Hello, Beautiful!

 

I hope you had a lovely Mother’s Day! There’s nothing like holidays that call for spending time with the family – they’re just plain good for the soul. Thomas and I were lucky enough to be able to dash home through the beautiful mountains to East Tennessee where my mama lives on Saturday night for a fun-filled day spent celebrating her on Mother’s Day. Our pups got to run around on her land, swim in the pool, and just be mountain dogs, which I love to watch while sipping coffee (or white wine, depending on the time of day).

And we got to celebrate the one and only Linda – the funniest, kindest, strongest mama in the world – with a nice brunch at her favorite restaurant, The Peerless Steakhouse of Johnson City, TN.

All in all, it was too short, but very sweet.

 

 

We left with our hearts full of warmth and a U-Haul full of my dad’s beautiful desks – one from his dental office and the other from his home library – for us to keep and cherish now. Moms, I tell ya! They’re always giving, giving, giving, even on Mother’s Day, and that’s just one of the many reasons why they’re so amazing.

Now T and I have an excuse to redo our home office this coming weekend, and I can’t wait to share the transformation process with you guys!

 

But right now, let’s talk about the perfect wedding day jewelry for any bride-to-be, shall we?

 

Two words, ladies:

 

Kendra. Scott.

 

 

I first learned about Kendra Scott when I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina for law school a few years ago. My favorite shopping spot in the then-new city quickly became The SouthPark Mall, a beautiful Simon Group mall – AKA about as nice as you can get when it comes to malls!

One day while I was strolling through SouthPark, I noticed a giant bright yellow “Coming Soon” space that looked fun and feminine, so I walked over for a closer look. The space promised to be a jewelry collection by “Kendra Scott,” and the fine print directed passerby to check the company and collection out online.

 

 

A new Instagram account to check out? Potential eye candy obsessions if I check it out + actually fall in love with the feed? (You know the ones – the instant obsessions –  @shopbando is a multi-color daydream with everything I need in life, from photos of fries to fun quotes about fries; @gypsylovinlight by Helene Janneson Bense is ultimate life goals that I’d just like to live inside forever; etc.) Well, don’t have to tell me twice.

 

 

As soon as I found @KendraScott on Instagram, I knew it had the potential to be a lifelong love affair. The shapes – from the statement earrings to the statement necklaces – were not just lovely and eye-catching, they were timeless classics. They were both colorful and vibrant – true statement pieces that can go with so many ensembles – while also being romantic and flirty, something I can wear for brunch with the girls or a date night with my hubby.

I remember thinking after that first online stalk sesh that this was the jewelry line I had been waiting for: it was simple and chic – AKA all things prep – and it was timelessly styled, something that I’d never outgrow or get tired of.

 

David Yurman comes to mind as a jeweler (albeit a jeweler at a totally different price point than Kendra Scott) that has created truly iconic pieces that are so easy to fall in love with they just make you want to grow a collection of your very own. David Yurman pieces are timeless and modern, and they make the perfect gift for any big occasion in life.

The bold rope design of the David Yurman line is classic in the same way the bold shapes and colors of Kendra Scott stand out in the crowd. Both are beautiful fine jewelry collections, but with very different price tags.

 

 

(Hint Hint: Kendra is the much more affordable option!)

I absolutely LOVE the fact that Kendra is always growing and evolving. Kendra now carries an entire jewelry line, PLUS nail polish and home decor such as trays, frames, and boxes.

If you know me at all, you know I’m completely obsessed with Opal – it’s my absolute favorite gemstone (I’m in love with all things moonstone, too!). Opal just looks so beautiful in any form it’s found in, from Australian Fire Opals to Black Opals to Boulder Opals to classic White Opals.

Well, Kendra did it again and is now carrying the Aqua Kyocera Opal, which absolutely took my breath away the first time I saw it in person. Basically, move over, Heart of the Ocean necklace from the “Titanic” movie . . . because gazing into an Aqua Kyocera Opal is just like gazing into the most beautiful, clear ocean waters you could ever dream of.

I need it in my life like yesterday, because it seriously looks like the light on the edge of the water that my girl Moana keeps chasing (except bottled up in a beautiful pendant that’s not going to harm the creator of all islands and all that other stuff)!

 

 

The more I negotiate with myself on why I absolutely need a new Kendra in my life, the more I know this necklace would help me basically fully become Moana, which is a personal goal of mine, and it’s important to go for your dreams and stuff . . . sooo I really need this necklace . . . #GirlReasoning

 

 

I’ll never forget the first time my hubby (then-boyfriend) bought me a Kendra Scott pretty. We were walking around SouthPark Mall after law school one afternoon when we sorta went our separate ways – me to (you guessed it!) Sephora, and Thomas to, well . . . a boy store? I don’t know, ya’ll . . . (*Takes moment to ponder why boys should ever even be allowed to come shopping with us in the first place.*)

At least that’s what I thought, until I got my fill of all the shimmery magic in Sephora and decided to stop by next door to the new Kendra Scott store to see what it was all about. Well, imagine the butterflies I felt in my tummy when I walked in the store full of beautiful baubles to see my man at the check-out counter being handed a pretty little bright yellow bag stuffed with sky blue tissue paper. All. The. Heart. Eyes.

It was love at first Kendra. I still remember exactly what Thomas was wearing when he handed me that bag: khaki shorts, a crisp white polo, and a grey Nike golf cap with a white check (because he had plans to go golfing that evening with a law school buddy).

He picked the Iridescent Drusy stone in the classic Elisa necklace (pictured below) – by far the most popular Kendra necklace shape – featuring a petite oval design that sits right in the nape of the neck, or just below, depending on your mood and the way you adjust the length of the chain.

 

 

The glittering white-with-a-hint-of-pink stone reminded me instantly of Opal, but it was also completely unique and different in its own way. I loved that no two stones available were the same and that Thomas got to pick the exact stone he wanted for me. That’s another special advantage to shopping Kendra Scott: you are literally able to pick up and look at each potential stone you’re eyeing, and once you’ve picked your favorite, you get to watch up-close as the stone is placed into your very own necklace setting and chain.

The pendant is sealed shut by a sales associate in that very moment right after you’ve selected your favorite stone, so you literally get to be a part of the jewelry creation process – you get to be a jewelry designer – and that makes the shopping experience really neat and meaningful.

 

 

Plus, if you’re like me and go back and forth constantly when it comes to making online shopping decisions (I’m the queen of putting things in my cart and letting them sit while I contemplate what kind of life choices I’m about to make), getting to hand-select your stone, jewelry shape, and metal (they carry gold, silver, and rose gold options in many designs) in-store at The Color Bar is an experience you’ll absolutely LOVE!

 

 

Needless to say, having one Kendra piece was like getting my first tattoo . . . I knew instantly that I just had to have more. When I was planning our wedding and all the monumental “stuff” that goes along with it, I knew I wanted to have boudoir photos done, and of course, bridal photos. (By the way: COMMENT BELOW if you would like to see some posts about the why’s and how to’s for boudoir and bridal photos! I believe these are a must for any bride-to-be and would love to give you my advice!)

Anyway, I knew I wanted that sort of Jennifer Aniston vibe when it came to the necklace I’d wear for my boudoir photos. Jennifer Anniston looks gorgeous at all times and refuses to age a day, and one thing I’ve noticed throughout the years that I’ve worshiped her (TEAM JENNIFER all the way!) that her necklace game stays STRONG no matter what movie she’s in. She usually has a small, feminine, eye-catching necklace that she wears throughout the entirety of one film, and I fall in love with whatever it is and Google it like crazy every time.

 

 

Basically, I wanted that same idea to be mirrored in my boudoir photos: I mean, obviously the focal point wasn’t going to be on my jewelry for this shoot, but I still wanted something delicate and feminine that made me feel empowered, like I was channeling the ageless, mysterious, absolute goddess that Jennifer Anniston is. I swear she’s an alien walking around in a perfect human body.

Naturally, off to Kendra I went, where I played around at The Color Bar and treated myself to a new, slightly larger iridescent drusy pendant with a rounder shape and longer chain. I loved how simple and classic it would look in photos – that little glimmering flash of bridal white – and I ended up wearing it for many other wedding festivities, like bridal showers and vendor appointments!

Every time I wear it to this day, I’m reminded of what a wonderfully happy season in life our engagement was (and I’m also maybe a little bit reminded that – in my husband’s eyes only, at least – I can be kind of sexy sometimes, too).

Now that I think about it, channeling Kim Kardashian West’s photo shoot face (don’t play like you don’t know THE KKW sexy-squinty look), paired with Jennifer Anniston’s dainty jewelry vibes may not have been the best balance, but hey . . . Hubs ended up liking it just fine! And when it comes to boudoir photos, that’s literally ALL that matters!

 

 

My favorite Kendra pieces of all time, however, were gifted to me for my law school graduation. My mama, her kitties (LOL at when parents sign gifts from their pets, and if you’ve ever met Audrey the cat . . . even bigger LOL at the idea that she would EVER get ANYONE a gift that wasn’t her own hairball) my mama’s best friend Jill, and Jill’s daughter + my best friend and Maid of Honor, Chloe put some serious thought, planning, and TRUE LOVE into planning THE PERFECT law school graduation gifts: a complete jewelry set I could wear on my wedding day and cherish forever.

 

 

The perfection was almost too much to handle. Chloe gifted me the most badass right hand statement ring in Rose Gold Drusy, which perfectly matched my rose gold engagement and wedding rings. Jill and Mama Linda (and her cats, I guess) gifted me the most stunning earrings and two necklaces: a short Rose Gold Drusy pendant to match the ring from Chloe, and a longer chain mixed with alternating Rose Quartz, Chalcedony, and Iridescent Drusy stones.

 

 

The colors could not have represented our wedding day more perfectly. Our wedding colors were mint green, blush, and gold, and the mix of Rose Quartz and Chalcedony really paid homage to that color scheme. The rose gold accented and paired with my wedding ring set perfectly.

I’ve been in love with rose gold for about five years now, and back in the day when I would send Thomas Pinterest suggestions of engagement rings I liked (Read: I’m not NOT psycho), my only specification was that I wanted something entirely different from what anyone else was flashing on Instagram back in 2014: whatever he picked out had to be rose gold and one-of-a-kind.

And, bless him, if he didn’t do his research, connect with a jeweler all the way in Thailand, and commission just that. I think I’ll keep him.

 

 

If you’re a bride-to-be unsure of where to look for the perfect wedding day jewelry, look no farther than Kendra Scott. If you’re a 20-something girl on the hunt for the perfect spring/summer statement necklace OR the perfect year-round dainty necklace, Kendra Scott is all you need, your one-stop-shop. You can build your own design at The Color Bar and hand-select the gem that speaks to you most, or you can shop the ready-made selection toward the middle and front of the store.

 

 

A little hint – and all-around incredible tidbit – about Kendra Scott:
No, these stores are not in every single mall in every single city. So, what if you want to ask your family to gift you Kendra for graduation, your birthday, your wedding, or any other celebration, but you don’t – and can’t – expect them to several hours to the nearest Kendra Scott store?

Another thing I love about Kendra stores is how willing they are to work with you and your loved ones to make sure you have the most personal and EASY shopping experience!!!!!

When my mom told me it would be easiest for her, Jill, and Chloe (oh, and the cats, for sure LOL) if I could go to the Charlotte store and pick out exactly what I wanted, leave the store associates with that information. From there, the hope was that Mom, Jill, and Chloe could each call the Charlotte store at their convenience and order what I’d selected. It was then up to my then-fiance to stop by SouthPark Mall one day to stealthily intercept the beauties and keep somewhere hidden away until my law school graduation day.

 

 

I loved the plan for the convenience it gave my mom and my loved ones, but it also made me nervous. I remember the days back in junior high when I could just take a signed check from my daddy to American Eagle to shop for an agreed-upon $ amount of back-to-school clothes, and the sales associates were happy to fill in the exact amount without calling him or verifying an I.D. I also remember over the years when those practices stopped and credit card security became the focal point of every point-of-sales system transaction.

One evening in college, I was driving from Sonic (ya girl needed an Ocean Water with strawberries) back to my college campus for the night because it was . . . dum dum DUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM . . . SORORITY RECRUITMENT! AKA: Only the most fun AND most stressful time of the entire school year! And of course, since it was an incredibly convenient time in my life, someone hit my car from the side. Just T-boned the heck out of me. With it being recruitment week, I was in a major hurry to get a rental car locked down so I wasn’t immobilized during such a busy time.

I will never forget the difficulty my mom and I had figuring out how to get me in a rental car and on my way. She was a 6-hour drive away at home in East TN, while I was away at a school near Nashville, TN, so it didn’t make sense for her to drive all the way to me for what should’ve been just another one of life’s many unexpected inconveniences. I was under 21 and nowhere near old enough to rent a car entirely on my own, without a cosigner, so I needed her signature. And to top it all off, I was living off of my leadership scholarship money, which didn’t factor in random car accidents . . . so, I also needed her help with the fees and costs not covered by my insurance.

Goodness, did we have a time figuring out how to work something out with Enterprise! They wouldn’t take a check in the mail or a credit card number over the phone, even if it could be verified while my mom was still on the line. We discussed money orders and all kinds of inconvenient things before she somehow finally worked it out. That was my wake-up call that credit card use was getting stricter than ever and the days of putting customer service first were fading fast.

So, of course I was hesitant when I knew it would be most convenient for my mom, Jill, and Chloe to shop for me over the phone, because . . . well, how could something so convenient be available at a fine jewelry retailer?

When I stopped by the SouthPark Kendra Scott Store to design my wedding day jewelry and ask about how my family could go about purchasing it for me, I was shocked to find out it would be absolutely no problem for anyone to call the store and place an order for me.

It was no problem to call over the phone. It was no problem for the store to hold my gifts in a safe place until closer to graduation so I didn’t find them anywhere in our little apartment (Read: I’m not NOT crazy . . .). It was no problem for my loved ones to pay over the phone. I didn’t need to send detailed emails (one of my fave things to do LOL) about the style names and stone colors, because that is something the sales associates were willing to keep straight for me.

The sales associates made sure they knew exactly what I wanted and made it effortless for my family to be a part of that.

And that experience, my friends, made me a loyal customer for life. I’m Team Kendra all the way, all day, every day.

 

 

I even got a sweet little card from the lovely ladies who helped me design everything in-store on my graduation day telling me they couldn’t wait to see my wedding photos! I love when a business – especially one as major as Kendra – manages to make me feel like I’m a part of their family, that I’m thought of even after the sale is finalized.

It’s these practices that create lifelong customer bases and develop lasting business relationships, so kudos to Kendra for always making me feel special and making it super easy for my loved ones to make me feel special, too!

 

 

Let’s Shop Kendra Together!

Need some Kendra in your life? I’ve got you covered, girl friend!

Since I had emergency spine surgery on my birthday back in February and didn’t exactly get to celebrate, I’m throwing a party for us all at the Kendra Scott Store in the SouthPark Mall! Better late than never + any excuse to celebrate, AmIRight?!

I would LOVE to hang out with and meet ALL of my North Carolina and Charlotte-area Weddings & Wanderlust girls! And what better way to spend time together than with sips and sweets, surrounded by pretty jewelry we all NEED in our lives? Hashtag TREAT YOURSELF!!!!!

 

 

Because I love ya’ll so very much, I’ve also scored each and every one of you a 15% OFF DISCOUNT when you shop at Kendra Scott SouthPark with me that evening! Sips, sweets, AND a sweet discount!

One of my out-of-town besties, followers, family members, or another loved one? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, too! Just call in to the Kendra Scott SouthPark store and place your order via (704) 837-7689 and you’ll still snag that 15% OFF DISCOUNT . . . OVER THE PHONE! I would send you champs over the phone, too, if I could!

Please Note: This is NOT an affiliate shopping discount, nor do I receive any freebie goodies from Kendra Scott for setting up this party for ya’ll. I get the exact same 15% discount and quality time with you that ya’ll get with me, and I am just as happy as a clam about that!

Oh, WAIT! There IS something else extra I set up for ya’ll to enjoy while shopping for Kendra Scott pretties with me . . . . .

 

A GIVEAWAY!

That’s right. If you’ve been following along with W&W the past few months, you know I’ve got you covered with the Giveaways! I LOVE to tell ya’ll about the must-have products I’m obsessed with, but I just don’t think it would be fair to do that constantly without giving you the chance to try them out for yourselves every now and again!

I’ve given away wedding makeup and beauty products, my favorite coconut coffee creamer, and $50 so far on the blog, and I’m certainly not stopping there . . .

That’s why I’ve partnered with Kendra Scott SouthPark to GIVE AWAY A FREE KENDRA SCOTT NECKLACE to one lucky event attendee! #YASSS

Birthday Fun. Girl Time. Sips. Sweets. 15% Off. AND a Free Gift. It’s going to be absolutely fabulous, ladies! Can’t wait to see you all there!

 

Until Next Time, Wild-Hearted Wanderer,

 

 

xo,
eg