Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Out with the old in with the New Year!

2014 has proven to be the greatest year of my life. I can only say positive things have happened to me this year.  I cherish my friends, coworkers, family and fiance so much and I have been so blessed to spend the time that I have had with them this year. It's been hard living away from my parents and most of my best friends for two years and now it's going to get even harder. But, I am ready for the adventure... We have some big news to announce but first, let's recap how awesome this year has been.


April: 
-We celebrated Jace (Scott's nephew)'s 1st birthday

May:
 - Scott and I got engaged and spent the best weekend in Gulf Shores with my best friend and her boyfriend. They even got to be apart of our engagement! Not to mention we spent 4 days on the beach jamming at a music fest
- I spent Memorial Day weekend with best friends celebrating a birthday and tradition in New Orleans
- We bought our first home!

June:
- Bonnaroo. nuff said. + Potentially our last for a while.

July:
Miami for a Bachelorette weekend!

August: 
- Our family celebrated my Grandmother's 90th birthday at Lake Guntersville
- The first of my high school girlfriends got married!
- My very first best friend had her first baby!

September:
- We added Voly (our puppy) to our family

October- December:
- Spent with family and friends celebrating holidays traveling to North Carolina and Georgia and even had friends visit us here in Tennessee. My brother and sister-in- law were here to celebrate Christmas early which is difficult for them both being in the Army!

I have been so lucky to be able to take all those trips and in between them were numerous other weddings and showers. It has been such a jam packed year. I have the most amazing job and friends here that have been there to support us along the way through everything and it's going to be so hard to say goodbye to them. But, Scott was given an incredible opportunity this Christmas that we just can't pass up..
So, in January, We will be moving to Salt Lake City, Utah. 

I don't know what we've done to deserve this opportunity but I suppose Scott's hard work is paying off. (He is also lucky to have such an amazing boss ;) )
It is going to be so hard to leave our home that we have made here but I've started to believe that ole motto that "everything happens for a reason." We will be heading out there soon to make our new mark on the map and settle down for a while. Thank you to all who have made this such an amazing year and 2015- I am ready to see what you have in store for us. 






Sunday, December 7, 2014

I found a photographer! & my wedding dress!
              I am so excited to have Nathan Westerfield shoot our wedding photos. We aren't getting engagement photos taken so that makes them even more special. He's a Nashville photographer and graciously willing to travel to the Smoky Mountains for our ceremony with no problemos. He was so fantastic about responding to me quickly about everything! Check out his site & tell your friends! 
       
            After 7 months hunting online for dresses I finally have the dress of my dreams! I know I haven't tried on dozens of dresses like some girls have but I've had all the stress with every other aspect of our "elopement turned small wedding turned elopement with ceremony." I thought I was planning the easiest wedding in the world but the truth is no wedding is stress free. Even eloping. You always hurt someone's feelings and what they say hurts your feelings. What it all comes down to though is it is your day. It is your choice of date, location, people attending and attire you wear. I hope others realize this sooner than I did. Those that love you enough will accept your choices and move on. That being said and back to my original topic... I kept with my gut in repeatedly searching online stores for the perfect dress.
My style problem was- I don't love traditional wedding dresses and I didn't want to pay the price for one .I REALLY wanted a vintage dress but didn't have the best luck with dresses I purchased with the quality after decades passed and how I would reconstruct them without doubling what I paid.  I ended up finding a dress from a designer website that is not even a wedding dress. But screams bohemian wedding dress to me. I have 5 months to go and can't wait!
              Stay tuned for more. :)

BohoAnnaBelle