1 decade. 10 years. 120 months. 521 weeks. 3,652 days.

The girl in this picture is equal parts the same as she is different. It only took me one wedding to learn that you can’t wear heels all day (even when you are 25), and that serving couples and families on a marriage day is truly the best job anyone could ask for.

I had been planning weddings for 2.5 years, but on November 11, 2011 (yes, the planner in me picked 11-11-11 intentionally) I officially re-organized my business into the LLC that is Christina Leigh Events.

I told my mom for years I wanted to be a wedding planner. I had a binder with my logo, sketch of my desk and office decor inspiration (hello pink gerbera daisies). I don’t know how many times she said to me, “go to college and we’ll talk about this later.” I majored in Communications and my senior year an opportunity to work an event for a planner in town surfaced. From there came an internship, then my first “real job.” That job taught me more than I could ever write on paper and lead to the business you see today.

It’s not lost on me that I have the most amazing job because of the incredible humans I get to work for and alongside every day. To the hundreds of clients who have trusted CLE with your weddings and events thank you. It’s not only a joy to design a beautiful experience for your guests, but to get to know you and welcome you into the CLE family.

To my brides who have called just to chat.
To moms who have trusted me with more than one special wedding or event.
To the fathers who call your Fronk to add in a surprise father daughter dance on your little girls marriage night.
To the grooms who allow us to manage the logistics so that you can be fully present.
To the clients who give us full creative control and allow us to put fourth our best work.
To the couples who welcome us into your home, and on private property, to create your dream wedding.
To clients who allow us to celebrate your businesses and employees.
Thank you for your trust, love and referrals CLE is what it is because of you!

To the countless creatives and creative teams (we don’t work with “vendors” around here – your event is more important than the county fair) we’ve been able to work alongside as we serve our amazing couples and clients, thank you. Working with experts in so many fields creates a beautiful finished product that is unique and special in its own way, every single time.
Thank you for putting you best foot forward for our shared couples, and teaching me a thing or two along the way.

I’ve had countless moms ask me to write a book. Maybe someday I’ll put a pen to paper about the fallen cakes, burst water mains, torrential downpours, no catering staff that lead to my cleaning dishes for 300 people, red wine spills on wedding gowns, dry cleaner ruined gowns (yes, before the wedding) and even the time I had to be a bouncer. I haven’t written those stories yet because it seems unfair for those stories to outshine the first looks, Father of the bride speeches, helicopter exits, epic bands, one-of-a-kind designs and all of the walks up the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. All of the nights that turn into mornings and the clocks that don’t slow down. That time is where memories are made, where love is the most tangible and the start of a brand new chapter.

To say the past decade has been the honor of a lifetime would be an understatement. It is truly a joy to celebrate love, and I can’t wait to see what the next decade holds.

Cheers to allowing CLE to serve you for your special celebrations!
xo, Christina

Thank you Nellie Sparkman for zhuzhing up the CLE logo for a decade of celebrations!

Maternity photos. To say I have a love hate relationship with photos of just myself would be very accurate. I love that my family has old photo albums and I love looking at photos of the amazing women that came before me. That being said, I am working at doing better about getting in the photo opposed to behind the lens. Any other mamas feel me here?

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Blair and I knew that this baby would likely be the last one that I would carry. This sweet baby would complete our family. I didn’t take maternity photos with Barrett, and truth be told I didn’t even think about it. It was at our announcement photos with Courtney Leigh Photography that Blair mentioned I should do maternity photos. I laughed it off at first, but there was something pulling at my heart that had me message Courtney.

I told her she could do whatever she wanted. If I have learned anything in the creative industry, it is that whenever you give a creative (photographer, florist, baker, designer, etc) full control they produce work they are proud of. Work that stretches their boundaries and creates a finished product that is one-of-a-kind and just for that client. In this case, it was for me.

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We took the photos in a field that are what every mother (I think, at least) dreams of. The humidity that day was for the record books, but with a professional like Courtney behind the camera she captured pure magic. I was hesitant to let her capture my actually belly, yes at my maternity session, but after receiving the images back know I will hold these close for a very l long time.

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These photos represent so many things for me. A visual of what a women’s body can do – it’s truly remarkable. A reminder of the grace that God gives each of us when growing a family, however that might look for you, and the ability to let go. To let go of not just the creative control of the photo session, but the timelines, baby charts, toddler expectations, etc. Yes, I am a firm believer in structure, but there are days I feel the Lord chuckle at me for trying to take full control and not letting Him lead the way.

So here is my one thing to all of the moms, today. Take the photo. You wont regret it, I promise.

xo, Christina

Photographer: Courtney of Courtney Leigh Photography
Makeup: Butter Artistry
Dress (field)
Hat
Boots
Dress (water)

It’s no secret that when you have a little one learning to drink with a straw every parent on the planets number one request is for the cup not to leak! That is how my Mr. BMF and I found these amazing cups with built in straw. The handle helped our little guy carry around his cup and he learned how to pop his straw up and down, bonus!

Thru TODAY you can get any of the above with FREE personalization! There are a few more styles available, but these are our tried and true favorite options. Barrett now has three of his very own cups that transitioned from learning to drink with a straw to school quite nicely! Add a free monogram or text and you have a built in label for your kids drink this fall!

Shop my favorite drinkwear for back to school (in the classroom and car rider line) here!

I can’t believe we are here. Truth be told after having our first little guy I was dead set that the Lord had it written in my story that I was set to be a boy mom. We had boy names, knew what we were going to do and then I heard my doctor, “it’s a girl.” I was shocked and overwhelmed, but had no clue how hard it would be to name a precious baby girl.

If you read this post you know that we like to add meaning to our kiddos names. Blair and I like strong names rooted in family. With Barrett we knew his middle name before his first, so why not start that way again.

Truth be told there are two women in my life that I wouldn’t be who I am today without. Two women who shaped me to my core.
My mom, Wendy Eileene, who taught me that I could be anything I wanted to be, to fight for your individuality and to push through no matter the circumstances. She taught me that it’s not always about the crown, but the journey – and that God’s plan is always worth the storm.
My moms mom and my Grammy, Eileene Marguerite, was the second leading lady in my life. I spent summers in her south Houston home. She taught be how to waltz around her library table, taught me that proper vocabulary (thank you to my nightly hooked on phonics lesson and Wheel of Fortune with bowl of ice cream) was something you had to work for. She taught me how to paint and cherish classics like Anne of Green Gables that we checked out from the library. The biggest lesson of all was that you were always better off volunteering for causes close to your heart, and getting involved in your community and church.

Two women, one name. Eileene it was. The perfect middle name for a precious baby girl.

Next up was a first name. We wanted a name that was timeless, and would fit with her middle name. Blair and Barrett are both B names so Blair had the suggestion to go with a C name so she would have a tie to me. In addition to the C we landed on a 9-letter name (like the 9-letters in Christina) and finished with the perfect sibling pairing; the double-t that you find in Barrett.

Welcome to the world Charlotte Eileene Frederick. You have captured our hearts already and we can’t wait to see how you make your mark on this big, big world. We hope you grow up with a servants heart, a peace to stand firm in who you are and a love for your family – because we sure love you.

Have I told y’all that I have the sweetest of friends? The most creative and thoughtful people in my life that not only support me, but love and shower my sweet family. If you have ever met someone with a true heart of gold you know exactly how my sweet friend Brittany is. I am lucky that we get to work together, but to raise babies and celebrate milestones outside of the event industry together is such a treat.

When Britt approached me about a tiny shower for our second little one I was honored and knew it would be perfect in every way. Her joy for celebrating and pulling together the perfect afternoon is a gift that I was lucky to receive.

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How sweet is this perfect afternoon icing class hosted at Buttercup Bakery? Kristina not only had our pre-made cake rounds and icing to teach us how to stack, crumb coat and ice the perfect cakes, but she had the most amazing treats for everyone to nibble on while our crumb coats were setting! Can we talk about this blackberry focaccia bread? To-die-for!

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The fun florals from Bramble and Bee were the perfect topper and Courtney Leigh Photography not only captured the afternoon, but shared her precious girls with us! I can’t wait for little missy to arrive and be surrounded by not only these amazing women, but their families as well.

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Thank you to all of the ladies who took time our of their afternoon to celebrate our sweet babe, and to the friend-ors who helped Britt with such a sweet day! I adore each of you and can’t wait for you to meet our little girl so soon!

xo Christina

It’s that time of year! Engagements are in full swing and fall weddings are right around the corner. With a new ring, name and new house comes new opportunities to host your friends and family, as well as create new traditions. I joined forces with one of my favorite stores, Pottery Barn, to share a few of the registry tips I share with my couples to help make their house feel more like home.

• A registry is the best way to politely suggest items you would like to receive as you start your life as a married couple. Register for high and low end items and don’t be afraid to register for a few fun things. If you register for what you love, and not what a general guide tells you that you have to have, it’s less likely you will have to return any gifts.
  
• In my experience it’s good to register at 3 locations; a department store, a large retailer (available in most cities) and a local boutique. This will allow each of your guests to shop where they feel comfortable. 
  
• Think about your lifestyle and what you would like for your home. If you love the outdoors and don’t plan on hosting any formal events china and crystal might not be the best fit. Instead, start with the basics. A great set of dishes, flatware and glassware can be great layering pieces. Add seasonal napkins, placements and chargers to change the look of your table.
  
• Just like seasons change so does inventory! It’s likely that if you register for your fall wedding in the spring the floral print pillows you placed on your registry might not be available by the time of your wedding. Always refresh your registry at the change of any season. 
  
• Another great time to refresh your registry is after any pre-wedding event. It’s possible that for your engagement party or bridal shower your guests will shop your registries. Make sure there are items left for guests who may not have been able to attend, or might still be looking for a gift for your wedding day. 
  
• Test things out in person! Do you like the way the fork that you saw online feels in your hand? Is the coffee mug you love the perfect one for your morning java? It’s ok to mix and match, your wine glasses may not be the same as your every day drinking glasses you already own and love. 
  
• It is never proper etiquette to list your registries on your save-the-date on invitation. Instead, list your registries on your wedding website and let your maid of honor, mother and mother-in-law know so they can answer registry related questions when they are asked. 

Were there great tips you received when registering? We would love for you to share your tips and tricks below as well!

If there’s one story that so many know from childhood it has to be If You Give a Mouse a Cookie! Due to my love for blueberry pancakes when I was pregnant a sweet friend gifted me If You Give a Pig a Pancake, and it’s been a favorite in our home since day one. If you ask my little guy which book is his favorite he replies “all of them” so I knew exactly what had to be done!

I knew for this third birthday I wanted cute paper, great food, a fun day and an adorable cake. Step one was setting the theme and starting with the paper. I found Honey Bear Pages I knew I struck gold! Abby was AMAZING to work with and I was so excited when we honed in on the pancake, muffin, donut and cookie as our “theme.” She had the cutest illustrations and we paired the primary colors from the books with the food to complete the look! Seriously, how cute are these!
I love this template thank you for little ones. While my guy can’t quite write his name, he did describe his gifts to me and draw each friend a picture. This is a great way to start teaching littles how to be grateful at an early age.

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Next on board was Alicia of The Sugar Cookie Studio. If you follow me personally on Instagram it is possible you know my love for these cookies. Not only is she insanely talented (take a look at this reel) the cookies taste good! I grew up on homemade sugar cookies and while I know you can’t have professional cookies that soft, these are the closest I have found, but have the amazing structure and designs that I love!

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To continue with the theme I grabbed these adorable little guys from Amazon and paired them with the food. Can we talk about the food!

Kristina from Buttercup is a God-send. We have worked together numerous times (fun fact she and my husband went to grade school together!) and when I found out she was opening her precious storefront just in time for our food themed party I knew I had to try to get on her calendar as soon as I could. The menu did not disappoint. I will let the pictures (from my iPhone) speak for themselves, because I truly don’t think I could put descriptive words together to adequately describe how amazing brunch was!

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I can’t forget the cake! Cristina with Dulce Designs was the mastermind behind the cake again this year! It’s hard to find inspiration for a cake that is children’s book themed, but she pulled it off flawlessly! Honestly, we don’t have a lot of sweets in our home on a daily basis, so when my three year old constantly went for the cookies I knew he was his daddy’s little guy for sure! The cookies were the perfect addition to this super fun cake!

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I had the cutest ideas for favors… but pregnant brain got the best of me, however I still think they turned out really cute! I pulled inspiration from Pig and her bubble bath, grabbed goggles for the pool and of course had to add cookies for everyone to take home as part of their favor. Personally, favors that add clutter aren’t necessary, but I love that all of these have a use or can be consumed! Double win!

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Most of all I can’t believe my little guy is three. With his little sister arriving any day I knew I wanted his birthday to be full of his favorite things; brunch, cookies and swimming! It was a special treat to be joined by our friends and family to celebrate! Cheers to your best year yet little man! Mommy and Daddy love you!

All of the items from Amazon can be found on my Amazon Storefront HERE. The cute figurines and box book set might be my favorite on the list!

I can’t believe I haven’t ever posted about my little guys second birthday! Because I am a full year past due I have, of course, misplaced photos, but with the mentality that it is better to give than receive here we go!

First, can we talk about how BAB’s never disappoints! I know I can always turn over my color scheme and random ideas to these crazy talented balloon ladies and they handle the rest!

The Theme: When The Beaufort Bonnet Company came out with their summer birthday theme last year I was immediately drawn to an adorable jon jon with elephant in his party hat. I loved it so much that I ordered the shorts and the jon jon just in case my little guy grew too quickly! Good news is the jon jon fit (iPhone family picture below)!

To keep with the theme I enlisted Caroline of Sweet Caroline Designs to create an invitation and party favor tags for our family party. Her love for perfectly themed paper and TBBC made for the best pair, don’t you think!

For our Noah’s Ark themed party with family I wanted it to be simple and fun. The three keys to any kiddo party (in my humble opinion) are food, cake and activity. The food was easy and I pulled out my serving boards to assemble a rainbow themed brunch board. For a little guy that can’t get enough pancakes and fruit I knew it would be the perfect hit. For the servicing pieces I used click HERE.

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Fruit, pastries and our favorite macarons from Macaron by Patisse were all the greatest of hits! Now on to the second most important thing – cake! Can I just say that Cristina is so talented! I sent her animals from the TBBC birthday jammies that matched the theme and she made the most perfect cake! What do you think?

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Last, but certainly not least was the fun for the kids – in the form of blow up water slide. It truly was the best morning, the the Houston heat, to celebrate our sweet two year old with family!

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When I am with family I try my best to be present and for this fun family party that meant not trying to be the photographer, so I hope you love my iPhone snaps of our sweet little day!

I hope if this post shows you anything it is that a party doesn’t have to be social media perfect for it to be a success. That celebrating your loved ones can be easy and fun. You can have a theme, but not go overboard. Most of all I hope it gives you permission to do what you, or your kids if they are old enough to weigh in, love.

With two months to go until baby girl is here I can’t help but allow my love for sibling matching to become a real thing. I have always loved a well coordinated look. Whether that be a tablescape, bridal party, reception space or seasonal pillows I love a good mix of pattern play.

When I found this adorable site I couldn’t be happier. First, the sizes for little boys goes up past the days of jon jons As much as I LOVE a sweet jon jon, they simply don’t fit my big, little guy anymore. This amazing company has options that will fit my youngest (when she arrives) and my oldest! Did I mention they are having a 50% off sale for Memorial Day weekend? All of these looks are included, too!

We’ve already covered my top five makeup favorites, you can find them HERE, so lefts dig in to skincare! I love that Christy Coleman said it best when she said,

“Your makeup can’t be an A if your skincare is a D”
– Christy Coleman

So is your skincare a D? If so, this post is for you. This post is also for you if you’re looking for easy swaps to safer. I love these products because they work into any regimen, or stand alone for each specific need. Don’t forget, you can always see my beauty favorites on my BEAUTY page on the site HERE.

COUNTER+ CHARCOAL FACE MASK – This mask is life. I loved it long before the existence of maskne, but if you’re still looking for the perfect mask to detox this is it. The Cadillac of all charcoal masks it does the job, but doesn’t strip your skin.
TIP: Mask 10-15 minutes before you shower and wash your mask right off!

COUNTERCONTROL SOS SPOT TREATMENT – Let’s face it, no matter your age everyone can use a spot treatment in their skincare drawer. This little tube packs a big punch! Maskne, extra dairy or sugar, a little extra stress? No matter what pulls our your pesky blemishes this is what you need!

COUNTERTIME ULTRA RENEWAL EYE CREAM – As a mom of a toddler, business owner and girl who when I don’t get sleep – you notice – this is my go to! This amazing little jar is my saving grace! Formulated with our Retinatural Complex this is my all time favorite dark circle correcting, fine line reducing miracle cream! I promise it doesn’t disappoint.

COUNTER+ NO. 3 BALANCING FACIAL OIL – I had no clue that adding a face oil to my skincare routine would be as amazing as it is! I a oily in my t-zone and thought adding oil to oil would be the opposite of what I needed, turns out I was wrong! All three of our face oils are amazing (I truly don’t think you could go wrong), but I am partial to the balancing oil. I add 2-3 drops in my morning moisturizer and it’s as easy as that!

COUNTER+ OVERNIGHT RESURFACING PEEL – Let’s be honest. I have had the peel that wrecked my skin. It left me peeling for days, I felt like my face was burnt and I never wanted to try a “peel” ever again – in my life! Enter this peel. A peel that doesn’t actually peel – that’s right! You get all of the amazing skin resurfacing results (bye, bye dark spots) while you sleep! The morning glow is undeniable and I will never get another “professional peel” in my life!

Have you tried any of these? I would love to know what skincare you can’t live without! To shop any of these visit my direct affiliate link HERE!

Today was the day! The big launch! Can I just say I’ve officially had a Simplified Planner by Emily Ley for eight (or is it nine) years now. I found her amazing brand the year after she offered personalized monogrammed, laminated planners out of her home. From day one they have been nothing but amazing space for me to write out my dreams, to-dos and big plans. Yes, the paper (hello amazing paper) binding and designs have evolved over time, but it’s safe to say I’m sticking around for the long haul!

I thought it would be fun to share my picks from today with you all! I love the academic calendar option because, for me, changing to a new planner in July fits better with my schedule. I don’t have the pressure of the holidays + new year to go overboard with my calendar. Now that I have a kiddo in school it also makes sense to have a calendar that runs August thru July of the following year.

If you can’t get on board with the academic calendar layout have no far, in September team Simplified releases their yearly planners in the same beautiful cover options, but with dates the run January thru December!

So let’s get to it! This year my order contained the following:

Dapper Desk planner in blush! How beautiful is this planner. I love that it has a page for each day, including Saturday and Sunday! As an event planner having a full page for weekend days is critical! I also love that it lays flat!

Monthly planner in Carolina Blooms. This is the first year for a monthly planner layout and I’m excited to test this format out. I plan on using the monthly for my blog overview, big business goals and quarterly numbers.

Mini notebook in Blue Hydrangea. How AMAZING is this print! Jesse Bray in the in house designer for Simplified literally made my heart a print. It’s beautiful and I simply couldn’t pass up this perfectly sized notebook!

Magnetic book marks in Blue Hydrangea and Carolina Gingham. I love these page markers for my planner each year and grabbed an extra for my monthly. These page markers find themselves all over my office and I love them!

Of course there were items I had my eye on, but didn’t add to my cart so I had to share those too!

Daily Planner in Blue Hydrangea. I told you this pattern has my heart. Before switching to Dapper Desk last year I was a daily girl for years! I love that you can fold the planner in half and that the binding is extra sturdy. This would have been my pick, hands down, if I would have gone the daily route again.

Pen in Navy Gingham. I love the Simplified pens! My brides each get one to sign their contracts and I have a few in my office. I love how they write, but my office pens still write perfectly fine so I held off on this one this year.

Clipfolio in Navy Blooms. How perfect is this! I love a good Clipfolio and perhaps the only reason I didn’t grab it is because I have one to many. I love the clip on the front and full size pocket and legal pad on the inside. I still might have to grab one (if they aren’t already gone) because of how much I love the function of these!

Have you ever shopped Simplified? If not, you can use my affiliate link for $10 off your very first purchase!

If you did shop today I would love to know what you grabbed! Share with me below in the comments!

Can I tell you all a secret? I wish I would have had a videographer at this photoshoot because my sweet little boy was all kinds of a toddler that night! Courtney, Blair and I were rolling at my crazy little boy going from stoic to full on crazy in 2 second flat, but because of just that these pictures hold so many memories behind them, more than I ever would have thought!

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When we asked Barrett for the first time if he wanted a baby his reply was, “Come on mama,
get your shoes. Let’s go!” In his Beaufort Bonnet Company birthday jammies he was headed for the door.

I have always prayed over Barrett to be kind and gentle, to have a heart for the Lord and to love others. Honestly, qualities that will carry my (not so) little boy through life. Attributes that his teacher shares that he has, but also mannerisms for inside the walls of our home. I have no doubt he will love his sibling more than words and be the best role model and hand holder as they do life together.

Blair and I have always prayed (God willing) for a happy, healthy family. Honestly, this pregnancy surprised us. If you know our story to Barrett it was a long road with quite a few speed bumps. I won’t lie, that left me terrified to “begin trying” – what does that even mean – for baby no. 2. If you would have asked Blair he would have had Barrett day one of being married and baby 2 on day 2. I love him for it, and he truly is the most amazing father.

This time, though, things have been the complete opposite. Blair challenged me to take a test because he knew I was pregnant (looking back I did too, but in the moment was in denial). That day we went in for confirmation blood work, and I saw my doctor a few weeks later and there was baby, with a heartbeat, and she confirmed the pregnancy. I asked her if this is what “normal people” experience, for lack of a better term. No years of tracking my cycle, drugs and trying, no miscarriages and no stress. Literally a successful pregnancy already at 8 weeks without all of that. It took a little bit for me to wrap my head around it. Due to my age I am considered “high risk” so we did have additional testing and bloodwork, that lead to more testing and monthly visits with a specialist. That also afforded us the ability to find out the gender of our sweet little one (in quite the crazy conversation with my OB – we’ll save that for another day) very early on.

Truth be told, just like my motherly instincts wanted to “protect” Barrett as long as I could and not share him with anyone, the same thing happened this time. Blair and I held on to our secret and have been praying very specifically over this little one for 12 weeks now. A secret that we didn’t share with friends and family until I was 30 weeks with Barrett, but a secret we are joyful to share today.

Baby Frederick is a girl!

That’s right! Barrett will be the best big brother to his baby sister, and coming from a two girl household I can’t wait to see the relationship that these two will create. When you ask him what his baby is he loves to tell you it’s a girl and he is going to have a little sister.

This picture holds so many emotions for me, mainly one of intense laughter. Barrett was running in and out of the frame, the doodles were scared of the balloons (do you see Landry’s bow) and my sweet, sweet husband was Mr. cool and calm. Mind you this was taken right after we got the balloons organized and Barrett tripped over the “L” putting a hole it in. I’m telling you, we needed this captured on video.

With all of the shenanigans of this night, I am so excited to welcome baby girl Frederick into the family this summer! We would love your continued prayers for my pregnancy, our sweet baby and for our little boy as he steps into the shoes of big brother.

Thank you once again, but I always feel like “thank you” is never enough to Courtney with Courtney Leigh Photography for capturing our circus and Britt of Butter Artistry for making me feel beautiful. You girls are the best!