Your City Paper- 2020 Collections

Howdy friends! A lot has happened in our little biz since we last wrote and debuted our new Georgia Peach collection! We’ve released FOUR new city collections, with our fifth releasing February 2021! Check out our newest cities below!

The Nashville Collection

Find our Nashville Retro Flat Wrap here.

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The Austin Collection

Find our Austin City Flat Wrap here

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The Columbus Collection

Find our Columbus Buckeye Flat Wrap here

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The North Pole Collection

North Pole Collection is currently retired for the season. It will be restocked in November 2021.

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The Charleston Collection

Charleston Rainbow Row // Charleston Downtown Doorways // Charleston Downtown Doorways Holiday // Charleston Rainbow Row Tissue Paper

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Georgia Peach Collection

Georgia Peach in peach // Georgia Peach in white

Your City Paper

Everyone say hello to Your City Paper, formerly known as Holy City Wraps! Since moving to Georgia, It was time to update HCW into a brand that wasn’t just Charleston related. New brand, new look, NEW PAPER! We’ve added two new prints to the collection- Georgia Peaches in white + peach! All prints are now available at YourCityPaper.com! Check us out!

• Georgia Peach in white

• Georgia Peach in peach

• Charleston’s Rainbow Row

• Charleston’s Downtown Doorways

• Charleston’s Downtown Doorways- Holiday Edition

5 Day Trip to Banff, Alberta

What. A. Trip. I don’t think anything I write or the pictures I post will do this place justice. It’s just something you need to experience for yourself. I am beyond happy that my boyfriend and I chose a snow covered Banff over the tropic beaches of Costa Rica for this birthday vacation!

Now down to business! I did so so so so much planning and Pinterest hunting for this trip. I read so many blog posts about what do and where to eat and so on! Those posts helped us so much with the foundational elements of our trip, so here I am, returning the favor to anyone and everyone who is interested in making the flight (or drive!) up to the Canadian Rockies!

We went into this trip with a budget and expectation of everything costing around $2,000 for the entire trip, and we’re happy to say we were BELOW our budget! And tbh, Canadian costs are a littttttlleeee pricey! Keep in mind there are definitely ways to cut costs if you’re looking for a less expensive experience.

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DAY 1

• Breakfast- skipped (oops it was early!)

• Atlanta ➡️ Chicago - 8am (ET)

• Chicago ➡️ Calgary -9:35 am (CT)

• Arrived to Calgary airport- 1:23pm (MST)

• Picked up jeep- 2:00pm (MST)

• Lunch- trusty Canadian staple, Tim Hortons (they’re everywhere!)

• DRIVE TO BANFF, 1 hour 26 minutes (from Calgary)

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When we arrived to Canada, I can already tell you: it was friggin’ cold! I’m talking (apologies for TMI) snot in your nose instantly frozen cold! (my northern peeps know what I mean!) Granted the temperatures were in the negatives the entire trip, and from what the locals said, it’s never been this cold. Lucky us! But hey, that certainly didn’t stop us from doing anything!

We rented a Jeep from Enterprise right in Calgary, a 15-20 min taxi/uber from the airport! (These guys were the BEST! Called to confirm and check on us with everything!) I do recommend if you rent a vehicle getting something with four-wheel drive (esp in the winter) if you plan to cruise around snow/ice covered roads! Our rental for the 4 days was $300US. We picked up the jeep, grabbed some Tim Hortons, and hit the road in search of Banff!

Holy. Mountain Views. The drive was beyond gorgeous, I can’t even put into words! Be prepared to pay a park fee that will get you into Banff National Park; essentially where you will be the entire trip! Our 4 day park pass was $80 CAN ($61.19 in US).

The entire drive into the Canadian Rockies had us “oooohing” and “ahhhing”. No exaggeration! Every turn had us more blown away than what we had just seen!

Driving into Banff!

Our first night was literally the only night we hadn’t made lodging arrangements, but luckily, once we got into town, and drove around a bit, we settled on a hotel right off the main road downtown and booked directly online. We stayed at the Elk + Avenue. Highly recommend this place! A one night, king size bed was $123 CAN ($94.09 in US) and honestly a great deal for the hotel location and room size.

Ignore the luggage mess, but the room was very spacious and modern! PS- we stopped at a grocery store out of Calgary (Safeway) to buy a few snacks, wine, champagne (for my birthday!) and a case of water just in case things were overpriced in Banff! The case of water was completely gone by the end of the trip! Gotta stay hydrated, friends!

Once we were showered, unpacked, and layered up, we ventured on foot around town! Our first day was by far the coldest, temperature ringing in at about -20 F for an evening low, so you more than likely will not need all the layers that we had on, but just in case- it’s all linked!

Most restaurants were pretty packed and needed a reservation. We tried calling Park Distillery beforehand to get a table for two, but had no luck that way! However, we ended up going on in and putting our name on the list and ended up with a 15 minute wait!

Dinner- Park Distillery Restaurant + Bar ( 4.4 on Google)

The atmosphere of this place was incredible! Plus, all the tables seated close to the door were given plaid blankets to keep warm from the door opening! We started with drinks and ended up ordering the bucatini + game (Elk meatballs) to share. (NOTE: We shared most meals between the two of us mainly for pricing and portion control! The food was def enough for both of us to share however!)

Bon Appétit! Me about to chow down on the bucatini + game meatballs, which were made from elk! Eeek! Pictured below is the Beehive cocktail made from their own Park vanilla vodka, elderflower liqueur, blueberry, honey, and honey // the Observation Peak made from Park Glacier Rye, Flor de Caña 7yr, amaro montenegro, cherry liqueur, Park orange bitters, smoked cedar square (that smelled just like a campfire!) // Bucatini + game meatballs; elk, roasted garlic tomato sauce, chili vodka, parmesan! Meal total was $55 in US prices.

During our time in Banff, to our delightful surprise, the Snow Days Festival was going on so there were snow sculptures and fun winter activities happening all over town!

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Below are my outfit details. Since it was freezing, and I probably should have known better, I ended up wearing two pairs of fleece lined leggings each day instead of just one pair like I thought I would be able to do.

My travel outfit: sweater // Carhartt toboggan // boots // fleece lined leggings

gray sweater // fleece lined leggings // winter coat // Carhartt toboggan // boots

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DAY 2

• Breakfast- coffee/tea from the hotel with snacks that we purchased from grocery store

• Banff ➡️ Lake Louise, 44 minute drive on highway. Longer drive on Bow Valley Parkway, but totally worth it!

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We woke up around 8:30 (sunrise time for Banff) and got ready to head to Lake Louise, which is about a 44 minute drive west of Banff. Since we were still on east coast time, we were pretty early risers. On our way out of town we made a pit stop to Surprise Corner. If you’ve ever looked up any photos of Banff, you’ve probably seen it. It’s an overview that looks over the Bow River to the castle-like hotel, the Fairmont Banff. It truly is magical! Due to the early rising, we were the only ones there! Wahoo! There’s a parking lot and a designated overlook spot, so it’s very easy to get to if you just Google it!

Influencer wannabes! 😂

Co-pilot, Molly 👋

There are two options to get to Lake Louise- Highway 1 and the Bow Valley Parkway. The Parkway takes a bit longer, but is the scenic route. You’re going to want to take this route! It’s full of the most gorgeous views, spots to stop and picnic along the way, the best way to access Johnston Canyon, many trails, and the best route to see wildlife!

Entering the Parkway! Gorgeous views the entire drive!

My handsome travel buddy!

Elk spotting!

We ended up stopping to hike the Johnston Canyon (a must-do!) on our way to Lake Louise. You will need to take the Bow Valley Parkway to get to the trail head of Johnston Canyon! For some reason I thought I read it cost a small fee to hike the trail, but when we got there, there wasn’t actually a location to pay anyone, or anyone working for that matter! There is however nice washrooms in the parking lot and a gift shop/restaurant as you enter the trail (only open in summer tho!) There were a few tour buses that arrived with guides that were doing an official tour, but if you’re looking for a cheaper version where you can go at your own pace and take all the pictures you want, I suggest being your own guide- there’s signs that can guide you and give you the information you need (in short: be your own tour guide).

There’s two destination spots on the hike- the lower falls and the higher falls. The lower falls took us between 30-45 minutes to hike to, which includes stopping to take pics and getting wedged between tour groups! Since it was so cold, we only did the lower falls. The higher falls takes an additional 45 min-1 hour hike, but I hear the view is worth it, and if you go early enough, you can see ice pickers climbing up the frozen falls!

The frozen lower falls!

Banff National Park is known for their amazing turquoise water, but this is about as close as we got to seeing that!

As you can tell, it was cold! I can promise, the hike and views were all worth it!

If you look closely, you can see the snowflakes on our eyelashes and the mascara running down my face!

After our hike in the canyon, we got back to the jeep, and finally headed to Lake Louise. The scenic views weren’t lost, and we still took about a million photos the rest of the drive. As we were approaching the end of the Parkway, we came upon another scenic view point that you’ve probably already seen before- Morant’s Curve.  An overlook of the Bow River that runs right beside a railroad track. We didn’t get to see any trains go by, but there were numerous photographers with tripods waiting to snap those gorgeous photos!

One final snap from the Parkway!

In addition to the lake, there is a Lake Louise Village with multiple hotels and dining options! For our hotel stay, my boyfriend surprised me by splurging and booking us a room at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. I don’t think pictures or anything will really do it justice! Room with a view cost a little more than a room facing the trees, but hey, it was my birthday, right? (Another way to cut costs would be to stay at a less expensive lodge in town. We passed some cute cabin lodging on the way to the lake, but unfortunately, in the winter offseason, they were all closed!)

The drive up the mountain to Lake Louise. Like what?

Above is the view from our room. As you can tell it was super foggy the day we arrived! There’s actually another mountain peak right in the middle that we didn’t even know was there until the next morning! In addition to the Snow Days Festival in Banff, the Banff & Lake Louise tourism center also hosts the Ice Magic Festival at the Fairmont of Lake Louise! If you take a look in the photo, you can see the ice castle and ice sculpture contest happening! (more to come on that!)

Since we were starving, we started to explore the hotel for their dining options. They have five different in-house options, and we settled on the beautiful Lakeview Lounge! Dining with views overlooking the lake- what more could you ask for? We shared the boar bacon burger with fries and it was the perfect portion of food. Meal cost (with beer and water) was around $25 and added to our hotel bill. The sign says dining for guests only, but I overheard two people in front of us say they weren’t guests (rebels) but still got seated!

Our waitress actually surprised me with a glass of champagne since we were in town celebrating my birthday! So thoughtful!

Now onto the Ice Magic! I can’t even describe how insane and talented these crews creating thee sculptures were! It was a three day contest, crew members of only two people, and teams were from all over the world! The hotel also had an ICE BAR outside! All the wondrous winter activities you could ever ask for! As we checked in, they gave us two complimentary drink vouchers with it being my birthday! (Y’all def need to go here if you’re celebrating something, they treat you right!) We used the tickets at the outdoor ice bar for some hot chocolate and coffee spiked with Baileys, my favorite!

Me boozin in the cut out bench of the ice bar!

A little blurry, but with the evening lake skaters! Also- the only timed it SNOWED! 🌨️

We walked around the grounds admiring all the beauty! Since the lake was frozen over, you’re able to rent ice skates and cross country ski from the hotel! There’s also a horse drawn sleigh that takes you around the lake. The path is also walkable, but keep in mind it only goes halfway around the lake. We started to walk it a bit, but it got dark and it’s not exactly a lit path!

A beautiful cross-country ski cabin we spotted on the Fairmont grounds. How cool? Hello photo ops.

How magical are these trees covered in lights AND snow!?

I actually Facetimed my mom shortly after this photo was taken. I didn’t think it was that cold, so I didn’t wear any gloves. About two hours later it turned out I had Frostnip on my pointer finger- the early stages of Frostbite. Stay covered at all times! 😬

The Ice Bar at night :)

We were about to head to dinner when we got a knock on our door- a bottle of champagne was being delivered in honor of my birthday. Like y’all, this place LOVES celebrating you! We chose another in-house restaurant for dinner so we didn’t have to leave the hotel and drive in the dark. We had a reservation for two at Walliser Stube. Turns out this restaurant is in what used to be the hotel’s former library. It was such a cozy atmosphere and turns out we got the ‘best table in the house’, which was right by a window looking over the lake and ice sculptures!

We opted for sharing the fondue appetizer- melted cheeses topped with mushrooms. Our options for dipping were green apples (my boyfriend’s favorite), pickled veggies, and sourdough bread (my fave hehe!) Since it was so frigid outside, they were offering specialty ‘warm you up’ cocktails- I got the spiced apple cider! The fondue appetizer for two was around $40-$50 and drinks about $15-25 in CAN prices. Our dinner for that evening was about $100 in CAN and was charged to our room.

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For day exploring: red sweater // gray toboggan // thermal (I wore one under my sweaters) // red winter coat // black Carhartt toboggan // black fleece leggings (wore two pairs) // Sorel snow boots

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DAY 3

What I woke up to that morning was unbelievable. The view of the sun peaking over the mountains was so amazing, so clear! Looks a little foggy in these pictures and it quickly turned that way!

Notice the little snow plow clearing the lake for an ice skating session!

We wanted to venture away from the hotel grounds, and explore what else Lake Louise had to offer, so we ventured out to the Lake Louise Ski Resort for breakfast (about a 10 min drive from the Fairmont)! We didn’t ski on our trip, but this looked like some pretty decent runs to check out! They have a a few restaurants in their main ski lodge, so we chose the Lodge of Ten Peaks Cafeteria.

French toast with blackberries, a side of bacon, and a bacon/tomato/cream cheese bagel. This meal along with orange juice and coffee was around $22 in US.

Inside the clubhouse lodge

Shredding the gnar #sendit 🤙

The drive back to Lake Louise was probably the prettiest views of the trip just because of the sun hitting the trees!

Once we got back to the Fairmont Lake Louise hotel, we spent the remainder outside admiring everything! Below are quite a few pictures taken on the actual lake! For $20 a person, you can rent ice skates from the hotel for two hours. I think it’s a must- well, if you can skate!

People with sensitive eyes, BEWARE! Sun + snow = squinting a lot during pics!

This little cabin was probably my favorite!

Hint- wear red everything if you wanna stand out in the snow!

Here’s a slide of all the ice sculptures before the end of the competition! They were all so amazing, but I feel bad because since it was such cold conditions this year, some of the fixtures were busting/breaking overnight!

After we said bye to Lake Louise, we headed back into Banff where we would be spending the remainder of our trip. We ended up taking Highway 1 back, which as I said before, is the faster route!

Back in Banff like…

For lodging the remainder of the trip, we chose the Buffalo Mountain Lodge. (4.2 review on Google) It’s sort of up the side of a mountain on Tunnel Road. (Tunnel Mountain is the main mountain you see in all Banff images!) Honestly, I feel like this place was more of an Airbnb than a hotel!

Cute living room, huge fireplace, nice bedroom, and spacious bathroom! We loved staying here! For two nights, we got this room for $300 in US.

For a late lunch we ventured in town for a burger at Eddie Burger + Bar. We split a burger with a Caesar salad side. I was mad my boyfriend made us choose a salad over fries, but in reality we needed the salad more! Plus it was delicious! Burger with side and beer was around $20 in US.

The Snow Days Festival was still happening, so we walked around to see the progress of all of the snow sculpture contests they had going on.

In the snow enjoying roasting marshmallows and grabbing some coffee from Second Cup!

On Banff Ave (the main strip) is the CUTEST bowling alley- High Rollers! I am obsessed with their branding (I’m a graphic designer if you couldn’t tell!) We wanted to check out the bowling alley and even bowl a few, but it was rented out for the entire day (I envy the wedding party that did this)! Check out their Instagram! It looked like the coolest retro place to be!

Dinner- Magpie + Stump ( 4.3 on Google)

For dinner that night, we went to Magpie + Stump, a Mexican restaurant in town. I would recommend making a reservation if you can because it was quite crowded! We absolutely loved this place! My boyfriend was worried it would be a ‘tourist trap’, but even the locals were telling us to go there!

We started with chips + salsa! So good!

We each got a quesadilla which came with rice and refried beans. My boyfriend got the BBQ chicken and I just got the chicken! I had a cherry margarita- it just sounded sooo good! 😜This meal total was around $72 in US.

We loved the western cabin vibe! 🌵

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scarf (sold out) // white sweater // red toboggan // winter coat (sold out in red) // Sorel winter boots // gray fleece lined mittens

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DAY 4

Woke up on day 4 another year older! 🥳We started off with a slow morning of starting up the fireplace (thanks to Spencer being a former camp counselor) and enjoying some coffee and hot tea per the hotel! Such a cozy little morning! We then realized it was our last full day and we needed to make the most of it, especially since the morning was so clear!

We bought tickets to the Banff Gondola. A gondola that takes you to the top of Sulphur Mountain, which overlooks the town of Banff and way beyond! It had been closed the week before and had just reopened the day we went, so snow was covering pretty much everything. Once you get to the top, there is a boardwalk trail that you can hike up to the top of Sanson’s Peak. The views are totally worth it! Tickets run at about $60 each in US, but I would look into the packages they offer that include a gondola ticket + a dinner special!

Here’s a LIVE CAMERA look from the top of the gondola!

Sorry for the picture overload, but how can we NOT post all of these gorgeous photos?

Since we were already up there AND it was my birthday, we decided to try to grab lunch at the Sky Bistro, which is located inside the Banff gondola’s upper terminal. If you closely, you can see it’s actually like a four floor building! If you plan to go to Sky Bistro for dinner, definitely make a reservation. We went to the gondola at 11am and they were already booked for the night for dinner. Lunch was a bit easier to get a table! We sat right along the window, so we were able to have all the views! A light snow came through, but didn’t stop us from enjoying the scenery!

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For lunch I had the gourmet grilled cheese with truffle fries, my boyfriend had the seasonal soup- winter vegetable, and for dessert we ordered these little apple pie donut holes with sugar and caramel drizzled over them! I had ordered the smores drink- whiskey with chocolate + marshmallows + a graham cracker rim, but they were out of the whiskey! SOMEONE ORDER IT FOR ME AND LET ME KNOW HOW IT IS!

The big hike and cold temps had me a little tired, but since it was our last day we were still trying to take advantage of everything. We ended up parking in the visitor center parking lot right by the bridge that goes over Bow River. There’s a walking trail that runs right along the river on the outside of town that will actually take you to Bow Falls. We could tell the trail had a lot of foot traffic from locals walking home and back and just tourists like us. It was a pretty easy walk from the bridge and once you get to the falls, you can see Surprise Corner and the Fairmont Banff hotel on both sides of you!

The trail! Nothing too strenuous!

Above: overlooking Bow Falls. Below: one more photo of the Fairmont Banff in the distance!

As we were heading back towards town, we actually spotted a buck walking across the frozen river. We picked up our pace so we could run into him and hopefully snag a picture. I wouldn’t necessarily say he was friendly, we def kept our distance (as you should with wild animals!), but he was aware of us and never darted off or ran away! So we just stood close by and admired!

We went back to the hotel to do a little relaxing before we headed back into town for dinner and skating!

I was so so so happy we chose to head to Banff while the Snow Days Festival + Ice Magic Festival were both happening! My boyfriend and I are such outdoor explorers, so all the winter activities that were provided never left us short of something to do! In town, they also had an ice rink set up and offered FREE ice skating! We took up the offer on our last night and picked up some ice skates and even some hockey sticks to try out our skills! One of us was better than the other! ;)

You know when you get to that point of your trip when you’re just taking pictures of anything and everything because you know you’re leaving soon and half the pictures aren’t even good or have a good subject? Yeah that was me in the picture above. I wanted to remember everything! So here I am, in front of some Christmas lights!

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carhartt toboggan // scarf (sold out) // forest sherpa // winter coat (sold out in red) // Sorel winter boots // sequin hat/mittens // black sweater

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DAY 5

Day 5 was pretty much an entire of day of airports + airplanes, but before we left I was still able to snap a few last photos!

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AFTER THOUGHTS

There were so many hotels, restaurants, and activities we looked into and just didn’t have time for! I will link them all below, along with additional packing cubes I used, warm clothes my boyfriend wore, and warm clothes I wore! I hope our guide helps you set the foundation of your upcoming trip to Banff + the Canadian Rockies! We loved every minute of ours, so I’m sure y’all will enjoy yours too!

Best xoxo,

Molly!

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fleece leggings 1 // fleece leggings 2 (I wore both every day) // mittens // ski mask when I hiked // thermal I wore under a sweater every day

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suction packing bags // quarter zip // wind resistant pants // long underwear top + bottom // Carhartt glooves // ski mask

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Additional dining:

Banff Ave Brewing Co. (Banff)

The Grizzly House (Banff)

Bear Street Tavern (Banff)

High Rollers Bowling + Pizza (Banff)

Alpine Social (Lake Louise)

Mountain Restaurant (Lake Louise

Lake Louise Railroad Station + Restaurant (Lake Louise)

Trailhead Cafe (Lake Louise)

TooLouLou’s (Banff)

Wild Flour Bakery (Banff)

Beavertails (Banff)

Bill Peyto’s Cafe (Lake Louise)

PIN FOR LATER

Holy City Wraps

'Tis the season! With that being said, I just started selling Charleston themed gift wrap at local boutique Cannonborough Collective that's located in downtown Charleston! 💛

There are currently two prints- Rainbow Row + downtown inspired doorways! (Holiday themed wrap to come soon!) Each individual sheet is 20" x 29"!

Check us out on the 'gram (@HolyCityWraps) for updates and more pics of our prints! 🎁✨

And you know the drill, #ShopLocal 🎄

Silk Flower Crowns- the bigger, the better!

Hey y'all! I feel like Charleston just keeps getting hotter + hotter, but that's not stopping the bride tribes from getting their flower crown party on! Whoo!

Wanted to drop a few lines about our most recent DIY flower crown party here in The Holy City!

This bride and her girlfriends went with our silk flower option when choosing what kind of party to have! As always, we tried our best to work with a color scheme that was picked by the bride and what was available in store! Since summer is coming to an end, we had LOTS of pinks, oranges and yellows to choose from! We also threw in some hints of purple and whites! ALSO, some cute little butterflies for fun!

  (Did you know we offer BOTH silk and real flower parties? Both options are great to do! Check out some of our previous flower partying posts if you're having a hard time deciding!)

I had so much fun with this group of ladies! From their cute bachelorette themed decor, chit chat about local tv show Southern Charm, and their perfect Airbnb location (close to Folly Beach and downtown Charleston)- it was a great evening of girliness! :)

Interested in setting up a party for an upcoming bachelorette getaway? Schedule now before it's too late!

xo, Molly

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A "Camchella" Bachelorette Party

Molly here! :) This weekend I was able to flower party with two parties here in Charleston! Yep, that's right, CAMCHELLA was happening right here in the Holy City! ;) 

Like all of our parties, we start off by deciding what you want- silk vs. real flowers and what flower types/colors! (Did you know we offer BOTH silk and real flower parties? Both options are great to do! Check out some of our previous flower partying posts if you're having a hard time deciding!)

This Charleston bachelorette party decided to go with real flowers in different shades of pinks! We always try our best to make sure our parties get what they request, but sometimes depending on season and stock, the flower Gods just don't have what we need! Luckily for these ladies, the spring season had plenty to offer!

As a host, we are here to help- whether it's a little or a lot! Every party is unique, different, and work at their own speed! :)

Interested in setting up a party for an upcoming bachelorette getaway this summer? Schedule now before it's too late!

xo, Molly

PIN FOR LATER

5 Things You Need To Know For This Year’s Carolina Country Music Fest

The Carolina Country Music Festival promises to take the party up a notch this year to celebrate its fifth anniversary. And a band celebrating its 50th anniversary will get it all started.

2018’s CCMF attracted 113,000 fans to its oceanfront stage. The festival has grown each year and celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2019.

Alabama will kick off the four-day festival June 6 with a little “Mountain Music” on CCMF’s oceanfront stage, which sits just feet away from where the band got its start a half century ago at The Bowery. Alabama went on to sell more than 73 million albums, collect nearly 200 awards and be credited with broadening country music’s appeal to a wider audience.

“We always wanted to have Alabama, with their ties to Myrtle Beach and The Bowery,” said Mike Stephens, director of the Carolina Country Music Festival. “We just thought it would be perfect.”

Kane Brown at the 2018 CCMF.

But don’t overdo it the first night. The festival, which runs June 6–9, features more than 30 performers with headliners Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line, who is returning to the CCMF stage after wowing crowds in 2016.

Loyal CCMFers can expect all they’ve come to love about the festival—a party atmosphere with some of the genre’s biggest names on the oceanfront stage and up-and-coming artists showcased on a second stage.

“We really feel for the fifth anniversary, it’s our strongest and most diverse lineup,” Stephens said.

Then there’s everything else—the food, drinks, mini-party tents, a variety of vendors selling all your country gear, games and more. The festival’s layout consumes the former Myrtle Beach Pavilion site between 8th and 9th avenues North in the heart of Myrtle Beach.

CCMF has grown into one of country music’s biggest bashes of the year, attracting 113,000 fans over the festival’s four days last year (attendance has increased every year), Stephens said. CCMF has earned national nods—Billboard has named it the No. 4 best country music festival—and CMT aired hours of footage from the Myrtle Beach stage last year. CMT will be back to film this year, Stephens said.

“It’s crazy how fast five years goes and how big of a staple it’s become,” Stephens said. “We’ve made major progress.”

Old Dominion at the 2018 CCMF.

Organizers have learned a few lessons in the festival’s early years (remember when it started as a cashless event with all purchases being made through your wristband?) and have added features aiming to enhance the experience for festival-goers.

So grab your cowboy hat, slip on those boots and check out these five things you need to know before you head to the festival this year.

THE APP
Want to enhance your festival experience? Organizers encourage CCMFers to download the app, which has all the information you need at your fingertips, including the artist lineup and a map of the festival site for locations of vendors, ATMs and more. You also can personalize your own schedule and sign up to receive notifications with the latest updates on what’s happening and tips for making the most of your CCMF experience.

“The app really is everything they need in front of them,” Stephens said. “Everybody has their phone in their hand. We want to make things easy for people so they can focus on the music, the experience and their friends.”

Watch for #CCMFBeKind as well, which took on a life of its own a few years ago to spotlight good deeds captured during the festival.

WHAT’S IN YOUR WALLET?

CCMFers can make purchases during the festival with cash, credit card or their wristband—you can load money onto it before arriving.

That’s been a welcome change for festival-goers. The event started five years ago as a cashless festival—all purchases had to be made using your wristband; no cash or credit cards accepted. That didn’t go over too well with many fans. “That’s definitely one thing we learned,” Stephens said.

While you’re grabbing your cash or credit card, don’t forget your ID. If you plan to buy alcoholic beverages, you’ll need it.

CLEAR BAGS ONLY

Better slip that wallet in a clear bag and leave your regular bag at home. Last year, the festival implemented a clear-bag-only policy to streamline entry and enhance safety in the aftermath of the shooting at the country music-themed Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas in October 2017 that killed 58 people. Small clutch bags that are about the size of a hand are still OK.

MORE TO DO

CCMF always brings the party, but this year organizers are ramping it up. It will be more convenient to access the zipline and ropes course—it won’t be fenced off, which created hurdles for festival-goers wanting to take a ride.

“It’s inside the festival this year, so it will make it easier,” Stephens said.

Some vendors also are kicking it up a notch, with enhanced areas and technology to scan your wristband to send your souvenir photo so you don’t have to walk around carrying it.

“We are always trying to improve our on-site experience,” Stephens said.

CCMF also is going all out to celebrate its fifth anniversary milestone. Stephens declined to give specifics, but said there will be some fun surprises for CCMFers. And, of course, there will be plenty of merchandise to buy with the fifth anniversary logo.

BRUSH UP ON THE BANDS

Sure, you know some of their tunes. But learn more about this year’s headliners:

• Alabama

  After getting their start playing at The Bowery in Myrtle Beach, Alabama went on to broaden the appeal of country music with the members’ rebel long hair, loud guitars and hits like “Song of the South” and “Dixieland Delight.”

  Many locals are partial to “Dancin,’ Shaggin’ on the Boulevard,” the band’s 1997 hit that is an ode to Myrtle Beach with shoutouts to icons such as Peaches Corner, the Magic Attic, the Sun Fun Festival, Mother Fletcher’s and many others. Parts of the video, of course, were filmed in Myrtle Beach and feature shots of the Pavilion, Peaches Corner and the view from the city’s most famous street—Ocean Boulevard.

  Alabama not only made lots of records, but also set records for their success. The band has sold more than 75 million albums and charted 43 No. 1 singles, including 21 in a row—a record unlikely to be broken. They have collected nearly 200 awards, including nods from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Grammys and more. They are in the Country Music Hall of Fame and even have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

• Dierks Bentley

  With hits such as “What Was I Thinkin’” and “Drunk on a Plane,” Dierks Bentley is known for his own kind of sound in country music—a mix of elements from modern and classic country, bluegrass and rock. The Phoenix native—who drove with his father to Nashville when Dierks was 19—has logged more than 15 No. 1 songs and released nine albums; the most recent, The Mountain, was released last year. Bentley, a singer and songwriter, has earned a number of music awards, including Grammys, CMAs, CMT awards and others. He’s also a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

• Thomas Rhett

  Singer-songwriter Thomas Rhett will hit the CCMF stage about a week after the May 31 release of his fourth studio album, Center Point Road. The first single from the album, “Look What God Gave Her,” is a catchy, uptempo tune that was released in March. He’s also scored hits with songs like “Die a Happy Man” and “Marry Me” and written songs for other country performers such as Jason Aldean and Scotty McCreery. You might say he was almost born into country music, the son of singer Rhett Akins. Thomas Rhett has collected a number of awards from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Billboard, CMT, iHeartRadio and more.

• Florida Georgia Line

  Florida Georgia Line is the only headliner returning to the CCMF stage. The duo, which has mashed musical genres with hits such as “Cruise” and “Meant to Be,” performed at CCMF in 2016. The band—Brian Kelley from Ormond Beach, Florida, and Tyler Hubbard from Monroe, Georgia—has exceeded 4.2 billion streams, 31 million tracks and more than 4.3 million albums sold. They’ve collected awards from the American Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association, CMT and others. They also received Billboard’s first Trailblazer Award for their “forward-thinking approach to their art and business.”

If you go:

Carolina Country Music Fest
When | June 6–9 - Gates open at 6 p.m. June 6 for the kick-off concert featuring Alabama. Gates open at 1 p.m. June 7–9.
Where | Former Myrtle Beach Pavilion Amusement Park site, 812 N. Ocean Boulevard, Myrtle Beach
Performers | 30 artists, including Alabama, Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line
More Info | carolinacountrymusicfest.com

Article originally posted by Grand Strand magazine

Written by Dawn Bryant

Images courtesy of Carolina Country Music Festival

Flower Partying on Folly Beach

Hey y'all, more flower partying over here!

This weekend I got to host and flower party with two bride tribes here in Charleston! My first party was smack dab in the heart of Folly Beach! Folly has the longest traffic lines once the warm weather hits, so staying so close to the beach was perfect for this bachelorette party!

The ladies wanted fun spring colors in silk flowers, so that’s what they got! We did an arrangement of pinks, whites, yellows, and greenery!

Even the groom made an appearance!

Cutest future wifey we ever did see!

In Charleston, who knows who you’ll into downtown!

Ready to schedule your own DIY floral crown bar for a party, shower, or girls night? Schedule your next floral party!

xoxo, Molly

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72 Hours in Asheville, NC

FRIDAY-

We left Charleston pretty early on Friday morning making us arrive to Asheville around 1pm. So so so much rain on our travels there, but luckily the clouds parted AFTER we unloaded the car! We stayed at my company’s condo right in the middle of downtown Asheville- perfect location for getting around the city by foot.

After we were all settled, we set out for a bite to eat! We chose Farm Burger which was one block away from where we were staying.

We both got the No. 1 Farm Burger with a side of pimento cheese fries. I can already tell you there was zero leftovers!

Once we wrapped up lunch, we headed by foot to hit up some of the local breweries. We stumbled on this cool bus -LaZoom- and wish we would have planned a little more for our day in Asheville because it looked so so cool! It’s a party bus with live music that takes you from brewery to brewery! Unfortunately it was sold out for the night (and apparently upcoming weeks), so I would advise booking ASAP if it looks like something you’re into!

We ended up stopping in Green Man Brewery where we both grabbed a drink and played some connect four while drinking on their outdoor patio! (Second pic shows who won!)

Our next stop was Burial Beer Co.’s brewery. This place was so cool from inside to outside and even the rooftop overlooking the southend of Asheville!

It started POURING about 1 minute after this photo was taken!

Heyy you guyssss.

Before we ended the night, we hit up One World Brewery for one more drink + some games. A live band was set to perform later that night, but we were exhausted from the traveling and walking, plus it was starting to rain again! We opted out for a takeout pizza from Manicomio and a bottle of wine from Asheville Wine Market that were both located down the street from where we were staying. We settled into the condo and queued up Netflix so we could watch a little Imposters!

SATURDAY-

We planned on waking up Saturday morning and doing a little more exploring, but this was our second trip to Asheville together and I think we were just ready to hit the trail- literally!

The early riser waiting on her counterpart to wake up!

I had done some previous research on places to eat before we left, so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to hit up Biscuit Head, one of the top places to grab brunch on every blog post about Asheville! However, with every good brunch place comes long lines + wait times. We hit up both locations before we made the executive decision to try something else. We had already planned to hit up the little mountain town of Brevard, so luckily one of the restaurants we looked into was on the way!

We grabbed a gas station muffin and before I knew it we were on the Blue Ridge Parkway! The higher and higher we got to the top of the mountain (where the restaurant was located! Ahhh!) it just got even prettier and prettier!

Once we got towards the top it started to lightly rain on us a little, but something just didn’t feel right about it. It didn’t look like normal rain… mainly because it wasn’t rain. It was SNOW!

The top of the mountain was in a complete snow fog! Once we parked, we couldn’t even find the restaurant it was snowing so hard! We ended up eating at the Pisgah Inn, known for their 180 degree views except the day we went- haha!

The food was amazing, and I’m sure the views also would have been! I had the meatloaf with a side of mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese- all the carbs!

After we left, we headed down the Blue Ridge Parkway admiring all the scenic views along the way! We even made a few pit stops to enjoy some waterfalls!

Once we got into Brevard, we did some light window shopping before we hit up Oskar Blue’s Brewery, home of Dale’s Pale Ale. Such a fun atmosphere of music, outdoor seating, food trucks, and games. The only downfall- a little too chilly to sit outside!

Our next stop was our Airbnb for the night! It was definitely off the beaten path, but we needed something close to Camp Greenville since we had a really early morning on Sunday!

Located in Cleveland, SC, perfect spot for those wanting to hike or be in touch with nature!

The property we stayed on was gorgeous and our hosts even allowed us to walk around! They had an incredible view of Table Rock Mountain from the backside of their property!

Gearing up for our EARLY morning!

While in town, we picked up some groceries for dinner and a light breakfast! After we made dinner and watched a little TV, it was time to head to bed so we could wake up early to head to Camp Greenville!

The reasoning to head to Camp Greenville was actually so we could go to sunrise Easter service at Pretty Place Chapel, a chapel located ON TOP of the mountain! Photos will never do this place justice!

We arrived to the campgrounds around 4:15 am so we could hop in line for the shuttles to the chapel. There was probably close to 300+ attendees, so seating was overflowed onto the sides of the chapel where people had to stand. We snagged two spots in the second row. Please keep in mind we were on top of a mountain with frigid temps and heavy winds- not sure how we made it with just the one coat we each had on and the blanket we grabbed last minute!

Slightly freezing, no big deal.

After the service, we walked back down to the camp so we could enjoy breakfast in the camp’s cafeteria. My boyfriend spent many summers as a camper and a counselor at Camp Greenville, so I got the personal camp tour after breakfast!

After touring the campground, we made one final stop back at Pretty Place since it was a little less crowded!

On our drive back to the Airbnb, we made a few more pitstops for the scenery! This rock was covered in graffiti, but in an artistic way. We didn’t contribute to any of it.

Our next destination was unplanned, but we ended up stopping in Greenville, SC for lunch! It was my first time visiting, so I was so shocked at how pretty the riverwalk and downtown area was! We ate on the upstairs patio of a cute little italian place called Jianna. After we ate, we ended up getting a free caricature from an artist set up in the local downtown square. Caricature not pictured- ha!

All in all it was an amazing three day trip to the mountains filled with awesome food, beautiful views, and lots of memories!

Hopefully our next trip will be more detailed with even more photos of things we did! :)

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Springtime Floral Partying

Hey everyone, Molly here! This previous weekend I had my first DIY floral crown party here in Charleston, SC of the spring season and it couldn't have been with a better group of gals!

Like all of our parties, we start off by deciding what you want- silk vs. real flowers and what flower types/colors! (Did you know we offer BOTH silk and real flower parties? Both options are great to do! Check out some of our previous flower partying posts if you're having a hard time deciding!)

This Charleston bachelorette party decided to go with real flowers in white and green with some touches of pink! We always try our best to make sure our parties get what they request, but sometimes depending on season and stock, the flower Gods just don't have what we need! Luckily for these ladies, the spring season had plenty to offer!

As a host, we are here to help- whether it's a little or a lot! Every party is unique, different, and work at their own speed! :) This party had their crown making down to the T!

CHARLESTON BACHELORETTE PARTY HIGHLIGHTS!

• Dinners at The Ordinary, FIG, Husk, Obstinate Daughter (Sullivan's Island) 

• Drinks at Gin Joint, live music at Republic, and dancing at Stars Rooftop bar! 

• Callie's Hot Little Biscuit (TWICE) ;)

• A beach day on Sullivan's Island

• Pints of Jeni's Ice Cream

• A candle making workshop at CandleFish 

• Downtown shopping on King Street + Market Street

• Staying at the Luxury Hotel Suites on King Street

• Floral crown partying with us (of course), Fetes de Fleurs Charleston! 

Interested in setting up a party for an upcoming bachelorette getaway? Email me at molly@fetesdefleurs.com to schedule your own party before it's too late!

xo, Molly

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Bumble: Super BOWL Party

Our Bumble Super BOWL party was a huge hit! 💛

Lots of koozies, hair ties, cups, and hats were handed out to Bumble users! PLUS one free drink on us when you showed your downloaded app.

My bumble + real life friends setting up that profile!

Although my boyfriend and I are not on Bumble, he’s still out here supporting my hustle! xo 💛

The CHS Bumble gang! 💛

hostess with the mostest

A most dedicated hostess willing to please everyone.
Also- the most groovy chick...

(it me!)

One of the main reasons we were hosting a Super Bowl watch party was because believe it or not, Bumble actually had a commercial slot during that time! UHM, HELLO! Haven’t seen it yet? Check it out below…

The world will tell you that you're not strong enough to play. They'll tell you that your story doesn't matter. The world will tell you that you should "be a lady." They'll tell you to dream, but not too big. And to wait to be given power.

One of my 2019 resolutions was to set + make more moves/goals: life, career, love, friendships, etc! This is the motivation we all need to bring with us into the new year! 💛

So are you ready to make the first move?

Happy New Year!

Slacker blogger over here! But cheers to 2019!

The last couple of years I’ve set about 10-15 goals for myself. I achieve some, don’t even come close to finishing some, but that’s how it goes, right? Last year I did fairly well with a few- recycle more, watch less tv, drink more water, eat less junk, etc.

So what’s on my plate for 2019? Thanks for asking! For starters, blog more! Sounds easy but writing, or finding time to write, is freakin’ hard! Sitting on a computer all day for work and then coming home in the evenings to write just doesn’t sound fun to me! Next up- read at least one book a month. I used to read in the evenings like nobody’s business- I’m talking stay up until like 1-2am reading. That was cutting into my sleep schedule and bank account considering the next day I’d have to make a pit stop at the nearest Starbucks. Speaking of bank accounts- I also have started budgeting and keeping better track of my spending. Charleston is not a cheap city, so I’m trying to get better at eating more at home and only window shopping! (tearsss) And last but not least… cut back on Instagram. Thankfully you can now set a time limit for your usage. Mine is currently set on 45 minutes. When I hit that mark, no more IG inspo!

If you follow me on Instagram you might have noticed I have a new little side hustle! At the end of January I started working with Bumble as a city rep. Yeah, that Bumble! Myself and four other ladies are part of the city ambassador program where we’re bringing you all things Bumble app related- dating, Bumble Bizz, and Bumble BFF! It will be an exciting year of making first moves, so stay tuned for what we’ve going on this year in Charleston!

That’s all for the new year! Let’s do it to ‘em, 2019!

Wedded Bliss: Scott & Kate

all the bridesmaids

our family <3

everyone always thought we were twins

when we were little

spencer and i <3

after our hair + makeup

Basic Bachelorette Flower Partying

Howdy, Flower Babes! We are so excited to share one of our latest flower crown parties with you that we had from the past weekend. These girls are a group of true flower gems and we loved their whole weekend here in Charleston. Yes, we did follow along in true Instagram stalking style of their weekend because they did the best things. :)

Molly here- now on to the most basic of basic bachelorette parties. We just wrapped up the most Basic DIY floral party (no, really! We partied at a restaurant here in Charleston called the Basic Kitchen!) We had six ladies that traveled all the way from NYC to party, wine and dine here in The Holy City and we are so thrilled they spent some of their bachelorette activities with us.

Since their Airbnb had some uninvited guests (hello, Charleston Palmetto Bugs!) we did a last minute switch-a-roo to host the flower crown party at Basic Kitchen, a Charleston hot spot and MUST for delicious local food, juices, coffee, etc, etc! (so good!) Also if you happen to be there during appropriate times to drink you should def get the beet margarita. One of our faves!!

*If you are interested in holding your DIY floral crown party at a restaurant, make sure you call a head and make a reservation/let the host + manager know what you are planning on doing so they can accommodate! Major shout out to the staff of Basic Kitchen for working with us and being so sweet as we were flower partying!!

Table space was a bit limited, but that didn’t stop us from partying!

The bachelorette group chose silk flowers so the bride could wear her crown at her bridal shower AND so the girls could wear them all weekend plus when they returned home! How fun and SMART!

Ready to schedule your own DIY floral crown bar for a party, shower, girls night? Dates + times are filling up quickly for the summer season, so hurry up and schedule your next floral party!

xoxo, Molly

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Flower Crown Partying on Isle of Palms

Hey everyone, Molly here!

Saturday I got to hang out and make flower crowns with the Bride to Be: Anna, and 10 of her bride tribe friends in the cutest little condo on Isle of Palms! (If you don't know the Charleston area, Isle of Palms or as we Charlestonians call it IOP is one of the three beaches the Charleston area has to offer!)

Now I love a good bachelorette party right in the middle of the downtown Charleston, but can we talk about how perfect having a bachelorette party is that’s RIGHT on the beach? We highly recommend checking our Charleston beach Airbnbs as you plan your Charleston bachelorette party weekend. 

This group of ladies chose silk florals to keep the floral fun going the whole weekend and once they returned home. This option is good for when the bachelorette group wants to be able to wear their flower crowns for more than just the bachelorette weekend! (maybe to work, too? ha!)

(PS-Planning a bachelorette party? We do real flower crowns or silk flower crown parties!)

The flowers are ready to go & the mimosas are ready to flow! Let's get this flower party started ladies!

Before our party, our bride sent us an inspiration picture of what kind of flowers and color scheme she would love to have for the flower crowns. We went with shades of pinks and a few yellow and white flowers for additional color! We love to get an floral inspiration board via Pinterest or some photos of flower crowns that the bride tribe likes before a flower crown party so we can think about those colors when sourcing for your party. 

When we host our flower crown parties, we always accommodate flowers that are in season! Personally, I think spring and summer has some of the prettiest florals, which makes me so excited for upcoming flower parties for the Spring and Summer season ahead! 

Their bachelorette theme for their weekend was called: Boats N' Hoes... the theme of the weekend! ;) We loved this! It is so fun to learn about the bride to be and why they pick Charleston as well as the story behind how the bride met the man of her dreams! 

After our morning session of crafting our flower crowns, the ladies were ready to hit the beach for a day of sun and a night on the town... in their flower crowns!!

Saturdays are actually for the girls!

Congrats to our bride, Anna! We had the best time with you and your friends! 

Ready to schedule your own DIY floral crown bar for a party, shower, girls night? Dates + times are filling up quickly for the Spring and Summer seasons, so hurry up and schedule your next floral party!

We hope to flower party with you all soon! 

xoxo, Molly

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Bachelorette Party Takes on Folly Beach

Hey everyone! Molly here, again! I told you we had been quite the busy bees here in Charleston! Perfect timing since it’s officially SPRING! Hello, wedding season!

On Saturday I wrapped up my second party for the weekend with a bachelorette partyon Folly Beach! These ladies knew how to roll! A beach house with a view of the ocean in the front of the house and a marsh sunset in the back of the house? Beyond peaceful and gorgeous. (When can I move in?)

I arrived to the house and was welcomed with smiles, friendly faces and the smell of delicious food! I later learned they had Chef Justin Vereen come in to make the perfect Lowcountry brunch to start off the weekend! Yum!

After their brunch, it was time for me to set up shop so we could get our flower partying on! We had lots of spring florals for everyone to choose from! It’s crazy that even with the same exact florals, not one person’s crown looked alike! That’s what I love about doing a DIY flower crown- you get to showcase your creative side and your individuality at the same time!

All the ladies working hard! How cute are their monogram tumblers btw!? What a great idea for bachelorette party favors?!

We did a few group shots outside overlooking the marsh (The perfect view of Morris Island Lighthouse in the distance!) before the ladies spent their afternoon allowing the sun and mellow beach environment take them into relaxation prior to their creative, crafty and calming flower crown party with Fetes de Fleurs!

Floral babes!

Once everyone had taken a little mid afternoon siesta and dolled up, it was time to hit the town! With their flower crowns in hand (or on head, I suppose!), they headed to downtown Charleston to enjoy a wonderful dinner at Magnolias- a staple on East Bay Street here in The Holy City! After sharing desserts amongst the eleven of them, they enjoyed drinks on the rooftop at Market Pavilion (another Charleston must- say yes to rooftops!), then were off to hit the Charleston nightlife on Market & King Streets!

All dolled up and ready to go!

Wishing the best of luck to our bride-to-be, Jennifer, and all of her amazing bachelorette friends! They totally rocked their floral crown party + weekend!

Xo, Molly

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