During my initial consultation with my couples, I always make a point to ask them what their goals are for their photos. After the wedding is over, how do you want to look back and remember your day? For us, it was important to have the digital images from our wedding day, but it was even more critical that we have physical images that we can hold, share and admire on a more regular basis. We’ve framed some of our favorites to look at every day, but there’s something even more special about having an album that tells the whole story—the sentimental details, the emotion and the quirky moments that made our day so uniquely us.

It’s even more special knowing that our children will look through this very album—that they’ll see the whole story of our family and friends coming together in Mexico for a day filled with joy, happy tears and plenty of embarrassing dancing (those amazing photos that would never end up on our living room walls, but make me smile every time I see them). I can’t say enough good things about having a custom wedding album—I’m absolutely giddy.

Our photographs were taken by Stephanie Reeder out of Nashville.

This series from our first look and private vows are the perfect example of photos that I absolutely love to see again and again, but I would never put up on our walls for all to see. They feel more special inside the overall story in our book.

 

I can’t help but share a before and after now that we’ve had a chance to put a little more love into our living room. I’m so in love with this sunny living space.

Here’s what I showed you before:

And here’s what we have now—photos make all the difference.

Picture Rail above the sofa: Room and Board
Brown Shag Rug: Pier 1
Book Shelf & Desk: Crate & Barrel
Sari Stools: Pier 1
White Vases: IKEA

When I was planning my own destination wedding, I spent a lot of

Instructions: DIY Wedding Boutonnieres

1. Materials: Square fabric for the flower, green fabric for stem and leaves, dowel to support the stem, cardboard to support the leaves and thread.
2. Fold the green strip in half and sew along the length of it. Wrap the strip around the dowel and sew it in place to secure.
3. To create the flower, hand sew in a spiral from the center out, pulling the fabric in and securing it in place and you go.
4. Sew the leaves together, and insert cardboard or another firm material in the middle for support. Sew the leaves together, and sew these to the stem.
5. Sew the flower to the leaves and stem. Pin to fasten.

I didn’t quite know what to expect when I agreed six months ago to go to New Orleans with my friend, Jess, and two of her friends, Amanda and Nikki. I had never considered going. It just hadn’t crossed my mind. As it turns out, New Orleans is an amazing city—filled with unbelievable music, food, architecture and culture—and I was in terrific company when I arrived last Wednesday.

We ordered beignets and coffee at Cafe Du Monde. We thought we were ordering four beignets total, but we ended up ordering four orders due to a slight miscommunication, so we received a total of 12 desserts (a happy accident).

We had platefuls of powdered sugar after we were done (along with sugar on the table, our bags, clothes, the floor and everything else close by when the wind picked up). It was worth it.

Nikki, Amanda and Jess—my lovely roommates during the trip.

We came across the most amazing live jazz band in the street. As it turned out, Nikki went to high school with the trombone player—such a small world!

Amanda and Nikki tried on a few masks at a local shop.

You can’t leave New Orleans without stopping at Mother’s Restaurant. I had the grits with cheese.

We caught three parades while we were there. The most amazing was the Muses parade. The parade is all females, and they throw beads and shoes. Yes, shoes.