Kate Middleton Wedding Dress + Evening Dress - Pippa Middleton's Dress - Hats of Royal Wedding

Ok, this shall be my last Royal Wedding /Kate Middleton post for a long while! That is, until the announcement of a baby comes. Then there are no guarantees! Here is a quick round-up of today's Royal Wedding fashion:

Royal Wedding Photo Links + Winner

Well it's official...I am one of those crazy girls in my pj's watching the Royal Wedding! I've been up since 12:45am PST and have been tweeting LIVE with you all ever since (and loving every minute of it)! It's been fun commenting on everything, including: Victoria Beckham's hat - Mr. Bean being on the guest list (really, no joke!) - Princes William and Harry arriving in their military best - the Queen's gorgeous yellow outfit - Princess Beatrice's over-the-top bow hat - Mother of the bride Carole Middleton in a sky blue wool crepe dress - Elton John's cheery purple tie and yellow vest - Kate and Williams carriage ride as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - and of course Kate's stunning Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress.

Thank you all for entering the $100 Shopbop.com gift card giveaway! The lucky winner is comment #71 - Courtney from Sartorial Sidelines. Congrats! I will be emailing you shortly!

The Sweetest of Shops

above: southern inspired bridal pouf

Like a lot of women around the world (and possibly some men, too!) I am absolutely ecstatic over the Royal Wedding tomorrow. An ordinary girl becoming a real life princess has been the story line of dreams for centuries upon centuries, and I am simply fascinated by it, as silly as it all may seem. I'm quite certain my DVR is going to be offended, because I will not be using it to tape the event. Instead, I will be amongst the crazies waking up at 1am pst tomorrow and watching the fairytale unfold LIVE. A story like this only comes along every so often and being the news junkie I am, I do not want to miss it! I felt it only appropriate to find the sweetest and prettiest of things to post about the day before such an event, and everything in this gorgeous Esty shop, Preston & Olivia, seems to fit such a bill.

above: fascinator cap with ivory veil, double layered veil with velvet bow, chiffon and pearl corsage

On a heavier note, my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the south experiencing loss and damages due to the horrific storms. Sending tons of hugs, prayers, and good vibes your way.

PS. Last day to enter the $100 Shopbop.com gift card giveaway. Winner announced tomorrow.

A Vacation Dream Home in Italy

Every once in a while I sit down to write a post and end up staring at the computer screen for what feels like hours trying to come up with material worthy of clicking "publish." This was entirely the case last night, and right as I was about to shut it down, I found this vacation home in Italy made completely of stone. It is so gorgeous that I feel guilty not putting together a few elegant sentences to describe it. Oh well, there is always tomorrow! Until then, I am going to stare and daydream about vacationing in a home like this one day...

Currently Loving - A few things around my house...

1. I added these linen napkins from World Market for a quick & festive Easter table. Can you see my DIY pom pom flower in the background? I love that little thing!

I love springtime, even if my horrible seasonal allergies seem to disagree. I tend to decorate ever so lightly this time of year; patterned and colorful table linens mixed with vibrant yet simple flowers really do make all the difference, especially after months of bare surfaces since the holidays!

2. Tulips from Trader Joe's have been a staple as of late. My trick to keep them upright: drop a penny in the water! This gem of a secret is shared here.
3. I framed a bunch of paper scraps I had laying around from Paper Source since Christmas. A frugal way to liven up the mantle!
4. My newest and most favorite find: Luna & Larry's gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan coconut ice cream. It's so yummy with fresh fruit (or Ah!laska chocolate syrup when I'm feeling a little daring)!

Note: I do not represent any of the companies mentioned above, nor was I compensated for mentioning any of these brands in this post. Just a few things I am loving that I wanted to pass along to you :)

ps. $100 SHOPBOP.com Gift Card giveaway is going on right here.

A Table Setting with a Sweet Surprise

To say I adore this charming table setting at Cape Cod's Chatham Bars Inn would be an understatement. Any gathering in which each guest receives an individual pie is a-okay by me! Simply beautiful.

via Desiree Spinner Events - photos by Bello Photography

ps. $100 Shopbop Gift Card giveaway is going on right here.

$100 SHOPBOP Gift Card Giveaway

Eeek! I am so excited to pass along this $100 Shopbop.com gift card to one of you! I am constantly browsing through their gorgeous shop, and more often than not I use clothing from their site in my fashion collection posts. They literally having everything, from vince shorts and skirts, to Carrera sunglasses and so much more.

To enter:
1. Giveaway's are a thank you to readers, so please be sure you follow of Brunch at Saks (top right corner)
2. Leave a comment below

Extra entries (please let me know in a separate comment for each)
- Follow Brunch at Saks on twitter @brunchsaksblog
- Tweet about the giveaway on twitter.

Winner announced Friday, April 29th.

Happy shopping!

Wishlist Item: A Vintage Bicylce

There is something about a sunny, springtime weekend that makes me want to ditch all responsibility and ride a bicycle like I did when I was five. Now that the weather is growing warmer and trips to the beach are becoming more frequent, I think I need to join the "vintage bicycle club" and carefully consider one of these beauties:

above: I adore this Breukelen White 3speed by Bowery Lane Bicycles

above: 1. Sommer bike by Papillionaire, shown in "Maya." Robin's egg blue + Cream = Perfection!
2. Classic bike by Papillionaire. I adore it's cream frame and rich leather accents.

French Vanilla Meringues - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Desserts

On one of my many grocery store quests to find gluten free foods I have yet to try, I happened to stumble upon Trader Joes french vanilla meringues. With just two ingredients, egg whites and powdered sugar, they are light, airy, and crisp, with the perfect touch of sweetness. Quite honestly, I could probably eat an entire container in one day, but (thankfully) I have yet to make this feat a reality. Since I had both ingredients on hand, I decided to dust off my KitchenAid and give this recipe a whirl. The end result? Dangerously delicious.



Click below for recipe


2 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 185 F

Using the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form (about 5-8 minutes).
Switch to paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, slowly adding in powdered sugar and vanilla.
Mix until shiny and satin like, about 12-15 minutes.
Scoop meringue into a pastry or zip-lock bag and pipe onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for 2 hours, until crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.

DIY: A Flower Centerpiece

I've mentioned my love for picking up flowers at Farmer's Market numerous times, but I've yet to admit how I often play florist once home; trying my hardest mix-and-match all of the fresh stems into one cohesive, acceptable centerpiece. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not, but it's still fun none-the-less. This is a great, simple tutorial (found here) on how to make a modern centerpiece. Perfect for parties, weddings, or just your everyday table decor. I am eager to try this!

Tutorial found here
Photos by Chelsea Fuss

A Peaceful Place...

I've always been a big believer in making my bedroom a sanctuary; a place where I can close the door and feel an instant sense peace amidst the chaos of life. I try hard to not do any computer work while sitting in bed at night, and I've been edging closer to removing my TV, all in hopes of making my room purely a place of rest (a seemingly impossible task for a self-proclaimed insomniac like myself). Because of my obsession with making my room all things zen, I often find myself searching the internet for bedroom inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites that would surely help me accomplish this goal:

images via House Beautiful

Who Covered it Best?

Even though the iPad, Kindle, Nook, etc. cover it all when it comes to reading material, there is something I still love about flipping through a magazine. This month's covers were quite stunning, graced by the likes of Reese, Kate, Gwen, and Nicole.

Reese Witherspoon Elle, Kate Winslet Vogue UK, Gwen Stefani Elle UK, Nicole Richie Harper's Bazaar Russia

Whose cover do you like best? I'm really loving Kate's blonde cut! So cute.

Sheer Love

After seeing this photo on Modcloth's tumblr:

I quickly began searching for all things sheer. Here are a few of my favorites that would be perfect paired with shorts and sandals for the warmer months ahead.

1. abbey top 2. spotted tank 3. daisy applique blouse 4. Loeffler Randall pocket blouse 5. asymmetric shell top 6. Arden B. embellished tunic 7. drape top 8. Marc Jacobs knitted tank 9. tiered blouse

Kate Middleton Fashion - Get Her Summer Dress and Casual Wear Style

I've written about Kate Middleton's fashion in a prior post here, and I've predicted wedding dress styles for her here, but for some reason my obsession with her gorgeous wardrobe has yet to fade. I love that she can dress up in a classic trench and hat while at royal events, and then just as easily don relaxed yet sophisticated everyday-wear while running errands and attending events like Prince William's polo matches. Here are some of my favorite casual styles on Kate, paired with similar pieces to get her look:

above:
1. mint sleeveless dress 2. wrap sundress 3. simple silk dress
4. pleated red dress 5. floral tie back dress 6. ivory crochet tunic

above:
1. navy sweater 2. blue oxford shirt 3. white skirt 4. suede riding boots
5. brown sweater 6. classic oxford shirt 7. wool skirt 8. brown riding boots

The mint colored dress makes me happy. I don't have any pieces in such color - I may have to change that soon :)

Giveaway Winner

Thank you all for entering into the Currently Loving Giveaway.

The lovely winner was comment #138 - Sandy at Ooh La Frou Frou (she has such a gorgeous blog and creates the most beautiful cards)!

I love this photo by Matthew Hranek for Town & Country magazine. Doesn't she look like Jackie O.?

Happy weekend :)

Currently Loving Giveaway

1. tea towel 2. ceramic measuring spoons 3. mini colander 4. raffia multi-tie in yellow 5. set of "Go Green" soap bars in vanilla grapefruit 6. pillow favor boxes 7. chocolate bars

Spring is finally here and it's refreshing to finally see a little more color everywhere! These are a few things I'm currently loving, and would love to give them all to one of you.

To enter: Giveaways are a thank you to readers, so please be a follower of Brunch at Saks (top right corner) and leave a comment below.

Additional entries: (comment separately for each):
- Follow Brunch at Saks on Twitter here (if you're already a follower just let me know)
- Tweet about the giveaway with a link to this post

Winner announced Friday, April 8th

Happy weekend :)