The Morning Of The Big Day

Posted on June 23, 2016 by karissaestrada

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April 22nd on a perfect Pasadena day. 75 degrees and sunny with no cloud in sight. All of us girls slept in until 9-ish. It was slow morning, drinking Starbucks in our hotel room and giggling about the big day ahead of us. I woke up in a panic with my nerves completely out of control. I was shaky and nauseous: I was a mess. I don’t even remember what exactly I was worried about. Maybe the thought that this day was all about Wyatt and I or maybe it was walking down the aisle with all eyes on me. Not for second did I second guess Wyatt though. I knew for sure that he was the man that I wanted to marry. Thinking that gave me comfort…along with a little Rosé.

We headed straight towards the venue to get ready. We messed around for half an hour or so, dancing, laughing and SnapChatting until the beauty crew showed and it then it was time for business. In a small room, with teal colored walls and windows on every corner we got prettied up listening to Ashlyn’s playlist and drinking a little more to calm our nerves.

I had a moment in between the “Where’s the bobby pins?” and “Can I borrow your lipstick?” to just grasp what exactly was happening. All of these girls, some I met in middle school, others oversea and one way back in elementary school, were all here for me. These sweet girls packed their suitcases and flew from wherever they were to California just to stand by my side when I say “I Do.” I am so lucky to have met them and was grateful that they were there with me.

I love you Ashlyn, Hannah, Autumn, Nicolette and McKala. Forever grateful for you.

Getting ready for the big day was only half the fun. The next post I’ll show you my favorite ceremony pictures that forever changed my life. Stay tuned.

Photography |Winsome & Wright |

Flowers |Running Wild Florals |

Dress |Monique Lhuillier Spring 2016 Collection|

Bridesmaid Dresses | BHLDN |

With Love,

©Karissa Marie

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Our Engagement Story

Posted on August 30, 2015 by karissaestrada

It’s currently 1am New York time and I am too high off of love to fall asleep. Saying that I am on Cloud 9 is an absolute understatement. Cloud-uh-Billion is where I’m currently located. Tonight the love of my life, high school sweet heart, and best friend proposed to me and I said yes. After nearly seven years (I’m exaggerating, its been a solid 6.5) Wyatt decided that in the smack middle of Times Square with a hundred people surrounding us on my 21st birthday would be where he would pop the question and boy oh boy…did he make me melt.

I had thought of all the different ways Wyatt and I would end up engaged but none of them could possibly compare to the way it actually happened. I wish I could tell you that I remembered every single detail of this moment but no, that’s not the case. Everything was such a blur but the sweet things I do remember, I will never forget.

It was around 8:30 PM. We had just gotten off a sunset boat ride that took us around Manhattan (He originally planned on proposing to me then but it didn’t feel right) and everyone was rushing to get back to Times Square because Wyatt said my birthday present was waiting there for me. The entire taxi ride I was guessing what my present could possibly be. I had guessed Ed Sheeran serenading me, One Direction, a puppy, and a private concert from The Kooks. Wyatt said “Guess in your head ok, it’s gonna be good.” The taxi guy dropped us off where the ball drops on New Years. Wyatt grabbed my hand so tight and didn’t let go as he dragged me through the crowd of people. I started feeling such anxiety because I had no idea what was to come. I kept on repeating “I don’t like surprises, I don’t like surprises.” Little did I know.

Somewhere between heaven and Times Square Wyatt stopped me. I immediately knew this was our moment because I didn’t see Ed Sheeran in sight. Wyatt grabbed my shoulders and said the words that are engraved in my memory forever, he said nervously, “I love you. You’re my best friend and I want to spend the rest of my life with you…” He then got down on one knee and by this time I was already crying and said, “Will you marry me?”

Ahh.

I can’t even begin to type how I felt in that moment. It was a feeling beyond this universe, something that I had never experienced before. For a split second I had forgotten where I was and complete ignored the fact that rows and rows of people were circulating around us taking pictures and going “OH MY GOSH!” It was just me and him in this beautiful crazy city and I have never felt more loved in my entire life. I was screaming YES!YES!YES! and doing some weird awkward dance/hop/kicking my feet in the air kind of thing and there he was, my fiancé, putting this giant rock on my finger while still on one knee. Swoon. We kissed, we hugged, we laughed, we smiled…we were finally engaged to be married. We not only got to share this very special moment with the people of Manhattan but also his parents, my parents and my brother. I could not have asked for anything more.

It was perfection and I’m so happy to be his.

Wyatt and I want to thank everyone who congratulated us. We saw all of your snaps, tweets, and messages and we are so thrilled that you’re thrilled. We feel the love. Thank you.

Let the wedding planning begin.

With love,

©Karissa Marie

My engagement dress.

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People Are Mean

Posted on August 11, 2015 by karissaestrada

I’ve had that Taylor Swift song stuck in my head all day. You know, the one where she sings “Someday, I’ll be living in a big ‘ole city and all you’re ever gonna be is mean.” Sometimes song lyrics bring such comfort to me on days where I feel so small. Just a heads up, I feel like venting and I don’t have anyone to vent to at the moment so here I am typing my little heart out hoping that someone out there understands the way that I feel.

Here we go.

People are mean.

I could stop it right there but I’m sure you would like a little more explanation as to why you’re not getting a typical fashion post in your inbox today. Well, I currently have a raging headache from crying so hard because I’m just so darn sick of being treated poorly. I’m sure so much of you can relate to being beaten down emotionally and girl, it’s tough. I get it.

Let’s back track a little bit shall we? I mentioned very briefly in a previous post that I was bullied in school. I think all those times that I was shoved and kicked to the ground, literally and more than once I might add, has made me so much more vulnerable. I won’t get into my deep dark past of being emotionally and physically bullied in school but I’ll just say that the bullying doesn’t stop there. It’s everyday. It’s between strangers, co-workers, friends and family. I wish I could say that the rude words and actions and feeling completely defeated and small stops after high school but it doesn’t and that’s what I had expected when I graduated. I’m an adult and the moment I even get a vibe that someone is upset with me or when someone is being rude to me, it immediately takes me back to all those times I was bullied in school and I just lose it. LOSE IT. I would love to think that going through a lot of abuse while I was younger has made me stronger but I think my brain and heart developed differently.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a problem with “taking things too personally.” Carrying a whopping 10 pound heart comes with a lot of responsibility. Lots of tears and lots of heartbreak. Even the smallest things will make me cry. I don’t really want to say that it’s because I’m sensitive, (I secretly hate that word) but I think it’s because ever since I was a little girl I’ve been put down. I will not name any names but someone in my family, who is very close to me, has emotionally abused me my entire life. They’ve questioned my intelligence, my work ethic, my life goals…and well to make it short, me. They’ve constantly expressed that what I’m doing and who I am isn’t enough. I’m literally tearing up just typing this because it still bothers me that I can’t be all that this person wants me to be, even today, and it bothers me that even though I’ve grown up and moved away from this person, I still get emotionally abused from other people on a daily basis. I’m so sick of it. I’ve, unfortunately, have taken things to a new level and started medication for my depression and anxiety. I’m know a lot of it has to do with just being born this way and losing a family member but I think the rest of it is because I started to believe all those things that my bully’s had told me. Their little twisted words are stuck in my brain forever. (On the bright side, I’m a lot happier since I started the mediation. Haters gonna hate but my medication will fix that. HA!)

A revelation that I had today, and my point to writing this, is that I will NOT apologize to anyone for having a big heart or for being so “sensitive.” (Gag) I won’t change for anyone, not even for a family member. If I feel like I need to cry, I will. If I feel like shutting people out that have had hurt me, I will. If I feel like taking things too personally, I will. If I feel like typing up a blog post, I will. I am me. I am enough. I love me. Your rude thoughts and actions towards me may break my heart, yes, but they won’t entirely break me. Your hurtful words may ruin the moment but after a good cry and a good nap, they won’t ruin my day. The world would be such a wonderful place to live in if people just realized that their thoughts and actions have true consequences. From little smirks, to mean words, to ruining someones day, you have such an effect on other people, more than you might know. I challenge every single one of you to think before you speak, apologize if you’ve wronged someone and continue to walk with love.

The world and the girl typing up this blog post could use a little bit of that.

People are mean and that’s just not nice.

With Love,

©Karissa Marie

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We Never Go Out Of Style// 6 Years <3

Posted on March 4, 2015 by karissaestrada

Whatever life throws at me, I’m never alone. Every time I fall, he falls. Every time he cries, I cry. Even if we fail, we fail together. I’m more than positive that I am luckiest girl in the world because of him. Wyatt has seen me crumble to the absolute worst version of myself. He’s stood there with me through the deaths of my two best friends. He wiped every tear of mine through every stage of depression. He has calmed my overactive nerves when no one else could. He has no doubt seen me at my worst but more importantly he’s never judged me. He has never given up on me. He has never once walked away. Even when I’ve lived in the dark he somehow manages to see beauty in me. I can’t put into words what this man means to me. I’ve known him since he was just a curly headed chubby little boy with braces. I’ve had the privileged to grow up with him. Now I get to love him as the man that he is. It’s weird saying that because up until now I’ve only known him to be a kid. Because we were just kids, age 14, when we fell in love. I’ve known him as a baseball player, football player, Tire Tech, Personal Trainer, Realtor, and now, Store Manager. He’s worn many hats and has many titles but my favorite one of all is the guy that I get to come home to: My Best Friend.

We don’t have gray hair yet but I look forward to growing old with him. We are in no rush to get married, for those of you that ask us on a daily basis. We’re choosing to enjoy life and each other as we are. Marriage is in our future, trust me, but we love who we are right now, right this second. Whenever we get bored of that then maybe we’ll get married. But until then we will continue to love each other unconditionally, dance in public, kiss until one of us has to pee and watch Netflix in our jammies all day.

Happy 6th Anniversary to the person that I can’t live without and also to the person that irritates me the most. I love you Wyatt. Thank you for loving me like you do.

I’m so lucky.

With love,

©Karissa Marie

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His♥Blazer. PullOver. Button Up. Jeans. Shoes.

Hers♥Dress. Coat-DASH (similar). Heels.

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Feathered & Feminine

Posted on December 5, 2014 by karissaestrada

I have been waiting for months and months to find the perfect opportunity to wear this skirt. One of my biggest fears is wasting a fabulous outfit on a not so fabulous day. It’s been beautifully hanging on my clothing rack forever and I’m so very pleased at how it ended up being styled for the first time. I knew the holiday season would be perfect to take this bad boy out. I think this feathered and feminine top was a match made in heaven. I felt like magic walking around in this little number. I love what a good outfit can do to your mood and confidence. I wish I had a party to wear this dress to but out of all the days, I chose to wear this on Black Friday. I had to work on Black Friday, which I didn’t mind one bit because 1) It saved me lot of money while I , simultaneously, was making money. 2) I enjoyed the rush and chaos 3) I got to dress up in my holidays best with my work buddies and make tons of sales. After all the madness, I thought my day couldn’t get any better but then my family and I went and ate out at the Cheesecake Factory. It was an awesome day thanks to this awesome outfit and my family; the only two things a girl really needs to conquer the world.