Thursday, December 20, 2012

ONE DAY IN DECEMBER

 Logo by Cris Tulle

So here we are, at the end of 2012. I can hardly believe another year has gone by and that Christmas is right around the corner. As I look back to everything this year has brought to me, I feel proud to be where I am and excited to find out what next year will bring. I know that I am a little bit stronger, a little bit wiser, and a little bit grayer, but couldn't be happier.

MY HUSBAND AND I.....
 
HAD A BABY
The most amazing event of the year was, hands down, the birth of my first child, Addison Claire. She is 9 1/2 months old now and she is the most amazing little person in the world. My husband and I are both totally smitten and feel so lucky that we get to be her parents. Adjusting to life as a new mom was tough and I definitely had my ups and downs, especially when it was time to balance work and baby, but I wouldn't change any of it for the world and still feel all giddy inside when I watch her sleep or see her smile and know that she's mine.



RENOVATED A HOUSE
You might remember from my 2011 "One Day in December" post, that my husband and I had just decided to move into a 90 year old house across the street from my in-laws and gut it from top to bottom. I laugh as I look back on that post at my naivety and positiveness - I really did believe that I would be moving into the completed house before the baby entered the world. Well, we moved in with my in-laws in December 2011 with high hopes that it would last one month as finishing touches were put on our new house, and it turned into TEN months.  

I experienced the last 3 1/2 months of my pregnancy (including a very stressful nesting phase that I could not act on), the birth of Addison, and the first 6 1/2 months of her life all while living with my in-laws. I will be forever grateful for everything they've done for us and for the sacrifices they made, but it definitely was not what I had planned for that time of my life.

That being said, I am happy to announce that we are finally living in the house! It is not totally complete (is it ever?), but we are getting there and it feels amazing to have our own space as a new little family. More blog posts to come in the future with interior pics, tips, and lessons learned.



RUFFLES & TWEED...
 
WAS PUBLISHED
I am super pumped to announce that two of my 2012 weddings and one of my 2011 weddings were published on Style Me Pretty this year! Such happy, happy days those were. All of the weddings took place at one of my favorite places, Island Farm on Elihu Island in Stonington, CT. It's a family-owned Island that only hosts 4 weddings a year (by appointment only) and is just gorgeous and magical, as you'll see in the pics. And, I am lucky enough to be the exclusive Planner/Designer for the space - lucky, lucky girl I am. The greatest thing about these weddings is that, despite the fact that they all occurred in the same place, they are all uniquely their own and were so much fun to help design.

You can find the full posts and full galleries on Style Me Pretty here, here, and here!


BECAME THE EXCLUSIVE PLANNERS FOR ANOTHER WEDDING VENUE
It's always so nice to be referred by colleagues in the industry, and when a caterer friend told the owners of a sprawling estate that they should work with me as they begin to think about how to host weddings at their incredibly beautiful mansion, I was over the moon. Since then, I've been working closely with them to get some initial logistics and details in place as we entertain inquiries and ramp up for what could potentially be a very successful first wedding season. I'm keeping the details and location a secret for now, so no pics just yet, but will be sure to spill the beans in the coming year, and can't wait to share the future events with all of you.

It really has been an astounding year, and I continue to meet the most amazing, inspirational people as I get further and further into this exciting industry. It's true what they say, and by "they" I mean Conan O'Brien:

 Quote by Conan O'Brien, Print by grassgreendesign, Image found via Etsy

One Day in December is quickly becoming an annual TWIPS* tradition. It's a way for us all to take the time to sit and reflect on the past year, as we remember our accomplishments, struggles, moments of clarity, and stages of doubt, as we attempt to teach and inspire through our own experiences. I hope you enjoy the series, and for some more inspiration, check out yesterday's post by Jen of Blush Printables, and tomorrow's post by Nicole of Simply Savannah Events.
  
*"TWIPS {Twitter Wedding Inspirational Pals} is a virtual wedding community comprised of international wedding vendors of various disciplines within the industry. The TWIPS community, created to promote camaraderie in the wedding industry, supports its members within a social media based network. Members are encouraged to educate and inspire one another while promoting, and celebrating the accomplishments, accolades, and advancements of all members." 
Text taken from http://thetwips.com/about 


Wednesday, December 19, 2012

WEDNESDAY'S WORDS TO LIVE BY

Print by angelaferrara, image found via Etsy

Saturday, December 15, 2012

WHEN THE WORLD STOPS

I was thinking this week that I haven't been posting enough, and was getting excited about bringing back my "Friday's From Room to Wedding" feature and some new things I've been mustering up...and then something happened...something unimaginable...something so awful it makes you sick...makes your heart ache and your mind race...the world stops and you can't think straight...you can't imagine what the people involved are going through...can't imagine if it were to happen to you...and suddenly there was nothing important enough to post...

Then I came across a perfect little blog post by Lucinda Wesson of Chocolate Creative Design on her blog glitter, glue & fireflies. It says everything I've been thinking, feeling, trying to put into words. And, of course, it made me sob uncontrollably all over again. 

Here's an itty bitty excerpt...be sure to head on over to Lucinda's blog and read the full heartwarming post here.

My heart hurts...
for those children..
the adults..
the parents..
the 20 empty stockings hanging on all the 20 mantlepieces..
 

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

TUESDAY SHOESDAY

This Tuesday Shoesday is brought to you by my friend, Amanda Alpern Cordero, who has so graciously introduced me to my new obsession - Tory Burch cheetah-print haircalf pumps. Yup, I'm pretty much in love. They would work equally well with jeans for a weekend lunch date or with a red sheath dress for an evening holiday party. And...I am super happy to announce that they are currently on sale!
Image found via Tory Burch
 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

TUESDAY SHOESDAY

Oh shoe boots, how I love thee. These Stuart Weitzman stunners might definitely need to find their way into my closet. Yesterday.

They have all the cuteness of your favorite black suede pumps, but with the added support of a tied shoe. And they're on sale for $155 (from $268) on Yoox.com - get 'em while they're hot!
Image found via Yoox.com