The time has come. We’re leaving for Anguilla tomorrow evening, so I’m currently folding, rolling, and bagging a number of things for this upcoming trip. I used to be so good about packing; I would organize everything a couple of weeks (yes, weeks) before a trip and then get everything bagged up early. The day of, I’d put toiletries in a bag, throw them in my luggage and jet out. I’ve slowly morphed into the person that packs the day before a trip — rummaging through my closet trying to find a pair of shorts that I could have sworn were in their normal place. I’m better this trip; I have outfits planned and even made a mental checklist so I don’t forget the really important things (like my camera).
I’m a proponent of the rolling method for packing and, thus far, I’ve packed an insane amount of stuff with 1/4 of my suitcase left for toiletries. I’ve made a visual packing list on Pinterest for our wedding guests for next year, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t help provide a guide for me this time around.
Only a snapshot, but you get the idea.
The main things I’ve gotta have for our beach getaway:
A handy beach tote
A handy beach tote // Preferably one that can go from the beach to a lunch spot fairly seamlessly (i.e. not an old cloth grocery bag). It’s got to be big enough to house a water bottle, reading material, my phone & headphones.
A sunhat
A sunhat // Sunhat, fedora, baseball cap… whatever works. There are a few things I hate: 1) Suffering from pink cheek syndrome and having last night’s makeup smeared all over my eyes; 2) Getting overheated when laying out; and 3) premature wrinkles. An easy remedy? A HAT! Done and done.
Pretty pair of wedges
Wedges // Boat Shoe Boy would like to tell me that wedges are impractical on a beach vacation but I beg to differ. I own two pairs of ‘flats’: a pair of flat sandals and a pair of running shoes. Everything else is sky high, just the way I like them. I find wedges to be the perfect alternative to high heels when you’re on an island; appropriate for the environment but dressy enough for a night out.
Pretty Cover-ups
Pretty Cover-Ups // Sometimes there’s something so nice about just throwing on a bathing suit and a cover up and strolling down to the sand with a book in hand (and not having to think about which shorts/tops you planned to match up). A good cover up is easy to get on and off, is easily stuffed into a beach tote, and is versatile enough to take you from the sand to a beach shack for lunch.
Canon T2i
Camera // No vacation is even remotely complete if I haven’t captured elements on camera. I’ve always had a point-and-shoot, which made it easy to carry and capture moments without being noticed. My new camera is quite a bit bigger, but the picture quality is stellar. I’m excited to see how photos from this trip turn out! Plus, we’re on a mission this year: we have to accurately capture our venues with these snapshots so we can organize wedding stuff for next year.
Swimsuits!
Swimwear // I used to be the person that had two swimsuits. I found one that I liked and that was my constant go-to. I was astounded when I packed away six different suits for our trip this year; all different cuts and colors (maybe a little excessive). Fortunately places like Target have great suits at incredibly affordable prices, so it’s easy to stock up, and mix and match.
I’m also bringing fun jewelry, hair products and headscarves, my laptop and some reading material for the beach. I am still in a bit of disbelief that we’re leaving tomorrow but I’m so thrilled to be able to see our wedding venue again!
Cheers to summer vacations and to Anguilla Carnival 2012!
xoxo from California,
