Tori's Pretty Style & Beauty - Everyday Outfits and Halo Eyes

The OOTD:

F21 Tank (old), American Eagle Black Jeggings, DV Lace Up Wedges, Charlotte Russe Bracelets (old), Target watch (old)

Sometimes, I wake up and just want to feel cute.

Does that ever happen to you?

We all have mornings where we roll out of bed and just the thought of putting on more than a tee shirt and jeans is a struggle.

But then we have mornings like I had just before my new blonde balayage. You wake up, feel energized, and your closet feels like a playground just bursting with creative combos!

Inspired by Caitlin from Southern Curls and Pearls, this v neck tank + jeggings + lace up wedges combo totally fulfill those feelin’ cute feels.

In her look she added fun turquoise earrings but I'm more of a pearl earring kind of gal. So I swapped in bright turquoise bracelets, instead.

The Pretty Thing:

Who else takes a quick snap of pretty blooms when they walk by a flower shop? :)

These colorful daisies for days are just so pretty!

The MOTD: 

I went a little out of my know-how box here and tried my hand at halo eyes.

This was another pretty look I did just before the blonde balayage. But I was so proud of how they came out, I had to share it with you :)

In case you're unfamiliar, a halo eye is when you wear a darker eye shadow on the inner and outer portion of your lid. Then you place a brighter shade in the middle, creating a glowy look to the eyes. 

I'm still playing with the Cinderella palette so here  I used Chateau, a warm-tone dark brown, for the inner and outter lid. I then put Fairy Godmother, a periwinkle matte blue, on the center. 

They're such an unexpected combo but I love the results! 

Tori's Pretty Nails - Carolina Beach

Jesse's Girl Carolina Beach (similar), Wet n Wild French White Creme, What's Up Nails Palm Vinyls

Good morning, Tuesday! 

I'm writing this quick post from the Billy Bishop airport while I wait for my States-bound flight to board (#OffIGoAgain!)

While the Porter airlines shortbread cookies and free coffee keep my company, I wanted to share this bright, fun mid-summer mani.

Palm tree nails are so stinkin’ pretty...but also so time consuming to paint. (Those little leaves take a ton of time!) 

So this time, I took a shortcut and used the What’s Up Nails palm tree vinyls. I wanted them to be black so I used the actual vinyl instead of the stencil. 

This was my first time using the physical sticker and I love how they look! 

Inspired by this mani from Gabby’s Nail Art on Instagram, I love wearing a palm tree mani at least once each summer :). 

The best part? I used two drugstore colors to get this look! 

Carolina Beach is an older shade, from back when Julie G and Jesse’s Girl first started to collaborate together (This looks like the more recent version). The formula was a bit patchy but the beautiful shade makes up for it. It's hard to find a neon peachy pink like this in the drugstore! 

Then, you've seen it before and you'll see it again (and probably again after that!) French White Creme is just a go-to staple white shade that I can't be without. 

Tori's Pretty Life - "The Summer Wind Came Blowing in from Across the Sea"

I have so little to tell you today.

After months and months of such a go-go-go life, last week was truly just a normal, run of the mill kind of week.

And you know what? It was wonderful :).

I worked. I blogged. I ate yummy dinners. I went to sleep at a normal hour.

Life is good! 

I mean, I did do a few things out of the ordinary, though.

Want to know what they were? Just keep reading...

This Week's Pretty Life:

Second City - Downtown Toronto

Okay. Truth be told, we didn't quite go to a Second City show this past last week. We did go the week we got engaged, but on top of all that wonderful news, I forgot to tell you about it!

So, with this week as quiet as any, I thought now would be a good time to add this tidbit in :).

A couple of B's friends were visiting the GTA earlier this month and invited us out to a Second City show.

Second City was a major item on my Toronto to-do list so heck yeah - I was so in! 

This famous improv show lived up to every bit of hype. The players were fantastic, the satire was on point, and we couldn't stop belly laughing the entire time. We had a blast!

I will, without question, see another Second City show anytime :). 

I'm going throw you a quick softball topic because I have to talk about the weather for a minute. Based on our research, we knew that moving here meant cooler summers (a.k.a. the kind of summers I dream about!)

Gone would be the days of 90 degrees (Fahrenheit, of course) and we'd say hello to wonderful mild days that range from the mid 70's to the mid 80's.

And yes, while that's true, no amount of research could prepare us for how quickly it changes!

Take the fog you see above. This day started out sunny and warm, rolled into a thick fog, down poured for two hours, and then cooled off 10 degrees by early afternoon.

There are so many days like that!

As a gal used to my rain and sun with a little less of a daily power struggle, this is taking a bit to get used to. Nonetheless? It sure makes each day an exciting weather adventure lol!

As for the rest of the week, B and I helped one of my friends move early last Saturday morning.

What would have taken her a few hours (and a few pricey Ubers!) ended up taking one hour flat between the three of us. Woot woot! I had such a Helper's High for the rest of the day for giving a hand :).

Speaking of hands, afterwards we went and scooped up my ring from being re-sized. I can't wait to show it to my friends and family when I visit New York next week!

This Week's Pretty Stats: 

Waikiki Beach Coconut 3-Wick Candle

As for other life stuff? Here's the usual rundown:

Reading 

Are you sick of seeing Flappers & Philosophers on this list?

Le sigh, what can I say? I'm a slow reader that's more easily distracted by the latest blog posts. (Insert shoulder shrug emoji here.)

Watching

I'm seriously going through Glow withdrawals. At least I still have the perfectly 80's Glow soundtrack on Spotify to get me through!

In the meantime, Nashville still keeps me company. (I'm still so intrigued at how they're keeping the story going without Rayna!) I'm also giving The Bold Type a go. A young and ambitious writer, living and working in New York? I can't think of a show that's more...me! I really liked the first episode, so I'm hopeful.

Listening To

Ohhhh, Demi! Sorry Not Sorry is PERFECT for giving me all those badass feels and pushing me right through the tired in my afternoon workout :).

Working On 

Another week and another inch deeper into my new journey with minimalism. I'm continuing to sort through my nail polish and you want to know what I noticed? I'm a sucker for anything labelled limited edition, even when I don't love it.

Case in point? I'm seeing that a good portion of the polishes I don't want to keep anymore came from collections that I felt very meh about to begin with.

 Maybe it was fomo? Maybe it was an impulse buy? Maybe both? All in all, it kind of sucks to see that I threw money away like that.

Yet, we can only grow by recognizing our faults, right? So here I am, recognizing a fault. Now I'll try to do better going forward :).

That's a wrap on another pretty week!

Tori's Pretty Noms - Simple Summer Salad Recipe

The Eats: 

Simple Summer Salad

I don't know about you but I love a good salad.

My sweet tooth is one of epic proportion. Thankfully, though, that always included sweeter veggies too, like tomatoes and bell peppers. (My parents used to joke that I would eat tomatoes from our garden like people eat apples!)

I still enjoy a good fresh-off-the-vine tomato on occasion but that love completely evolved into a deeper love of salads overall.

I mean, of course, salads are something we're supposed to eat because they're so full of nutrients and vitamins that our bodies need on the regular.

You know what though? They're also pretty cost-effective.

It's wayyyyy cheaper to chop a few veggies, throw it all in a bowl, and pack it for lunch than to spend double or triple that price for something on-the-go (and that's not including the gas money or extra time you spent on your lunch break to get there!)

The one down side to salads? They can be a total snooze fest.

How many times can you eat bland romaine, shredded carrots, and a couple cherry tomatoes before you want to drown 'em in dressing?! (Answer: Probably zero...)

So I make it a point to fill my salads only with veggies and healthy fats that I really, really love.

If that means skipping the lettuce one week? Then let's fill that void with peppers. If I'm under the weather and need something more substantial? I bulk things up with chickpeas.

Doing this lets me keep the dressing to a minimum - because when I actually enjoy what I'm eating to begin with, then I don't want to cover it up!

I also try to change up my salad mix every month or so to avoid that salad boredom.

So here's what I'm eating this month...

The Deets: 

Simple Summer Salad

- 1 large bowl and cover (a lid or plastic wrap works)

- 1 8 - 12 oz bag of a kale and cabbage mix (or use any dark leafy greens you like) 

- 1 pint of Cherry tomatoes, halved

- 4 mini English cucumbers, chopped (If you can't find the mini version, 1 large English or greenhouse cucumber also works) 

- Roughly 20 pitted Kalamata olives (Unpitted or pre-chopped kalamatas work too) 

- 7-10 Pepperoncini peppers, rinsed 

- Your favorite salad dressing (I love the Pear & Blue Cheese vinaigrette shown above)

Start by rinsing and chopping your veggies. Then dump the whole bag of your greens into the bowl. Add in the rest of the veggies and cover your bowl either with a lid or plastic wrap. Shake, shake, and shake some more until all of your veggies are mixed. Add 1/5th to a salad bowl and top with 1 tbsp of your favorite dressing. Enjoy!

This recipe usually splits out into five hearty lunch salads. I usually pair this salad with a piece of fruit and a Greek yogurt. 

Happy eating! :) 

Tori's Pretty Style & Beauty - "Soft, Summer Breeze"

The OOTD:

Wearing: F21 Blouse (similar), Charlotte Russe Ripped Jeggings (very similar), Charlotte Russe Flats (similar),
Kate Spade Bow Bracelet (sold out), Target Watch (similar)

Okay, if there was one thing I could recommend for you to have in your closet it would be a good leopard flat.

Who else just loves a good pop of leopard in their outfit? (Raises hand!)

I was on the hunt for a good leopard flat for, what felt like, forever. (FOR-EV-ER)

So when I finally snagged a wonderful pair from Charlotte Russe last year, I was pumped!

 (Ha, get it? Pumped? Like pumps? Like the shoes?...Moving on...)

I love the way a leopard flat can really help to elevate any outfit.

At the core, it's a simple coral blouse and ripped jeggings that are as easy and casual as they come.

Add a leopard flat and a leopard bangle? Boom! Instant elevation that feels totally ready for a girl's night full of pizza and wine. (Except, hold the wine and give me all of the pizza!)

While these specific shoes came and went (as quickly as every fast-fashion item does), you can't go wrong with a great leopard flat in your shoe collection!

The Pretty Thing:

Could you use a little lunchtime inspiration to pep up your summer lunch box? Then here's a pretty little salad I made this week!

English cucumbers and I are having a bit of a love-affair lately. They're a perfect addition to my take on this week's Greek salad. I just couldn't not photograph this pretty bowl :).

The MOTD:

Wearing: Loreal Brow Stylist Definer, Loreal Linear Intense Liner, Loreal Voluminous Mascara,
Too Faced Chocolate Soliel Bronzer, EOS Lip Balm 

So this week, we're taking a bit of a break from makeup because I'm still fawning over my new hair! I just can't help it!

I was even pulling out old pictures from the last time I added blonde to my brunette base and man, they just can't even compare.

This perfect neutral blonde and beautiful balayage just blow my old style out of the water. (Also, what a difference eight years can make in the world of hair trends :))

But, you know what, here's a little secret - I always put on makeup before going to the hair salon, no matter how early my appointment is.

In my day to day routine, I always do my makeup before my hair. Whenever I flip the order, I look and the mirror and just feel so strange!

So if I schlepped in there with a bare face, I would have felt so uncomfortable walking home.

Instead? I went with my go-to everyday makeup routine and walked out of there feeling like a beautiful blonde bad-ass :)

Tori's Pretty Nails - Who the Shrek are You?

OPI Who The Shrek Are You? (similar) - China Glaze Can I Get an Untz Untz 

You win some, you lose some.

And I wouldn't call this mani a winner.

This pairing was another one of those combos that sat in my mind for a few weeks. I saw these two polishes together and thought, "Yes! The perfect pairing for a glitter gradient!"

But on the nail? It's just so - meh.

It happens, though, right?

Not every mani or idea is a winner. The important thing is to always give it a shot and see what happens!

As a positive, all of my summer shades are officially worn. With roughly 130 shades sitting in my summertime bin, I'm pretty proud of that :).

Plus, who knows. Maybe you love green manicures and this is a winning combo in your eyes! I think I'm just pretty over the whole puke-green color and that's why I'm not a fan.

To each their own! 

OPI Who The Shrek Are You? (similar) - China Glaze Can I Get an Untz Untz 

In terms of formula, I don't have anything bad to say about either shade!

OPI's Who the Shrek are You? is such an oldie. This shade came into my life back when I really began collecting in 2010.

It's really hard to get your hands on these days but the formula is still wonderful. This is two easy, smooth coats. (If you're looking to own this, let me know. I'm happy to sell my bottle!)

Can I get an Untz Untz is a mix of different sized green and purple glitters in a clear base. I typically prefer smaller, much more fine glitter, but if you love greens then this is a fun one to add to your collection.

OPI Who The Shrek Are You? (similar) - China Glaze Can I Get an Untz Untz

Tori's Pretty Life - A Little Lightening Up

Woodbine Beach, Toronto - Lake Ontario 

Happy Weekend!

Man, was this a long week - #amiright?

Our trip to Greece is still 36 days away but with this week's dreary weather I'm just itching to rest in the Mediterranean sun! 

Since our vacay is still a few weeks away, this weekend we're going to try and catch some Canadian rays at a Toronto beach after we help a friend with her move. We'll see where the rest of the weekend takes us :)

Want to know where these last few days took me? Then just keep reading...

This Week's Pretty Life: 

Woodbine Beach, Toronto - Lake Ontario

Woodbine Beach, Toronto - Lake Ontario

Speaking of beaches, we did get to check out Woodbine beach recently.

There's been so much rain here in T.O. that most of the beaches are flooded. So we're not really getting to see a Toronto summer in all of its glory. Womp womp :(.

It was a little chilly during our frolic. So instead of bathing suits and sunscreen, we wore jeans and enjoyed sitting on a blanket by the water with some friends.

I don't mind the chill, though. There's just something about Lake Ontario that feels so very peaceful.

I mean, would you just look at how blue that water is? Ahhhhhh :). 

My hair before the highlights

Hair by Banks - Blonde Balayage work in progress!

Then, last weekend I took the plunge into blonde balayage. Woohoo!

Back in college, I tried the whole super-thin blonde highlight but quickly grew sick of it. I just figured that blonde wasn't for me and took a long hiatus from the color.

After a dance with light brown, a short visit with vivid red, and a lovely year with a bob, my eyes kept wandering to the beautiful blonde balayage all over Pinterest.

Neutral Blonde Balayage on Brunette Base - Senior Stylist Tiffany - Hair by Banks

Well, after two years of internal debate, I finally felt ready to give it another go. Thankfully, this trend is a much more natural and sun-kissed look than it was back in college.

I am OBSESSED with it - I can't get over how great this blonde looks! :)

Neutral Blonde Balayage on Brunette Base - Senior Stylist Tiffany - Hair by Banks

I cannot say enough good things about Tiffany at Hair by Banks in Downtown Toronto!

She and I just totally gel - she really understood my vision, was super upfront about what we could reach (thankfully what we could reach is what I wanted), and really just does some of the most beautiful work.

If you're looking for a high-quality salon in Downtown Toronto (that also is very reasonable in price for the quality), then you absolutely need to try Hair by Banks.

Tori's Pretty Stats:

As for life? Here's the usual rundown:

Reading 

I'm still slowly but surely reading Flappers & Philosophers. It's a collection of short stories, versus a continuous novel, so it's very easy to pick up and put down as I please!

Watching

OMG, can we just talk about how freakin' good Glow is?! If you haven't already, you need to just carve out five hours and binge-watch this fantastic Netflix show. I am so invested!

These strong female characters are everything my 80's-loving heart would want. Plus, Alison Brie can really do no wrong in my eyes. If they could just sign on for another six seasons and start filming asap? That would be great, #kthanksbye.

Listening To

Guess who's thrilled that Bob Segar is finally on Spotify? (Raises hand!)

First, we finally get T-Swift. Now Bob Segar? Let's "just take those old records off the shelf..." :)

Working On 

I'm still dabbling in the world of Minimalism. Lately, I'm taking the plunge and sorting through my polish collection. I was in such a rush, trying to move our life from New York to Toronto that I gave away any polish that wasn't worth packing to family and friends.

So this time, I'm giving the collection another once over and only keeping the shades that bring me joy.  I will probably sell the rest in an Instagram de-stash sale or something. If it's not bringing me joy, it's time to send it along to a new home where it will!

That's a wrap on another pretty week!

Tori's Pretty Plans - Summer Lovin'

Simply A Mess Summer Lovin' Full Sticker Kit - July Weekly Erin Condren Planner* Spread

Can it be? Did I actually use a sticker kit that wasn't from Glam Planner?

(I can only imagine your face right now!) 

It's true! While GP makes beautiful kits, sometimes I just need to be mindful of my budget when indulging this scrapbook-planning hobby of mine.

And you know what? sometimes you can still find a quality sticker kit for a really reasonable price.

Case in point? This beautiful Summer Lovin' kit from Simply a Mess Sticker Shop.

(Like clockwork, her shop instantly get's this song stuck in my head!)

How gorgeous is this design?!

I also really like that these stickers are matte. For me, matte stickers are a little easier to reposition if I put them down crooked (not that this happens every week or anything...).

I also like that I can write in pencil on matte stickers for plans that aren't yet set in stone.

For $15 Canadian, and less in the US, you get a full six-page sticker kit that can easily spread across two weeks, depending on how many stickers you use.

So if you're looking for a more affordable route to mix in with those higher quality designs, I recommend checking Simply a Mess out!

This week's pretty plans:

Simply A Mess Summer Lovin' Sticker Kit - First Half of the Week - July Weekly Erin Condren Planner* Spread 

This week, I took a bit of a bolder choice and changed up the layout a bit.

Usually? I'm super into symmetry and an organized look. (Like you see here and here.)

This week, though, I wanted to try out a more plan-as-you-go style.

Let's be real - there is noooo way I'm carving out time every day to decorate my planner. (I love this hobby but that is just not fitting in my day to day life!) 

Instead, I planned based on what I would be doing on a given day, instead of fitting a given day into layout style.

I'm not really sure how I feel about the final outcome, though. Functionally, it's really great! But overall? It just kind of looks like a mishmash and I'm not in love with it.

So I don't know. What do you think? Do you prefer a more plan-as-you go style? Or do you like a more set layout to fit your plans into?

Simply A Mess Summer Lovin' Sticker Kit - Second Half of the Week - July Weekly Erin Condren Planner* Spread

*Note: this is my referral link. By clicking this link and making a purchase, you getting $10 off your first Erin Condren order and I get $10 off my next order. I completely stand behind the Erin Condren planner so it's a win-win if you're interested :)

However, nothing is sponsored in this post. I just really love these products and want to share my hobbies with other hobby enthusiasts! 

Tori's Pretty Style & Beauty - So On Trend

The OOTD: 

Charlotte Russe Dress (last year - Similar), Charlotte Russe blue bracelets (last year - similar),
Kate Spade bow bracelet, DV Cork Wedges

First and foremost, I told you once and I'll say it again.

What good is a lifestyle blog if a gal can't make a point of sending well wishes to some wonderful people?!

So Happy Birthday, big brother! I hope that you have a great, relaxing day :).

As for today's post? I know, I know.

This marks three engagement posts in a row. I promise this will be the last one!

But I couldn't tell you all about our proposal, without telling you about the hair and makeup that went with it :). 

I really don't think I could have picked out a trendier outfit to now be forever immortalized in my life history.

I mean, an off the shoulder dress? Tassel Bracelets? Lace-up wedges?

It's just all so on trend!

I really wonder how I'm going to feel about this look by the time the next decade rolls around...

For right now, though? I'm completely diggin' it!

The Pretty Thing: 

Pave Engagement Ring, China Glaze Whip It Good (US, Canada), China Glaze I Got a Blue Attitude (US, Canada) 

By now, I'm sure you realized that my pretty thing is usually something super feminine. Maybe flowers or a coffee - anything that gives me all of those heart eyes this week.

So did you really expect anything different for this week's pretty thing? :)

The MOTD: 

Wearing: NYX jumbo eye pencil, UD Naked, UD Hustle, UD Midnight 15 (similar),  UD Creep, UD Strange,  Loreal Voluminous Mascara and Maybelline Push Up Drama Waterproof Mascara layered, Loreal Linear Intense Liquid Eyeliner, Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal, Loreal Brow Stylist Definer, NARS Orgasm blush, Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, MAC Hue Lipstick

Before this night turned into our engagement celebration, all I knew is that this was our first summertime date night.

So I wanted a full-on smokey eye and I really wanted to play with Urban Decay shadows. I was just really feeling the original Naked palette and wanted to play with colors that I don't usually use!

So for this look, I first placed Naked in my crease as the transition shade (a.k.a. the base shade to help all of the other colors blend easier.)

I then used Hustle on the outer half of the lid, Midnight 15 on the inner half, and then a bit of Creep to smoke out the outer V.  I used Strange from the Naked 3 palette on the brow bone and inner corners.

I paired the eyes with bronze skin, glowing cheeks, and my all-time favorite nude lipstick to really make the eyes pop!

Now that we're in full summer mode, I really wanted beachy waves to pair with this look. So these curls are a touch different than my usual go-to style.

For these curls, I used a one-inch curling iron and curled my hair in the traditional way of clamping the hair and rolling upwards. However,  I clamped the hair about one inch up from the bottom, leaving the ends out of the barrel.

It's such a simple change in technique but I love the tousled outcome!

(This is also a reallyyyy good trick for when you need a haircut and want to protect those fragile ends!) 

Tori's Pretty Nails - Whip It Good

Pave Engagement Ring, China Glaze Whip It Good (US, Canada), China Glaze I Got a Blue Attitude (US, Canada) 

I still can't get over that we're engaged! Ahhh!!! :)

Of course, it wouldn't be a Mani Monday if we didn't talk more about the mani I got engaged in!

That accent nail? A true coincidence.

Yet somehow, I just had this gut feeling - I just knew - this would end up being the mani I wore when B and I got engaged.

China Glaze Whip It Good (US, Canada), China Glaze I Got a Blue Attitude (US, Canada) 

This simple two-color dotticure idea popped into my head somewhere near the middle of June.

I'm slowly but surely wearing all of my untried polishes (which is such a ridiculous concept itself, I know!)

In my summer stash, I started with about 12 untried shades to tackle this season. When I placed these two colors in my jar of untrieds, they felt like a perfect summery pair.

But then I wore these and then thought of these. Then I wanted something patriotic so I wore these. Finally, I said enough is enough and I painted this pretty little design.

Once I did, I just had such a feeling! I even debated about putting yellow dots on the middle finger but decided against it.

Maybe it was my subconscious or maybe it was something else, but somehow I just knew!

China Glaze Whip It Good (US, Canada), China Glaze I Got a Blue Attitude (US, Canada) 

Not only can I not ask for a more perfect ring, I couldn't ask for two better formulas!

I Got a Blue Attitude is such a fun shade - in these photos (and when I painted them) they looked perfectly purple. In darker light, though, they pulled almost navy. What you see here are two easy coats.

For Whip it Good, I'm a little bit of a yellow polish hoarder. Good yellow polishes are so hard to come by. So when I see a beautiful pale neon yellow like this, it must be mine!

Both shades were beautiful before, but now that they're part of such a special memory?

I can't see myself parting with either shade anytime soon :).

Tori's Pretty Life - "I Fell in Love from the Moment we Kissed"

Balloons from Balloon Queen - Toronto

If you can't already tell by the photo...

We're engaged!!!!

On July 1st, Canada's 150th Birthday, B asked me to marry him and I said yes!

Ugh, pinch me - I am just so, so happy!! :) (If you can't tell by the exclamation point overload...)

I'm realizing I haven't really told you our story, outside of a few bits and pieces these last few months.

As a little recap, we've been dating for just over 4 and 1/2 years. Our first date was at Buffalo Wild Wings (It was love at first bite! lol) and we've been pretty inseparable ever since.

He's kind, genuine, super smart, and makes me laugh on a daily basis. We really just get each other, flaws and all. He is truly the love of my life :). 

We talked about marriage for most of our relationship, but last summer we really started to seriously talk about getting engaged. Then this whole Toronto thing happened and we pushed our ring shopping plans to earlier this year.

As you know, we picked out a ring early May and it was up to B to do the rest!

This Week's Pretty Life: 

The Proposal:

Pave, Solitaire Engagement Ring

B already planted the seed and planned a Canada Day date night. So we were all set to go out to a new restaurant and then watch fireworks.

I was getting dolled up when B said, "Hey, I need to run out and pick up hair stuff. I'll be back."

Totally normal. He'd been complaining all week that he was running out of hair stuff so I thought nothing of it :).

He came back, peeked his head in and said, "Don't come out of the room for 20 minutes."

I laughed and said, "Well, it's going to take at least 20 minutes for me to finish my hair so I didn't plan on it!" (#LongHairGalsGetMe)

I finished getting ready and he asked me to come out. I walked out into the living room to B on one knee, kneeling in front of the most beautiful balloons that spelled, "Will You Marry Me?"

Guess who didn't think she'd cry but then totally cried? (Raises hand!)

The Celebration: 

Eggplant Starter - Estia -  Toronto

From there, we took these lovely photos and told our immediate family. The rest of the world could wait, though. We decided to savor the rest of our special night :).

So off we went to our now celebratory date night to Estia, a fantastic new Mediterranean restaurant in the Yorkville neighborhood of Toronto.

(As a side note, even though this isn't a designated food post, I can't rave enough about how wonderful our meal was. Their menu is a mix of foods from Greece, Italy, and Spain. If you enjoy those cuisines then this place is for you!)

Beef Short Ribs - Estia - Toronto

Kataifi Tart - Estia - Toronto

This was such a special night that I even had a glass of Chardonnay to celebrate! (I know!)

The waitress was very sweet and asked if we were celebrating anything. When we told her, I also said that I'm pretty introverted and don't like a lot of attention so we were just celebrating quietly by ourselves.

Later on, when she brought out dessert, she said that she just wanted to congratulate us again and brought out this sweet message. Heart melt! :) 

I would highly recommend Estia for any celebration (or even just for a really good meal, in general.)

CN Tower Fireworks - Canada's 150th Day

From there, since it was still Canada Day, we pulled up a front row seat in our living room and watched fireworks from both our living room and balcony.

This was only the second time in history that fireworks were lit off of the CN Tower. It was such a romantic way to end our very special day :).

CN Tower Canada Day, Canada 150 Fireworks Show

I've never been the type to want a big wedding. Shoot, it's taken until about 2 months ago to finally want a wedding in general instead of just eloping!

I did know, though, that I always wanted a very special proposal to embark on this next stage in our lives together. I couldn't have asked for a better proposal.

This day and these memories will forever live in my heart as the most magical day that B and I decided to officially shout, "WE"RE GETTING MARRIED!"