WARNING: Long post ahead… I need to be better about updating more often!

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Well, it’s officially full speed ahead when it comes to wedding planning!

A few weeks after we moved to Florida we were able to finally decide on a wedding date. We needed to wait until we could get more information regarding Conor’s training and such. It was exciting when we finally found our date:

January 14, 2017

It’s gonna be a Vermont Winter Wedding folks!!

Once the date was decided I did plenty of research online in regards to venues. Conor had one request when it came to the venue and where we got married, he just wanted a place where we could all stay together as one big group of family and friends. When doing my research I did the best I could to find what he wanted, as it something both of us find very important in our wedding.  I was in contact with multiple venues at the same time, my brain was a complete mess! I had finally narrowed it down to two venues.

From the day we narrowed down our date I had been texting, calling, and messaging my Mom back and forth all day every day, talking pretty much ONLY wedding. She convinced me that I really needed to come home to look at these venues in person. So, I booked tickets and a week later I was on a plane flying home to Vermont!

The day after I arrived home I traveled to the first venue, The Ponds at Bolton Valley, with my Mom and Conor’s Mom, Sara. We were given a tour by the wedding coordinator, Shana. I was in awe of the beauty of the venue. On the inside it looks like a giant rustic cabin, has a floor to ceiling fireplace, and the entire concept that I know Conor was looking for. At one point Shana had me stand in front of the fireplace where I would be if we were getting married there. She pointed out where all our guests would be and I instantly welled up. Thinking about looking out on all of the most important and special people in our lives while I get to marry my best friend…I was completely overcome with emotion. It was at this moment that I knew this place was for us! This would be the fireplace I’d stand in front of and marry the love of my life.

The Ponds at Bolton Valley is owned by the Essex Resort and Spa, a beautiful culinary resort in Essex, Vermont. I went with both my Mom and Sara the next day to tour the Inn as it’s where all our family, wedding party, guests, as well as Conor and I will be staying the entire weekend. I was blown away by the Inn. It’s exactly what I was looking for. It was quintessential Vermont, which is exactly the kind of place I wanted our out of town guests to stay. Also, the fact that they had fresh baked goods in the doorway as you walked in and the entire place smells like cinnamon buns sealed the deal.

After many days of figuring out the little, yet complicated, tasks it was finally time to start the super fun and exciting parts! It just so happened that a majority of the girls I was going to ask to be in my wedding party were all going to be in Burlington that same weekend. My Mom had the idea of planning a Bridal Brunch for us all to get together and celebrate (as I hadn’t seen any of these girls since before I got engaged). I thought it was a great idea, so we had planned it for that Saturday!

When at home, my Mom pulled out a box of some things from their wedding. In it was a big stack of pictures from their wedding shower. It was so fun to look at all their pictures, wedding invitations, and engagement announcement from the newspaper. I came across this picture which I think is one of my favorites!

I had met up with one of my best friends,Hannah, a few days prior to brunch. We grabbed lunch and a celebratory drink down on Church Street (as we had two things to celebrate, my engagement, and her passing her Honors College Thesis THAT DAY)! It was then that I had asked her to be my Maid of Honor! Although I haven’t known Hannah the longest of all my friends, she has been there every day, no matter what. We are one in the same, I’ve never met another person more similar to me than her. She has been 100% supportive of me, my goals, and especially my relationship with Conor from the start. She’s beautiful inside and out and I’m incredibly lucky to have a friend like her in my life.

A few days later we had our Bridal Brunch. It was hosted by my beautiful and wonderful Mother at Hotel Vermont at the Juniper Restaurant. It was then that I had asked some other good friends of mine to be my bridesmaids!

 

I enjoyed breakfast with the girls as well as my Mom, Aunt, Grandma, Conor’s Mom, and Grandma. It was such a special morning spent with some of the most wonderful ladies in my life.

It was time to return back to Florida not long after, but I felt great leaving knowing that we had a lot of the wedding planning done and underway. But man, it sure is hard to leave the beautiful state I get to call home.

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My week at home was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have gotten through it without the help of my amazing beautiful Mother. She’s been so much help through this entire process. From sun up to sun down somedays it’s constant texting back and forth regarding wedding and she’s never one to not listen. I love you Mom, and can’t imagine doing this without you!

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I arrived back in Florida and Conor and I celebrated with drinks down at a local beer garden in Destin. It was so nice to catch up after a week away and talk all things wedding in person. The fact that he’s just excited about this whole process as I am means so much to me. He’s truly a special guy and I’m one lucky girl to be by his side.

Once back in Florida I still had one more friend to ask to be a bridesmaid and that was Hannah Henrichs. Hannah is married to Aaron, who is one of Conor’s very best friends from the Academy. All four of us were stationed together at Vance, now are all at Hurlburt Field together, and actually… our apartment is right across the parking lot from theres. Conor and I both knew that we couldn’t get married without these two wonderful and cherished friends by our side. I asked Hannah when we went to their apartment for dinner one night (as we all eat together almost every night…). She was so surprised and excited, and I am truly SO happy to have her by my side through this whole process.

Just the other day Conor and I went to get engagement pictures done by a local photographer here in Fort Walton Beach area. We went to Eden Gardens State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. It was absolutely beautiful and the exact location I imagined for our pictures. I had been texting the photographer, Anna, all day and asked her opinion on bringing Jaggs. She was ALL for it, and in the end I’m really glad we did. Though he may have photo bombed more pictures than planned, I know that we got a few really cute shots with him. Conor and I have only had pictures taken once (hey senior pictures) and never had them done together, so we definitely felt a bit awkward but we’re hoping they still came out great!

NOW… I am officially all caught up with wedding planning updates. From here, my parents will be coming out next week to enjoy a Florida vacation. My Mom and I will go DRESS SHOPPING a couple of times and the rest of the week will be spent enjoying the sunshine and beaches here.

I’m determined to enjoy these next 8 months of being a fiancee, as it only happens once in my life. So far, wedding planning has brought Conor and I closer together and we’re both ecstatic for the weekend where we officially become Mr. and Mrs. For now, we’re going to continue to enjoy the process and take in each moment. Because come January 14, we’ll be #GettingHiggyWithIt

CHEERS!!