How did you bounce back & heal from past love to be open to a new love?
It was definitely tough. After heartbreak we tend to typically question everything about ourselves. Questions like are we good enough, are we really crazy, will we ever find someone who makes us feel that way again? I really began to invest in myself so that I could not only be complete as an individual, but better for the next person that I would end up being with. I dived into self-help books like A Return to Love, The Four Agreements and The Law of Attraction and those really transformed how I viewed love, pain and expectations of others. And I also had to remember, they weren’t laying around being sad about me, they were living their lives! It made it easier for me to do the same.
I’m buying my first home and am so in love with the clean and bright look of your home! I’m moving from an apartment to a house and have no idea where to start decorating.
Congratulations and thank you so much! I would suggest starting on Pinterest & create a board for your new home. Pin everything you love to that board so you can see what kind of interior style you gravitate towards. Then once you have your style nailed down, you can start sourcing pieces. We love West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Wayfair, and Etsy for the best custom paintings, prints, throw pillows and even custom blankets. Take your time! Things will piece together little by little.
I’m looking for a bag to carry my laptop, but isn’t too bulky for happy hour. Any suggestions?
I have one of these bags, and have gifted another and I loved both. Very affordable + great quality! They also go with everything.
I’m wanting to give my bridesmaids under eye patches that help with bags and energize skin the day of my wedding. Do you have any you’ve used and would recommend?
My favorite eye patches are these from Elemis, these PTR ones, and these from BeautyBio. I love to stick them in the fridge for an added cooling benefit! Also, make sure you drink lots of water so that you’re hydrated!
Being so fashionable, how do you prevent from accumulating too much of a wardrobe?
I try my very best to only buy classic pieces. Pieces that I can rotate like graphic tees, blazers, good quality denim, and versatile tops. I’ve had some of my favorite items for 10 years! I don’t clean out my closet as often as I should, but I do try and do and big clean out twice a year where I get rid of items I haven’t worn in the last year.
How did you manage learning how to adapt to the cultural differences during your courtship and soon to be marriage? Any advice on healthy boundaries?
I didn’t really have to adapt very much, ironically. Nate and I are very much alike, and we can go anywhere and do anything. I can take him to a Latin club and he’ll bachata with me and he can take me to go eat rice & stew with no issues. We don’t have many boundaries. Our biggest difference has been how we view family. He’s very close knit with his, always goes to see his parents and talks to them on the phone. I’m more so see you when I see you with mine. Having his family involved was something that was different for me, but not hard to adapt to.
Did you register with Amazon for your wedding, and if so, what are your must-have registry items?
We don’t have an Amazon registry, we stuck to Target and Crate + Barrell. Amazon has EVERYTHING you could ever need, so I’d go with the following. Air Fryer, the Roomba, stainless steal cookware, Instant Pot, towels, gallery photo frames, Dyson cordless vacuum, knife set, waffle maker, wine glasses, and a cast iron skillet.
Is your 9-5 your passion, or is your side hustle? Whichever one, how did you know?
I love this question so much because I think that society has convinced us to believe that our passions can’t coexist. I work full time and have a side hustle because I’m passionate about both. I’m with my fiance because I’m passionate about our relationship. I’m friends with my friends because I’m passionate about who they are as people. We should really be passionate about everything that we’re involved in! You don’t have to pick one. I talk often about how I have no plans to leave my corporate job, even as my brand grows to the capacity of being able to. I know for a fact that my passion is making a difference, and if I’m able to do that both at work and in my side hustle, then I’m happy doing both simultaneously.
I just got a new job and it’s business casual, meaning I can wear jeans everyday! I’m looking to buy a few pair that I can have for the next few years and know you invest in yours. Can you share your faves please?
Ohhhh this sounds like a dream job to me LOL! I probably have about 25 pairs of jeans in my closet and rotate the same 4 or 5. Distressed jeans are typically frowned upon at the office so I’ll save those for another post.
Do you and your fiance ever argue and how do y’all overcome a little fight?
Everyday! Over anything. Him eating the last of the plantain chips or me scrolling on Instagram for too long. Little fights to us are just that, little fights. We’ve always been very committed to staying together and growing towards being one, so little fights for us were never threatening. Our big fights are still tough, but more than anything we want to get to the root of the problem to successfully remain together, not to find reasons for us to be apart. I’d been in relationships where I was afraid to start an argument, because I knew if I did that person might walk away from me or find a reason to end things. There should not be fear in your relationship. Especially not fear of that person leaving you due to a disagreement. It’s taken a LOT of growing up from us, individually and together. But when you’re committed to the bigger picture of why you two are together, it’s all “small” stuff.
Do you have any suggestions for outfits for a professional LinkedIn type photoshoot?
My go-to is ALWAYS going to be a blazer in a neutral color. They’re classic, professional and the perfect mix of feminism and masculinity. If you want something more feminine I love a shift dress as well, that you can also pair with a blazer. I also love the idea of an embellished button down that gives off professional, but fashionable vibes like this one. Or maybe a pair of fun trousers if you’re going to be standing? A closed toe pump is my suggestion as well..
How do you shake failure?
I have a very hard time with not doing well, as most of you all can assume. I will work overtime, plan ahead, go the extra mile whenever I can in order to make sure my outcome is the one I want and exceeds expectations. I had a recent hiccup at work that wasn’t even fully my fault, where my bar and food delivery time for a huge client event was mixed up with another event we were hosting at the same venue the following month. Clients began to show up and we had no bar, no food. *Insert heavy perspiration here*. It may have been the hotels fault, but it was MY event and I couldn’t help but to sulk in that feeling of disappointment all weekend. We all only want to do well, we all never want to have things go left, but we can only control so much of that. I had to explain myself as best as I could, take responsibility and use that as motivation to kill my upcoming events from A to Z. At the end of the day, I know what I’m capable of and I’ll be damned if I let one instance of “failure” convince me otherwise. Failure is temporary, you can win again tomorrow, next week or next month.
I have a white coat ceremony coming up and want to wear a jumpsuit. What do you suggest?
I’ve been looking high and low for the perfect white jumpsuit for all these bridal events that I’ve had going on. Here are some that I love that I think would be perfect for a special occasion like this –
What are your tips on staying motivated if you’re drained after work? That’s one of my biggest struggles.
My tip is to wake up early and do the important things then, so that when you come home drained after work, you can spend your evening however you want. I value my sleep. I mean truly value my sleep. I’ll pick it over outings, date nights and even traveling. I do not function well without it. So the idea of waking up early used to make me feel ill, literally. When you want to accomplish more, you have to FIND the time, because days don’t get any longer than 24 hours. I knew I was no good after 9 pm, so I started waking up early to take advantage of my mornings. I can finish up a blog post, hit the gym, journal or add onto a project I’ve been working on while enjoying peace and quiet. All before 7 am. Some evenings I have it in me to keep things going, and some evenings I need a nap. But at least I knocked out the important stuff already.
Thank you for allll of your questions! I feel like this was a good one! My week next week is swamped with work events and our wedding is officially TWO weeks out. Whew! Submit any questions you have for the next round below or via email. Have an amazing weekend babes! xx
