Ask Me Anything: Bachelorette Plans, Saving Money, and more!
Happy Friday, friends! Since the holiday madness will be here before we know it, I wanted to make sure I squeeze in another Ask Me Anything post before my calendar got too full. It’s always so fun to see what you guys are curious about – and these questions cover a lot of bases. A few answers are pretty lengthy, so I apologize in advance for that 😉 Let’s get to it!
*Outfit details can be found in this post!
Where are you going for your bachelorette?
We just decided on NYC! I lived there for a little over 3 years after college, so it’s a very nostalgic place for me and my friends. We’ll go to our old favorite places, maybe walk past our old apartments, and definitely see a show! (MOULIN ROUGE!!!) Even though it’s not cheap there, getting a flight to LGA is easy and affordable, and two of my best friends (who are both Moms!) live in Connecticut, so that makes it easy on them since they need to travel to Chicago for the wedding. I’m super excited about it!
Do you have tips on saving money? And how to say no to buying things you don’t need like clothes (especially as a blogger)?
I feel like this answer requires a little backstory! After college, I had a VERY intense budget. When I wasn’t cast in a show, I was working in retail and babysitting – none of which pay well. (Thank GOD for that Park Avenue family I babysat for though!) When I moved to Chicago, I eventually got into a marketing position that had a decent salary, but nothing that warranted a frivolous lifestyle by any means. So, even though I’ve worked hard to get myself to a really great place financially, I haven’t changed my spending habits all that much.
Obviously, the fact that I’m a blogger is both helpful and harmful to my budget. I tend to want more than I need because I want to have content to show you. At the same time, I also have the opportunity to reach out to the brand to see if they want to collaborate instead of simply swiping my credit card. It doesn’t always work, but it’s helpful when it does!
But even though shopping is a part of my job, I try to be mindful of every purchase.
And that would be my advice for you guys. Really think about what you want to spend your money on. Will you really wear that? Will you like it next year? What can you wear it with? Is it better to buy a few really nice things that will last instead of a bunch of cheap things that you’ll need to replace? Can you wait to see if that item you want goes on sale for 40-50% off and THEN buy it? Considering these things can help you save a lot of money!
I also think budgeting goes so far beyond shopping. It’s cooking at home vs. going out or ordering in every night. Or bringing your lunch to work instead of buying a $15 salad every day. It’s making your coffee at home and taking public transit instead of Ubers or Lyfts!
And one of the biggest reasons I’m able to save right now is the fact that we are renting a place that isn’t draining our bank accounts. Adam and I could have chosen a place much more expensive than our current apartment. I know people who spend almost double what we do in rent so they can be closer to downtown with a view and new appliances. Don’t get me wrong, I get jealous all the time – but at this point in our lives, saving is more important than having the most gram-able kitchen or a doorman, you know? Obviously, these choices are all personal, but that’s what’s worked for me!
Do you have any tips for improving a puppy’s sleep schedule? 5:30 is too early!
YES! I can relate to this so much, because Luna got up super early every day when she was a puppy. At one point, I was complaining about it to one of my friends and she told me that we need to cover the crate. And not just something on the top – cover the entire crate. Obviously, you need to make sure that he/she still has ventilation to breathe, but the less light and distractions the better. Once we started doing this, she went from waking up around 5 to sleeping until 7. Such a game changer!
We just used towels, but you can also buy a crate cover on Amazon!
What are your go-to stores for petite formal clothes and Fall/Winter coats?
I’ll start with the easy answer first! J.Crew is the best for Fall/Winter coats – and they’re having a sale that ends TODAY! I’ve found coats that aren’t petite before and I’m not opposed to trying to find those, but it’s soooo much easier to order a petite size and be done with it!
As for formal wear, I honestly don’t have a reason to shop for that category very much! When I do, I usually turn to Rent the Runway, so that I don’t have to invest a lot of money in something I probably won’t wear again. I did that for the Snowball fundraiser last year and 2 years prior – and both dresses were GREAT! Just look for “Petite” in the size choices, and the gown will come hemmed for shorter gals like us. Unfortunately, you can’t filter the search to only show those options… but it’s worth the digging so you don’t trip over your dress!
What does Adam do? Aka how do you all have slow easy mornings together?
We don’t have slow easy mornings together very often, so yesterday was a treat! We pulled it off because he worked from home that day. He is also an independent contractor, so his job isn’t a typical 9 to 5 at an office – he’s either making sales calls/meeting with customers or working from home. Since he stayed up late to pick me up from the airport and we didn’t get to bed until after 2am that night, he didn’t schedule sales calls that next morning – that’s all!
Believe me, I know it can be frustrating to see bloggers or independent contractors doing their own thing during your normal work hours. It can seem like we don’t work at all. But whenever I’m not working during your normal business hours, I always make up for it at other times. I get it done early in the morning or late at night (aka right now!), and I work multiple hours every. single. weekend. I’ll never say I work harder than any of you, because so many of you have WAY harder and more demanding jobs than I do – but taking a self care morning after a whirlwind business trip shouldn’t be viewed as an out of touch thing to do. Think of it as your boss telling you to come in a few hours late after a trade show or big work event… except I’m my own boss!
How often do followers direct message you on stories? How much do you message back?
I get DMs very often and I try to respond to every single one! Sometimes I’ll simply like the message, so I can acknowledge each one but still clear them quickly. That being said, if you ask me a question, I do my very best to respond in a timely fashion! (I say try because DMs can get lost or pushed down too far in that Requests folder on the side.) The only ones I actively ignore are people asking if I want more followers (some sort to bot situation), lazy brand pitches that should be sent to my email, and creepy men ?
Do you get lonely working from home?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. A large part of me really loves being alone and plowing through my work without distraction. I know some people think their homes are full of distractions, but I always felt that the office was like that! Working kind of brings out the introvert in me.
That being said, I definitely get lonely sometimes. That’s a big reason why I’ll go to the gym in the middle of the day sometimes instead of first thing in the morning or in the evening. It breaks up the day and allows me to see other people! I also really love my shoot days with my photographer Hannah – she’s become a close friend of mine and it’s fun to collaborate instead of figure it all out by myself! My friend Blair and I have also decided to start “co-working” once a week, which will be really nice, too!
I’m struggling with picking my bridal party. What was your process?
Honestly, this was one of the easiest aspects of wedding planning for me! At this point in my life, it was very clear that I wanted my sister, my sister-in-law, and my 4 best friends up there with me. I didn’t even care that Adam has more groomsmen than that!
I think the overwhelm of this usually stems from not wanting anyone to feel left out, but there are ways to include your close friends even if you don’t choose them for your bridal party. Your Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party are the perfect opportunities to expand the circle and make everyone feel a part of the celebration! Plus, I think people forget that if you’re not BEST friends, it can be almost nice to skip the bridesmaids duties/expenses and just enjoy the day! Good friends will understand instead of hold grudges, right?
Bridal shoes recommendations, please!
I don’t have any recommendations yet, I’m sorry! I have NO IDEA what shoes I’m going to wear on the big day. I’ll take any recommendations you guys have though 😉
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Any other questions?
Just comment below – I’ll hold on to them for the next Ask Me Anything post!
PS. You might also like The 15 Best Petite Items from the J.Crew Sale and What To Consider Before Getting a Puppy.
