I write this as I nurse a well-worth-it hangover from the Brandon Flowers concert at The National here in Richmond last night. I was over served, if you will. To give you an idea, I was the girl that went to the “after party” advertised on the venue’s bathroom door with Brandon Flowers’ face plastered on it. This had to mean he was going to be there, right? I was convinced throughout the whole concert that he was going to the after-party at Coda (right next door) until I left one song early (to secure my spot, duh) and was sadly informed that Brandon Flowers was in fact not attending the after party. It was a devastating moment. So, here I am, nursing a hangover and googling him until my eyes fall out. Give his new album “The Desired Effect” a listen.
It may feel a little backwards to post about my honeymoon before we share the details from the wedding, but I just couldn’t wait to recap our amazing 5 days in Jamaica! We stayed at Couples Swept Away in Negril and it was the perfect all-inclusive but not rage-y beach vibe that we wanted. One of their slogans is “somewhere between isolation and vacation” and that pretty much hits the nail on the head. The variety of restaurants and bars was ideal for us as we sat on the beach all day every-day but also wanted to have upscale dining options. Okay maybe not all-day everyday, but close! We did get out on a snorkeling trip (gorgeous!) and of course couldn’t miss the catamaran booze cruise. I have to admit that relaxation was goal #1 but I couldn’t quiteeee turn off my blogging brain so I made sure to have John snap some of my favorite honeymoon pieces.
when you get to the beach & your room isn’t ready, you pack your Louis with your coverup, take a few selfies and enjoy the afternoon sun.
I pretty much wore thislemlem number everyday! It is literally the perfect cover-up and didn’t suffocate me on the extremely hot Negril afternoons. I discovered lemlem at Roan in Richmond and love the handwoven fabrics – made in Ethiopia.
yep, we were that couple with the personalized tumblers. BUT they are seriously a game-changer because the bartenders make each drink in your own cup!
Honeymoon reads, featured throughout the post:
The Page Turner: Greg Iles, The Bone Tree
The Girly Beach Read: Elin Hilderbrand, The Matchmaker
The National Book Award Finalist: Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven
I had been eyeing this WildFox Couture suit for a while and finally took the plunge a few days before we left for Jamaica when I snagged it from Nellie George in Richmond. I based the rest of my honeymoon vibe off of it because, well, how could I not? Those Flamingos! Unfortunately, this one is sold out now but all of their swimwear is pretty much perfect so you can find one that fits your personality! (Free People Eclipse Brami, H&M Girlfriend Jeans, Miu Miu slides) this high-waisted clover canyon suit w the teeny weeny top was a must for the trip! (& of course a selfie after your husband takes a picture that doesn’t really do the suit justice)
afternoon Caribbean storms call for wet hair, bare feat & wearing this Taj by Sabrina cover-up as a dress to pre-dinner cocktails.
On our last night we had to splurge for the Romantic Dinner on the Beach. It was a gorgeous night, the food was to die for (lobster and beef tenderloin) and the company wasn’t too bad either 🙂 We are so happy to have Johnny (aka Mr. Crystal Press) join our little blog family!
This post was promoted by Target. All thoughts & opinions are our own.
We have been living in Target Denim for the past two weeks trying out their new styles that just launched in stores. As long time lovers of all things denim, receiving a package of jeans for free addressed to The Crystal Press made our July. We snapped a diary of pictures to showcase and review each of our favorite styles for you guys. Our package was chock-full of fashionable styles that ranged from boyfriend to high-waisted to skinny to acid washed to flannel lined and beyond! In case you haven’t noticed, the two of our body types are complete opposites and we have different preferences when it comes to denim brands (aka legs vs no legs.) It was a relief to find that Target is a place we can do our denim shopping together!
// Things are about to get crazy for us because we have a very, very special day coming up next week! (drum roll please…) Reb is getting married July 25th at The Homestead. Stay tuned for lots of pictures of us spa-ing, celebrating, and one beautiful bride!
// However, we are not too busy for the most wonderful time of the yeaaaar! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! We’ve got our eyes on this fabulous jumpsuit & this TopShop Crop & Midi!
// We came across the Etro Fall 2015 campaign and are beyond thrilled to see Kate Moss, aka the queen, adorning beautiful bohemian threads. We need it all.
// If you are an iced-coffee & Iced-tea addict like us, you must grab one of these Starbucks Cards. Buy 5, get one on the house.
// Everyone knows you need a signature wedding day scent, Rebecca chose this scent from Lanvin and it is the perfect mix of romantic & clean.
In Cath’s last post she introduced you to Lola Pepper Boutique in Richmond and accurately described how perfect this shop was for us. And by perfect I don’t just mean the clothes, the leather cuffs and the handmade necklaces but just the whole *vibe* of the shop that Jillian has created. Like Cath said, because of how perfectly she has curated the goods, you won’t walk out empty-handed. As a matter of fact, I scooped a piece to wear on my wedding day.
When Jillian first showed me this Skemo piece, I knew it was love at first sight. It is totally designed to be a dress but as we’ve seen in my past outfits, I like to try to pull off the dress-over-jeans style and this edgy-boho number was right up my alley.
Unless this is the first post on The Crystal Press that you have seen, you know that we LOVE Free People. On any given outfit post you are guaranteed to find any range of accessories, intimates and clothes from our favorite boho-boutique. When the Richmond store approached us to be a part of this #FPSummerDays anniversary event, saying that we were excited is an understatement. We had such fun trying out different outfits and most importantly getting our hair done by the lovely stylists from 1213 Hair Studio.
Oh and how could we forget: champagne & cupcakes. It was basically our dream event and these photographs definitely show us in our element – laughing, drinking and showing off some sweet threads. Thanks to all of the free people stylists and especially the store manager, Jamie, for putting together such a fabulous event!
I have great news for my fellow shopaholic Richmond-ers: a new boutique has opened in the heart of the fan. Lola Pepper opened in May and if you are into the bohemian chic that TCP can’t get enough of, I suggest you pop in for all things dress, jewels, home & the threads I have on in this post! I can guarantee you won’t walk out of this boutique empty handed or without a ‘gram or 10 because the decor is to die for.
PS: This denim is a great price point ($60ish at Lola Pepper) with a designer fit and incredibly comfortable.
I went to St. John a couple of weeks ago & I am finally getting my photo diary together! I am a lover of all things beach, but I must say in terms of the tropical vacations, St. John takes the cake. Everything in St. John is breath taking: from the food, to the people, to the beaches. St. John is a small island & the closest airport is located on St. Thomas. Do not fret, St. John is just a ferry away. There are two ferry stations in St. Thomas but I recommend ferrying from Red Hook to get to St. John. Red Hook is a longer car ride from the St. Thomas Airport, but it is a much shorter ferry ride to get to St. John. If the weather permits, get a seat on the top deck of the ferry. It is such a treat to see these beautiful islands by boat.
Gosh, it has been a brilliant week for us! Stay tuned for some awesome collaborations coming up and for more on the Free People Richmond #FPSummerDays event (selfie below from the magical evening!) Also below are some of this week’s obsessions. Read on, friends!
// We are still pining over this swimsuit Reb rocked at her bachelorette that we mentioned in our post here. Ever since Blue Crush hit the big screen, we have worn a matching bikini…never. Who doesn’t want to look like Kate Bosworth in or out of character? Anyways, this Victoria’s Secret black mesh swimsuit is the exception of all exceptions from our mismatch-bikinis-only-rule. We are convinced it is flattering on any body type and if you’ve been on the fence about high waisted bottoms, these are the ones to try. The mesh cut-outs are oh-so-slimming.
Not pictured: the bridesmaids chugging beer celebrating the bachelorette, in the classiest way. Definitely pictured:Flash Tats.
// MISTRESSES IS BACK. Yes, those caps are on purpose. Mistresses is in it’s third season on ABC & our ultimate guilty pleasure. Watch this show over a bottle of wine with some girlfriends, and you will never go back. Caution: the male lead, Harry, has the most divine Australian accent and is sexy af.
// We love champagne but we don’t love how you can’t pop bottles by yourself without a. over serving yourself to finish the bottle or b. wasting perfectly good champagne. Everyone knows champagne does not keep its bubbles for long enough. Meet the little contraption that has rocked our world: Le Creuset’s Champagne Resealer. Now, we can pop bottles by ourselves and be responsible with no fear of wasting or overindulging. To our fellow champagne loves, cheers!
// Here is an article on the importance of creating a 10 year vision from Lululemon’s blog. We enjoy exploring all things about vision and goals. Everywhere we look, the importance of both is stressed & this article has an enlightening but simple perspective on the subject. Our favorite line: “If you are just beginning your own journey, Derrick’s advice is straightforward: ‘Start immediately. Don’t consult anyone about the plausibility of the notion, don’t allow for any self-doubt. Just start doing the thing that you want to be doing far down the road, and eventually you will forget that there was ever an alternative.’ “
// Cath found this brilliant elixir – French Rose Linen Spray by Home & Body, Co. and included it in Reb’s bachelorette party lingerie shower gift! Spray some on your freshly clean sheets (or other fancy delicates) and you are sure to feel like you have miraculously been transported to Paris! Oui, s’il vous plait!
// Cath found this brilliant elixir – French Rose Linen Spray by 
