Roses are red, violets are blue, and we’re counting down the days until our newest Blogger Bride says “I Do”. Say hello to Jess of Dressed by Jess, who will be sharing her wedding planning journey with us. And if her e-sesh from Love & Light Photographs is any indication of the pretty to come, we’re all going to live happily ever after. Scroll for more because we’ve got it all exclusively in THE VAULT!
From Jess of Dressed by Jess… Hello SMP brides-to-be! My name is Jess Galfo (well, soon to be Mrs. Soave), and I am a style blogger over at Dressed by Jess, a place where I aim to inspire others to develop a harmony between clothes and their personality. I am a romantic at heart and spend a majority of my time obsessing over feminine details. Now that I am engaged I find myself constantly wanting to flood my blog with images of all the pretty details I’ve encountered so far in my wedding planning process. I’ve held back for months, but now that the official countdown to “I do” is on, I’m excited to share that I will be taking you inside my planning process with Style Me Pretty as a blogger bride! The wedding to-do lists are lengthy and I’m looking forward to sharing some tips on how I’ve managed to keep the process upbeat and fun. Okay, maybe it’s a bit stressful at times, but in a good way.
Before I get started there’s one very important person I need to introduce you to…my fiancé, Rob. He’s the one. The one I met six years ago on an unseasonably warm evening in early March. A mutual friend made the introduction. I can still remember the exact outfits we both wore and the smile he had on his face when I opened up his car door and we locked eyes for the first time. So many thoughts were running through my mind. I was nervous. Did my hair look okay? Did I pick out the right dress? Are those flowers in the back for me? Indeed, they were. My nerves calmed down and suddenly I thought, I want to get to know him.
Although we were strangers, I felt a sense of comfort and friendship. It was as if I knew him from a past life. That evening we dined at a waterfront restaurant on the Hudson overlooking New York City. We spent hours exchanging stories, laughing, eating, and just completely wrapped up in the moment.
Several months went by of weekly meet-ups and late night phone calls. It wasn’t long before he asked me to “bee” his girlfriend. Yes, he made a crossword puzzle for me to complete that spelled out “will you BEE my girlfriend?” I said yes. The years to follow consisted of new adventures together, out of country travels, and of course, indulging in more delicious food. We both love to eat and consider ourselves big foodies. The flip side of that coin, we also both love to workout and feel healthy. It’s as if we were made for each other!
As time passed by, vacation destinations quickly started getting checked off our list. We decided to take our first European trip together last fall. The destination? Paris. I always dreamed of visiting France and Rob suggested it would be the perfect time of year to visit. Not too hot, and the summer crowds would have died down by then. I was ecstatic and began counting down the days the moment we booked our flights.
After a very long, and sleepless (too excited to shut my eyes for even a minute) red eye flight, we finally arrived in Paris. On the first day of our trip, Rob suggested we grab a light lunch before heading out to explore the city. Our first stop, Jardin des Tuileries – the beautiful garden across the river from our hotel.
After near 14 hours of total travel I told Rob I needed to quickly freshen up before stepping out. I unpacked some things and ran into the side room, which connected to the closets and bathroom. After a few strokes of mascara and a swipe of lip-gloss, I felt fully prepped to roam the beautiful streets of Paris. I peeped around the corner to let Rob know that I was ready. It was then that I saw him standing in the middle of the room. Before I could process the change in my surroundings (he had shut the blinds and was holding the most beautiful arrangement of fully bloomed roses) he was holding my hand the tightest he’s ever held it. He was talking, but in that moment everything had gone black. I could no longer hear him. My heart was beating so fast. He pulled me closer to him and then went down on his knee. At that point I could barely stand, I had wrapped my arms around him and cried.
Little did I know he secretly planned an entire week in Paris for us, and in his words, “to celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives together”- that part I remember. This was such a special moment for us. One that I will never forget! Check back here soon for more insight on our big day! xx
Photography: Jessa Schifilliti, Photographer | Makeup: Dinas Kiss Makeup | Hair: Drybar | Venue: Ashford Estate | Boater Hat: Forever 21 | First Dress: Rent The Runway | First Shoes: Dune | Flower Crown: Crowns By Christy | Rob's Pants: Express | Rob's Shirt: Express | Rob's Suit: Calvin Klein | Second Dress: Nordstrom | Second Shoes: J.Crew | Sign: Sugar & Grace