A few weeks ago, I planned to head south to visit my parents and run some wedding errands. My parents live in a city right across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon so we do all of our shopping there. (Hello, no sales tax!) Whenever I plan to go visit my parents I always have to get creative about my transportation. It’s not so close that I can just take public transportation – but there are definitely options, like taking a bus, train, or even plane. They’re not very flexible options though and when I get to my parents’ house, I never have a car to drive! (For those of you that don’t know, I got rid of my own car when I moved near downtown Seattle.)
While I was planning this trip, I was thinking just how convenient it would be if I could drive myself down so I could make my own schedule. Plus it would give me the freedom to drive around town once I got to my parents’ house. I ended up having the awesome opportunity to drive a 2018 Mazda6 Signature for my trip! To be honest, since I don’t have a car and don’t drive often I was a little nervous to drive a new car but it was so easy to get used to. I immediately felt comfortable after driving it for a few minutes and driving from Seattle to Portland was easy peasy.
Disclaimer: I got to drive the Mazda6 for a week thanks to Mazda USA in exchange for posts. All opinions are 100% my thoughts and I was not asked to share anything in particular. I believe in being completely honest with you, all the time.
My Favorite Mazda6 Features
My absolute favorite feature had to be the 360 camera. Basically the Mazda6 has four cameras that show the entire surroundings around the vehicle to help you safely back out of your garage, parallel park, etc. As someone who isn’t a master-level parker, this is super helpful. Gone are the days of having to open your car door to see if you’re over the line, friends. I also loved the heads-up display on the windshield. It shows if you’re too close to the car in front of you, your current driving speed, and the speed limit.
Aside from a lot of tech features, the car itself is quite roomy in the front and has a very large trunk which came in handy while we shopped! The backseat isn’t extremely large but it is still comfortable for me, although I’m on the petite side. We enjoyed the leather seats and they have heated and ventilated front seats so for those living in both cooler or hotter climates, these would work for you. Overall the car was extremely comfortable and just really smooth. I also felt like it wasn’t too large for someone more petite like myself yet big enough to fit my passengers and our luggage. I am honestly so impressed with my first Mazda I’ve ever driven that I would absolutely consider getting one when I’m ready to be a car owner again!
Wedding Planning Update #2
In my first wedding planning update post here I talked briefly about wedding dress shopping. The next step after picking your dress is to lock down alterations. Even if your dress is your exact size, it will need some adjustments to ensure it fits your body perfectly. Alterations can also take a long time and require several fittings so finding someone you trust AND who has the availability can be tricky. I knew that I wanted to secure an alteration spot ASAP so that was my main mission for the weekend. My mom and I made an appointment for a fashion designer who doubles as an alterations specialist and met at her studio in downtown Portland. In just the consultation I learned so much about what can be altered in a dress! I am soo excited to see the final outcome!
We also booked a wedding coordinator! A coordinator handles all details the day of your wedding so instead of having to answer questions from family and friends, they are the point of contact. They also help ensure vendors are prompt, manage the timeline, review contracts, and help oversee the whole event. Many coordinators help with some planning aspects leading up to the wedding as well. So there are just a few more vendors we’ll need to book then it’s just focusing on allllll the little details like decor.
I’ve also picked the dress color for my bridesmaids, walked through my venue on a sunny day (thank you Seattle for cooperating!!), and picked out a style for my wedding band. This weekend we’re probably going to some jewelry stores to try bands on in case anything needs to be custom ordered. Also a bit of a silly errand but I can’t seem to find good shoes for the wedding so I am on the hunt for some comfortable heels – do they exist??
I can’t wait to share more details soon and hopefully drive another Mazda in the future as well! Thank you Mazda for lending me this car, it was seriously so fun to drive and helped me run errands so much easier!
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