A Mad Hatter and a Rolls Royce.

/

Outfit Details:
ASOS Floral Bardot Maternity Dress, Pink Hat (borrowed from my Mom's hope chest, similar here and here), Charming Charlie Clutch (old, similar here and here), Banana Republic Wedges (sold out, similar here), Anthropologie Stud Earrings

It was all just so British.

The cobblestone streets, the rare London sunshine and the hat atop my head. Coming out of the whitewashed hotel we stumbled upon these flowers that freakishly matched my dress and then a Rolls Royce just appeared out of nowhere. Beckoning me to it, really. Not only is this is the stuff dream blog posts are made of, this is the stuff that dreams are made of! I can't say enough gushing things about this particular experience, because Stevie and I were literally so giddy, relishing the most British experience of our lives (except for maybe the time we did high tea at Fortnum & Mason). We even rode on that red bus you see in the background (up top!), across town to the loveliest of weddings. It was an experience friends, one that I will never ever forget.

I was a little bit wardrobe challenged when I received the invitation to the suite of celebratory events for this wedding. How in the world does one plan for so many maternity outfits? Well, ASOS Maternity ended up being a lifesaver, because the prices are so reasonable and the options are so stylish and sassy. The problem I've found with most maternity sites is that all the dresses look very classic and alike (and let's be honest - bland), which is sort of understandable, since women want to be able to wear their maternity clothing throughout several pregnancies. But that makes it really hard to find trendier, or even colorful options, especially when it comes to occasion-wear. That's what really sets ASOS Maternity apart - I found so many options that I loved, and actually ended up ordering about ten dresses, trying them on at home, and choosing between them. Obviously ASOS is known for it's non-maternity clothing, but if you're a pregnant lady in need of a nice dress, their maternity line is the go-to. And as for that hat, well, what can I say. My mom is my style icon, the original fashionista in my book. This thing was just laying around in her closet.

And there's my date. Oh, and there's Stevie, too. JUST KIDDING! As much as I loved that bus ride, I loved experiencing it with him even more. It was sightseeing and transporting and Kate Middleton stalking all at once. :)

P.S. - More from our London trip here - inhaling rose lattes around Notting Hill and wearing a sari on Queen's Gate Road.

A Sari on Queen's Gate Road.

/

I can't believe it was only 10 days ago that we were in London, celebrating at our friend's lovely wedding. One of the events was the traditional Indian Mendhi & Pithi, where the bride's family welcomes the groom's family into their home. We were shuttled as a group out to the bride's family home in picturesque Surrey where we danced, ate and drank the night away. The mocktails were flowing my friends. It was my kind of party :)

Sometimes I feel so sheltered by not knowing enough about other cultures and religions. This was the most enriching experience, seeing the gorgeous Indian culture up close, in all its vibrancy and spice and tradition. The bride and groom were so elegant, draped in their crystal and white outfits and performing the traditions of this ceremony. It was amazing to watch. My dear friend Nabihah arranged a sari for me to wear (in the most stunning shade of fuchsia!), and made sure that I had help getting assembled and dressed by her husband's sweet aunt Laila. I would have been lost in the folds of this sari - I had no idea that it's just one continuous piece of fabric that has to be draped, looped and wrapped a zillion times.

If you look closely enough, you will see that the material is sheer. My pregnant belly was more exposed than I thought it would be! I was slightly self-conscious about this, but at the same time, I just wanted to immerse myself and embrace the experience. Pregnant sari and all :) Besides, most Indian saris show some belly and back, so I guess I was fitting in?

We took these photos in about 30 seconds (we were rushed, didn't want to be late to the first event!), but I wanted to share them with you because it's not everyday that an American girl gets to attend an Indian wedding in London. Documentation had to be made.

Outfit Details:
Fuchia Sari (gifted, I've linked a few similar styles below), Stella & Dot Alila Lace Chandeliers, Stella & Dot Alila Cuff, Steve Madden Heels, Sephora Lip Stain in Mulberry, Banana Republic Clutch (gifted, I've linked a a few similar styles below)

I'm so grateful that Stevie and I got to have this experience together. It was like going on a surprise date, where neither of us quite knew what was going to happen next, but what happened next was always fun and wonderful. We feasted on the most delicious of Indian foods (I'm addicted to naan now), learned to dance with dandiyas (well, sort of, Stevie broke his pair), savored the coconut ice cream and wandered through the family's rose garden after dark. If it sounds magical to you, then you're getting my drift, because it pretty much was.

And this was only the beginning of our trip!

Have you ever been to an Indian wedding? What was your favorite part? After this experience, I would love to hear about yours!