There is a lot of pressure surrounding Holiday cards….you want the right picture, the right outfit, everyone needs to like how they look…it can be a stressful task to cross off of your Holiday to-do list. Not to mention you have to stuff, address, return address, stamp, seal and actually MAIL the darn things in the hopes that in your exhaustion you didn’t address them wrong and won’t have a pile returned in your mailbox in a few weeks.
This year I decided to invest a bit more in order to make my life easier with some of the above tasks. First, we hired a professional to take our photos which we’ve never done. There is nothing like having a pro direct and manage this process. They tell you where to stand, where to look and what the heck to do with your curious toddler. If you’re ever in the San Diego area, you must check out Katherine Eve Photography. When working with a 16 month old, you need to get in and get out before the meltdowns start and Kate has a special gift beyond her photography skills that does just that. I wanted our photos to look winter-y while living in San Diego (asking a lot here, I know) and I truly believe she captured the exact aesthetic I was hoping for. I also love natural, candid style photographs versus posed portrait style. Kate knew exactly how to get us feeling and looking natural in a completly unnatural environment. (Oh Hey! We’re just taking a family stroll today in 4″ heels through this meadow which probably has 10 rattlesnakes in it…just a normal Saturday afternoon!)
I decided to dress the family up for these photos because…why the hell not? We never really dress up and I’ll take any excuse to buy a tulle skirt. I wanted it to be festive, but not super Holiday-ish because I want these pictures to be displayed around our home…hence there are just touches of red: Austin’s tie, Coco’s shoes…see what I did there?
For our cards, I ordered through Minted for one reason, and one reason only: FREE RECIPIENT ADDRESSING. The fact that I did not need to write out over 100 addresses? This was hours of work saved #signmeup. Not to mention there are tons of designs to choose from and special little details like return address sticker options with fonts that match your card font (it’s the little things). Do you have any time saving Holiday tips? I need to know what they are! I hope you’re all having a great Holiday Season and as always, thank you so much for following along! xo
Top: Nordstrom/ Skirt: Dillards/ Shoes: Gucci (sold out but found them here)/ Coco’s Dress: Old Navy/ Coco’s Shoes: Old Navy/ Austin’s Jeans: Hudson / Austin’s Shoes (similar): Cole Haan
Austin’s Sweater: Banana Republic
