CITY GUIDE: CHARLESTON, SC

Charleston was even more picturesque than I could have imagined! Having all the bloggers with us was such a blast for the first half of the trip, but I was definitely excited when the boys go to town. With the quaint cobblestone streets and amazing architecture waiting around every corner, there is definitely a very romantic vibe about Charleston. I feel like I barely scratched the surface on everything this city has to offer, but lucky for me Kristin is getting married there this coming Spring! I've included some of the highlights from our trip below, and if y'all have any places you think I need to visit next time please share them in the comments below :)

EAT

Halls Chophouse // Talk about service with a smile! The owners will great you at the door when you enter, and send you off with a glass of Champagne before you leave. I'm sure it goes without saying, but order a steak ;)

82 Queen // This was the perfect place for a post engagement celebration. Pop a bottle of Veuve and enjoy the gorgeous garden seating. The Crab Cake Benedict was beyond.

High Cotton // A great spot for a classy night out in Charleston, with great live music. The Gorgonzola Gnocchi was EVERYTHING. 

DO

Charleston Waterfront Park // Take a stroll along the pier, and make sure you check out the Pineapple fountain! You may even see someone getting proposed to ;)

SHOP

235 King Street // This is hands down where to shop when visiting Charleston. Hampden Clothing's curated selection of designer duds is definitely a must see.

DRINK

Gin Joint // A mixology snob's dream. The service was a tad slow, but the drinks were definitely worth the wait - the Gin Basil Smash is on point.

Carmella's Dessert Bar // The perfect place for after dinner drinks and dessert.

Republic Garden and Lounge // Packed on the weekends and with good reason. Great live music, and a very creative cocktail menu.

c/o Maison Jules embroidered drawstring dress | c/o JACK ROGERS white lauren sandals | OLD NAVY bucket bag (similar)

BLOGGERS DO FOLLY

It's always nice to get to know other bloggers better beyond the fashion week parties and hectic conferences.  I went into this #bloggersdofolly trip ready for some bonding and real talk, but anytime you get a group of girls together there is bound to be drama...except there wasn't any! Honestly I had such a blast hanging with all of these babes. I mean it's been almost 2 weeks since we all went our separate ways, and the group text has yet to go silent. I think the proof is in the pudding.

{Me, Kristin of Living in Color Print, Shelby Glitter & Gingham, Emily of Life with Emily, Cathy of Poor Little It Girl, Jess of my Style Vita, Bethany of B Soup}

I'm wearing this Orange Striped Monogram Beach Hat with my WILDFOX pineapple bikini.

EAT

Lost Dog Cafe // Mimosa Monday's and some of the best biscuits n' gravy I've had in a while.

Folly Beach Crab Shack // Voted best seafood spot by Southern Living. Make sure to try the fried shrimp.

Taco Boy // I have pretty high standards when it comes to Mexican food (see: TexMex), but I was pleasantly surprised by this spot. The Tempura Shrimp Taco was pretty dank.

Mini Tumbler | Drink Spiker | Radio | Flamingo Koozie | Hat | Sandals | Hello Summer Cup

How sick was all of our beach gear?? Monogram er'ythang

These Sociologie Wines were the perfect refreshments to take down to the beach.

DO

Folly Beach // Obviously the main draw to Folly Beach is the actual beach! Make sure to take a stroll down the pier. 

SUP Safari // Paddle boarding was definitely one of the highlights of the trip! Our guides were super friendly and knowledgable during the tour - and we only had one woman overboard...wink Emily.

Bike Ride // Our Rathershack rental came equipped with bikes, and I highly recommend taking an afternoon to cruise around the island and explore. 

SHOP

L. MAE BOUTIQUE was kind enough to host a brunch for us while we were in Folly, and bring their mobile shopping trailer! I picked out this adorable palm print romper, which I will definitely be wearing for Miami Swim in a few days. 

AN EVENING IN BERMUDA

After a long day on Elbow Beach we stopped off at The Pickled Onion before heading back on the  ferry (I recommend riding up top for a very scenic trip) from Hamilton to the Royal Caribbean port. We opted to sit outside for a great view of Front street & the water. On the island, the traditional dress for the majority of the men wear Bermuda shorts with long socks and dress shirts - needless to say the people watching during dinner was amazing! As far as the food goes, it was great service and prices that didn't break the bank which was all I could as for.

c/o FCUK floral reef maxi dress | NICHOLAS metal plate belt (sold out - similar) | c/o JUICY COUTURE sunglasses | J.CREW fringe sandals | VITA FEDE titan bracelets

FRINGE COVER UP

The second day in Bermuda we visited Elbow Beach on the main island just about a 10 minute cab ride from Hamilton. Located on the southern coast of Paget Parish, it is also home to one of Bermuda's most famous resorts, the Elbow Beach Hotel. Not only does their bar have the best strawberry daiquiris on the island, but you can also rent snorkel gear! I wish we had brought an under water camera, I literally felt like I was witnessing something out of finding Nemo. While Horseshoe bay was also gorgeous, if you only have one day to go to the beach I would definitely recommend Elbow Beach. 

c/o LULU*S off the should fringe detail dress (similar here) | J.CREW panama hat | KAREN WALKER 'number one' sunglasses

A DAY AT HORSESHOE BAY BEACH

I'm so excited to start sharing pictures from our Glorious trip to Bermuda. Our first excursion on the island was to visit Horseshoe Bay. As soon as we arrived, I could not get over how gorgeous the water was! There were these massive rocks and cliffs jutting out of the water, I felt like I was in another world. This day is a prime example of why blogging can come in handy. I knew I wanted us to set up shop a little further down the beach from all the people in the interest of not feeling like a complete idiot while posing for pictures. Little did I know that my search for some privacy would turn up the most gorgeous stretch of the beach (walk about 10 minutes to the left of the main drop off point through the alcove *but watch out for high tide in the afternoon). The food options were limited but there was a little stand with your basic burgers, chicken fingers etc. but most importantly dark & stormy's. All in all a great day at the beach.

Forever 21 embroidered gauze tunic | c/o VICTORIA SECRET triangle bikini top (*on sale & all swim suits are buy one get one 50% off) | c/o VICTORIA SECRET seashell string bikini bottom  (*on sale) | ORIBE apres beach wave and shine spray | KAREN WALKER 'number one' sunglasses

VDAY STAYCATION - PART FOUR

After a packed weekend of plans with my parents and friends, I was so excited for a quiet dinner & movie night with just Christian and I. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that Taverna is one of my favorite Italian spots in Dallas. Whether I'm on a date or out for a girls night (perfect for Mary bc of it's Gluten Free options), I am never disappointed with the food or the atmosphere. I usually order a bowl of the Gnocchi Rustica, and that night was no exception. Although I may have to switch up my order because Christian's Paglia e Fieno was so good that I kept stealing bites...lucky for me he doesn't mind sharing :) 

After dinner it was couch potato time, and we curled up with a few of my favorite DVDs, some truffle popcorn, & fun cocktails. It sounds silly but this is one of my favorite things we did on his trip. Watching TV together can get pretty tricky when one person is in Florida & the other is in Texas. But we have developed a pretty sophisticated system to work around that logistical issue, which basically consists of counting down "Ok-1, 2, 3 play!" and watching episodes of The League or Suits in tandem over the phone. It's crazy how dating long distance can make even something as simple as watching a movie together such a treat. And while I don't mind our usual "system", it sure was nice to have him sitting next to me for a change.

SO floral dress c/o KOHLS | c/o WALLIS leather jacket (similar) | MILK & HONEY BOUTIQUE sunglasses | MANOLO BLAHNIK bb patent pumps  | Taverna Dinner, Live Love Pop, & Austin Cocktails c/o DROESE PR

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

*Photography by Mary Summers