While Bezos walked the blue carpet in a marble-esque blazer, Sánchez Bezos stood out in a sparkling black-and-red gown.

Her dress had long sleeves made from polka-dot mesh, a plunging neckline that reached her navel, and a thigh-high slit. The daring gown also had an all-over geometric print that sparkled in the light.

Bezos attended in a traditional tuxedo with thick lapels, a white button-down shirt, and a black bow tie.

Sánchez Bezos mirrored him in a black mermaid-style gown. It had thin straps, a ruffled lace neckline, and a matching black band around the waist. She accessorized with a diamond cuff on her wrist.

At the 2022 premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," for example, Bezos wore a gray suit with a sharp blazer, pleated trousers, and a lighter-toned undershirt.

Sánchez Bezos kept things even simpler in a white asymmetrical gown from Tom Ford. The body-hugging piece had a single shoulder strap, a fitted waistline, and a skirt slit that revealed her gold sandals.

Bezos posed for photographers in a black suit, which he wore with a white undershirt and satin tie.

Sánchez Bezos took the opposite approach with her outfit, wearing a vibrant red gown covered in tiny sparkles. She also wore silver sandals and a diamond bracelet.

Sánchez Bezos showed the edgy side of her style in a minidress from the Italian designer. Its black fabric sparkled as she moved, and black belts crisscrossed over the garment.

She wore it with semi-sheer tights and pointed pumps.

Bezos, on the other hand, swapped his usual tuxedos for a sleeker suit. He wore a dark T-shirt underneath a lighter jacket and completed the outfit with shining dress shoes.

Sánchez Bezos' Elie Saab gown had off-the-shoulder sleeves that created a plunging V-neckline. The form-fitting bodice was actually a bodysuit, and a semi-sheer skirt with strips of sparkly black fabric sat atop it.

Bezos kept his look simple in a black tuxedo.

Bezos wore multiple neutral shades for the event, pairing a pale gray shirt with a taupe jacket, white pants, and taupe shoes.

In contrast, Sánchez Bezos wore a form-fitting red gown with embellished spaghetti straps and clear heels.

Sánchez Bezos' sparkly minidress from Staud had a celestial theme, as it was adorned with constellations. She accessorized with silver shoes and jewelry.

Bezos paired his short-sleeve black T-shirt and pants with a chic vest.

The couple embraced the mob wife trend for the Dolce & Gabbana party, wearing coordinating looks from the designer. Bezos wore black-on-black with a velvet suit and a black button-down, which he wore without a tie.

Sánchez Bezos' dress was more daring, as the figure-hugging gown had a corset bodice and was made entirely of sheer black lace. She wore a blazer jacket with a black rosette on her shoulders, open-toe shoes, and oversize sunglasses.

Bezos wore a charcoal suit to the dinner, which he dressed down with a black T-shirt and black shoes.

Sánchez Bezos chose a long-sleeve, black dress for the event. The garment hit her at the ankle, showing off black heels, and had a plunging neckline. A choker completed her look.

Both Sánchez Bezos and Bezos wore Lever Couture to Vanity Fair's party.

Bezos' black tuxedo was simple, but he elevated the ensemble by adding a diamond brooch to his lapel.

Sánchez Bezos wore a red ball gown with a dramatic train. The dress was made of tulle that fell in ribbons, creating volume on the sleeves and skirt and emphasizing the plunging neckline and form-fitting bodice. Her nude shoes and diamond necklace gave the look a timeless feel.

Bezos and Sánchez Bezos attended the White House state dinner in honor of then-Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

While Bezos attended the dinner in a traditional black tuxedo, Sánchez Bezos wore a deep-red dress styled by Kelly Johnson. The off-the-shoulder gown featured a semi-sheer corset bodice made of lace, contrasting with the silky skirt.

Gold heels with leaf detailing and a sparkly silver bag completed Sánchez Bezos' bold look.

Sánchez Bezos chose Oscar de La Renta for her Met Gala debut, wearing a strapless gown from the designer.

The black bodice had a simple sweetheart neckline, while a mosaic of fabric that created roses covered the full skirt and train.

On the red carpet, Sánchez Bezos told Vogue she thought the gown was "extremely unique and has a sense of femininity."

Bezos didn't walk the red carpet with his fiancée, but he joined her at the top of the Met steps in a classic black tuxedo.

Sánchez Bezos and Bezos could have been mistaken for a bride and groom at the Beverly Hills event in March.

The Amazon founder wore a black suit, a white undershirt, a matching bow tie, and a diamond brooch. Sánchez Bezos stood beside him in a strapless white Oscar de la Renta ball gown decorated with feathers.

Bezos kept things simple with a black tuxedo, matching bow tie, and white undershirt. Sánchez Bezos, however, brought the glamour.

She wore a red, sleeveless gown made by John Galliano in 1994 and previously worn by Sophia Loren. It had an asymmetrical bodice with a low neckline, form-fitting fabric across the waist, and a skirt that flowed around her ankles.

She completed the flashy outfit with diamond earrings, a statement necklace, and a crystal-covered clutch designed by Judith Leiber to look like an astronaut.

On June 26, Sánchez Bezos and Bezos gathered with their A-list guests for a pre-wedding celebration.

Sánchez Bezos stepped out for the welcome party in a strapless Schiaparelli gown. Originally designed for the spring 2025 couture collection, the champagne dress had floral embroidery on the neckline and tea-length skirt, while the corset bodice sparkled.

The bride-to-be paired the dress with diamond accessories, including stud earrings, her engagement ring, and another large diamond ring.

Bezos wore a dark-brown suit with no tie and complementary sunglasses, looking casual and cool.

Bezos and Sánchez Bezos tied the knot on June 27 in an intimate ceremony.

The groom wore a black tuxedo for the wedding, which included a vest and bow tie.

Sánchez Bezos walked down the aisle in a custom Dolce & Gabbana dress. The mermaid-style dress hugged her figure, and it was overlaid with intricate, floral lace. Buttons lined the front and back, and Sánchez Bezos added a voluminous, floor-length veil to the ensemble.

Vogue reported the gown required "900 hours of atelier work" to make.

On the final evening of their wedding celebrations, Bezos and Sánchez Bezos stepped out in slightly more casual evening looks than they wore to their ceremony.

Bezos paired a black suit with a black shirt and wore another pair of sunglasses.

Sánchez Bezos, on the other hand, opted for a pink Atelier Versace gown. Donatella Versace designed the form-fitting, strapless dress with crystal embroidery on the bodice and a ruched, dropped-waist skirt.

If you read "A Court of Thorns and Roses" and somehow didn't know it was a multi-book series, you'll want to follow up the first installment with "A Court of Mist and Fury."

After her time under the mountain, Feyre is completely transformed, and she isn't sure it's for the better. Sure, she may be a powerful fae, but her soul feels shattered after she inadvertently caused the deaths of two innocents. And even though she and Tamlin have been reunited, Feyre feels more distant from him than ever.

She feels the walls closing in on her as her wedding to Tamlin grows closer — until Rhysand arrives to make good on her deal to join him at the Night Court for a week every month. The elusive High Lord of the Night Court encourages Feyre to tap into her newfound power, guiding her as dark forces she never imagined threaten her and everyone she loves.

As Feyre adjusts to the world of the fae, she'll have to choose between the life expected of her and the life she wants.

If you have already finished the "ACOTAR" books, you'll love "Throne of Glass," Maas' eight-book fantasy series about an assassin who finds herself at the heart of magical mayhem.

At only 18, Celaena Sardothien has made a name for herself as the most famous assassin in Adarlan, a kingdom where magic disappeared years ago. But her notoriety came back to bite her, as Celaena finds herself wasting away at the prison camp Endovier.

When the crown prince of Adarlan offers her a chance at freedom if she is willing to compete to become the king's champion by defeating 23 other criminals, she has no choice but to agree, as it's her only shot at a free life.

Celaena was born to fight, but as the other competitors start dying mysteriously around her, she will have to confront the pain of her past to face the battles ahead.

Maas has written three installments of the "Crescent City" series, and the third, "House of Flame and Shadow," was published in January 2024.

In "House of Earth and Blood," half-fae Bryce Quinlan is at a crossroads, grieving the murder of her best friends by a demon.

She believes the killer was apprehended, but when similar murders start taking place in Crescent City, Bryce agrees to investigate the deaths with Hunt Athalar, a Fallen Angel who has been enslaved for hundreds of years by the all-powerful Archangels after an attempted coup.

Normally, Hunt wouldn't want anything to do with Bryce, but the stubborn, beautiful half-fae is his ticket to freedom. However, neither Bryce nor Hunt is prepared for what they find as they look into the murders — or the connection that forms between them.

"House of Earth and Blood" has all the faerie magic of "A Court of Thorns and Roses," plus touches of modern technology.

Carissa Broadbent's "The Serpent and the Wings of Night" has all the fun of "A Court of Thorns and Roses," but it will also appeal to "Twilight" fans because vampires are at the center of the novel.

Oraya has been fighting to survive since the Nightborn vampire king adopted her when she was a human child. Her world is full of threats, and her only hope of reprieve is winning the Kejari, a once-in-a-generation tournament that awards the champion a wish from the goddess of death, Nyaxia.

Oraya intends to stay away from the other vampires in the competition, but she finds herself with no choice but to ally with Raihn, an annoyingly handsome vampire from a rival house.

What's worse, she discovers she actually likes Raihn as the competition goes on, which is inconvenient as war looms between the houses. As Oraya tries to determine who she can trust, she discovers shadows from her past have more impact on her future than anticipated.

From the moment she was born, Poppy has been more than just a girl. She is the Maiden and has known her entire life that at 19, she will be given to the gods to help make humans into Ascended, powerful, immortal beings that rule the kingdom of Solis.

No one can touch her because she is the Maiden, and she lives mostly in solitude under the watchful eye of Solis' royalty. At 18, Poppy is lonely, and she isn't sure she can bear the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders.

Then, mere months before her Ascension, Poppy meets Hawke, a new guard who makes her yearn and question the life she has agreed to live.

But the Ascended, Hawke, and nearly everyone around Poppy aren't what they seem, and she risks putting her trust in the wrong person at every turn. As she finds herself more drawn to Hawke than ever, she may realize her heart is what's left her most vulnerable.

The first installment in Jennifer L. Armentrout's "Blood and Ash" series is a gripping, sexy fantasy with many twists and turns.

I love "From Blood and Ash," but I think Armentrout's prequel to the series, "A Shadow in the Ember," is even more gripping and tantalizing.

To the world, Seraphena Mierel is the Maiden, chosen to be the Primal of Death's wife before she was even born. To the royal family's inner circle, she is their only hope — an assassin trained to kill the Primal as soon as he claims her as his wife so she can stop a Rot from decimating her country.

When she finally meets the Primal of Death, he's nothing like Sera expected, and when he touches her, killing him is the last thing on her mind. Will what she wants matter if she can't save her people?

Rebecca Yarros' "Fourth Wing" is the first installment in the "The Empyrean" series, and it has all the steamy romance and adventure that romantasy readers are looking for.

It follows Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old who grew up thinking she would enter the Scribe Quadrant when she came of age. Instead, her mother, the general of Navarre, forces her to enter the Rider's Quadrant, where she must train to become a dragon rider — or die.

The odds are stacked against Violet, as she was born with a particularly fragile body and hasn't spent her life training to be a rider like the others in her class. Even worse, many of her peers would be willing to kill her for their chance at survival or as an act of revenge against her mother.

No one has more reason to want her dead than Xaden Riorson, a powerful dragon rider and Violet's wingleader. But as she struggles through training, Xaden offers her help, making her question everything she knows. And when Violet discovers secrets about her world that change everything, nothing will be the same.

Amanda Bouchet's "A Promise of Fire" was first released in 2016, but it got renewed attention after Bouchet started publishing its sister series in 2022.

The first installment of the "Kingmaker Chronicles" introduces readers to Cat Fisa, a woman who has been blessed by the gods with the power of the Kingmaker, which gives her the ability to know when someone is lying.

Cat has been running from her power for years, masquerading as a soothsayer for a traveling circus. When Griffin, second-in-command of the new royal family, spots her, he knows exactly what she is, and he'll do anything to keep her by his side to strengthen his family's fledgling power.

Cat doesn't make it easy for Griffin, fighting him tooth and nail, even though powerful forces tell her she should stay with him. When their attraction grows, it becomes difficult for Cat to deny that she belongs by Griffin's side.

Being a human in a faerie world isn't all it's cracked up to be, but Jude hasn't had a choice, forced to live in the High Court of the Fae after her parents were murdered.

Jude hates feeling lesser than the magical creatures around her, and no one makes her feel smaller than Prince Cardan, who also happens to be the most beautiful fae she's ever seen. She wants to prove herself, deciding to fight to the top of the fae ranks even if it kills her.

Soon, Jude finds herself embroiled in a battle that puts her sisters and the fae in harm's way, and Prince Cardan becomes the ally she never anticipated.

The first installment in Holly Black's "The Folk of the Air" series, "Cruel Prince" is a mysterious and sexy page-turner that fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope and fantasy will love.

The Ledge is all Dawsyn has ever known. Her life exists in the limits of the frozen clifftop, and time is marked by visits from Glacians, evil creatures that look like winged humans who kidnap Ledge dwellers every time they come.

When Dawsyn is taken by the Glacians, she knows she has to escape the monsters, even though their plans for her are a mystery. She has no choice but to accept help from Ryon, a half-Glacian who offers her a path down the mountain on which the Glacians' castle sits.

Escape is the only thing on Dawsyn's mind, and she isn't prepared for what reaching the human lands at the bottom of the mountain could bring — or for the feelings Ryon will stir in her.

"Ledge" by Stacey McEwan is a dramatic page-turner, and even better, it has three installments.

There are two kinds of people in Mare Barrow's world: mortals with red blood, and superhero-like people with silver blood who possess magical powers and rule over the reds.

Mare is prepared to live out her life as a normal human until she discovers that she has magical abilities despite her red blood — in a room full of silvers. The show of impossible, supernatural power leads the king to create a ruse in which Mare must pretend to be a lost silver princess and marry one of the king's sons.

The decision sets Mare on a path of deceit and double agency as she works to get information for the Scarlet Guard, a red resistance movement, while she's in the halls of the castle. Mare's life only grows more complicated as she feels herself falling for both of the king's sons — and that love could lead her to destruction, in Victoria Aveyard's "Red Queen."

Despite the title, Madeline Miller's "The Song of Achilles" actually follows the life of Achilles' closest companion, Patroclus. In mythology, Patroclus is best known for his death, which drives Achilles mad with grief.

Miller puts a fresh spin on the well-known tale, focusing on the rivalry and unexpected friendship that blooms between Achilles and Patroclus during their boyhood.

As they grow up together, that friendship becomes something much more powerful. Patroclus and Achilles will have to reckon with their feelings for each other as Achilles faces a fatal prophecy about his involvement in the Trojan War.

"The Song of Achilles" is both a war story and a beautiful look at first love, offering a whole new look into Homer's epic.

In "Heartless Hunter," the first book in Kristen Ciccarelli's "The Crimson Moth" duology, Rune Winters has more secrets than she knows what to do with.

In public, Rune is a human socialite loyal to the new leadership. In secret, she is the Crimson Moth, a vigilante witch who helps others like her escape the execution her grandmother faced when human rebels overthrew the witch queens.

Rune is on a mission to find Seraphine, a witch friend of her grandmother's, before the hunters do, but when Seraphine is arrested before Rune can save her, she decides she must get closer to the guard to prevent Seraphine's death. She sets out to convince Gideon Sharpe, a powerful hunter who has always hated her, to fall in love with her, hoping he'll lead her right to Seraphine.

Little does she know, Gideon has his own reasons for getting closer to Rune, suspecting she has a connection to the Crimson Moth. Both begin spending more time together under false pretenses, making it all the more surprising when real feelings develop between them.

In her September 2025 release, Rebecca Ross revisits the world she created in her New York Times bestseller, "Divine Rivals."

"Wild Reverence," an adult stand-alone romantasy, takes readers back 600 years before the events of "Divine Rivals."

Matilda is the herald of the gods, born with the ability to take messages between immortal beings and traverse where other gods cannot. Although she spends her childhood surrounded by gods, a human boy named Vincent, whom she visits in his dreams, stands out to her more than the magic around her.

When Matilda finally meets Vincent in person, he makes her feel more seen than any god. A tragedy rips them apart almost immediately after they meet, and Vincent thinks Matilda abandoned him as both a friend and goddess, leading him to grow into a faithless adult just trying to keep his people afloat.

Matilda never forgets Vincent, though, thinking often of the boy she knew as she comes into her power. When tasked with delivering Vincent a letter, Matilda is determined to right the wrong version of events he remembers.

Romantic, adventure-filled, and fresh, "Wild Reverence" is a must-read for "ACOTAR" fans.

Swift and Kelce were photographed leaving the Chiefs game together on October 22, 2023. Both wore red to celebrate Kelce's team.

Kelce's look consisted of a red-and-cream checked flannel shirt and popsicle-printed khakis, both designed by Billionaire Boys Club & Icecream. Green CNCPTS and Nike sneakers completed the outfit.

Swift paired an Ellie Mae Studios vintage Chiefs sweatshirt with a black skirt. The look was cute, but it wasn't distinct from an outfit any other Chiefs fan might wear to a game.

Though the couple's looks worked together, Swift and Kelce's support for his team was the takeaway from the outfits rather than their cohesiveness as a couple.

Swift and Kelce's outfits for Coachella also felt subtly coordinated, as they both chose to accessorize their looks with a green-and-white baseball cap.

Swift paired a black top and jacket with a black Halara skirt, black Gucci sneakers, and a black Stella McCartney bag. She also wore a hat representing "New Heights."

Kelce, on the other hand, wore an R13 plaid shirt over a white tee, a colorful bandana on his neck, blue-and-white Martine Rose striped jeans, and white Converse high tops. His "Happy Gilmore" hat was white with green font, making it the inverse of Swift's.

The duo made their first official appearance as a couple in New York City on October 14, attending a taping of "Saturday Night Live" together.

Swift paired the Versace Medusa corset with high-waisted black trousers. She wore her Gant coat open, showing off the corset. The checked jacket was the only pop of color in her look, as her Aupen bag and Greymer shoes were black.

Kelce's patterned Jil Sander coat was similarly the star of his look, though he wore a little more color than Swift. His Burberry pants were brown, which he paired with a white button-down and white Christian Louboutin sneakers.

Both took an elevated approach to date-night fashion for their hard launch.

The next day, the couple stepped out in New York again for another date night.

The base of Swift's look was black, as she paired a backward Khaite skirt with a Balenciaga corset top and Louis Vuitton boots. The sheer, floral top from Jean Paul Gaultier she wore over the corset brought color to her ensemble.

Kelce opted for a matching corduroy set, which he wore with a black shirt. Nike sneakers completed his laid-back look.

After wrapping the European leg of the Eras Tour, Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium to support Kelce in the first game of the 2024-2025 season. They both took a more glamorous approach to their game-day fashion than in 2023.

Swift sported an all-denim look, including the denim version of Versace's Medusa corset top and denim shorts from Grlfrnd. The shorts showed off her maroon Giuseppe Zanotti boots, and she toted a Louis Vuitton trunk bag.

Swift also wore over $60,000 in jewelry to the game, including the TNT bracelet Kelce had custom-made for her.

Kelce left the game in a Lanvin set, which featured a white-and-orange ombré pattern that flowed down his shirt to his pants. A Homebred Legends trucker hat and Bottega Veneta sunglasses completed his colorful look.

The couple made multiple public appearances together after the Chiefs' 2024 opener. For instance, they attended the US Open men's singles finals, where they both wore pops of red.

Kelce wore another coordinating set to the match, pairing a Gucci cardigan with a matching pair of shorts. Both featured red and green lining, coordinating with the red-and-green Gucci bucket hat Kelce wore with the look.

Swift chose a red-and-white gingham sundress from Reformation for the sporting event. The dress featured a dropped waist and a sweetheart neckline, giving the summery look structure. Her outfit also featured Gucci touches, including her platform sandals and the bag she carried. Crap Eyewear sunglasses tied the look together.

The ensembles felt more intentionally coordinated than some of Swift and Kelce's past looks, highlighting how their couple style had evolved since they were first romantically linked.

Kelce and Swift cheered on the Florida Panthers at the Stanley Cup Finals in 2025 in monochromatic outfits that seemed to be inspired by the team's red and white colors.

Kelce wore a red sweatshirt and shorts from Elwood, which he paired with a red-and-white Panthers hat designed by Palm Tree Crew.

Swift, on the other hand, opted for a cream set from Area, pairing the brand's crystal-trimmed track jacket with the matching embellished shorts. She accessorized the set with cream, heeled ankle boots from Prada and a black Chanel handbag. She also wore her hair in a braid, adding to the ensemble's casual feel.

Both Swift and Kelce looked sporty and chic, and it was fun that their looks oozed team spirit for the Panthers when paired together.

In September 2024, Kelce accompanied Swift to supermodel Karen Elson and art collector Lee Foster's wedding at Electric Lady Studios, where Swift frequently records her music.

Swift attended the nuptials in Zimmermann's cream Halliday dress, which featured scalloped detailing on the bodice and cutouts on the waist. The skirt was also embroidered with an array of flowers.

She paired the floral dress with cream Christian Louboutin heels, a blue Vivienne Westwood bag, and red lipstick.

Kelce wore two of the same designers as Swift, though his look was all black. He paired a short-sleeved Vivienne Westwood cardigan with black trousers and Christian Louboutin loafers.

The couple's outfits looked effortlessly chic, complementing each other without going over the top.

Swift and Kelce were photographed going out to dinner in New York in October 2024. Although their outfits weren't coordinated, they wore Louis Vuitton accessories that stylishly connected their looks.

Swift wore shades of light brown and black, pairing Gucci's net corset top with a black miniskirt from RTA and a camel coat designed by Ralph Lauren. She carried a Dior Saddle bag and wore Louis Vuitton's LV Roxy Platform Ankle Boots, as well as the brand's Ombré Blossom Open Ring.

Jacquemus designed Kelce's navy-and-cream blouse, which he wore with black pants and Lanvin sneakers. He also selected Louis Vuitton accessories for the evening, wearing the Monogram Craggy Necklace and Monogram Craggy Bracelet.

Both Swift and Kelce looked stylish and luxurious.

Swift and Kelce stepped out together in New York City in December 2024 in mostly one-toned ensembles; however, both included a nod to the other's outfit with their looks.

Kelce walked hand in hand with Swift in Nahmias' Waxed Trucker Jacket and Waxed Baggy Jeans, both of which were an ombré red. He wore a white shirt from Saint Michael with black lettering and black boots designed by Louis Vuitton and Timberland.

Almost exactly opposite to Kelce, Swift's outfit was almost entirely black, aside from the red bottoms of her Christian Louboutin sandals and red lipstick. She wore a black minidress from Fleur du Mal with a high neckline, a crystal-adorned coat from Simkhai, and a tote dripping in crystals from Stella McCartney.

The couple embodied their personal style and signified their connection with small nods to each other's outfits, making it the perfect fashion moment.

To accomplish this, I picked the largest bag I own — a 32-liter backpack — for my two weeks in Europe.

Then I practiced packing as lightly as possible — twice — before I left to ensure I could fit everything.

I started with my work gear, which included a laptop, cameras, lenses, and a notebook. Then I packed other essentials like chargers, toiletries, and snacks.

Next, I stuffed a packing cube with two polos, one T-shirt, one long-sleeve T-shirt, three pairs of pants, a sweater, a blazer, a dress, and two light jackets.

While I longed for more outfit variety on my trip, I was surprised I had everything I needed despite packing lighter than ever.

When visiting multiple locations in one trip, I found the travel exhausting.

I started my journey with a red-eye flight to Berlin from my home in NYC. Then, I took overnight trains to Vienna and Venice, Italy, in shared sleeper cabins.

I initially thought overnight transportation would be the best way to travel through Europe to maximize my time exploring during the day.

But for me, sleeping on board flights and trains among strangers was challenging. I didn't consider how little I'd be able to sleep during these overnight rides, and I arrived at my destinations feeling more exhausted than I had hoped.

When I arrived in Vienna on an overnight train from Berlin, I planned to spend my morning seeing the sights until I could check in to my hotel at 3 p.m.

But as I stepped off the train, it was apparent that my body needed rest, so I had to figure out where to get it.

Before going to Europe, I planned everything, from booking accommodations and train rides to mapping out the locations I wanted to visit to avoid problems.

But plans don't always work out, and I had to make quick decisions, like when I arrived in Vienna. When I got off the train, I started going to random hotels to book a room. By the third hotel, I got one, and I felt relieved.

My trip was full of problems like this, and solving them made me feel more confident in my travel abilities.

When visiting a new country for just a couple of days, it's easy to pack exploration into every hour without planning for rest. But without downtime, I found travel wasn't as enjoyable.

During the parts of my trip when I felt well-rested, I could appreciate where I was and take in the unique architecture and bustling atmosphere.

Getting sleep also made me feel more in touch with what my body needed, from staying hydrated to eating enough food.

Wearing my backpack while walking for extended periods made my muscles feel sore. I wasn't used to its weight and size. In crowded spaces, I kept forgetting that the backpack made me about a third larger than I typically am.

In these moments, I wondered if a carry-on suitcase would have been a better choice. Sure, the luggage is larger, but after lugging around my backpack all day, I felt like it could be easier to roll a suitcase.

While on my way to each destination, I read about the sights that awaited me in guidebooks I downloaded onto my iPad. These books helped me decide how to spend time in each location and built up my excitement for my coming adventures.

I also downloaded a few episodes of my favorite TV shows to comfort me, which I usually watched around bedtime.

In the summer of 2022, it felt like everyone I followed on Instagram was in Europe. So, I booked my trip for October to avoid peak tourism season.

But throughout my trip, I stood on my tippy toes to see popular historic sites above rows of heads obscuring my view.

From Rome to Zurich, I trudged through places I didn't expect to be overrun with tourists.

Europe is less crowded with tourists in September and October than in summer. But in the fall of 2022, traveling during shoulder season seemed to be trending.

During my visits to Berlin and Zurich, I stayed in small towns about an hour outside the city center by train.

I expected nothing more than a place to sleep in these towns, so I was pleasantly surprised that they felt like hidden gems.

When I visited Berlin, I stayed in a tiny home hotel in Neustrelitz, Germany.

My hotel was a 20-minute walk from the train station, and I enjoyed starting and ending each day with a relaxing walk through town, where I spotted the occasional backpacker among mostly locals.

I liked Roggwil, a small village near Zurich, more than almost any other part of Europe I saw.

I couldn't help but think I would have never seen it if I hadn't booked this specific Airbnb, which was a two-minute walk from the town's train station.

With so many crowds in the cities, I enjoyed experiencing the quiet, slower pace of suburban life while photographing landscapes in less-visited areas of Europe.

I visited six cities and two small towns in just 14 days, so I thought my memories of my European adventure would start to meld together after my trip concluded.

But I'll never forget how alive Berlin felt, with its lush pockets of greenery, dramatic murals, and street performers, or how Vienna's garden mazes and fairy-tale architecture made me feel like royalty.

The canals in Venice made me feel like I was in a storybook, while Zurich had charming streets with jaw-dropping mountain backdrops.

I spent my first week traveling solo, and when a friend joined me for the second week in Italy and Switzerland, I found I had a new appreciation for traveling with someone else.

While on my own, I endured more uncomfortable situations than on any previous trip. I also learned more about myself during my solo travels than I anticipated.

So when my travel companion arrived, having someone to share new experiences with helped me explore and problem-solve in a new way — as a team.

Next time, I'll let go of my expectations and plan to be surprised.

According to Tripadvisor, Niagara Falls, Ontario, has more than 200 hotels ranging from one to four stars.

The Sheraton Fallsview, part of the Marriott Bonvoy hotel collection, is a four-star hotel. Rooms range from an interior view starting at $150 to guest rooms and suites with views of the falls, which cost between about $190 and $425, according to a recent search for bookings a month in advance.

My room was more expensive since I visited in the summer during the high tourism season.

Since my entire trip was about seeing Niagara Falls, I decided to upgrade to a premium 258-square-foot Fallsview room with a direct view for my two-night stay.

From my room, I saw the American Falls on the left, Bridal Veil Falls in the middle, and Horseshoe Falls, the U-shaped falls on the right.

Although I didn't get a chance to use them, the hotel had some great amenities, such as a spa, gym, and rooftop pool.

When I opened the door, I could hear the water crashing down.

There were nightstands with lamps on either side of the bed. Between the bed and the window was a sitting area with a couch, chair, and coffee table.

Each morning, I hopped out of bed and opened the door to get ready to the sounds of the falls. I thought it was a peaceful way to start the day.

The bathroom also had a lit vanity and a second shower head.

At night, the Niagara Falls Illumination board projected color-changing lights onto the water from the Illumination Tower and the Table Rock Centre rooftop, according to Niagara Parks.

The fireworks show runs every night at 10 p.m. from late May to early October, according to Niagara Falls Live.

Seeing the fireworks show from my bed was a happy surprise, and I thought it made the nightly $500 price worth it. I would book it again, as long as it's fireworks season. If not, I'd try another hotel with a different view of the falls.

Sideras, 31, is a model and content creator based in Los Angeles. She set her wedding date to Johnston, a 28-year-old tech recruiter, for July 13, 2023, just six months after he popped the question.

Sideras had always wanted a summer wedding and didn't want to wait a year and a half to get married.

"The engagement process can be very stressful, and I just wanted to do it as quickly as possible," she said. "Six months felt like enough time for me."

"I love the movie 'Father of the Bride,'" Sideras told Business Insider of her vision for her "casual and celebratory" wedding. "I think that's such a sweet movie, and I love that aesthetic. I just wanted a backyard wedding."

Sideras and Johnston planned to invite between 125 and 150 people to the wedding, but they wanted to keep their budget at $25,000, to which Sideras' parents contributed.

According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in California is over $39,000, but Sideras didn't want to go into debt paying for their event.

"You have to cut it off somewhere," Sideras said.

Although she wanted a backyard wedding, Sideras didn't have a backyard in Los Angeles for the event, as she lives in an apartment.

She first searched Vrbo and Airbnb for homes she could rent for the weekend of the wedding, but she couldn't find a rental property that allowed for large events.

Then, she stumbled upon the Bissell House in Pasadena after hours of searching online. The venue has since closed, but it had the spacious backyard Sideras was looking for, as well as a beautiful interior.

"As soon as we got there, I could tell, 'This is it,'" Sideras said. "The Bissell House had so many antiques and beautiful furniture, and the wallpaper and everything inside. It was like the perfect grandma shabby chic house."

Sideras rented the house for $10,000 for three days and two nights, using it as lodging for her and Johnston's families over the weekend. The couple also hosted their rehearsal dinner at the Bissell House, so they didn't have to pay for an additional venue.

As she focused on the backyard wedding aesthetic, Sideras hopped on Pinterest to make a vision board for her wedding.

"I knew I wanted long tables with dinner party vibes. That was one of the first photos I pinned," she said. "And then I saw mismatched plates and linens. I love anything in life that can be mismatched."

She decided she wanted mismatched dishware, linens, and vases, but she quickly discovered that renting from an event company would be out of her budget when the first vendor she contacted told her it would cost $5,000 for dishware alone.

Sideras, her mom, and her aunt all love thrifting. They frequently text each other photos of their bargain finds. When she realized thrifted dishware would be the most economical choice for her wedding, Sideras recruited the pair to help.

They scoured thrift stores and buy nothing groups, using a mood board Sideras made as guidance for what to find. They ended up sourcing around 130 dinner, dessert plates, and wine glasses, sticking to a maximum budget of $1 per item.

"It was so fun for my mom, my aunt, and me to constantly be texting each other like, 'I just got these five plates' or 'just got this set of 10 plates from my buy nothing group,'" Sideras said.

Sideras' mom brought many of the plates from her home in Indiana to the wedding, and the others lived at the bride's apartment until the event.

For her napkins, Sideras turned to Maxsold, which allows users to bid for items online that they can go pick up in person.

She bought pink cloth napkins through the site and found some additional napkins at thrift stores. At the wedding, they were arranged to look like flowers atop mismatched gingham tablecloths, which Sedaris bought from a wholesale site.

Thrift shopping saved Sideras thousands on place settings.

"We spent under $500 for every single place setting that we got," she said. "I ended up keeping 12 plates or so, and I sold some or gave some away."

"I feel like everyone knows flowers are an insane cost for weddings," Sideras said. "I would have loved to spend thousands of dollars on florals because they're beautiful, but unfortunately, it was just not in the budget."

Sideras said one of her bridesmaids, who was also getting married in 2023, used the Los Angeles Flower Market for her wedding flowers, which inspired Sideras to do the same.

"We just went the day before, and I didn't really have a vision, to be honest," she said. "Since it was a backyard wedding, I felt like it didn't need to be fancy white roses or anything like that."

She got advice from her friends on how many flowers she would need to make floral arrangements for the tables and her bridesmaids' bouquets, as well as guidance on which flowers would best withstand the July heat. She spent around $400.

"Three or four of us went to the flower market to pick them up, and then we brought them back to the apartment and arranged them all," she said. "It probably took an afternoon."

Kelly Jean Ross arranged Sideras' $250 bouquet, which featured an array of pink and white flowers.

"I paid someone to make my own bouquet because I knew that would be in a majority of the photos, and she did amazing," Sideras said. "I was so happy that I spent money on that."

"Table and chair rentals — that's another insanely expensive cost," Sideras said, telling Business Insider that she was quoted a minimum of $5,000 for table and chair rentals from an event company in town.

"I ended up going on Facebook Marketplace," she said.

Sideras rented folding tables and wooden chairs from two small businesses she found on the site. It cost a few dollars per table and $1 per chair, so they didn't add much to the budget.

Sideras found a black-and-white checked dance floor on Facebook Marketplace for the event. She and Johnston didn't invest in a formal DJ, either.

"My husband has a few friends who work in the music industry, so he just had one friend who was manning the speakers," she said. They also used an app that seamlessly transitions from song to song for the dancing portion of the evening.

"It was awesome, and we were able to play Justin Bieber and all the songs that DJs never play," she said.

From helping her source decor to setting up the wedding on the day of the event, Sideras' community was integral in making the wedding come together without breaking the bank.

For instance, Sideras' friend Ashlyn Rudy served as her wedding coordinator. During the rehearsal dinner, Rudy noticed the reception area getting dark as the night went on, and she immediately sprang into action.

"She had a friend who was a lighting person, so she's like, 'I'm going to get some lights,'" Sideras said.

By the wedding day, they had plenty of string lights to keep the reception space bright, and Sideras didn't have to do any extra work.

The couple didn't add flowers or an archway to the ceremony space, and they reused the same chairs they used for dinner for guests.

They also didn't have much signage for the wedding. They just had a welcome sign made by a friend at the front entrance.

Stationery costs can add up, and keeping it as simple as possible helped the couple save money.

Sideras wanted different wedding dresses for her ceremony and reception, setting a budget of $1,000 for both. She pictured herself in a vintage gown with puff sleeves and a tea-length skirt for the ceremony.

"My mom and I went to so many places, and no one really had one," she said.

Eventually, she contacted a now-closed vintage store called The Gorky, asking if they had anything like what she was imagining. By chance, the store had a $400 dress in the back of its stockroom that fit the bill.

"A staffer sent me a photo, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I think this is it,'" Sedaris said. "It didn't have puff sleeves yet, but it had sleeves that could become puff sleeves."

She went with her mom to the store to try it on, and the gown fit perfectly. It was meant to be.

The Gorky recommended a seamstress to Sideras, who created the puffy sleeves of her dreams.

Sideras was also a fan of a voluminous veil she had seen photos of, but she didn't want to spend $600 on the accessory.

She asked her tailor if she could make a similar veil, and she was able to for just $100.

Sideras got her second dress from Anthropologie, allowing her to stick to her budget.

Catering is often the most expensive aspect of a wedding, as feeding over 100 people a three-course meal can be costly.

Sideras and Johnston found a workaround, having pizza from La Pizzeria Co. at the nuptials instead of a more formal meal.

"It was between tacos and pizza because we love both of those," Sideras said. "I just emailed a whole bunch of different pizza places that did catering, and I went with the cheapest one."

"They were amazing, and it was just a flat fee for the amount of people," she said of La Pizzeria Co. "There was also salad and other little things included."

They also just served wine and beer from coolers, so they didn't have to pay for a bartender. Not every wedding venue allows that, but it's a great way to save if you have the option.

Wedding cakes can cost hundreds — if not thousands — of dollars, which was also out of budget for Sideras and Johnston.

"I knew I wanted just a simple strawberry shortcake-style cake for us to cut into," Sideras said, adding that she didn't "want it to look overly professional." Her sister-in-law ended up making the cake for them.

"I think she just made a box cake and decorated it cute, and that was perfect," she said.

Because she didn't want to pay for an expensive wedding cake, Sideras bought a few sheet cakes from Costco instead.

Her aunt picked them up, decorated them with strawberries, and displayed pieces on some of the thrifted plates Sedaris bought.

"That was really sweet, and no one even knew that it was Costco cake because it was already cut up," she said. "It turns out Costco cake is a hit."

Sideras tapped photographer Bliss Katherine, whom she had previously worked with as a model.

"I always just kind of knew that I wanted her to be our photographer," Sideras said. "I've worked with so many photographers, so that was really, really important to me."

"The photos are insane, so that was the best use of our money," she added.

"You have to pick one or two things that are important to you, and then the rest you just have to let go," she said. "I would have loved to have a live band, but that would have been very expensive."

Likewise, she thinks it can be helpful to approach the wedding as just an event when searching for rentals, as some retailers can charge a premium for wedding items.

"Don't be afraid to ask for discounts for things, too," she said. "What's the worst they're going to say? No?"

She also recommends using the resources you have in your community, especially if you live in a pricier market like Los Angeles, and trying not to put too much pressure on the event.

"I think I'm a pretty chill person, so I was never really that stressed," she said.

"It felt incredible," Sideras said of her wedding day. "We have so many people tell us to this day, 'Oh my gosh, that was my favorite wedding I've been to.'"

"It was so calm and relaxed and just felt so us," she added. "It was so special, and I will love it forever."

Rehman owns Bilal Rehman Studio, a luxury design studio based in Houston, Texas.

Rehman designs for people of all incomes, but he got his start in luxury decor, specializing in high-end spaces.

"I have an appreciation for the world of luxury because of the attention to detail and the craftsmanship," he told BI of why he likes to work in luxury homes. 

Rehman turned his expertise into a viral sensation with his TikTok account, where he shares his home decor advice and has amassed millions of views on his videos. 

He spoke to BI about one of the most popular topics on his TikTok, sharing ways people miss opportunities to make their spaces look luxurious in almost every room of their homes.

"I think the No. 1 thing that they do is that they don't use the proper scale of furniture or accessories or rugs in their space," Rehman said when asked how people most often make their homes look cheap.

If you don't have much floor space, it might be your instinct to fill your home with small pieces, but Rehman said that may actually make your space look less put together.

"People think that just because you're in an apartment, you have to buy small-scale furniture, and that's not true," he said. "Go buy the big couch, buy the big rug, buy the coffee table that's oversized because what people don't realize is that scale makes your space feel bigger."

Rehman said your space will look more luxurious if you fill it with a handful of statement pieces rather than too many small pieces.

"There's a fine art of not cramming your space with too much stuff and underdoing it to where all the furniture feels like it's miniature," Rehman said. 

Rehman said kitchens often look "cluttered" and cheap when you fill your cabinets with flatware, dinnerware, and glassware that don't match, particularly if you have open cabinetry.

"It doesn't look cohesive or expensive. It starts to look like you went and dug through a bargain bin to find all these pieces, but for the same price, you could buy a really beautiful matching set of mugs or plates or appliances to elevate your space," Rehman said. 

He also advised people to think about aesthetics as well as function for any item that will live on their countertops, pointing to Smeg toasters as an example.

"There are cheaper alternatives, of course, but Smeg is a great player in the game of taking something utilitarian and making it artistic," he added. "I have a chrome Smeg toaster on my countertop and I love it. It's just so pretty to look at, and it's taking something so basic and making it elevated."

It can be natural to fill your bathroom counters with products, but Rehman told BI that not having more sophisticated storage can make your space feel cheap. 

"Do not have all your products on the countertop," Rehman said. "Especially if you're dealing with a smaller bathroom, that empty visual space is your friend that makes your bathroom feel high-end."

He said to prioritize putting out items you use daily, and find other storage solutions for things you use less often.

"It makes it feel bigger. It makes it feel cleaner. And honestly, when everything is organized, it's so much easier to get ready in the morning and get ready at nighttime when you know where everything is," Rehman said. "When you're dealing with a bathroom, really be intentional on what's out and what's hidden and put away."

And if you don't have much storage space, remember to invest in functional items with aesthetic appeal, like coordinating soap-bottle sets or a nice toothbrush holder.

Rehman said thinking strategically about your choice of bath mat can make a huge difference in your home, particularly if you have limited space in your bathroom. 

"Don't buy a whole bunch of different bath mats, like the small bath mats meant to go in front of the toilet or the shower or the sink," Rehman advised. "Instead, try to get a large-scale rug or a large-scale runner that creates this unified piece in your bathroom and makes it feel clean and simple."

If you're hesitant about putting a real rug in your bathroom, Rehman said to remember that there are plenty of water-friendly rugs on the market.

"Just get a cool rug from Ruggable and throw it in your washing machine every couple of weeks," he added. "That looks so much better in the end than all these mismatched mats that are moving all over the place."

Matching bedroom sets might seem like the easiest solution to making your room look cohesive, but Rehman said it's rare for the set to look as good in your home as it does in the store.

"It looks so good when you walk into a store, and everything matches because they set it up in a certain way, but the second you take it home and you put it in your bedroom, it literally just looks like you went to a big-box store, picked up that room, and dropped it into your house," Rehman said.

"It has no personality, it doesn't look collected, it doesn't look designer, it doesn't feel high-end at all," he said. "Instead of doing that, the same money that you're spending on that, spend it on mismatched pieces that are cohesive."

Rehman said it's a better idea to find pieces that complement each other, as this will make the space look more intentional.

Rehman advised people to approach decorating the outside of their homes just as they do their interiors.

"Don't be afraid to accessorize your outdoor space," he said, pointing to items like rugs and layered looks. "Put art on your brick on the outside of your house."

"You're going to walk outside, and there's going to be a seamless flow from the inside to the out," Rehman said. "It just makes your space feel so much grander and so much more put together."

He said investing in pieces that complement the natural colors of your environment can help make the space feel even more cohesive and chic.

Of course, the furniture you choose for your home, especially pieces like couches and beds, should be comfortable, but Rehman said it's just as important to prioritize its appearance.

"When people are going to buy furniture, they focus so heavily on the comfort and they don't focus on the style," he said. "They end up buying this big, bubbly couch that has lots of padding, and it has a built-in cupholder and USB chargers. That's great for maybe a movie room, but in your main living room, where you're entertaining, you want to feel sexy, and you want to have people over, and you want to create different moods."

Rehman said there are so many affordable, comfortable pieces with aesthetic appeal that he doesn't understand why people wouldn't pick prettier pieces whenever possible.

"In today's market, there's been so much innovation with the world of design and furniture that finding things that are stylish and comfortable is so much easier than it was five years ago," he said. "Just take that little extra step and go find things that are the best of both worlds."

My trip began with a flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the night before my cruise, and a stay at a budget hotel near my departure port.

This was the first of many crowded bus rides during my trip. Looking back, I wish I had called a cab — especially since the next morning, I piled into a hot bus with several other cruise guests as I headed to the port.

Inside the cruise terminal, there was another long line to get through security. While I waited, I chuckled to myself as I read signs that said, "Adventure begins here."

My obstructed view of the ship leaving Fort Lauderdale was as frustrating as standing behind tall patrons at a concert.

But I found the maps on each floor to be helpful.

While people seemed to enjoy themselves, many communal decks looked and felt like crowded malls.

The outdoor decks had three large pools and several plunge and whirlpools. These spaces were crowded throughout the day. And even though there were rules against saving chairs with towels, I saw plenty of people doing it, so finding a spot to relax was stressful.

A Royal Caribbean representative told Business Insider that crew members might remove items from lounge chairs after 30 minutes. Still, they must also consider families and groups who may be in the pool or going to the restroom when enforcing rules like these, using their best judgment.

From the cruise ship buffet to activities like water slides and mini-golf, I felt like I spent more time waiting in line than enjoying the ship. For example, I waited in line for three hours to play a round of laser tag that was less than 20 minutes long.

At port stops, I waited in lines to go through security every time I left and returned to the ship. This wait time was less annoying than the other lines because it made me feel safer.

I often had to battle through crowds just to find signs for my excursions.

The Royal Caribbean rep told BI that the cruise line worked with local tour operators for its excursions, so air conditioning standards varied.

I hoped to capture an empty image of this majestic jungle bridge, but it wasn't possible without losing my tour crew.

The most enjoyable parts of my cruise were early morning walks on the top deck before other cruisers swarmed in. I think that if I were to book a less crowded cruise next time, I might like it more.

The Duchess of Sussex launched her As Ever brand in the spring, selling items like fruit spreads, high-end honey, and flower petal sprinkles.

As Ever's first two product drops sold out within an hour, and in June, the company announced it was debuting its first-ever wine, a 2023 Napa Valley Rosé curated by Meghan.

As Ever said its rosé is supposed to taste "crisp" and has notes of "stone fruit, gentle minerality, and a lasting finish," much like Provençal rosés from France.

The rosé retails for $30 on As Ever's website, and it sold out almost immediately after going on sale on July 1. The bottles are only available in packs of three, six, or twelve, so it costs consumers at least $90 to taste Meghan's rosé. As Ever has not yet announced if or when it'll restock the rosé.

I've been writing about the royal family and Meghan for years. I've also been closely following As Ever over the past few months as Meghan further expands into the lifestyle space.

Plus, I'm a big rosé fan when I'm off the clock, so I knew I had to try Meghan's wine when it was released.

I decided the best way to experience As Ever's rosé would be in a blind taste test, comparing it to a few other popular rosés on the market.

I didn't think it would be fair to assess the wines by myself, especially because I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to rosé. Give me a glass of pink, cold wine, and I'll be a happy camper.

Three of my colleagues graciously volunteered to spend a Tuesday afternoon drinking with me. (They are such givers, I know.)

Here's a quick rundown of why you can trust us. Spoiler alert: The main qualification is that we like drinking wine.

Callie Ahlgrim, senior pop culture writer: I did work at a wine bar for like a year, but that was a long, long time ago. And since then, I drink wine recreationally and copiously.

Samantha Rollins, deputy editor of entertainment and real estate: I'm a wine enthusiast who has been to France, the rosé capital of the world, in my opinion. So that's my only qualification.

Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief, Life: I'm a new wine lover. I did not drink wine that much in my 20s. I love Rieslings and rosés, and I just got into red. So I think I would be quite picky because I'm sort of new to the whole thing.

Samantha Pettyjohn, senior lifestyle reporter (me): I love rosé, especially in the summer. I'm also well-versed in Meghan Markle and went to California wine country on my honeymoon.

For the taste test, I selected three wines in addition to As Ever, choosing rosés that were pretty similar in price point to Meghan's.

It seemed only fitting to include another celebrity brand, so I chose Côtes de Provence Rosé from Château Miraval, Brad Pitt's wine company. Pitt's Provençal-style rosé cost $23.88.

Next, I selected the $22.49 Summer Water Rosé, which is made on the California coast and offers a slightly different experience with a screw cap.

Finally, I included Whispering Angel, one of the most popular rosés on the market. It's a personal favorite of mine and is made in the Provençal-style like As Ever. It was $22.96.

As Ever ended up being the most expensive wine of the bunch, which wasn't surprising considering it isn't widely available like the others.

For the test, I put a piece of tape on the bottom of each wine glass with "A," "B," "C," or "D" written on it, which corresponded to one of the wines. The code was:

• A: Summer Water
• B: As Ever
• C: Whispering Angel
• D: Château Miraval

The wine was poured out of sight and given to us in a random order, so we didn't know which rosé we were tasting.

First, we tried Miraval's rosé, aka Brad Pitt's wine, aka "wine D" during the test. The flavor was a bit intense for some of us.

McKenzie: It's good to me.

Ahlgrim: It has kind of a sharp aftertaste.

Rollins: It's honestly kind of bitter. I usually like bitter things, but it's a little too bitter.

Pettyjohn: I like it. It's sharp, and I wish I had some cheese to eat with it. It has a champagne-y flavor.

McKenzie: And that, to me, resonates.

Rollins: There's something about it that I don't really like.

Pettyjohn: If a bottle were offered to me, I would certainly have a glass, if not two.

McKenzie: It'd be perfect for hot weather.

Ahlgrim: I think it's more of a dinner wine than a relaxing by the pool kind of wine.

Next, we tried Summer Water, known to us as "wine A." We immediately noticed that it had a pinker hue and a distinct aroma. As we took our first sip, it was easy to see why.

Pettyjohn: Oh, that is way more berry-forward.

Rollins: It's a little more effervescent.

Pettyjohn: This is definitely more pool vibes to me.

McKenzie: This is a better wine.

Ahlgrim: Lighter.

McKenzie: I didn't notice the aftertaste being that sharp on D, but now, this has no aftertaste, and I'm like, "This is better."

Ahlgrim: I like a funkier, tangier wine, but I think most people expect rosé to be a bit sweeter and smoother. So I think this fits what people reach for when they reach for a rosé, more so than the first one.

McKenzie: As a sweet enthusiast, it has my vote.

Ahlgrim: I don't know if I would spend $30 on it because it feels like such easy drinking.

Rollins: To me, this is giving rosé all day. There ain't nothing wrong with it.

As Ever was the third wine we tried, under the alias "wine B." It had the most unexpected flavor profile of the bunch.

Ahlgrim: Oh, I like the smell. This smells more expensive.

Pettyjohn: This tastes expensive. But it doesn't taste like rosé to me. It's good, but it is not what I would expect.

Rollins: This is like a very dry white, maybe.

McKenzie: It has a very bold flavor.

Ahlgrim: I actually like that I don't think it tastes like a rosé. It's much bolder than I expected. I feel like it's aged.

Rollins: There's something oaky about it.

Pettyjohn: It's fancy.

Ahlgrim: It's earthy, almost.

McKenzie: It tastes like a chardonnay. It is giving oak chardonnay.

The final wine of the test was Whispering Angel, which we labeled "wine C." It was a hit or miss vibe for the testers.

Pettyjohn: I do like this one. This is what I would consider easy rosé drinking.

Ahlgrim: Oh, this is bland.

McKenzie: It's very harsh on my tongue. I don't prefer this at all.

Rollins: Really? This one seems like an easier drinking version of B and D.

McKenzie: This one? I don't like it at all. I just taste more of the alcoholic taste, which I don't love.

Ahlgrim: Yes, I think there's very little flavor, and it's more alcohol-forward. This is my least favorite of the four.

Rollins: I feel like this one splits the difference between all of them. It's got a bit of the berry of the other ones, but it's still dry, and it's got the rosé.

Ahlgrim: If somebody gave me a glass of this by the pool, I would drink it, but I would not opt for this if I had the other options.

While we still didn't know which wine was which, we compared them to each other, referring to them by their letter code.

Overall, our takeaway was that Summer Water was the best for casual rosé drinking, thanks to its light and berry flavor, but the taste of As Ever's wine stood out for being unexpected and refreshing.

Miraval sat in the middle of the pack, while Whispering Angel was too alcohol-forward for McKenzie and Ahlgrim.

When we finally found out which wine was which, we were all surprised that "wine B" was As Ever.

Ahlgrim: Oh, that's the one that doesn't taste like rosé! It's weird, and I like that.

McKenzie: It was my number two favorite!

Ahlgrim: As Ever was my top in terms of what I like in a wine. I like a weirder flavor, but I think Summer Water is more rosé-y. But if I saw As Ever at the store, I would buy it again.

Pettyjohn: Me too. I would buy this again, and I think it would be nice if you paired it with fruit or cheese — that vibe. If you brought this to a party, your friends would be like, "Oh, the rosé you brought is so good. Where did you get it?"

Rollins: I would be curious to drink it in a cup, like in one of the "Love Is Blind" cups, where you can't see what color it is, and just be like, "What does that taste like to you?"

Ahlgrim: I admire that Meghan didn't take the easiest route. So many celebrities have an alcohol brand, so I think it was bold of her to do something that does not taste like every other rosé on the market.

Pettyjohn: If I put my Meghan Scholar hat on, I also feel this reflects her as a flavor. You think you're going to get one thing, but then she surprises you, and it's a really lovely flavor, even if it's not necessarily what you were expecting.

McKenzie: It's something that I would order again.

Pettyjohn: Me too.

McKenzie: Her rosé beats Brad Pitt's.

Ahlgrim: 100%.

Once we knew which wine it was, we checked out the As Ever bottle. Its 14.5% alcohol content — the highest of the four — surprised us, particularly because it didn't taste too alcohol-forward. We also liked that the wine seemed versatile.

Ahlgrim: It is the best bang for your buck if you're looking for the highest alcohol content.

McKenzie: 14.5% is pretty high.

Ahlgrim: That surprises me because because of how alcohol-forward I felt like the Whispering Angel was. I expected that to be the highest.

Pettyjohn: I like to make a rosé sangria, and I think As Ever would be good with that.

Ahlgrim: Ooh, with a bit of prosecco or seltzer in it? Yeah, because the flavor is so strong, it would lend itself well to a mix.

Pettyjohn: Yes, exactly.

Ahlgrim: It's not a poolside rosé. It's like a charcuterie rosé.

Pettyjohn: I can see Meghan on her patio, talking to one of her friends, and drinking it.

Ahlgrim, McKenzie, and I said we would buy As Ever down the line, though we want people to know they shouldn't expect a classic rosé flavor. Rollins had reservations, especially because the bottles are only available in three, six, or 12 packs.

Rollins: As Ever was interesting, but I definitely wouldn't order three bottles because of the price and strong flavor. You really have to love the flavor.

Pettyjohn: I would buy it! When I went to Sonoma, one winery had a rosé you could try, and it was very similar to this. It didn't taste how you expected a rosé to taste, but it was good.

McKenzie: It's a good wine. I would order it again. It was my top two. It tastes like a chardonnay, and I don't mind that.

Ahlgrim: The Summer Water would be what I would drink on a Saturday during the day in the summer. Then I would switch to Meghan's at night.

Pettyjohn: I couldn't have said it better myself.

A few days after the official taste test, I revisited As Ever rosé, pouring a glass for myself and my husband.

I gave it a sniff, inhaling that full-bodied, almost orange wine-like scent that surprised me during the test. It was inviting and bright, and as I took a sip, I was delighted that As Ever tasted even more refreshing and crisp than I remembered. My husband was a fan, too, and I had to remind myself not to drink it too quickly over dinner.

Meghan's rosé is a hit in my book, and I'm intrigued to see how her foray into the wine industry continues. Cheers!

The ship has 18 decks and 2,867 staterooms, according to Royal Caribbean. 

I booked a mid-tier room — a step above interior staterooms with no windows, a step below staterooms with a balcony, and two steps below a suite.

My 179-square-foot cabin had a private bathroom, a king-size bed, and an ocean view.

I was surprised by how big the sale was with such a big discount. To me, $1,000 feels like a huge difference in price for the same vacation.

I thought the stateroom made great use of a small space with plenty of storage for my clothes and other belongings. There were two closets for hanging space and more drawers than I used. 

After leaving to start my day each morning, a stateroom attendant cleaned my room. And after I left for dinner each night, they came back to clean up again. Every evening, they brought me fresh towels — sometimes creatively folded — and a flyer featuring the next day's schedule on the ship with the weather, dress code, and any other important information, such as a time change. 

This surprised me because I am used to having my room serviced once daily, if at all, during my hotel stays, and never in Airbnbs.

An electronic shade over the window could be brought down during the day to reveal some grand views. I loved waking up after a night at sea to a front-row view of the place I'd be visiting that day. 

While windowless rooms are cheaper, I couldn't imagine staying in a room without one. My oceanview stateroom cost about $300 more than an entry-level room.

I booked a stateroom at the front of deck eight and felt constant motion in my room.

Some nights were rockier than others. On the roughest nights, I heard and felt a similar sensation to thunder beneath me every few minutes. Loud thumps and heavy vibrations in my room sounded like large pieces of furniture falling. The first night this happened, I feared the worst, but over time, I realized that this was a normal aspect of cruising — but one I would likely never get used to. 

After talking to seasoned cruisers on the ship, several told me that the front of the ship is one of the worst places to be for feeling motion. Higher decks in the middle of the ship feel calmer and more stable, they said. 

Next time, I'd choose a room in the middle of the ship. 

All I had to do for safety training was watch a couple of videos — either on my room TV or on the Royal Caribbean app — and then check into my assembly station, the area that I was assigned to go to in case of an emergency. At the assembly station, an attendant checked via the Royal Caribbean app that I had completed the mandatory training.

I was expecting to attend a large safety training session once I got on the ship, so this alternative was a breeze. 

Since there were so many elevators on the ship, I expected them to be a pretty efficient way to get around. But they were often so crowded and slow that I took the stairs instead. By the middle of my trip, unless I was going all the way up to the pool decks, I always opted for the stairs to save time. 

The ship has 16 guest decks; each deck is divided into three sections — forward, middle, and aft. 

It took me a few days to get used to the sections, and I often found myself heading to the right deck but the wrong section of the ship. Luckily, there were maps on every floor, which I used until the morning I left. 

If I woke up on deck five of Wonder of the Seas with no memory of my cruise, I'd think I was in a shopping mall. 

Aside from the slight movement of the ship, the indoor decks were so big that, as a cruise newbie, it was hard to believe that I was on a gigantic boat in the middle of the ocean. Everywhere I looked, I saw shops, stands, restaurants, large sculptures, and a unique ceiling structure that reminded me of the malls I've visited. 

Aside from music festivals, I've never heard more live music on a trip than on this cruise. On the communal decks, musicians played for hours while people relaxed and played around them. I was also surprised by the eclectic mix of genres I heard, from rock to jazz to classical. 

In addition to the music hall, where concerts were regularly held, live bands performed on indoor and outdoor communal decks. Some people watched, while others listened while swimming, relaxing, or walking around. 

I like to be comfy, so I was dreading formal nights going into this cruise. 

I brought one fancy dress with me to wear whenever I needed. But on the first formal night, I realized that the dress code wasn't strictly enforced. People wore a range of outfits, from evening gowns to T-shirts. 

For the rest of the trip, I also relaxed my interpretation of the dress code. 

One of the unique things about cruising is that most meals, snacks, and drinks are included in the cruise rate.

However, on large ships like Wonder of the Seas, more than a dozen restaurants with specialty offerings like sushi are not included, and incur additional charges, either as a one-time fee or by the dish.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that some of the most delicious and satisfying meals I had were in the restaurants included for guests.

There were a handful of buffets with all different types of food, and the main dining room served a three-course meal with varying menu items each night. These complimentary options satisfied every single one of my cravings. One of my best meals was in the main dining room, where I was seated alone. 

The cruise ship was full of activities and restaurants that I could go to any time, but some restaurants, like the specialty ones, and all the shows on board, required reservations that I made through the Royal Caribbean app.

However, getting reservations for the show and meal times I wanted on the day of was often hard. So, I started making reservations days before each event, depending on its popularity.

For example, the circus-like acrobatic water show in the Aquatheater seemed to be the most popular and hardest reservation to get. I tried to get one on the day of the event, but couldn't find any availability until a show two nights later.

The excursion I was most thrilled about —  a hot air balloon ride over the Bahamas — was canceled the day of because the winds were too high.

It was on the last day of my trip, and with only one day in port, it could not be rescheduled. It was the experience I was looking forward to most, so I was disappointed. On a cruise ship, I learned that all plans are subject to change based on things outside the crew's control, like the weather. 

Since we traveled such a long way to each port, I wrongfully assumed we'd spend more time in them. The ship usually docked in the morning, around 8 a.m., and left in the early afternoon. 

I thought I'd have time to explore the port for a while after each excursion, but some of my excursions took the entire day, getting me back to the boat just in time for departure. I also hoped to see what these places looked like at night, but we never departed after sundown. 

Although I got a taste of the Caribbean, I didn't have enough time to get a sense of each place, which made me realize that I would probably prefer to vacation in just one place and have time to truly explore it. 

Overall, my trip left me in awe. I learned there's nothing like looking out from the top deck and seeing only the ocean surrounding you.

But next time I want to visit the Caribbean, I'll take a plane to one place and explore it deeply.