We may not go to many festivals, but we had a blast a few weekends back at the Sonoma Harvest Music Festival at B.R. Cohn Winery! It was not your typical music festival to say the least and if you are into this sort of thing, I highly suggest you check it out next year!

OUTFIT DETAILS: TANK ($20) / SKIRT ($32) / PURSE / HAT / SNEAKERS

We attended Sunday of weekend two, and while we are not mega fans of the performers we still had a blast. Heres why:

1. The wine. This festival is definitely for wine and food lovers. They served delicious B.R. Cohn wines including those from B.R. Cohn’s Olive Hill Estate Vineyard, small lot vineyards from the Carneros Region, Sonoma Valley and neighboring appellations. B.R. Cohn has eight blocks planted mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon, with small amounts dedicated to Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. They also served Northern California craft beers which was perfect for a hot day in Sonoma.
2. The food. The festival featured a variety of delicious bites from many of the area’s finest chefs and restaurateurs which paired perfectly with that glass of wine or craft brew. We loved the Girl and the Fig pizza, the Cluck you Chicken fried chicken sandwich, William Tell House oysters and Mariposa Ice Cream.
3. The crowd. First of all, there were NO LINES anywhere! I’m not a big fan of festivals in general because of the huge crowds and lines that come with that. At this event there seemed to be the perfect amount of people, multiple vendors and little to no lines for food, drinks, bathroom or entrance. Also, most of the attendees were mature adults there for some good wine, food, music and chill. 🙂
4. The hours. The festival was a perfect afternoon event. We got there around 1pm and left by 6pm (the end of the last performance). It was a perfect Sunday afternoon with enough time to drive back to the city same day!
5. The location. Did you see the backdrop above? Enough said! The stage looked out to the beautiful vineyards, the B.R. Cohn property is absolutely stunning and just the right size for the attendance.

We will definitely be back again next year! It was a perfect day of sun, wine and music. Thank you B.R. Cohn Winery and Sonoma Harvest Music Festival for the tickets!

SHOP THE POST:

Lets talk LASER HAIR REMOVAL shall we?!

I have been DYING to get hair removal for years now and finally pulled the trigger. Let me tell ya, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I was honestly always concerned about the pain and never got around to getting it done until this month. In just one treatment I have seen a huge different in my hair growth and cannot wait to be HAIR FREE!

Jeff and I both got our treatments at Epi Center Med Spa here in San Francisco and had an excellent experience. I had my bikini and underarms and Jeff had the hair on his neck removed. He was SUPER excited to be hair free on his neck because it has given him so much pain to shave there over the years. It has now been a month since our first treatment and I am already seeing much slower growth and no need to shave everyday! Woohoo.

Laser Hair Removal is Epi Center Med Spa’s specialty. Dr. Bitter Sr. has been removing unwanted hair with laser and intense pulsed light since 1995. He brought that expertise to San Francisco in 1998. He and his team performed the FDA clinical trials for hair removal for ESC Medical Systems, now Lumenis, the largest laser manufacturer in the world. Dr. Bitter and his team have trained hundreds of physicians and their staff in the process of Permanent Hair Reduction, as well as other laser and cosmetic procedures.

They use Inmode High Speed Laser and the LightSheer Diode Laser to tailor your treatment program to your specific needs.  Their protocol involves pretreating the skin so that stronger settings can be used to effectively eliminate the hair while protecting the skin from the occurrence of pigmentation.

Today I wanted to answer some questions I’ve gotten about Laser Hair Removal in hopes to help you pull the trigger if it’s something you are looking into. If not, no worries hope this post can educate you as well.

Q: How does it work?

A: Laser hair removal works as the light wavelength from the laser is absorbed by cells that produce hair in the follicle. The follicle is heated and the cells are destroyed. The duration of each pulse is just long enough to damage the follicle, while the system’s ChillTip helps protect the skin by conductive cooling during the laser energy delivery.

Q: How many treatments do I need and how often?

A: Each hair follicle passes through three different growth phases. An active (growth) phase, an intermediate (resting) phase where no growth occurs but the hair is still visible, and a resting phase where the hair is released from the follicle. It is necessary to treat the hair in an active growing phase in order to target the cells that produce the hair in the follicle. Because not all hair follicles are in a growing phase at the same time, multiple treatments are required for optimal hair reduction. Generally, most patients will require between 4 to 6 treatments. Treatments for facial areas are usually scheduled 6 – 8 weeks apart, while body areas are scheduled 8 – 12 weeks apart.

Q: Does the laser vary from doctor to doctor?

A: Yes! I was surprised to learn that there are different lasers that can be used. The lightsheer laser has a large spot size of the handpiece so treatments can be done quickly. Epi Center also says that laser hair removal’s success is 30% technology and 70% technique. While it is important to have a laser that can achieve the results, it is even more important to see someone with significant experience and attention to detail. The more skilled the treatment provider is, the fewer treatments it will take to achieve the desired result. I love and trust the staff whole heartedly at Epi Center.

Q: Is laser hair removal permanent?

A: From what I can tell, YES! Epi Center has patients that they treated 10 years ago that are still hairless from the treatment. The FDA prefers the term to be called ‘reduction’, but most of the patients at Epi Center have called it permanent hair removal.

Q: How is the pain?

A: I’m not gonna lie, it is pretty painful. BUT SO WORTH IT. The laser goes over the treated area just twice, so in most cases its a pretty quick procedure. Epi Center also offers numbing cream 30 minutes prior to help eleviate the pain. Again, in my experience it is on the more painful side, but worth it for years to come. After the treatment, the skin will appear slightly red and will feel like a mild sunburn. This reaction usually goes away within 30 minutes.

Q: How much does a treatment cost?

A: Cost varies from doctor to doctor. Some offer in packages, but Epi Center prices are very affordable. They also don’t believe in selling packages and charge you after each treatment which doesn’t lock you in to a certain number.

Epi Center Med Spa pricing per treatment:

• Bikini: $99
• Brazilian: $225
• Underarms: $99
• Lip anc chin: $99
• Front or back of neck $99
• Full back: $300
• Full legs: $300

We filmed some of our treatment on Instagram stories if you are interested to see how it went. I saved the stories under my “skincare” highlights.

That’s all for now! I’ll keep you posted on Instagram as we continue to get treatments. As always, let me know if you have any questions in the comments! You can also email or dm me as well.

xx Jenna

I am so excited to be partnering with Epi Center Med Spa for a few different beauty services before our wedding! Let’s just call this wedding prep 101. Or what the spa likes to call it, Beauty and the Bride.

Epi Center Med Spa is an incredible Med spa here in the San Francisco that is actually the very first med spa in the nation! What sets them apart is the array of treatments that they offer, and incredible service. Co- founder Dr. Patrick Bitter has been a practicing dermatologist for over 45 years and is the inventor of the IPL PhotoFacial used in offices all over the nation. Dr. Bitter and CEO Margaret Mitchell partnered to provide a spa like performance for medical procedures which formed Epi Center.

The staff is absolutely the absolute sweetest and the best in the business! They make you feel right at home, and guide you to your goal of beautiful skin!

During my last visit I received a microneedling treatment. I’ve gotten one treatment done before and I loved the way my skin looked that I signed up for another.

What is microneedling?

It’s a procedure that uses fine needles to puncture the skin and create a controlled skin injury in order to rejuvenate skin.

The MicroPen is a cordless device that can easily be moved around the skin treatment area. A sterile needle-tip containing twelve micro-needles is attached to the end of the pen. The depth of the needles is determined by the severity of the skin condition, which would be adjusted by your esthetician. Fast pulsing motions of the needles allow the device to quickly treat the selected area with minimal discomfort.

The penetration of the skin’s surface produces collagen, making the skin more elastic which creates a more toned look. The pen also creates micro-channels which allow topical gels, creams and serums to be absorbed more effectively, enhancing their effects in deeper layers on the skin.

(^above photos are not edited so you can see the real color and texture of my skin)

Benefits of microneedling:

• Improving fine lines and wrinkles
• Tightening skin and improving tone
• Promoting collagen and elastin production
• Reducing the appearance of acne scarring, pigmentation and stretch marks

I know this procedure looks a little scary due to the redness of my skin, but the pain is minimal and the results super impactful! For me, I noticed that a week after the treatment my skin was glowing and the texture I have on my cheeks significantly improved. I hope with a few more sessions I will also see the impact towards my fine lines and wrinkles and continue to reduce my skins tone and texture.

I shared my experience with you all on IG stories and you had so many questions! Here are some of the most asked questions answered:

Q: But does it really hurt?

A: It definitely looks worse than it really is! I have an extremely low pain tolerance and it’s not that bad at all. The aesthetician numbed my face with a topical numbing cream 30 minutes prior which helped I’m sure. Some parts were a little more sensitive than others, and towards the end it burned a little but we put a face mask on and felt much better!

Q: How many sessions do you need for the results to be visible?

A: They recommend 3-4 sessions, 6-8 weeks a part however each person will vary depending on their skin and what results they are looking for. I saw results after one treatment. I will most likely do another 2 prior to our wedding in April. 

Q: Do you have to be sans makeup while your skin heals?

A: They recommend that you wear no makeup for 2-3 days. The pen punctures your skin and essentially creates a small wound. You don’t want any makeup to go further than your first layer of skin so you need to wait until it heals. I personally loved a little break from wearing makeup!

Q: Do you peel post treatment?

A: Everyone is different but slight peeling is expected. It takes 2-3 days for the redness to go away and a week to fully heal. I peeled a few days after the treatment minimally.

Q: What is the cost of a treatment?

A: Cost vary quite a bit depending on location. I live in San Francisco which is quite expensive (for everything!) Costs vary from $300-$600 per treatment. Epi Center always has great deals if you are in the Bay Area!

If you want to see the procedure in action, I shared a video on IG stories and saved under the SKINCARE highlights section! Happy to help answer any additional questions you may have in the comments!

xx Jenna

A few weekends ago we had our engagement party at the Maysonnave House in Sonoma, CA. To say the least, it was an absolute dream come true. I’ve had many people tell me that one of the best parts about your wedding is having all of your loved ones at the same place at the same time, and we certainly felt that at our party.

We kept the party on the more intimate side, with only our close friends and family similar to how we have envisioned our wedding. The Masonnave House is a historic site in Sonoma, right off downtown plaza. It’s a recently updated home with beautiful gardens that I fell in love with.

We decided on an Italian theme of neutral tones with a pop of yellow lemons. We served my Dad’s wine, had the most delicious chef prepare a variety of Italian dishes, a gelato cart on a vespa to surprise our guests and homemade lemoncello as favors.

We called this the ‘calm before the storm’. The space was just so peaceful, and the weather was on our side! The tables were lined with a simple garland, white candles and pops of lemons.

We of course needed a dedicated spot for photos! This ‘AMORE’ sign was the cutest! It was so special to have our families together especially since Jeff’s parents live on the East Coast. It was so fun to have our friends and family meet and enjoy!

Each guest wrote us a little note in a Sonoma Wine Country coffee table book. We can’t wait to read it for years to come.

This is the real thing! Jeff, my Mom and I made lemoncello weeks before the party so that it could be ready to taste just in time. They were a huge hit, and the leftover’s weren’t so bad either.

Invites were made via Minted Weddings. We used on our of engagement photos for this, they turned out so nice!

A bottle of my Dad’s 2018 Chardonnay! He’s working his next vintage as we speak. We will be picking those grapes next month.

It was such a treat having Cafe Apae surprise our guests! They served gelato out of this cute little vespa! It was nice having more of an interactive dessert so the guests could get up from their seat, grab some gelato and mingle a bit more. Plus, the gelato was so incredible good and my Mom made homemade biscotti to accompany!

And time for speeches! I am crying all over again just thinking about them. They were all so special. Jeff also made everyone tear up as he asked his Dad to be his best man.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all of our close friends and family who could join us. It was the most magical evening. I can’t even imagine how the wedding will feel!

Thank you Mom, Dad, Ann and the Bottom’s for all of your love and help making my vision come to life and MORE! You all worked so hard, it was unbelievable. We love you so much! And a BIG thank you to our vendors as well!

• Photography: Alexis Exstrom
• Venue: Maysonnave House, Sonoma
• Invitations: Minted Weddings
• Misc Paper goods: Paper Source
• Chef: David Walker
• Rentals: Bright Events 
• Gelato cart: Cafe Apae
• Lemoncello bottles: Amazon
• Lemoncello tags: Zazzle
• My dress: V. Chapman via Revolve