Memphis Recap

We had the best weekend in Memphis. Though it was beyond steamy, the Southern charm of this city and it's people get me every time. 

We were there to throw my mother in law a birthday party. The flowers we ordered turned out gorgeous, from La Fleur. We also got some old school polaroids cameras to make a book for the birthday girl to remember the night. Things got interesting as the night went on, so fun. 

The food was done by Another Roadside Attraction and everything was delicious. we opted for a traditional barbeque spread with ribs, brisket, potato salad, and corn bread. We added some watermelon with feta and mint and Matt's uncle made the most unreal smoked salmon I have ever had (side note: I usually am not a fan). Apparently he made it in one of those Green Egg Grills. I am going to try and get the recipe to share. 

My Aunt's house is so gorgeous with Southern touches you would expect and some you do not. 

Hello hunting room. Apparently this is a pretty standard room for the Southern gentleman. I worship her front entrance with the arched doors and lantern with graphic wallpaper. And nothing made me happier then there pool area with copper bar. 

And of course there was a front porch we all hung out on, too.  

With this handsome guy. 

I posted what I brought on Friday, but here is what jewelry I opted for. Lucite bracelet from Alexis Bittar and my favorite vintage necklace. 

On Saturday we went with some other out of towners to the Peabody to see the ducks, which apparently is the event of the century given the crowd there. They have special ducks that parade into the elevator. I got to drink champagne while watching, which was the highlight. The hotel itself is gorgeous and the flowers there were unreal. Beautiful place for drinks or tea. 

After we had some time to kill before dinner and kit up a local dive, Bardog, with a juke box. We did not eat, but there is apparently a phenomenal chef there making really delicious updates on American classics. 

We had dinner in the private wine cave at McEwen's. 

It was so good. They had a large selection of Southern classics with modern twists, including tons of small plates for sharing. And let's not forget the warm biscuits on the table. The roasted mushroom salad with candied walnuts, blue cheese, and balsamic glaze was heaven. 

If you are ever in Memphis I also reccemoned Germantown Commissary for authentic barbecue, the Botanical Gardens are beautiful and apparently have a great outdoor park or kids, and of course Graceland. While it is not the best spot to visit, it is kind of something you have to do and the decor is worth seeing. Sun Studio is also great for music lovers. 

I hope you had a great weekend too! Any other spots in Memphis that are a must see? 

xo

Erin 

Awesome Blossom

photos: Style.com by Tommy Ton

It snowed again yesterday. Mother Nature just keeps throwing us into winter every single week. The kids got their sixty-fifth cold of the season and all I want to do is breeze outside, walk around the yard, and see some flowers starting to make an appearance. Not going to happen, maybe never if this cold keeps up. In the meantime, I am craving flowers everywhere and these pretty little things covered in gorgeous blooms are making me happy. 

1. The perfect Spring dress by Splendid $138

2. Totally obsessed with these Zimmerman shorts $210

3. While pricey, I would wear this Joie top to death with jeans $268

4. A fun way to switch up your flats by J. Renee $89

5. Already ordered this Topshop for Nordstrom romper. So romantic $110

6. Sweet little blooms on this Marc by Marc Jacobs bikini

7. Pretty iPhone case from J. Crew $25

8. Love this skirt by Plastic Island. The back is solid black $95

9. Great color combination in this floral scarf by J. Crew $56

10. A bright, sexy heel to amp up a LBD Steve Madden $79

xo

Erin 

Just in Time for the Weekend

The time I spent with my family was great. We did a whole lot and a little bit of nothing. The weather was not the best, but we sneaked in some golf, park time, and walks in the city. 

In the last few weeks Spring came and it has been fun to see what is popping up in the garden. Since we did not move until June, there have been some surprises. 

Lots of pretty blooming trees. 

Wildflowers and daises to pick. 

 The lawn is in good shape. 

 When the petals started falling it looked like snow. 

Since I have a black thumb, my Mom (and Dad) was kind of enough to do some gardening that hopefully I can keep alive for more than a week. 

These babies will fill in soon and make this bed fun to look at all summer. 

 Pretty pots, which we found at Ikea for $40. 

 Fun succulents for the table. 

 Lots of herbs to play with in the kitchen. 

There is nothing like not having to buy flowers at the market and clipping them from your backyard instead. I have been bringing so many in and loving it. 

And if you are looking for an easy, fruity dessert to serve this weekend, try this one from Martha Stewart. Raspberry & Peach Galette. The pastry is delicious and you just wrap up the fruit with it. Wish I could take credit, but Mom strikes again. 

This is pretty much how I am spending the sunny days so far. He can't get enough of the yard. Nice comb over little man. 

Happy weekend! 

xo

Erin 

Returning to Reality

Hi friends. I missed you! How was your holiday? It has taken me longer than I expected to come down from the high of the season, but the break was fantastic. Endless food, lots of great memories, and a family filled affair. Here are a few snippets....

My mother arranged the most beautiful flowers around the house. Her use of the floating cranberries is something I will be stealing in the future. 

Fun filled bloodies courtesy of my brother. He incorporated the pickled shrimp I made the night before. One of my favorite hor d'oeuvres. 

Christmas is not complete without mini cheesecakes. Which are insanely easy to make. 

Fourteen people came for Christmas Eve dinner. I forgot to take a picture of the food (Beef tenderloin with an incredible sauce, truffled roasted potatoes, crab cakes, and a winter salad), but had time to snap a few pictures of the table. 

We used some stock vases (like the cheapy ones that come with delivery flowers) and filled them with some old ornaments I had for the dessert table. I got these different silver ones from Target in bulk and mixed in a few nice ones. 

My new favorite drink, the Paloma, made an appearance or two. 

My Mom tackled Giada's Hazelnut Crunch Cake that I have always wanted to try. It was divine. 

Someone got greedy on Christmas morning. Maybe he was looking for the giant package of bacon we received from Bacon Freak. Someone knows us well. I also used this cute idea from Pinterest to label presents this year. 

It all went by much too fast. It was truly great to host my family and spend so much time together. I really enjoyed my cyber fast as well. I was really good and stayed off until a couple days ago. I am easing back in, but honestly I did not miss much. 

What I did miss was seeing cute pics on Instagram, a handful of the countless blogs on my bookmarks, and writing here on Imperfect Polish. 

I wish all of you a Happy Happy New Year. My hope is to keep you as a reader by continuing to write about things I truly love and am inspired by. 

xo

Erin 

Nor Cal Wedding Love

Although this wedding was over a week ago, I think I am still in awe of how gorgeous it was. Looking back at these beautiful and thoughtful elements of what made for the picture perfect wedding for my brother and his new wife takes me right back. 

My sister in law is a Northern California native and wanted a rustic, yet elegant feeling to the wedding. All the events were held in her home town of Los Gatos, a place I had never been. This charming town won me over with its boutique filled downtown and delicious restaurants. The rehearsal dinner was held at California Cafe, whose food and service was the perfect way to start the weekend. 

Succulents were mixed in with hydrangea and roses, wrapped in birch and placed on sequined linens. The sequins were not shiny, which gave off just enough sparkle. An unexpected combination that was gorgeous. 

Large vases were wrapped in birch, filled with roses, or candles to decorate the bar. 

The groomsmen were given cuff links that reflected a memory from the groom like surfboards, cigars, or the sailboats above. The groomsmen wore custom colored seersucker bow ties. 

Apis Floral did all of the tabletop and flowers for the rehearsal and the wedding. 

The ceremony and reception were held at Villa Montalvo, a historic estate built in 1912 by California's first Senator. 

The Bride's bouquet. I was obsessed with the mix of different flowers. 

Two large arrangements for the alter.

Hand painted signs directed you where to head next

Adorable swirly straws with the bride & groom's name

The table arrangements were perfection and the wine bottle table numbers worked perfectly into the decor

The rehearsal dinner flowers were re purposed to decorate up a large room in the villa. Loved the mason jar votives. 

Stately setting with romantic touches

As some of you read in my Movember post, my brother is heavily involved with the cause. His 'stache was paid homage in the groom's cake along with his recent accent of Rinjani volcano. 

A classic, and delicious, wedding cake. 

The bride and groom met at UCLA, so it was only fitting that Joe Bruin make an appearance, get the crowd to sing the fight song, and then lead a Dougie circle.

I could not be happier for this couple that I am lucky enough to call family. Their radiating love for each other was infectious and reminded us all of what marriage is all about. 

xo

Erin 

Photos via Allison Giese & Moi

Weekend Wish: Fancy Flowers

What girl does not love fresh flowers? Either delivered from your love, picked fresh from the garden and arranged, or picked up at the local farmer's market, they make every girl happy. Arranging flowers is so much harder than you would think. Throwing them in a vase just does not look as great as if a professional did it. And while we would all love to live like a Waldorf and have fresh flowers strewn all over, perfectly arranged, it just does not seem attainable for reality.


Or is it??


H.Bloom is a subscription flower service that delivers gorgeous arrangements to you as often as you want based on your style. It is also very affordable with arrangements starting at $35. By the time you buy your favorite flowers at Whole Foods and get them in a vase, you probably spent much of that and do not love the result.

They do not deliver everywhere yet, but check out the site and see if it would work for you. How amazing would this be as a wedding gift or for a new mom? Now we can all get a little fantasy into our homes. 

xo

Erin 

Bella Bridal Shower

Sorry I have not been updating, but I am working on some things around here that I cannot wait to share soon. My posts may be a little sparse in the coming weeks, but I promise to share what I am working on and try to keep up as much as I can. 

One project that had my attention the last month is a bridal shower I threw for my future sister-in-law. I adore her and it was so fun planning this fun day with my mom. 

My brother and his future Mrs. got engaged in Italy, so we used this as inspiration for the entire event. Starting with the invitations....

These were custom printed from Envy Marketing, which I found on Etsy. The venue is one of my favorite Italian spots in Chicago, Quartino. It's rustic charm, delicious food and impeccable service was the perfect place. 

Her favorite flowers are peonies, which were incorporated into the arrangements along with beautiful romantic bouquets. 

We worked with Debi Lilly, from A Perfect Event, for all of the floral. And once again (she was my wedding planner) she and her team put together the most gorgeous flowers. 

She also used silver trays, julep cups, and mercury glass votives, which the perfect combination with the rustic wooden tables and candelabras. 

For the favors, we ordered these custom cookies to match the invitation shape. Their monogram was scrolled on them and they were tied with dried lavender. 

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and the afternoon was filled with prosecco, pasta and laughter. The perfect combination. 

xo

Erin