My girl Jillian is the sweetest ever. From our first diner coffee date to our time together at her wedding, I couldn't help but to be obsessed with her. Her sweetness, kindness, compassion, and concern for others is so evident in everything she does. She is so adored by everyone around her, and it is the most beautiful thing to see…
I, myself, my bloodline, am not Irish. You would think I would be with a maiden name of McGrath. But, if I could choose to be, I would be Irish. I was raised by a stepdad who was Irish, and was surrounded by the folklore, hearty food, and beautiful string music that is so prevalent in Irish culture. The heart of Ireland has my own heart.
Being a part of Chris + Kait's wedding was like a homecoming...
Oh, it is so hard to put wedding days into words, isn't it? Maybe descriptive cut scenes are better - a mash up of adjectives and nouns to best explain the nuances.
The small, fragile hands buttoning Gabby's gown. The smile you couldn't wipe off her face if you tried. The way Mike read his card from Gabby with such care. The helping hands he was to his groomsmen even thought it was his wedding day. The taste of the end of summer on the breeze at the ceremony, and in the sun as it began to go down after the recessional...
The day-of timeline can sometimes be one of the more daunting aspects of planning a wedding day. Most standard wedding photography contracts cover 8 hours, and it can sometimes seem disingenuous to seemingly try to cram months and months of planning into 8 hours of photos. Trust me: it can be done - and is done well, and regularly. :)
Wedding days are always so obviously filled with tangible beauty. Gorgeous gowns, perfect hair, tailored suits, luxurious gifts. But what makes them special, unique, and worth every ounce of effort put into planning them...is the intangible beauty; the beauty you can't see, but can feel. The laughter. The tears. The sweet phrases. The hugs, kisses, and awestruck wonder of new beginnings...
So, let me just tell you something: Brooke is one of the funniest, most charismatic, and all sorts of hilarious people you could ever hope to meet. There's something about her funny way that is so direct and endearing, you can't help but fall in love with her. I know that's how she first charmed Paul... ;)
Last year, I made a commitment to give away one free wedding package each year to a couple who had lost a parent. My mom passed away before I was married, and not having her on my wedding day with me was heartbreaking. There is so much community in loss. It's an odd community. A bittersweet one. But a community, nonetheless...
How to adequately write about Katie + Eytan's gorgeous backyard wedding? I have no good words to describe the colorful hydrangeas, the precious sunshine mixed with rain, the whimsical gown, the elegant guests, the incredible band. I have no words to explain Eytan's bow when he saw Katie walk down the aisle, no words to express Katie's dad's sweet expressions, no words to capture Katie's calm and sweet and dear demeanor, no words to hold on to the heart flutters of everyone who was captivated by Katie + Eytan's duet at the end of their reception...
If you know me, you know I pretty much live and breathe by Instagram. I think social media is absolutely incredible, and the connections that it brings into my life are not only invaluable for my business, but also totally for my heart.
Sweet, sweet Danielle was my very first inquiry on Instagram ever. I about died when I read in her contact form that she found me there. Our first meeting was adorable, and her sparkly eyes and calm spirit were so much goodness - those eyes sparkle even more when Justin is around. :)
Panera Bread cafes are where a lot of my wedding consultations happen. The smell of yummy soup and bread, tasty tea and coffee, and cute cookies contributes to the overall sweetness of these meetings. The first consultation with a clientfriend is one of my favorite things. I imagine it to be kind of like a first date, where you are mutually excited/nervous/curious in the beginning, but then you hit it off, and just talk and talk and talk for time on end. That's how it was when I met Nicole. I could tell she was my kind of people as soon as I handed her a coffee...
Dear 20-year-old me,
Hey, it's me. Well, you. Well, us together. We are the same.
30 years ago today a 30-year-old woman gave birth to a round baby girl that the nurses said looked like the Gerber baby, and others questioned whether or not you were named after Erika Kane from Days of Our Lives (because that was cool in the '80s). Actually, you were named after your mother's brother, Eric. Your mom was psyched that day; you were a miracle baby, and she had had dreams of you long before you were even born.
My mom died before I was even engaged, which was truly heartbreaking to me. Her biggest dream was to see her daughters get married. Growing up, we talked a lot about weddings. We talked about gowns and rings and how she prayed for us to marry the perfect person.
We talked. I miss that.
The anniversary of Mum's death is July 16. 6 years. So, sometimes, July sucks. But this year, July is going to be awesome. Why?
Because I'm giving away a wedding.
Yes. For real. This is not a joke.
I'm giving away a wedding package for the upcoming 2018 season.
Shana + Rob are what I refer to as the realest of the real. I remember meeting them at our initial consultation, and thinking, Wow - these people feel like old friends; I could talk to them for days. Seriously. They are confident, but kind. They were excited, but down-to-earth. Their wedding day was gorgeous, and oh so them...
I teared up when Lori + George's wedding was over. For real. Happy tears, but also sad tears. Because it was over. Two years of planning. Two years of texting back and forth. Two years of dreaming about this incredible day. I kind of feel like one of my limbs has been cut off without being able to say "xyz number of days left - eeee!" to Lori. It feels a little weird. You see, I have been with these two souls for 24 whole months; they booked me for their fabulous wedding day in 2015, and it has been my absolute joy to walk with them along this path.
When Lori + George's officiant was offering a small message during their marriage ceremony, he mentioned that these two loves scored the highest anyone could score on a compatibility test during their marriage counseling. Truth be told, it wasn't that surprising. ;) Lori is to George what the sun is to the moon; brightness that is continually reflected between two beings. Their hearts are intertwined in some of the most beautiful of ways...
