Our Wedding {Decor}

I had a really good time planning and designing our wedding. My family thought I was a little crazy when I insisted that we stick to a certain (early) timeline, but I'm really glad I followed it; it made the weeks around the wedding pretty stress free! I was busy beforehand, but it never became unmanageable. 

Our Wedding {Party}

I knew this before the wedding, but my friends are seriously amazing. My bridesmaids are the most warmhearted, fun group of women. 

Our Wedding {Ceremony 2}

Our longtime friend Sue helped my vision for flowers become a reality. I told her I wanted them to look slightly wild, with lots of peach and yellow and soft orange. Not only did she do a gorgeous job - she was also a joy to have around. It makes a difference to surround yourself with sunny people during a time that everyone seems to think should be stressful. 

John and I are both classical musicians, which is probably why we didn't want that style for our ceremony. We had been thinking fun, laid back, and "bluegrassy" all along, but when I decided to walk down the aisle to a folk song, it sealed the deal. I remember being surprised to hear singing when I walked out expecting instrumental - and laughing in the back of my mind, thinking if this is what will "go wrong" today, it's fine with me.

Our Wedding {Ceremony I}

Hi friends,

Hooray, we have our wedding photos! Once Like a Spark did a beautiful job of capturing the day, and I'm so excited to share it with you!

Bits of Summer

John and I have been spending lots of time relaxing and daydreaming and planning our future. I suppose that's what all newlyweds do? You can usually find us behind our house with a little Whiskey or Zinfandel in hand, figuring out the next best step.

Other bits of summer:

1. Mac & Cheese

2. Long Evening Walks

3. Letting Herbie run himself silly in empty baseball fields

4. Furniture Hunting

5. Blueberry Cake

6. Thinking about painting (but not actually doing it)

We are really looking forward to spending this weekend in the sand and the sun with my family in North Myrtle Beach. Happy Thursday, everyone!

The Southern Belle

Moving back to the South - and being unexpectedly content with it - has left me reflecting on what it means to be a Southern lady. I loved this beautiful article from Garden and Gun last year about what sets us apart. To be born a Southern woman is to be made aware of your distinctiveness.

As Allison Glock says, Southern women have a lot of pride. Here's why:

1. We are caretakers.
2. We use an abundance of salt when cooking. Just ask John.
3. We are willing to give (time, food, hugs, advice).
4. We are tied to history...when you carry in your bones the incontrovertible knowledge of man's violence and limitations, daring to stay sweet is about the most radical thing you can do.
5. We know how to make other women feel pretty. This is important to us - to let our friends know how wonderful they are. Friendship is one of the only things we have.
6. And of course, Southern women know the value of a stiff drink.

There's something irresistible about a woman who's not afraid of a little butter (I said a little, Paula Deen) and who can make you feel at home even when you're hundreds of miles away. There's something sexy about having enough self-respect to put on a nice dress and curl your hair, knowing it's about presentation rather than vanity. Perhaps we have it best in the 21st century, with the freedom to choose which Southern Lady rules to follow and which ones to break.

Thanks, Garden and Gun, for assigning words to something we live every day. You're much more eloquent than those "Southern girl" AIM profiles that were copied and pasted all the way into 2009. You describe us as good-humored, with a wisdom all our own, and we think you're right. You understand us, and we love you for it.

My grandmother, a beautiful Southern lady if I've ever seen one.

My aunt in Augusta, GA,  wearing a beautiful dress chosen by her mother, above.

Summer Weekends

Summer weekends are the best. A Converse wedding and a trip to Charleston made this past one especially nice. We were able to squeeze in some good food at Hominy Grill and Husk and do a little furniture scouting for our condo.

I'd been dying to try Husk since the buzz surrounding its NY Times write up last year, and it was amazing. Everything is sourced from the South, and it's wildly creative while still tasting like home. We can't wait to go back.

xo.

One Big Circle

With Mom and Dad at the Peace Center for the 2003 Senior Showcase. 

Moving back to the South wasn't something I planned to do. When arrows started pointing in this direction, I was dubious at best. I thought I had too much to do and too much to see to come back so soon.

Luckily, I followed the signs and ended up with a job at a life-changing school that I love. SCGSAH is the place that really started shaping the person I would become, and there's something comforting about the cyclical nature of my return to Greenville. Now I have the opportunity to give others what I was given, and it's really an honor.

And no one believes me when I tell them about the good old days:

there were guys who spent the entire summer of 2002 rafting the Reedy in duct-taped blow-up chairs,

the Raid really happened,

and a trip to Cherrydale on an old yellow school bus was something to be excited about.

xo.

P.S. We were all thrilled to see Newsweek's list of the top high schools in the U.S. - SCGSAH was number 42!

John's Birthday!

Last year on John's birthday, we went horseback riding! 

These photos of baby John are what inspired the surprise. It was the only time he had ever been on a horse, and he had always wanted to ride again. 

And here's one of my own childhood pony rides. Notice that while I just look like a girl riding a pony on a rope, John manages to look like a tiny cowboy. He is so proud of that get up.

Happy birthday, Husband. Here's to growing old together.

Our Wedding {Kid Photos}

John made a slideshow for the Rehearsal Dinner using photos from our childhood. Here are some of my favorites!

Just driving my airplane.

Our Wedding {Rehearsal Dinner}

On Friday night, everyone headed to our Rehearsal Dinner at Rose Hill Estate. People tend to have tunnel vision looking towards a wedding reception as the big event, and it's true that the wedding requires tons more work. It was so special, though, to have everyone at the more intimate Rehearsal Dinner. To have best friends and family all together over cocktails and a nice meal is unforgettable.

{Leading up to} Our Wedding

After our friends arrived in Aiken, we wasted no time. We made pedicures our priority before having dinner Thursday at Tako Sushi. Next, we had a party at the bridesmaids' house - a huge cottage we rented at Rose Hill Estate. It was so much fun to stay together and share a house! Highly recommended. We used the cottage for a shower, sun bathing, and even the Farewell Brunch on Sunday morning after the wedding.