Dear Adam,

Happy 5 years, FIVE YEARS! Doesn’t that feel like a big deal?

Like 2 kids in 2 years big deal?
Like surviving a global pandemic together, big deal!
Like being quarantined for over 7 weeks alone together, big deal!

Little Adam and Kristen had no idea what year five of marriage would look like when we walked down the aisle together 5 years ago today. But I also don’t think we imagined it could be this sweet.

I don’t think I quite envisioned that I could love someone so deeply, so honestly, and so truly. I didn’t know that kind of love even existed. You have shown me that real love, the kind we work for every day, is the purest form of love known to man.

The love you show me every day is the kind where you show up daily. You pour into me and to our family. You give me grace, and joy, and a steadfastness that has helped us both be our best selves.

Adam, you are every bit the man I dreamed up all those years ago as a little girl in my room, and so much more. You’re kind, slow to anger (God knew I needed this trait in a spouse because I can be a little devil), hilarious, kind, warm, calm, wise, sweet, the best dad, insanely handsome, and so loving.

I am so blessed to have spent the last 5 years calling you my husband. I am so proud to be yours.

This life we have built together is nothing short of amazing and honestly Adam, the next 5 are only going to get better. I can't wait for our adventures and travels, life experiences, and for all those little in-between moments that add up to the big ones.

Thank you for keeping me sane in all this coronavirus madness.
Thank you for indulging my Oreganos craving because you know that being pregnant in quarantine is hard.
Thank you for making me mocktails every weekend so we can pretend like we're both drinking together.
Thank you for encouraging my dreams, listening to my vent sessions, and always making me feel heard.
Thank you for loving Quinn with a love so fierce.
Thank you for talking me off a ledge when we found out we were pregnant, again!
Thank you for being you.

Thank you for being mine. Thank you for choosing me every day.

I love today more than I did 5 years ago, and I didn’t know that was possible. Happy Anniversary my love, you're my greatest adventure.

Adam,

Happy four year wedding anniversary, my love! It's been the fastest (and most amazing) four years of my life. How has it been four years? Besides the fact that I'm less tan, less skinny, and more tired than I was then, it's like no time has passed! :)

Remember four years ago? When we stood in front of our friends and family and made promises to each other? And then we danced and drank champagne into the wee hours. I can still taste the cold bubbly Veuve. Remember the toasts, and the pictures, and all the hugs. Remember how happy everyone was? Remember that feeing of all of best family and best friends being in the same room at the same time? Remember running through bubbles as we made our way to the limo? Remember how we ate Oreganos after our wedding because we were starving.

Remember how that was the greatest day ever.

When we first started dating, I told my gfriend I knew I was gonna marry you. We had only been dating for a month. People told me I was crazy. But ya know what? I knew immediately. I've never been so sure of anything in my life.

Callie calls you my guardian angel, which you are, but honestly you're so much more than that to me. You're my strongest sense of support, the funniest person in my life, the kindest, hottest, smartest man I know and that's just the tip of the iceberg. You're my person, my husband, the father of our sweet baby and my best friend.


I remember when I was a teenager, I used to dream of my life and what it would look like when I was older. I always knew I wanted to be a wife and a mom. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine being those things would be this good. With you, we've created the most amazing baby girl, the best life, and a home that is safe. Not one day goes by I don't thank God for blessing me with you and this life. I'll be forever grateful for you.

You're my favorite human, the greatest husband, and the most magical dad. These last four years have been a dream, I cannot wait for the next 100. Thank you for loving me so well, I promise to always love you in the purest way and to be your home, wherever we are.

Year four babe. Now come home, its's time to celebrate.

Always yours, Kristen


Ps. Look back on year one, two, three, and our wedding!

Today, Adam and I are celebrating 3 years of wedded bliss. While that time doesn't seem long enough to encompass life and the things we've been through, it also feels like time is flying. Three years ago we were just fresh-faced little buns ready to start their life together. We had no damn clue what we were getting ourselves in to, but we knew whatever it was, we were going to do it together.

I love wedding/anniversary recaps. They are all so special to me and I love recapping the love we shared three years ago and the love we're living in now. If you're interested, year one and year two are here.


This year feels extra special. Over the last last year we've grown in our love in a totally different way than I thought possible. With the anticipation of a new baby in this year, it makes everything feel different, in the best way.

This year it's all about things I want Adam to know.

Even though you joke about knowing nothing about babies (like giving them water to drink), I know you’re going to be the best dad because you’re literally the best person I've ever known and you love bigger than anyone.   

I love you even though you turn the toilet paper roll around and make it come out underneath. And even though you're not the best at loading a dishwasher. I appreciate you for helping me. 

When our daughter is 15 and we fight, because we're mom and daughter, promise you'll have her back while reassuring her that I really am a cool mom.

I promise to put our marriage above it all. Before our baby, before our dogs, friends, family because it's you and me babe. We made this enormous vow before God and if we’re strong, all those other things in our life will be even stronger. 

I hope our daughter gets your insane work ethic, kind spirit, gentle sarcasm, enormous capacity for love and full head of hair (even if its blonde!).     

I cry at everything. Thanks for handing me tissues or laughing at me because I'm laughing at the dumbest Apple commercial. 

I love that you love country, so to borrow some words from our boy Jason, 'You're my sunshine in the darkest days. My better half, my saving grace. You make me who I wanna be. You make it easy.'

Watching you paint our daughters room pink, all day on a Saturday, when playoff hockey was on, made you even sexier. And, watching you build her crib was the cherry on top. 

We've had some scary moments in this thing called parenthood and we're not even to the scariest part. From the miscarriage, to 8 weeks of bedrest, thank you for being the rock. I know this has been so hard on you too, but thank you for letting me fall into you time and time again. 

We're always going to have dogs. I know they make our life crazy, but I love that you love our dogs so much.  

Being your wife is one of my greatest honors, but thank you for not letting it be the only thing that defines me. Thank you for encouraging me to chase my dreams, work harder than ever and find my passion. You've been the best source of encouragement, even when it's scary and unknown.  

Thank you for not judging my love of weird TV shows like American Idol, obsession with Carrie Underwood, needing to talk to my best friend for hours on end or my Snoogle. Instead you embrace my weird and I love you for it. 

You are damn good looking. 

I love our basic life. Let me explain. I love that we cook dinner together every night and go to bed together every night. I love that we would rather do things together than apart. I love that we love doing mundane things together. I love that we have our routine that works for us. I love that we have found our basic life, but it doesn't mean we have basic love, because our love is one for the books my love. 

The quiet moments we share are some of my favorite moments. Laying in bed right before we both fall asleep or when we're reading on the couch, or both singing in the car. These are the moments I know I found my heart. 

Happy 3rd Wedding Anniversary my love. I can't possibly describe how much I love you so I'll tell you. You're the best human and husband and you see this world, including me in a way that no one else does. There's no-one in the world like you. I'm the luckiest all because you asked me to be yours. 

The Details: 
Photography: Stephanie Fay Photography
Planner and Coordinator (and basically my life coach): Ashley Gain Weddings
Videography: Serendipity Cinematography
Venue: El Chorro
Flowers: The Flower Studio
Band : Shining Star Band
Makeup : Glam Lounge
Linens : La Tavola Linens
Cake : Ruze Cake House
Dress : Mariee Bridal 
Paper : Alexandra Bruch / Fleurish Letters

Whoo hoo, today is our 2 year wedding anniversary! Like I mentioned yesterday, this is going to be a week of heavy related wedding material. I can't help it people, I love my hubs, I love being married and our wedding was literally the best day ever. This is a super mushy post. Get pumped.

It's crazy to think our wedding was two years ago, when I can still remember every detail like it was yesterday. I can still feel the butterflies, right before I saw Adam for the first time. And the nerves right before walking down the aisle. The nerves are something I'll always remember because there is no feeling like walking down the aisle to get married, in front of 200+ of your friends and family, but the only person you see is your dad and your hubs. It's legit the best case of nerves ever.


Our wedding day was a perfect sunny Saturday afternoon in Paradise Valley. The weather graced us with 78 degree temps, even then those poor boys in tuxes were sweating it up. I've mention before that Adam and I didn't do personalized vows. We did the super traditional, I do. So whenever I get the chance to tell Adam all my personal vows, I jump at the chance.

Yesterday, you read all the things I'd tell myself if I could jump back in time. Today, this post is dedicated to Adam. Adam is the kindest, sweetest and most thoughtful person I've ever know, Every day he chooses me even when I'm acting like a crazy person. He buys me fro yo without asking and he let's me watch Friends in bed every single night.


To Adam. 

• I promise to love you even when you're 90 and insist on wearing a beret to the grocery store. 
• I promise to help shovel snow as long as you take my picture in it first. 
• I promise to cook dinner almost every night, as long as you pour the vino. 
• I promise to love you forever.
• I promise to never ask you to change the channel when the Masters, Super Bowl or any Red Sox game is on. 
• I promise to chase your dreams with you
• I promise to tell my kids how damn kind their dad was on our first date and remind them daily that if they grow up to be like you, they'll be the luckiest. 
• I promise I'll get my own Uber app. 
• I promise to start remembering to turn the alarm off when I let the dogs out at 5am before pure barre so I don't wake you up in a panic. 
• I promise to never make you go to Costco on a Sunday morning. Only Saturdays and Fridays moving forward. 
• I promise to always be your home, regardless of where we live. 
• I promise to give you back massages. 
• I promise to teach our kids that the Yankess suck, the Rangers rule and to never, ever root against the Red Sox or the Broncos. 
• I promise to always have the fridge stocked full of paleo snacks. 
• I promise to never take the vow "till death do us part" lightly. 
• I promise to keep making you laugh, even if my jokes get worse with age. 
• I promise through thick and thin (hopefully always thin.. that was a joke), sick and healthy, strong and weak to pick you up when you need it, love you harder, talk kinder, speak sweeter and never forget the vow we made 2 years ago. 

I promise, we are almost through wedding posts. You don't want to miss Thursdays - an in-depth post on the honeymoon. It only took me two-years to write it, but its all the must-do things in the Grand Cayman, plus some of the most beautiful sunset pictures you've ever seen.


Happy Tuesday friends!

Let's talk details: I literally had the best team of vendors, planners and everything in between. Go show them love and if you're getting married, I highly recommend looking into these amazing people. I'm obsessed with all of them.

Photography: Stephanie Fay Photography
Planner and Coordinator (and basically my life coach): Ashley Gain Weddings
Videography: Serendipity Cinematography
Venue: El Chorro
Flowers: The Flower Studio
Band : Shining Star Band 
Makeup : Angelica + Glam Lounge 
Linens : La Tavola Linens 
Cake : Ruze Cake House 
Dress : Mariee Bridal  
Paper : Alexandra Bruch / Fleurish Letters

Happy Monday friends! Here's your warning that tomorrow is my two-year wedding anniversary, so the next two days are going to be heavily wedding oriented. This last weekend, Adam and I took a last minute trip to Breckenridge. We loaded both pups in the car and ventured to the mountains. If you've never been to Breck, stop everything and book a trip. Breck isn't the most glamorous mountain town, but it is my favorite. Adam said it best, as we pulled onto Main Street, he said, "is it weird how homey Breck feels to me." Me too, Adam, me too.

We ventured the town, watched the Derby, had great meals and enjoyed being away from home for the night. It was the best weekend celebrating us. Two years.

This time, two years ago, I was one day away from being a wife. The countdown was over, the wedding was here. The planning that took 11 months had finally finished and it was time to celebrate and get married!

Two years ago, I was toasting with my girlfriends, rehearsing for my big walk down the aisle and prepping my mind and heart for what it meant to become a wife. Adam and I dated for 4 years before we got married so a part of me thought I knew what I was getting in to, little did I know how much I didn't actually know.

Let's be real, I don't pretend to be an expert on marriage by anyyyyy means. But, I've learned a lot in two years and I cannot wait for all the other stuff I'm going to learn in the next years.

Becoming a wife is hands down one of the best things I've ever done in my life. It's been the most rewarding and fun experience. Tomorrow's post is all the things I want to tell Adam. Today, it's all about me. These are the things I'd tell myself if I could go back in time to that day two years ago.

I'd tell myself that marriage is going to be better than I could even imagine. I'd tell myself that everything I assumed marriage would be like, is even better. I'd tell myself  marriage is work. That choosing to love someone every day is a choice, not a given. I would tell myself that there would be days, just regular days, but those would be the days  I'd look at Adam in awe he choose me. Marriage is fun. Life is way more fun with someone you can do life with. I would tell myself that you will watch a lot of football, but he'll watch RHOC and RHOBH with you. You will both watch The Bachelor because he will support your blogging career with everything he has. I'd tell myself that being a wife is a blessing. It's a blessing to love another person and to be loved in return. I'd remind myself no one is perfect, but choosing to love the imperfections is where your marriage will find its depth. Laughing cures most fights. I'd remind myself that this vow of marriage is not only a vow in front of friends and family, but in the presence of God. I'd remind myself that no one other act is that way. I'd tell myself about the journeys that Adam and I would experience as a couple and how amazing they are. I'd tell myself to give myself and Adam grace. We're young lovers figuring how to do marriage together, for the first time and for the last time. I would remind myself to thank Adam repeatedly for taking Instagram pictures for you. I would tell myself that Adam doesn't know how to load a dishwasher, but to show your appreciation to him when he tries. Speak kindly, show love and kiss often. I would tell myself marriage is the greatest thing ever and to never take it lightly, but to take ourselves lightly. Make promises, keep them and make more. Travel together. Encourage each other, push each other. Wipe his tears because trust me, he will wipe way more of yours. Love each other unconditionally and tell each other often. 

For those of you married, what would you tell yourself if you could go back? What would you remind yourself of? What's the best part of marriage in your opinion? Let's chat. Tell me your thoughts on marriage in the comments.

Tomorrow, we're celebrating the big 2 year mark. I'll be sharing my renewed vows to Adam. It's a tear-jerker, you don't want to miss it.

Happy Monday friends, lets make it a great one.

It doesn't seem quite possible that one year ago today, Adam and I got married. One year ago, I was excitedly getting ready with my best friends and little did I know at that moment, that our wedding day would be the greatest day I could have dreamed of, blowing the roof off whatever already great expectations I had about that day.

[warning] sappy post ahead followed by even more photos.

That day was incredible. Literally the greatest day of my life. I married my love, celebrated with friends and family and ventured into married life happier than ever.

Little did I know that life would only get better than that day already was. Maybe I'm a sap because I'm still considered a newly wed, but marriage is the greatest thing ever. My wedding planner told me this 100 times during wedding planning, the wedding is one day, but your marriage is for the rest of your life. It was so easy to get caught up in planning the perfect day, that sometimes I missed the idea that we were preparing for the rest of our lives.

PS -- if you're following me on Instagram, I promise this morning will be the last anniversary picture for a while. I can't help it.


If I've learned anything, marriage is the greatest even when life isn't the greatest. Marriage is the happy and the sad and the ups and the down. But it's also those amazing quiet times in between. Marriage is learning how to get through life, together. It's about getting through the crap, together.

Adam has transformed the words love and commitment in way I never knew I needed. It's support when it isn't asked. It's love when its not deserved. It's a smoothie on Sunday morning when you had a little too much wine the night before. Or taking Henry out first thing in the morning so I can get another 3 minutes of sleep.

This post is dedicated to Adam and to us. It's a celebration of this amazing life we've created together and the life we will continue to build together. I won the marriage jackpot with him.

To you, Adam, my love. Thank you for asking me on a date five plus years ago, picking me two years ago, and saying I do, one year ago. I can't wait to see all the great things we continue to do together. I love you more than blog posts can express (which you know is a lot). Here's to year one, and here's to 100 more. 

Thanks for letting me be a sap today, regular scheduled posts will be back tomorrow :)

How does one even begin to answer that question? That was my thought exactly when I received this text from my darling cousin, Juanita. Inquisitive minds want to know and my cousin Juanita has one of the most thoughtful and inquisitive minds of a young 20-something person (not to be taken offensively) or anyone really. She has what I would call an old soul. She is constantly challenging me, encouraging me and writing thoughtful pieces, see here, here, here & here. But let's get to her question. What is my definition of love.

When she first sent me this text, my response was "unfailing and forgiving." I've been married for 6 months today (Happy Anniversary Adam and Happy 5 years together!) and those are the two most wonderful attributes of love I've witnessed and ever experienced. They're small words but they're so full.

• Unfailing: Never changing or becoming weaker even in difficult times: Always providing enough of what is needed
• Forgiving: Willing or able to forgive: Allowing room for error or weakness

It feels like something I can't speak on because I haven't had it but it would be someone I felt completely comfortable with. I could say the things I was thinking without ever regretting telling, saying how I felt and never feeling like I had to change. You feel free but you always have someone on your team and if life was musical chairs (the most stressful of all games) you would get to know that no matter what happens while the music is on, when they turn it off you would always have a hand to hold. It's something that enhances your life but doesn't complete it. Like you could always see blue but now you can see the bluest blue and every variation of it. 

I mean, this girl is 20 years old. How is she so smart. Her last line really hit me, "It's something that enhances your life but doesn't complete it." I think I'm learning that lesson in all aspects of my life. If I'm not personally self-fulfilled, how can I expect someone else to fulfill me? Happiness is something I create and while Adam gives me so much happiness and joy, I can't expect him to do that for me every day.

I think that's where we as a generation are losing ourselves and losing our love. We expect to be on a honeymoon forever, cue the 72 day Hollywood marriages. As soon as the extreme high ends, so does the marriage. To me, love, marriage, relationship-- its all a partnership. It's a give and take. It enhances your life, but how can we expect another person, who's going through their own ups and down, to be the sole source of our happiness and joy. Love lasts forever. It lasts through the honeymoon stage, it lasts into the "this is the comfortable part of our life stage" and it lasts into the "we've been married for 45 years" stage. Love, to me, never changes, it adapts.

Feeling like I didn't give Juanita enough, I added on to my definition of love.

Fight for what you believe in, but learn to give some things up. Always say sorry. Don't say things you can't take back. Fight fair, argue fair. Never stop dating your husband. And, sometimes you just have to laugh because it makes things so much easier even when its not easy.

I have some amazing friends and family that I love a lot. I trust their opinions and I trust their thoughts, so of course I had to reach out and hear their definitions of love. I appreciate their honestly and their hearts. Leaving names out to preserve some anonymity, here are some more definitions of love.

• An unconditional commitment to walk with others with honesty, offering and receiving support, and having room to grow. 
• No desire to change  the person (growth and development are not change), want true happiness for them regardless of your place in their life, to be with them all the time but to be okay when you're apart -you feel free. 
• I think love is a choice to put another persons needs, wants and desires above my own while serving that person daily. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
• Love means you would take a bullet for someone else. You value their life more than your own. I feel like love is different for everyone. It's hard, but it's so wonderful and crazy at the same time!
• Love is unexplainable, because I think it is different for every person who has it.  

What's your definition of love? 

Today is such a fun post for me to write. One month ago today, I got married!! I know I've said many times that "this post" is my favorite or "this one" is, but seriously, this post is my most favorite, not just to write, but to share and to re-live and re-read again and again.

Warning: This is a LONG post with lots of details and pictures, but I promise it's a good one. May 9, 2015, I got to marry the love of my life. But before we get there... let's back up.

Wedding week started Tuesday, May 6, 2015. I flew into Scottsdale and the week started with a bang. Mani/pedis with mom, errands, hair appointments, dress fittings and lots of champagne and celebrating. This whole experience was so wonderful because I got to plan so much of it with my mom. She's the one who did all the leg work with me, running around town like chickens with our heads cut off. It was so fun getting to do all these last minute details with her. Adam flew Wednesday night and we toasted with celebratory drinks with my parents. This was the last time it would just be the four of us!

Thursday is when wedding week got into full swing. Bridesmaids and groomsman were flying in from all over the county; Nebraska, California, New Orleans, Boston and from all over Phoenix. Thursday night we spray tanned together, drank champs together and prepared for the weekend. Friday morning was the rehearsal at our venue, bridesmaids brunch and the rehearsal dinner. Our rehearsal dinner was thrown my Adams parent's and it was absolutely stunning. It was such a great time to sit down with our close friends and family and prepare for the wedding day. Adam and I are so lucky to have such amazing friends and family. They toasted us, roasted us and celebrated with us. It was such a wonderful night, one I won't soon forget. That night ended with me heading home with my parents and Adam heading home with his. We said goodbye, knowing the next time we saw each other would be right before the wedding!

May 9, 2015. The morning started bright and early with all the bridesmaids coming to my parents house for hair, makeup, lunch, champs and sooo many pictures. That morning was one I wish I could do over and over. I was so calm, I felt so relaxed. I had such a peace going into our wedding day. I knew that I was walking into my future with the man of my dreams and nothing about that scared me or made me nervous. I was excited, happy and ready for the day to begin! The whole morning went so fast and all of a sudden my mom was helping me into my dress and I was off to the venue for our first look. Here is where the ultimate debate began - to have a first look or not. We decided on a first look because ultimately we wanted to have more time to spend at our cocktail hour and with our guests. I'm honestly really glad we did, it gave us a moment to really see each other before and our photographers did the best job giving us a super private moment.
After our first look, I did a first look with my dad which was really special. He hadn't been there when I was getting ready and hadn't seen my dress yet. It was another great moment to have some time with my dad.
After that it was picture after picture with our wedding party. Adam and I had a huge wedding party, 13 on each side. Yes, I know, that's a lot, but we're both so lucky to have great friends and great family to stand beside us. We took a ton of wonderful pictures that I can't stop looking at. To our wedding party; thank you for being there for us on this day. Having you all there was so important to us we are so grateful for all of you. After wedding party and family photos, it was time to take our places, the wedding was about to start!
The wedding was such a blur, it went so fast. First, I'm walking down the aisle with my dad and before I knew it, they announced us husband and wife and we were back down the aisle! Our Pastor was my Pastor from the time I was three years old. He was there when I was baptized, he confirmed me and now he married Adam and I. He did a really special job of tailoring our wedding ceremony to us, it was perfect.

After the ceremony was over, we took some more photos, signed our marriage license and were off to cocktail hour and reception. Cocktail hour was so fun. I loved getting to spend time with our guests, chatting, catching up and enjoying the day.

The ceremony was so wonderful. Again, Adam and I are so lucky to have our friends and family. I had two Maids of Honor and their toasts brought both Adam and I to tears. They touched on our friendship, my relationship with Adam and the special memories that made this day so wonderful. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends who know me, know Adam and know us. They've been with "us" since our first date, and to have them there on our wedding day was more special to me than they will ever know. Adam's brother Ryan, was his best man, and gave a wonderful toast dedicated to the love we have and the love we've created and worked hard for. He touched on making our relationship work through law school and being an inspiration. It was so wonderful. Our first dance was sang by Adam's best friend J.P. He sang "Fools Rush In," and it was incredible. I've watched our video about 80 times and I cry every time. It was such a special moment.

The reception flew by. All of a sudden it was over and we were being zipped away in a limo. Adam and I are so thankful for the friends and family that came to our wedding. Each and every one of our guests made our day perfect and they have helped create the relationship we have today. It is a day I will never forget. Here's to the next 100 years with my forever man.

I've dreamed about this day for over 4 years now. I knew when I first met Adam that he was "the one" and now here we are! It's our wedding day! This quote is from my favorite show ever and I just love how it applies to us. It's May 9, 2015, I've been waiting for this day and this man, forever.

Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always. A promise. Like a reward for persisting through life so long alone. A belief in each other and the possibility of love. A decision to ignore, simply rise above the pain of the past. A covenant, which at once binds two souls and yet severs prior ties. A celebration of the chance taken and the challenge that lies ahead. For two will always be stronger than one, like a team braced against the tempest civil world. And love will always be the guiding force in our lives. For tonight is mere formality. Only an announcement to the world of feelings long held. Promises made long ago. In the sacred spaces of our hearts.
-One Tree Hill

So, if you're new around here or haven't been following me on instagram or twitter, then you might not know, but I'm getting married in 2 days! 2 days. Yes, that number still shocks me, but I am SO excited to marry Adam. It's what this whole process is about and it's finally here, 4 and a half years later built up to this day and it cannot come soon enough.

Over the last 11 months I've gotten my fair share of advice, most wanted and needed, some not so much. I thought since my wedding planning process is almost over, I'd share the best pieces of wedding advice I've learned and maybe things I wish I would have known! P.S. Helene from Helene in Between just celebrated her 4-year wedding anniversary and shared some of her marriage tips, go check them out!

• The best piece of advice I received was from my wedding planner, "Remember at the end of the day, you're marrying your best friend and starting your forever, all this other stuff is just secondary. You'll be married for the rest of you life and the wedding is just the beginning." My wedding planner told me this at one of our first meetings and it set the tone for the whole planning process. I felt calm and at peace because I knew, and she reminded me that this process was temporary but our marriage will be forever. 
• Even though you will, don't over-stress the small details. They're important but so is your sanity. 
• You can't please everyone. 
• Have good music. I prefer a live band, but make sure whatever you pick, it's good. People love to dance at weddings. 
• When you're opening gifts at a shower, make sure you smile, even if you're not sure what it is when you open it. 
• Pick your invitations far in advance. I did my kind of last minute and it was so stressful. 
• Bridesmaids dresses, good luck. 
• Take lots of pictures along the way, hopefully this is a one-time experience, you'll want to remember it. 
• Long dresses hide knee braces, a tip for wedding and a tip for life. 
• When you plan your engagement party, get chicken wings, because the groomsman will probably stay up until 4am with your dad and eat the entire tray.
• When you're planning, drink champagne, it makes it so much more fun! 
• Pick a wedding planner that gets you, your vision and your style. I'm so OCD so I knew I needed a planner that understood that and knew how to handle that. With my planner, I had a planner, mentor and friend, the perfect combo for planning your dream day. 
• Don't forgot to include your fiancé, if he wants to be! Adam couldn't care less about color of flowers, but seating chart, he had an opinion, and remember it's his wedding too! 
• Stand strong on the things you really want, but give a little on the things you don't, it will make this whole thing easier. 
• Remember your mom has been planning her little girls wedding forever too. Sharing this with my mom, even when we disagreed on stuff, has made this process everything. I couldn't have done it without her, nor would I want too. 
• Remember to eat before your dress fitting, or else you get hot and faint. Trust me, it happens. 
• When you get a spray tan, make sure your nephew doesn't pee on you. 
• Have fun! You're planning your wedding! Enjoy it.

Happy Friday everyone and Happy May! Today is such an exciting Friday for me because it's my last day of work before my wedding! Officially 8 days away! Last weekend I was in Vegas for my bachelorette party and needless to say, I wasn't feeling too hot this week. So please excuse my lack of posts. After a quick visit to urgent care, a negative strep test, I was out the door with some antibiotics and on my way to health! But... this is by far, my most favorite weekend recap ever. I got to spend 3 days with my gorgeous friends (wait until you see the pictures!), sisters, all who happen to be my bridesmaids. It was so fun spending time with my best friends, I feel so lucky to have these beautiful ladies with me in life, vegas and at my wedding. Picture time!

And, because it's Friday, here are some of my favorite things from this week.

• These double chocolate coconut flour muffins.
• This breakfast sandwich, because breakfast is the best.
• Taco Dip.
• Tostadas because mexican food is life.  
• These cute shirts from Kallie at But First, Coffee that I need! 
• This strong desire I have to be in a book club, any takers? 
• Polaroids and Giveaways!
• Vanilla Almond Butter