Saturday, July 14, 2012

Good Morning All,

I bet you thought I fell off the face of the earth huh!  Well in a way I kind of did.  I got divorced so for a while it felt like the ground was falling out from beneath my feet.  And I finally feel ready to write about it, yes even on this blog called "The Uptown Bride"!

Statistics tell us that divorce is happening to a large portion of the country, & I shouldn't feel alone.  Yet I didn't know anyone who's been divorced, and I didn't know what to do with this new identity I didn't want to have.  I felt like the whole world would be judging me as a failure; a failure as a wife, a woman and a failure as an adult.  I mean, I knew that I wasn't a failure (didn't I?), but as my old classmates were starting their families, I was suddenly starting over again, and this time, alone.

 But as I started to reach out to people I found that I did know several people who'd been divorced, and just being able to see that their lives didn't end, that they did find love again, was perhaps the most comforting thing of all.  I was amazed at how nice people were to me.  Sure I encountered a few insensitive types who made a joke of the situation, or implied that I should just "get over it" and act as though the last 10 years didn't exist.  Seriously, can you believe that?  How absurd to tell someone to "get over" their marriage!  As though anyone could.  That would be like asking a soldier to "get over" his active duty; it was a huge part of his life & part of his personal history.  No one will ever simply forget something that changed them & shaped them as a person.  But I digress.  In truth, all my friends, whether single, married or somewhere in between, were more than willing to lend a shoulder to cry on, supportive words, and a kick in the butt when I needed it too.   I found I wasn't alone at all. And I'm so glad because I don't know how I would have handled the change without them.


 Change is scary in general and this was a big one!  I left my whole life behind me.   Within the span of a couple months I was single, I'd shut down my struggling business, left my home(& my cat!) and moved myself to a new city where a new exciting job awaited me.  Leaving my neighborhood & my house was very hard because I loved them so much.  It had taken me a couple years to feel at home in the big city and now I was leaving.  Would I return one day?  Just one of the many still unanswered questions.  Insecurities abounded, often overriding the sensible part of my brain.  Will I ever find someone to love again?  Will anyone ever fall in love with me?  Will I die old, alone and childless in a dingy apartment after slipping in the shower and then it's not until the neighbors dog sniffs out my rotting corpse that they find me and I'm just one of those super sad news blips people post on buzzfeed??? 

It's amazing how you can know a fear is completely irrational but it still manages to frighten you anyway.  I had to face some scary truths.  My future, which I always had a view of before, suddenly stretched out before me as nothing but an endless black fog, thick as pea soup, and I couldn't see a thing.  I think that was the scariest part of all for me, not being able to see ahead, not being able to plan for what's next because I honestly don't know what's next.  It still scares me a little sometimes, but I've become comfortable with my more limited view.  I know what I'm doing for the next year or so and that's enough for now.   And the irrational questions have ceased as well. Obviously I'm not gonna tragically die alone.  Of course I will love someone again; I already feel my heart opening up to this.  Will someone ever fall for me? Well that remains to be seen, but my hopes are high as the sky.

Maybe the most important thing I've learned is just to be patient and have faith in the universe.  Sometimes you don't know why something doesn't go the way you planned it.  It might take days or it might take months but eventually the reasons will become crystal clear.    But I think I'll let one of my idols say it. 



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Adorable Spring Dresses!

Spring has spring here in MN, there are tiny leaves growing on the trees and Easter is just around the corner.  So naturally it's time to freshen up your closet with some pretty spring dresses!

Swing-set Dress from Mod Cloth
Soda Fountain dress by Mod Cloth
Spiraea Shirtdress by Anthropologie
Rose & Gold Slip Dress by Anthropologie
Diamond Kite Dress by Anthropologie

Monday, April 2, 2012

Welcome April!

It's a new month and that brings a fresh start, especially for me because *drum roll please* I'll be starting a new job!  And I'm also moving to a new town in a matter of just 4 days!  No, this ain't no April Fools joke! 
sort of what my "moving van" will look like!

I'm super excited for my new job which is doing product development for a wedding stationary company!  So posts on here may lean a little more towards paper products than in the past, but I'll still be posting about bridal fashion, street fashion, art, & home decor!   In fact, you'll probably see more and more interior design posts since I'll be eventually settling into a new home!  I'm actually not moving to a new town, but rather I'm moving back to my hometown which is excellent because I get to be close to all my best buddies again!  I'm bunking with my parents for the first month (lame, I know!) while I settle into my new job which gives me a little time to find my perfect apartment.  And THEN I get to decorate!  Woot!   Will I live in a mid-century apartment with wide windows, a stately Victorian with interesting nooks & crannies, or rent a rustic old farmhouse on the edge of town with some friends?  Anything could happen.  How exciting is that!?!

Hopefully I'll get a place with a yard, but if not I'll make sure to get a balcony so I can make my own little garden retreat!
Not to get my hopes up, but a fireplace would be amazing!  This is MN after all!
Apartment bathrooms are usually tiny.  Check out this clever and stylish way to utilise more storage space!
I love this look of open storage and rail systems above the sink!
Let face it, I'll probably have to get a 2BR so I can have a dedicated sewing room!
And above all, it has to be a cat-friendly place so I can get a kitten!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Fashionably Feminine Rooms

I going through a pretty big transition right now, a break-up, and soon I'll be living alone for the first time in my life!  I'm not sure how that's going to feel exactly, but one thing that cheers me up a bit is the thought of getting to decorate a new apartment/home!  And for the first time ever, I won't be sharing my bedroom, or any room, with a man so I could go as girly as I want!  ...But I'm not a teenager any more so bubblegum pinks & unicorns don't exactly appeal to me these days.  I've spent so many years decorating in a gender neutral style that I'm not even sure how to do a feminine room that also looks like a, ya know, grown-up lives there! 

Once again the internet comes to my rescue!  Here are my picks for chic, lady-like spaces.

First and foremost, fresh flowers at the breakfast table are a must! :)
And also flowers on her nightstand.

pretty pattern play
deep cranberry pinks are more adult
Just a touch of animal print is fun!
Balance pastels with neutrals like grey or cream
I'd never buy a pink sofa, but how great is this room? It's like Barbie, grown up.

I like this room although I think the lavender lamp is just too much pastel.
And of course any single gal should have a fabulous dressing room!  I mean, if you actually have an extra room to spare! 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Good Morning from Minneapolis!

Oh boy, I made a promise I could NOT keep when I said I'd be doing blog posts from San Francisco!  I really underestimated how much taking care of my 1 year old niece would poop me out!  So.... sorry for that! 

Well I am back in Minneapolis (for the time being!) and it's a gloomy rainy day outside.  But it's cozy in my apartment, my kitty cat is sleeping soundly on our rumpled up bed sheets, and I'm just starting my second cup of coffee.  I am perfectly content.

You know, this has been just the strangest start to the wedding season.  The weather across the country has been flipped upside down!   The whole time I was in San Fran, it was their worst cold and rainy week of the winter, while back in Minnesota they were enjoying record highs and sunshine!  It's really thrown brides for a loop as far as planning their wedding wardrobe!  It just goes to show that with climate craziness it's best to be prepared with a beautiful bridal bolero to keep your warm and lovely umbrella to keep you dry!  Below are my picks for spring cover-ups and rain catchers from Etsy

The adorable silk shrug is available here
I love these customisable parasols to keep sun out of your eyes during photos!

Finally a beautiful bolero available in Plus-sizes! How lovely!!!
How about a Victorian Lace umbrella?

This silk pleated jacket is oh so chic and will keep you warm on a chilly spring day!
I love this couture beaded parasol!  So chic!

Monday, March 12, 2012

I'm Back! ...And I'm gone again!


Good afternoon!  It's been a long break from blogging, I've had just a crazy crazy month full of big changes & am making preparations for even more changes(more on that later!).  But in any case, things are beginning to stabilize so I'm back to bridal blogging!   But before I get too comfy, I've got to get my bags all packed up because tomorrow I'm flying out to San Francisco to visit my sister and my adorable little niece for a week!  I'll be playing the attentive auntie most of the time but while I'm there I hope to check out some of the fabulous sites, shops, & west-coast wedding style!    Next time I post I'll be writing from Cali!  But for now I've got to get packing!       ~Laura

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Bloggin Break

I'm taking a break from the blog for a while folks. My heart isn't really in it right now and I want to focus more on some other projects.  I'll be back next month, but until then, have a happy February.