Fall Florals + Wedding Look

This past weekend I headed back up state to Buffalo, my hometown for a friend's wedding day! I feel so grateful to still keep in touch with a great group of supportive and successful woman, many of whom I've known since my childhood. It's wonderful to catch up and see how much everyone has grown over the years and celebrate these milestones with them. 

It was the perfect temperature for a September wedding so I went for a floral detailed cocktail dress. During a closet overhaul my cousin was parting with this number and I couldn't let it be let go of! I love the unique cut by the neck and the high low bottom. The florals reminded me of a Monet painting, so of course I had to wear it!

I've linked the details below in this post along with some similar styles for a fall wedding look. 

Outfit Details

Dress: Black Halo, also loving this and this style too! Shoes: Splurge / Steal Option

Bracelets: Bauble Bar (25% off ends 9/26 use code: yesplease) Purse: Vince Camuto

Fall Cocktail Dresses by colorsofcolleen featuring a v neck lace dress

Transitional Dress with a Castle Backdrop

As you may have seen in my July post, I was recently engaged on our vacation in Italy. Since then we have started the process of searching the wedding websites and venues to find out perfect fit for the big day. We've been trying to make the best of this process, as I'm sure it can become stressful and overwhelming. We had some fun with the beginning steps last weekend when we took a trip outside of Manhattan to attend some appointments in Long Island. Kevin's secret obsession with grand homes, mansions, and castles brought us to viewing the Oheka Castle in Long Island. (As if!) You may recognize it from Taylor Swift's Blank Space music video. Even without the dramatics the place was absolutely gorgeous in its grandeur with sprawling lawns and manicured gardens, with some extra special rooms inside. It definitely could be a fun spot to spend a romantic evening in after dinner on site if you wanted to make it a weekend away. The historical story behind it is something worth experiencing, even if it's not to attend a wedding. 

What better spot to showcase my simple look this sunny day than wearing a light weight  dress that works for that transition from summer into fall. I paired it with a pop of color cardigan and some lace up flats. I've linked some similar styles below my photos. 

And in case you were wondering, Oheka will not be our wedding venue, though it's very fairytale like. Let me know if anyone has any suggestions of places!

Shop the Look

Dress: Who What Wear for Target, Shoes: Nordstrom, Sweater: JCrew, Tote: Louis Vuitton Neverful GM Sunglasses: Prada, Watch: Michael Kors

*This post is not sponsored by Oheka Castle.

Nautical Stripes in Cinque Terre, Italy

I'm recapping our visit to Cinque Terre, Italy from this summer. This was my second visit to this special place along the northern coast. In Italian the Cinque Terre or "five lands" are connected by a series of trails which make for a day or two hike with varying degrees of difficulty. The entire route there are breathtaking views of mountains, water, trees, and the colorful buildings.  There's also the option of boating between them.

We stayed in my favorite town, Vernazza and had some wonderful dinners in the mountains overlooking the Meditteranean. The fresh sea food will keep you wanting to come back for more! There's nothing that compares to this unique travel spot, rich with history and plenty of beach for taking a swim or cliff jump.  Although it's highly tourist attracted in summer months, I remember it more calm in the fall which makes for much milder hiking between the towns without the crowds. I definitely recommend it for a visit, it's a romantic and adventurous spot to experience. 

We didn't hold back enjoying the panoramic view  from the top of the castella which made the perfect back drop for photos. Though my shorts are unavailable, I'm linking some similar sale styles as we close out the summer. 

             Outfit Details:

Shorts: Nordstrom, similar fall option, Sandals: Dolce Vita similar style on sale here 

Watch: Michael Kors, Bracelets: Loft, Sunglasses: Fendi (past season) similar here, Tank: On major sale in tons of colors!  Loft