JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes Weekend

Happy Wednesday friends!

I have an extra special post for you today! I had the amazing opportunity to take a weekend getaway with my husband and puppy to the JW Marriott in Orlando this past weekend and y’all in was heavenly!

I can’t recommend enough if you are traveling to Orlando that you stay at Grande Lakes and really enjoy your trip and everything the hotel has to offer! I’m sharing a look at the hotel and everything they have to offer as well as the amazing restaurants and fun things to do! Keep scrolling to check it out!

When Travis and I arrived on Friday we headed to have some lunch at Bleu. This is located on the Ritz-Carlton side of Grande Lakes and they have delicious fresh bites and the prettiest views! They are also conveniently located close to the Ritz pool so if you are looking for a yummy bite or drink this is the spot!

From there we walked the grounds a bit to really enjoy the beautiful scenery and the nice weather that we had this past weekend. We then headed to our room to relax and then get ready for dinner.

Friday night we had dinner at Primo and to say it was one of the best dining experiences we’ve ever had would be an understatement. Every bite of food was amazing, the presentation was a vision, the service was impeccable, and the atmosphere was tranquil! We could not recommend Primo enough! Next time you’re there we highly recommend trying the charcuterie, the campanelle cacio e pepe, the pork saltimbocca, and the donuts!

Saturday morning we headed to Citron for breakfast to start our day! We were welcomed with mimosas and fresh coffee and decided to do the breakfast buffet so we could try different things. They had so many amazing options to choose from. I can never turn down a salmon bagel and theirs is perfect with cream cheese and pickled onions. Plus they have the BEST donuts ever! The most fresh and delicious classic glaze donuts I’ve ever had! Highly recommend starting your day here!

We spent most of Saturday poolside at The Spa at The Ritz Carlton. This is an adult only pool area which is super nice and the atmosphere is the most amazing! We enjoyed our private cabana most of the afternoon, with delicious smoothies and poolside bites. The cabana is definitely a plus for a day at the pool, being able to stay shaded and have space to relax was so luxurious!

Our final dinner was at Highball & Harvest at The Ritz Carlton and it did not disappoint! The atmosphere of this restaurant in the evening is so cool and unique. Travis and I enjoyed the southern spread to start before our main dishes; diver scallops and prime ribeye, everything was so amazing, the flavors were out of this world! To top if off we had vanilla crème brûlée for dessert and it was the perfect ending to the meal. Again all the food the whole weekend exceeded expectations and everything was so delicious! So no matter where you eat on property you will not be disappointed!

We had the best weekend at The JW Marriott Orlando at Grande Lakes and can not wait to go back! We loved all the people we met and how everyone loved our little pup, Chewy and made us feel welcome! It was the perfect weekend!

My Summer Essentials

It’s officially summer, so what better way to kick off my favorite season than to share my summer essentials!

I have so many favorites but to name a few: I absolutely love the Tula sunscreen I use it everyday and love that it is a gel like consistency which looks great with or without makeup! Next up Old Navy sandals the ones pictured are my favorites, I have them in every color and they are a staple for me! The next things hats and dresses from LC Lauren Conrad. Now it’s no secret that LC Lauren Conrad pieces are my absolute favorites but in the summer time I wear tons of dresses and love them paired with a hat and hers are my favorites! Fourth thing has to be Tarte Cosmetics the brand makes up a lot of my makeup bag and their blush and mascara are a must not matter if I’m doing a full face or just a 5 minute face. Finally a swimsuit from Artesands, their pieces are curve friendly and the most support cute suits ever! They are an investment but worth it!

I have some travel scheduled and you better believe all these things are coming with me! What are some of your summer essentials? Let me know!

End of Summer & Wedding Update

As summer “technically” is coming to a close and it is still very much pool season here in Florida so of course you can find me sporting another ArteSands suit by the pool soaking up some rays of sunshine. They recently sent over this sassy one piece in the cutest animal print with a fun cut out! Y’all know I love this brand and everything it stands for! I love that they are size inclusive and have the cutest prints and styles! I paired this fun suit with a super cute cover up from Amazon and sunnies from Old Navy. I absolutely love the cut and fit of this suit and how it accentuates all the right things! I highly recommend checking them out!

I also promised y’all a wedding update and here it is, we are working on wrapping things up before the holidays begin as once October hits we know a lot won’t get done between Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, My birthday, New Years we are going to blink and it will be the day. Needless to say we are doing our best to complete all our tasks. We will be sending out the official wedding invitations soon, my dress just got here, my bachlorette party is next weekend and my bridal shower is next month and things just keep going, LOL! I can’t believe it all has happened so fast, I’m trying to soak up as much as I can because I want to enjoy all the little things!

I’ll be sharing more posts coming up about all the wedding festivites and outfit options for the bridal shower and bachlorette party! Make sure to check back every Wednesday for a new post and updates!

PC: Kate Kelley Collection

Embracing Curves with ArteSands Swim

Y’all know that body positivity and size inclusivity are super important to me and I’ve been loving ArteSands Swim for about two years now and just love the brand and the people behind it! The brand is size inclusive and the pieces are made to embrace a women’s curves! I absoulty love the styles and prints of their suits! They are so fun and unique but on trend as well. I’ve never felt more confident wearing swimwear than sporting my ArteSands swimsuit!

As a curvy girl I personally love brands that embrace all sizes and have a mission to make women feel comfortable and confident in their pieces! Their pieces are so high quality and special and I highly recommend checking them out, you won’t regret making an investment in one of their suits!

PC: Kate Kelley Collection

Our Cruise on The Disney Dream

Sorry this post isn’t going up until Friday this week y’all. We have been super busy between traveling, wedding planning, my photography and getting ready for the holidays life is super overwhelming…in a great way! Anyway, a few weeks ago I embarked on my first cruise EVER! Call me crazy but the movie Titanic stuck with me ok, I tend to over think things, lol!

I was the photographer for Chris and Mer’s wedding that was taking place on The Disney Dream and Travis was in the wedding so therefore we were going on this cruise. Travis and I have never taken a cruise together and me never so we were in for an adventure.

As a first time cruise goer I didn’t have any problem with sea sickness or anything like that (thank goodness) and loved all the beautiful parts of the ship, especially for the wedding photos! So many great spots! The food was amazing everyday and the customer service in general was on point, it is Disney after all.

If you have never been on a cruise and are preparing to go soon I would keep a few things in mind. Do your research, if you are stopping anywhere on your trip see where you’re docking has to offer; excursions, shops, food. Also take everything into account; as in gratuities, extra drinks, souvenirs ex, make sure you know exactly what you are planning on spending when you get on the ship. It will take all the stress off you later if you plan ahead! Above all else have a blast! Order the extra dessert, lounge by the pool and attend all the shows, we had a great time and can’t wait to plan our next trip!

Below are just a few highlights from our trip! We loved the towel animals every night, all the yummy treats, and really enjoyed Castaway Cay!

Do you have any trips planned that are coming up? I would love to hear about where you’re traveling to!

Summertime Fun with ArteSands Swim

Happy Wednesday ya'll! We are officially half way through the week! YAY! Can anyone else believe we are already more than half way through the year? Where does time go, truly?! Anyway we are still very much feeling the heat here in the sunshine state, so all the more reason to be living in our swimsuits! 

I want to talk about ArteSands Swimwear for a minute! This brand is truly amazing, and I love their mission! They really inspire women to embrace their curves and be confident in in their own skin and I think that is amazing for a brand! The quality of the pieces are great as well and they offer such classic silhouettes! Below you will find a cute highwaisted bikini but I also have two one pieces from ArteSands as well and their suits are my favorite to wear! Make sure to check out the brand HERE they really are amazing! 

I paired this look with my go to pool hate from LC Lauren Conrad, and a fun pineapple bag and hot pink sandals these are both from Old Navy. The sandals ya'll have heard me talk about they are my favorite and I want every color! This is my favorite pool look this summer thus far! What is your go to swimwear brand? Let me know!

Photos: Lacey Irving Lifestyle