Weddings have, for a long time, been subject to locked-in traditions that can be costly and time-consuming and could even take away some of the personality of a couple. However, more and more couples are starting to look at things differently. They’re starting to move away from typical wedding traditions and instead are looking to define their own big day and do things how they want to. And it’s ... Read more
A Wedding at the Farm at South Mountain
Cousins are your first best friends. Growing up, my cousin Paulette, my sister Angie and I were inseparable. So when Paulette's wedding came up this month, I was thrilled to be able to fly back to Phoenix from Chicago. I was also excited to attend a wedding at the Farm at South Mountain. It's the perfect venue. The ceremony was in the Stone Grove, followed by the dinner reception at Quiessence. ... Read more
6 Etsy Purchases I Loved for Wedding Planning
Etsy vendors helped me immensely as I planned our Maui wedding. I gravitated toward romantic, floral designs in everything I ordered — to match my new last name. In the age of Pinterest, it's easy to get carried away with DIY, but chances are there's an item on Etsy that is both beautiful and reasonably priced. And vendors will often customize your item if you request it. My favorite ... Read more
Maui Wedding: Getting Ready for the Big Day
I've been reliving our wedding day by looking through our photos. People are right when they say it all happens so fast. I'm glad I let myself feel all the emotions that came with the big day: stress, excitement, happiness, love, gratitude — all of it. I loved our wedding. After snorkeling, we went back to the hotel to get ready. Graham worked tirelessly to take care of everything that came up so ... Read more
Wedding Day Snorkeling in Maui
Our wedding day came and went much too quickly. I woke up after finally getting enough rest to find Graham was gone. He had woken up early to purchase pineapples for our wedding table and get me an iced Granita from Lava Java in Kihei. There was a beautifully written letter waiting for me on the bathroom counter. I couldn't believe the day had arrived! This was actually the first time in a ... Read more
My Bridal Shower at True Food Kitchen in Phoenix
The wedding festivities began the week before our trip with my bachelorette and bridal shower. The day of my bachelorette was spent battling the first symptoms of a cold and stressing out about what to wear. I didn't quite feel good in anything. I found a dress I thought I'd like, but then when I got home I felt not so pretty. Graham was incredibly patient with me. He took me back to the store to ... Read more
Maui Wedding: Getting Our Marriage License
Graham and I got down to business as soon as we landed in Maui for our wedding trip. We left the airport, along my maid of honor, and headed to Maui Specialty Chocolates to pick up our wedding favors, which were mini boxes of chocolates. The shop owner, Anthony, was kind enough to e-mail me a week or two before the wedding to let me know that a personal matter was closing the store down the week ... Read more