you more shape. I'm wearing a small petite and if you click on petite it's available in all sizes. I'm also wearing boots from last years NSALE but no worries, I found them available and at an even better price!

I'm linking some of my favorite Loft finds in the widget below. All items are 40% off BUT sale items are an additional 60% until 10/10!

This week is going to be a busy one. It's my Mom's birthday and our first wedding anniversary. I can't wait to share a special post with y'all on Friday!

xo Amanda John 

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What's in my Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM + Review

Today I'm sharing what's inside my Louis Vuitton Neverfull and how I keep it organized. Tim gifted me this bag when I graduated with my Doctorate last year and I've been carrying it ever since. I call it my bag "hub" because when I switch into other bags I just pull from it what I need or will fit. I carry it to work every day (unless I expect a ton of rain - more on that later) and when I travel. I also wanted to share my pros and cons of the bag at the end in case you were researching before purchasing this bag! This post will probably be a long one, but instead of splitting it into two posts I figured it would be best to keep all of the information in one place.

What's inside my Louis Vuitton Neverfull

Some basics I keep inside: my wallet, planner, business cards, mini notebook, and phone. How do I keep such a large tote bag organized?? Pouches are going to be your friend. Instead of having everything mixed together, I use various makeup bags and small clutches so I know where to start looking for something. You can also buy an organizer, but I've found what I already have to be useful. The bag comes with a skinny clutch, and inside that I like to keep my checkbook and any recent recipts. Side note: I don't even know why I keep a checkbook in there, I never use them!

I have a small makeup pouch to keep the various lip products I use, bobby pins, some powder for touch ups, and fashion tape (you never know when you'll need this!).  I also always keep a hairbrush on hand because my fine hair loves to get tangled and I preferred a polished vs messy look. This one from Target is my favorite.

In a larger clutch, I put anything else that isn't makeup or something large enough to hang out on its own. These are the random necessities I think I have to have with me: Zicam (a must if you live in the south), sunscreen, hand cream, moist wipes, gum, and headphones. These headphones (gifted from Studio Sweden ) are the perfect size to keep with you in your bag, not to mention they are white and rose gold (heart eyes!).  I throw these on during my lunch to catch up on Instagram stories, etc. Don't worry, if you have small ears they come with a bunch of different sized buds to fit your ears. I have a 15% off code for y'all if you're interested, just enter STRAWBERRYCHICXO at checkout (and guess what, it never expires!) Also, there's no kickback to me if you use this code or anything.

Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM Pros

It Really is Neverfull

I've never had an issue fitting anything and everything I've needed inside this bag. It will carry my laptop and charger, some magazines or a book, my lunch, extra flats for when my feet hurt...etc! That's the main perk of this bag, hence the name.

Easy to See Into

Pretty self-explanatory, but I love how open this bag gets so I can easily find what I'm looking for.

Expandable

Most girls I see carrying this bag keep the sides open, but I do also like the look of it with the sides cinched in. 

Lightweight

Without anything inside it the bag is relatively lightweight in comparison to my other bags. However, it can also carry a lot more so it can get heavy depending on what you put inside it.

Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM Cons:

It Will Can Get Heavy

I've learned the hard way that this bag will definitely get heavy on your shoulder, which is why I typically switch into a cross body bag when I go shopping because when you add shopping bags into the mix your shoulder will get really uncomfortable. If I do carry it shopping or running errands, I try to unload some of the unnecessary things that's added up inside it throughout the work week. I think the main reason for shoulder pain is because of the thin straps. 

Not Weather Proof

This bag is meant to be carried for years and years, so I personally like the lived in strap look. However, if I expect a lot of rain I typically don't carry it because I don't want spotted raindrops to stain the straps. If I happen to get caught in the weather, I try to tuck in the straps and drape something over the bag to protect them. The canvas material, however, is perfect for a rainy day, so I don't have to worry about this part of the bag. Also, since the bag is open rain will fall into your belongings, so just think about that on rainy days. If this is a huge negative to you, consider getting the Damier Ebene and this won't be an issue.

Extra Organization is a Must

I definitely recommend getting additional storage to keep your belongings organized inside. I've seen storage compartments made for the bag, but as you can see I utilize cute pouches to keep mine organized. 

Louis Vuitton Neverfull Tips:

I keep the dust bag folded up along the bottom of my bag to keep the lining looking clean and new. 

Supposedly the straps can hold up to 200 pounds (I wouldn't want to know).

Wipe it clean with an alcohol-free wipe or use soap and water to remove stains. Ask a LV specialist on cleaning pen ink.

Just an FYI:  When you first purchase the bag the leather straps will stay upright, but this won't last for very long. I wanted to point that out because some people only want structured bags. 

I know this is a long-winded post, so thanks for making it this far with me! I hope you found this post helpful. If you have anything else to add about the bag, let me know in the comments!

xo Amanda John

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