Carly is Inspired

12/01/2021

18/12/2020

As a writer, it’s always special to see my words online and in print. I’m as excited to see my work on an editorial site with my name leading the way as I am when I have acted as a ghostwriter and only a select few know the work originated with me.

But, is something different and something special.

My client and friend Eilena from emailed me over the summer and asked if I would want to tackle a different kind of project - a podcast introduction. I couldn’t say yes fast enough.

My rule when I write is it’s never about me. Instead, it’s always about my client and how we can create something that sounds like them. Eilena and I knew we had captured her in her introduction quickly.

For the past few months, I have waited for a special launch day. This week, The Wedding Tea went live. Yesterday, for the first time ever, I heard my words spoken aloud. And, they’ll introduce Eilena as every episode begins. I’m honored and humbled to say this is one of the coolest projects and experiences I’ve had to date.

Every Thursday, Eilena will release a new episode of The Wedding Tea where she will interview a wedding professional who is as kind, talented, and calm as she is. I hope you will join me and listen to every one. 💖

10/12/2020

Though I’m not Taylor Swift and preparing to release my second album of the year (😭), I do have an announcement to make that I have been excited (and nervous) to share...

If you have been following along for a while, you have likely realized that grandparents and seniors are *my people*. I adore their wisdom, their stories, their love, and their sweet ways. I’ve been known to chat with seniors I’ve never met, and friends send me articles about grandparents from magazines. I love them; all of them.

All four of my grandparents spent time in hospitals while they were alive, and three out of four stayed in nursing homes to get well again because the care offered and needed was so very necessary. What you don’t see behind the scenes of every wedding where I design flowers is the following day when I repurpose the flowers into vases to donate to local nursing homes. It’s my favorite thing I’ve always quietly done because the flowers bring smiles to the residents and staff.

This year as many nursing homes discourage visitors as a result of Covid-19, nursing home residents will spend the holidays away from family and loved ones. This saddens me in ways I can’t quite describe. So, inspired by my own previous quiet donations and ’s Thanksgiving project, I would like to donate arrangements to a local nursing home to brighten the holiday seasons of residents.

While I will be doing all of the designing (on Wednesday, December 23, to be exact!), I would love your help. Would you consider donating to the cause?

All money raised will go entirely toward purchasing flowers. I will not profit at all.

I hope you will join me and share in my love for grandparents this holiday season. I’ll say this forever: grandparents are magic. Let’s make them smile this Christmas with flowers. ❤️

If you would like to contribute via Venmo, I am @ Carly-Totten (Enter without the space. I added one so I don’t tag a random Instagram account).

Thank you so much. 💕💐🎄

01/06/2020

When the words start to weave together in my mind, I know it’s time to combine them together in writing. And, yet, I still feel wildly out of my league to write or speak on this topic. However, not saying anything is where part of the problem lies. So, I have arrived here.

I am white. And, I am privileged.

I have spent the past number of days listening and reading about the issues at hand and discovering the ways in which the lives people of color lead are so vastly different from my own. I have long admired people of color, and I feel so lucky to call people of color my friends and my clients. Each is compassionate and passionate, talented and fun, full of life and quick to laugh. Their wonderful qualities have long caused me to never focus on the color of their skin – they’re incredible people – and in doing so I have realized it is a missed opportunity to learn the full and complete story of their lives and the battles each must fight against prejudice and more.

Whether I am writing or planning, I have the great honor of delving deeper into the stories of each person who entrusts me with the details of their lives. The hallmark of what I do is to ask *why*. And, that’s the most important question I feel we all, especially those of us who are privileged and white, must ask.

…why?

I have learned there is so much I simply don’t know. But, I am committed to learning and
understanding without judgement. I want to be an ally who can assist in helping black lives to rise higher. Together. I hope you will join me.

23/08/2019

Years ago, a rainy day signaled a “bad day” in my mind. I was so focused on perfection, so focused on keeping myself moving and happy, and a change in the weather signaled that I too might have a gloomy day. But, one day I was driving either home from work, and it had been raining. Suddenly, I realized I hadn’t felt anything less than happy that day despite what the weather or I would have wanted me to feel in the past. That drive was pivotal; that thought was one of the most important I’ve ever had; that moment was about 10 years ago. Today, I could have gone to the gym to run my 5K (I dubbed Friday “5K Friday” last summer), but I decided to run outside in the rain instead. I love running in the rain because it feels like redemption. Becoming who I am now has taken WORK. Conquering my own mind has been a journey, and it’s one I know will never end. But, bettering myself and finding my own joy, in spite of the weather, has shown me more joy than I thought possible when this journey started when I was 12. The girl in the picture is strong and happy, and she definitely did cry today. But, it was over the new album instead of a change from sun to rain. ✨💦💗

21/07/2019

The bride’s bouquet. My current favorite thing I’ve ever made. 😍
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04/12/2018

I love when clients launch their websites, especially when they're as sweet, kind, down-to-earth, and FUN as Brooke Images Photography. I loved writing the copy for Ashley and Greg! Take a peek. --> http://www.brookeimages.com/

Husband and Wife photographers specializing in Wedding and Lifestyle Photography in North Florida and worldwide We are Ashley and Greg, and together we are Brooke Images. We are natural light photographers drawn toward capturing wedding and lifestyle images for couples and families in Amelia Island,...

09/09/2018

I never want to leave, especially in the summer. But, tomorrow has a way of coming very quickly. Soaked up every last minute of biking, swimming at the pool, floating in the ocean, watching the sun set from a lounge chair, and biking home in complete darkness (oops!) today. And, there’s still tonight. I fill every minute of every day here, and I wish I lived the same life at home. Here’s to coming back very soon. ✨🌊💙

04/09/2018

There’s a magic that happens at the beginning of a trip when almost an entire week is in front of you to experience. No matter the season, but especially in the summer, there’s always magic on Kiawah. 💙🌊✨

27/08/2018

I hate the term “side hustle”. To me, labeling a business as a side hustle creates a feeling that the business and its owner are somehow less than; that the business and its owner are somehow not legit because for whatever reason that owner has chosen to also have another job.
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I’m one of those business owners. 🙋🏻‍♀️
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From the moment I started Carly is Inspired, I have always had another job. Initially my goal was to see where my business might take me - would it lead to newfound skills and a potential job offer; would my business grow to the point that it made sense to work in it full time? I’ve worked away and waited for this question to be answered for years. And, I finally got my answer in mid-May when I felt extreme relief. 🙌🏻
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In May, I was offered a part time role out of the blue in marketing for a cool company. My immediate reaction was to say YES with bells on. Why? Because my business brings me joy. So. Much. Joy. And, the thought of my business being the sole provider of all of my financial needs caused anxiety. If I worked for myself full time, I didn’t want to dislike checking my email for fear that a new inquiry hadn’t landed in my inbox. I didn’t want to say yes to working with clients I didn’t love wholeheartedly because I had goals to meet and bills to pay. I didn’t want to lose my joy. 💕
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So, I said yes to that job AND I said yes to my business. There isn’t an either or an or, there’s a BOTH. For some, my business could be equivalent to a full time salary; however, my goals are big and my happiness is key, so it hasn’t felt right to only choose Carly is Inspired. Because Carly wants to stay inspired. 😂
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My business isn’t a side hustle or a hobby. It hasn’t been from day one. And, I know I’m not the only one pursuing both because BOTH bring me joy (and financial security). So, I want to challenge other creative business owners to speak up, speak out, and share how you strive for both every day. Let’s banish side hustle and just call it what it is - smart BUSINESS for you. 👊🏻
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15/08/2018

New York City is a special kind of magic. ✨ I spent years wanting to live here, but after two internships I craved space and the suburbs more than the city. But, every time I come back I feel like I’m home. 🏙 I started in Brooklyn for a lunch meeting, went to a rooftop bar for drinks with a cool view and new friends, and got off the subway in order to walk...just to experience the city because I missed it. 🤗 My life looked so different earlier this year, but I pushed myself to say yes to change. I have NEVER felt happier. I tell my clients often how GRATEFUL I am for them because they make me feel worthy, seen, and valued. And, there isn’t anything quite like hearing how much you and your work matter to them when you walk into a room (or onto a patio!) and hear how happy they are to put a face to a voice and an email address. 😭 Today was one of the great ones. 💗

25/07/2018

A steel drum musician was playing “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys on Monday, and I knew the lyrics to the song even though he wasn’t singing. The only destination I’ve been to from that song is the Bahamas. My immediate thought wasn’t that I needed to travel to new places more or I need to see some (all) of the islands in the song. My immediate thought was, “But, I have this.” To me, Kiawah is wild, untouched beauty; it’s days where I can’t wait to wake up and start my day; it’s endless bike rides and deciding whether I’m starting my day at the beach or the pool; it’s sliding down the water slides and running into the ocean and twirling in the waves and forgetting about my age; it’s watching the sunset and being amazed by the sky and sad all at once that another Kiawah day has come to a close. There are many places I have never been, but there isn’t a place that will capture my heart and make me cry when I leave quite like this one. I’m not known as an event planner or copywriter when people first think of me. I’m known as the girl who LOVES Kiawah and Charleston. And, I hope that never changes. 💙🌊🌴

21/07/2018

My week ended with a LAUNCH, and it was MINE! 🎉 My new website is LIVE on the web, and I can’t wait for you to see it (especially now because it went down last night, and I cried). The site feels like me (MONOGRAM LOGO), and I could not be more humbled and grateful for how it represents my journey as a writer, copywriter, social media manager, and wedding planner. None of this wouldn’t have happened without , , or - the best team. Take a peek! 🤗 P.S.: This is me in my natural habitat (I hate shoes!) with my pink gingham bow chair of my dreams from and a bulletin board, gallery wall, and bookshelf filled with all of my favorite things, people, and memories. 💗

07/07/2018

Today I made friends with alpacas. I’M NOT FINE.

12/06/2018

I’m not someone who typically examines “God’s hand”; however, I did today. I had to come to a full stop while driving home on I-95, and I lost count of how many police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks past by during a very short window. There was a horrific car accident that happened not very far in front of me - likely 5-10 minutes prior to my arrival. I left where I had been 5-10 minutes later than I was supposed to because I was catching up with one of my favorite people. I decided to soak up that conversation rather than rushing to my car and hopping onto the highway to run to a meeting. I have no idea if I would have been involved in that accident (I hope not!), but one simple nudge to stay put caused me to be further away from someone else’s personal tragedy and likely injury. I missed my meeting - something that frustrated me - but my very first thought when I passed the scene was...one act may have just changed the course of your entire day. Whether it was God’s hand or an act from the universe, I’m thankful. Stay safe, friends. 💙

05/06/2018

I never dreamed I would pair these words with this photo, but I feel they are completely necessary. Kate Spade. I'm going to echo the thoughts of so many: I'm shocked and so very saddened about KS's passing. I adore her and her brand, and I always will. She is not someone who I would ever think to associate with a mental health struggle, but five people knew about my own battle when it began. When captured the above moment, I was so genuinely happy. Genuine happiness was never a guarantee for me from seventh grade through the beginning of college, so it's a feeling that will never be lost on me now. I couldn't talk to anyone but my core five and my doctors during the height of my anxiety and panic because talking acted as a trigger for my own relentless thought train. I never asked "why me" because I felt sorry for myself. Instead, I asked "why me" because I never doubted my anxiety and panic had a purpose. I've learned I have both because I will give them a voice. Speak up; speak out; find help; breathe deeply. You may not feel fine now, but you will again one day with guidance from others and grace from within. I am an example, and I want the same for others who feel lost in their own darkness. Kate Spade, we will miss you.

04/06/2018

I'm royal wedding obsessed, and I pretended I was an announcer with my friend Jillian from Red Oak Weddings on her blog! Take a peek at the post, y'all. We're breaking down our favorite trends, and I'm saying a collective prayer that intentional ceremonies become a serious THING. | Photo by Alexi Lubomirski via Getty Images --> https://redoakweddings.com/blog/5-upcoming-trends-inspired-by-the-royal-wedding-carly-totten-red-oak-weddings

23/05/2018

Seeing my name on a website underneath an article's title never gets old. I'm thrilled to announce I am the newest wedding contributor for The Spruce! My first article all about es**rt cards is LIVE, and I even got to include many of my talented friends. April Lynn Designs, Every Last Detail, and The Styled Bride, look familiar? :) Take a peek! --> https://www.thespruce.com/wedding-es**rt-card-displays-4165633