The Power of Habit, Part 2: Defining & Tracking Habits for Success

On Monday, I started talking about the powerful transformation that can happen when you commit to a particular habit. The first step is defining your personal philosophy or mantra- the feeling and motivation behind your small daily actions. Personally, I've always craved routine and habit. Growing up, I was committed to my dance schedule and practiced several times a week. Although we had tons of fun, I didn't always want to go to class. At the end of the season, we started winning. A lot. It was a direct result of the hours we had committed to our art. You might have experienced this with saving money, practicing an instrument, or committing to your career. The beauty of the slight edge is that time is on your side if you use it wisely. 

Nothing to do with this post, but isn't is beautiful? From Here. 

The next logical step after you create your personal philosophy is to actually cultivate the habits that matter. Olson recommends starting to implement positive habits in seven areas: health, happiness, relationships, personal development, finances, career, and your positive impact on the world. Since I had already been using Lift, I had some habits in place already but decided to build on them after finishing The Slight Edge. I also went through my Year Designer to identify any goals that could benefit from daily action and added those. 

I use the Lift App to track my daily habits. It's a brilliantly designed app that is simple, clean, and effective. You could also just write your habits as a checklist, journal daily, or have an accountability partner. With Lift, you can have "friends" to support and encourage your goals. Isaiah and I both use it and daily ask each other how we're doing. 

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Currently, I have 16 habits that serve me and my family. They are all extremely simple. Easy to do, and easy not to do. I know that doing these small daily disciplines is what will help push me out of survival mode and into success. My habits below are listed in order of my day, how I would typically structure my day. 

• WAKE: rise at 7am, before Rowan and Isaiah. 
• SIP: drink a glass of h20 first thing upon rising, bonus points for adding lemon & sea salt
• BRUSH: brush and floss, morning and night 
• SIMPLIFY: start my work day by sitting down at my office desk, opening my Simplified Planner to look over my schedule for the day and write a to-do list. 
• BREATHE For me, this can mean either a guided meditation, a pause for a few deep breaths or anything in between. The focus is on centering myself and focusing on the present moment. 
• CLEAR: Getting my inbox to zero by offering responses that are quick, marking longer replies as to-do, and categorizing e-mails from clients that don't need a response. 
• THANK: At this point in my day (around 10 or 11), I like to send an e-mail with a thanks, make a phone call, or just express gratitude.
• COOK: one of my goals this year is to cook something every day. Doesn't matter which meal, but I've been cooking around dinner. 
• MINT: we use mint for our budgeting and personal finance. I've found that it's easiest to keep up with categorizing spending if I login to the account everyday on my phone or iPad. 
• PLAY: Now before all of you who aren't parents jump on my case, read this article. It's a goal of mine to spend an hour a day playing and reading with Rowan. No phone, TV, or secondary activities. I'll talk more about this when I go over my daily schedule next month. 
• TIDY: if our kitchen is 100% clean at least once a day, it's always manageable. I also like to do a quick clean of my office and living room daily. 
• SWEAT: this habit is strictly for vigorous exercise like running, a For the Glow workout at home, or Pilates. 
• TRACK: I've been tracking my daily intake and exercise with My Fitness Pal since before Christmas. It's so easy for me to justify just one more glass of wine, so this app helps keep my portions in check. At the end of the day I check this habit if I've accurately logged my intake.
• KISS This habit helps me to remember to pay attention to my marriage, think about what Isaiah needs, and how to nurture our relationship. Kissing always helps. :) 
• STRETCH: we have been doing a 15 minute relaxation yoga and found that our sleep is more restful and muscles more loose (surprise, surprise!)
• READ: any book, at least 5 minutes. It's not much but I've already finished three books this year. Blogs and magazines don't count. 

Easy to do, easier not to do. You don't need 16 habits to start, or any magic number. Identify your goals and the habits will almost jump out at you! Habit creates momentum, remember that time is on your side even when your habits feel draining or mundane. Since I've been tracking my habits, I've quickly noticed the ones that are the hardest for me (waking up at 7? seems impossible). Plus, I try to remember this and that helps. ;) 

I hope this mini series is helping you think about the seemingly insignificant actions that make up your day to day life. On Friday I will be posting the final segment on this series on the power of habit, this time from the perspective of an entrepreneur and work at home mama. Make your day count! 

The Power of Habit, Part 1: Creating your Personal Philosophy

Over the past year my husband and I have both been interested in the power of habits. For health, taking care of our home, making it through the day to day monotony of a "day job", eating well, you name it. We both have read the blog Zen Habits for a while now. I find Leo's posts so inspiring and motivating. Last year I started using the Lift App and went back and forth determining which habits I wanted to track and stick with. One of my strengths is being a "strategist". I love tracking, seeing progress, and being efficient with my time and energy. Sometimes I think I could create my whole day out of small habits. 

Last week I read The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, which I can't recommend highly enough. Goal setting, dreaming big, and personal development are some of my biggest passions (hence this blog), so I've been working my way through some of Jess Lively's book suggestions for the top 10 resolutions. The Slight Edge focuses on daily practices that, compounded over time, will drive you directly to your own definition of success. Olson says that "People who live with huge, vivid, clearly articulated dreams are pulled along toward those dreams with such force they come practically unstoppable". The author brings up the incredible point that you don't have to be a genius to be happy, successful, healthy, or anything. All you have to do is be consistent about the things you already know how to do. 

The first step, according to Olson, is to create your personal philosophy. I had been thinking about this for a while now, even before I read the slight edge. Thanks to my inspiring words board, I had a good place to start. Have you ever thought about your personal philosophy or mantra? Olson says, "by your philosophy, all I mean is changing the way you think about simple everyday things. Once you do, then you will take the steps you need to take, to lead you to the how-to's you need". He says it's the attitude behind your habits that have the power to create lasting change. Sounds easy enough! 

Some quotes, philosophies, if you will, I've been thinking about are... "She designed a life she loved", "Do what matters, forget the rest", and, "How you spend your days is, of course, how you spend your life", among others. As I continued reading through the philosophy chapter, a few sentences jumped out at me immediately. "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. There is a natural progression to everything in life: plant, cultivate, harvest."  Once I read those few lines, my personal philosophy was self evident. 

"If it matters to you, cultivate it"

Cultivate has many definitions, one that says, "to foster the growth of, to raise or grow something under conditions you can control". This is a philosophy that can stay in the back of my mind when laziness or fatigue set in. When I don't feel like waking up at 7, even though I know it''ll start my day off right. I can think of this philosophy when I'm watching TV instead of playing with Rowan, even know I know I value quality time with him. When I'm tempted to order a pizza instead of cook, start my workday late, let too many days slide without flossing. These things are important to me! They are so easy do do, but just as easy not to do. On Wednesday I'll be back with a post on my 16 daily habits for success & how I track them. On Friday I plan to post about how you can incorporate simple daily disciplines to drive your success as a creative entrepreneur. Have you read The Slight Edge? Are you intrigued? 

Coffee Talk... How to Relieve Anxiety on Vacation.

Hi everyone! I hope you've had the best start to 2014. Rowan and I jetted off to Mexico for a few weeks to soak up the sun and spend some time with my in-laws. It was definitely a refreshing start to the new year! However, I sometimes felt this sense of urgency to get home, and start working on my goals for the year. My anxiety sky-rocketed around day 3. For a couple days I couldn't shake the feeling that I had things to do! Workouts, bills to be paid, e-mails to be written, calls to be returned, dishes to do, laundry to fold, you name it. After that I realized how lame that was and started to just enjoy myself. 

Blurry iPhone pic, real vaca recap soon! 

I've seen other bloggers have a coffee talk section of their blog, and truthfully I just love the idea of coming to this place and writing about whatever is on my mind. Besides, anyone who knows me knows that the instant someone suggests a coffee date at Morsels I am already there. After I was stressed and anxious on vacation, trying to "just relax" doesn't quite work for me. I like scheduled relaxation, things to do. Naturally, I set some goals for myself.

What could I do  our of my normal sphere to continue working on my goals and also just enjoy my time away?

1. I stopped working, completely. I was scared this would backlash but honestly not one of my amazing clients wrote to me while I was away. They knew I was on vacation and wanted me to enjoy it. How lucky am I? Best clients ever.

2. I continued cooking, eating clean, and logging what I ate into My Fitness Pal. This didn't feel like work to me, I love numbers, tracking, and seeing progress over time.

3. I went on four runs to the beach! This was lovely. It was cloudy and rainy a few days but there is nothing like running outside. I felt strong and my head clear. 

4. I read two books. Keep in mind, my goal for the year was to read one single book. I'm on a roll now! While in Mexico I read 7 and Women, Food & God. Highly recommend both! Even with internet access I chose to read instead. 

5. I stayed off of social media. Of course I had to post some cute #rowaninmexico photos on Instagram, but I didn't spend time scrolling through the endless pit of social media. 

This might seem like simple stuff to some of you who are good at relaxing, but I'm so glad we stayed for a few weeks! It took me a few days to get the hang of it. Now that I'm home and rediscovering my rhythm, I'm starting to incorporate more of these relaxing and anxiety lifting techniques into my life at home. Even though I'm working, I am sticking to my schedule (which includes adequate rest), eating well, exercising, reading, and laying low on social media. 

Do you ever suffer from anxiety or nervousness? Even on vacation? I would love to hear from you in the comments below! 

xo 

2013 Letter Review.

Happy 2014! How did you spend New Year's Eve? We had fun with some friends eating Thai Food, drinking wine and playing with our babies. Last year, one of my biggest goals was to make make new friends- primarily close girl friends here in Traverse City. I am so thankful for my new friends! 

Today I wanted to spend just a minute reviewing last year's letter. 

Dear Rachel,

It is January 1st, 2014. Life is more wonderful than I could have imagined. I thought that 2012 was a blessed year, with a new husband, financial freedom and the conception of a perfect baby boy, but 2013 exceeded my expectations. Absolutely astounding. I was able to focus on what matters, and forget the rest. YES. Everything was better than I expected. I refocused after Rowan's birth and am getting better everyday at forgetting the rest. 

easily the highlight of our year. :)

We brought our beautiful son into the world in June who Isaiah and I cherish and love above almost all else. We make bonding and family time a top priority. We were able to visit my parents and grandfather, and took time in the summer to visit family in Connecticut. We spend time together everyday, even if just a few minutes. We visited Minnesota twice, and Isaiah's grandparents came to Michigan! We have a trip planned to CT for May. 

After I gave the natural, med-free birth that I trained and prepared for, I never returned to the bank full time. We are wise with our money and as a team developed a budget and found a way to support our family the most efficiently. Birth was not med-free, but it was just how it was supposed to go. You can read the birth story here, if you wish.

Each month we review out budget and statements. We do not use our credit cards and are working on diminishing our debt. I feel comfortable and secure financially and Isaiah and I are constantly on the same page.  We have been working on our budget- empowerment and transparency. We have started using Mint and continue to reduce our debt. 

We established a workspace for Occasion that is the perfect place to build my business. It is clean and allows me to think and create freely, without clutter (mental or physical). I feel peaceful in my office. Yay! I love my studio so much. I will post photos this year, but you can see some previews over on Instagram! 

My blog is picking up with regular posting and gaining meaningful readership each month. I write about my business, family, inspirations and intentions as I approach and experience motherhood. Yea! I still love blogging so much, and am grateful for the friends and connections I've made through writing. Ultimately, this is a perfect space to express myself and share more about my little life. 

I have found a way to generate income while working from home in some capacity. This could be through calligraphy, floral design, or another extension of Occasions. Working creatively with my hands has been rewarding and helped me define where I want my business to go in the future. I've developed a business plan and am so satisfied with where I'm at. I went above and beyond the expectations of my clients and this only deepened my sense of gratitude for amazing clients. This was an intentionally "slow" year for me, but I was still able to produce a photo shoot that I'm proud of and grow Occasions behind the scenes. I am ready for 2014! My oh my! 2013 was incredible. I changed my business name to Sincerely, Ginger Weddings & Events to truly reflect the core of my heart & business. I knocked out 2 amazing weddings and 2 editorial shoots that I'm very proud of, and have 10 weddings booked for 2014. I've generated enough income for the year and can be at home with Rowan. (I want to stress how much I did not think this was going to happen. Put your biggest dreams out there, you will be blown away.)

During pregnancy, I made the best use of my time. I gained a "normal" amount of weight and ate healthily and exercised throughout. We eat a balanced diet and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. After I gave birth I continued to focus on my health and wellness as I easily achieved my pre-pregnancy weight. Yes! I gained a little more than ideal, but after Rowan was born I started slowly exercising and eating well. I joined the Postnatal Project and have been cooking at home much more. Not to my pre-pregnancy weight yet, but I'm trying to be patient. 

I designed baby's nursery on a budget and we love the way it looks! It is organized and simple, perfect for nursing, changing, and letting baby sleep. We took tons of photos this year! We printed them out and even framed some! I love Rowan's room! It's organized, easy to clean, and perfectly neutral. I printed about 400 photos this year, and indeed, put a few in frames. Hoping to continue this next year! 

During my maternity leave, I learned to maintain the house and clean regularly. We have "systems" and organization in each area of our home. It makes cleaning and finding things a breeze! Isaiah and I feel like our responsibilities are divided equitably and fairly. As I write this, Isaiah is folding laundry (good sign, right?). I did pretty well this summer, we are sharing responsibilities. This year we are focusing even more on streamlining our home so this is natural. 

I strengthened my relationships with Brittany, Callie, Natalie and Bk this year. I made an effort to remember birthdays and call more often. Friendship took a new role in my life. I was able to balance relationships with my oldest, greatest friends with some new ones too. I'm working on building up "my team" of supporters, and in turn I am more fully present with others. Some relationships didn't grow the way I imagined they would, but that only left room for lots of new friends. I am so grateful for my new girlfriends and industry friends. I honestly have like 4 coffee dates a week. I love that! 

This year I read more and watched less television. It was a good example for baby and great for my brain. I read a mixture of fiction and non-fiction that included baby books, business development and cookbooks- some fiction too. We also read to our little babe almost every night. Could've been better about this. I know part of it is our new TV, and nursing. It's so easy to watch TV a lot when you have a newborn who just wants to sleep in your arms. We did read a lot, but we watched more TV. I do read to Rowan daily! 

I felt beautiful this year. Pregnancy was healthy and I took care of myself. During pregnancy I practiced yoga and walked outside regularly. Afterwards I hit the gym harder and got back into running at a comfortable pace. Even through early motherhood, I made myself feel great by taking relaxing baths, and made "getting ready" in the morning a priority. I am grateful for an uneventful and healthy pregnancy. We walked a lot this summer, and now I'm just starting to get back into vigorous exercise. 

We were very picky about how we spent our time. When given the chance to travel, we focused on visiting family and friends. During that time it was relaxing and stress-free. Lots of time outdoors, at the beach, eating together. It was lovely. I was so happy to make more trips downstate this year, to see Isaiah's parents and grandparents. We also went to Minnesota as a family, and Rowan and I took a separate trip to see my parents. It truly was lovely, and something I hope to do each year! 

Above all, I showed Isaiah how much I love him, and I put family first. Together we lead a household with a foundation of love. Our marriage serves to show our son what's really important, because we focus on living out those intentions daily. We supported each others goals wholeheartedly and went after what we wanted fiercely. We are learning to dream bigger. If you read my 2015 letter yesterday, you might recognize this little passage. I didn't add it to my 2015 letter because we didn't do this last year, but because we DID and it was AMAZING. I love this mission. I love our marriage. I want to continue focusing on our intentions, supporting each other, and showing love. 

Letter to my Future Self: 2014 Inspiration & Goals

Dear Rachel, 

Welcome! It's January 1st, 2015. Can you believe what a crazy beautiful year it was? Rowan is a year and a half old now, he's running all over the place, keeping you so busy. He is so smart, curious and playful. You were able to balance working from home with caring for Rowan, and felt balanced by using your time wisely and sticking to your family schedule. Aren't you glad you created that last year? 

2014 Inspiration. Sources on Pinterest (click through).

Balance and streamlining home & work was extremely important this year. I used my Simplified Planner daily to prioritize for the day and plan for the future. I am using tools that are at my disposal to track, record, and form habits for the things that are important- of note: I use Lift, My Fitness Pal & Runkeeper daily. As a result, I have stayed on track with my habits and goals. On Sundays, I prepped smartly for the week by cleaning the house, grocery shopping & meal planning. We went to church as a family most weeks and feel even more deeply connected to our community at Watershed. 

We took two amazing trips this year! In January, Rowan and I visited Grammy Di Di & Grandpa G in Mexico and had the sweetest time! I recharged, spent time in the son, and relaxed for a whole 12 days. When I returned from the trip I was rejuvenated and excited to work smartly for my brides. I jumped right into our family schedule and felt productive and energized as a result. That feeling stayed throughout the year. In May we visited our family in Connecticut for 10 days! It was wonderful to spend time with family, and Isaiah and I even got away for a night or two to celebrate our wedding anniversary early. 

Every morning, Isaiah and I wake up at 7 am. He cleans the kitchen & preps breakfast while I go to the gym on weekdays. The first half of the year was spent training for the half marathon I completed in June and finishing the Postnatal Project. I love going to the gym in the morning! When the YMCA opened and Isaiah switched to the day shift, I got a new membership. We all leave the house at the same time- Ro & I drop Isaiah at work and go to the Y where he has childcare provided.

We eat at least 1 meal together, as a family, at home, every day. I usually cook dinner for us while Isaiah plays with Rowan. I am very focused on clean eating and feeding our family nutritious and yummy food. For other meals, I try to follow Jen's Superfood Diet because it leaves me feeling energized and fueled. For breakfast we usually have a smoothie or eggs & veggies. Lunch is leftovers, salad, or a wrap, and dinner is our time to experiment or eat lean and green. I was so happy in November when I reached my "happy weight"! Consistency with healthy food, exercise (especially running), and daily tracking was beneficial and left me feeling empowered. I never felt like slave to food, overly hungry, or like I had to exercise. 

Sincerely, Ginger is growing and changing to even more strongly align with my core. I feel like I am serving the clients who I can help the most, my brides are my friends! I love the work I do daily, feel appreciated, respected, and paid appropriately. I executed 10 amazing celebrations of love, and am currently working on 8-10 more for 2015! I put together 4 editorial shoots with different wedding professionals, resulting in quality relationships, elevation in each of our craft, and recognition within the industry. I also wrote my business plan with the hard numbers and had a meeting with my mentors to review it. I hired a bookkeeper who is the best. I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to run a successful, purpose driven business from home. Entirely blessed. 

When the wedding season was really busy, I felt calm and peaceful. Thanks to a supportive husband, my in-laws, two fabulous interns, and a full time nanny for Rowan, I was ahead of the game all season! Our house stayed manageably clean, I continued to eat real food, exercise, and had plenty of quality time with Rowan. Isaiah and I maintained our monthly dates, and I surprised him with something awesome for his 30th birthday! We celebrated birthdays in style this year. :)   I also was better about sending Thank You notes... embarrassingly, I finally got the hang of this. 

I worked smarter at managing our household. We have peace of mind and transparency with our finances, with a huge thanks to Mint! We worked at eliminating the remaining portion of our debt, and also started to save more money. We purchased a second car when the time was right, and are so glad we waited for the right opportunity. I streamlined as much as I could and continually cleared the clutter. We simplified majorly at home. I cut distractions like crazy. I use social media more purposefully and blog often. I have fresh flowers in the house every day. Yep, every single day. 

Above all, I showed Isaiah how much I love him, and I put family first. Together we lead a household with a foundation of love. Our marriage serves to show our son what's really important, because we focus on living out those intentions daily. We supported each others goals wholeheartedly and went after what we wanted fiercely. We are learning to dream even bigger.

---

Happy New Year's Eve, friends! Can you believe another year has passed (well, almost)? Tomorrow I will be posting my January goals, and the review of last year's letter. xo

2013 in Review

Oh, my! If I had to describe 2013 in words, in a blog post, I just couldn't. Thankfully, there are photos! Probably too many of them, but I am so grateful for each and every one. 

Made with Over

In January, my main focus was work and pregnancy. Actually, that was the theme of the first few months of the year! Isaiah was working late evenings (usually until 11pm or later) and we only had one car. This meant that I spent a lot of time at home alone after work, or dropping him off and picking him up! I started going to pre-natal yoga on Monday nights which was relaxing. I took plenty of naps. We had just found out the gender of our babe, so I also spent lots of  time day dreaming about our little man! I started blogging more regularly, and worked hard at building my business and preparing for Amy & Jon's wedding day. 

February was a lot of the same! Continued to drink too much coffee for a pregnant lady, dredging through the snow to a job I didn't love (at all), but saw the value in. My in-laws were in Mexico, so we were missing them. Overall it was a lonely month to be honest! I slept a lot. But we did work on my office, go out for Valentine's Day, and I spent time working on my floral design. 

In March and April, I was SO pregnant! At least it felt that way. :) I took a childbirth education class and devoted a lot of time to preparing for motherhood. I enjoyed a few baby showers and visits from family! It was quiet... I knew that the next few months would be bringing radical change so I did my best to slow down and live in the moment. Nesting kicked in majorly- I was an organizing and list making machine! I loved feeling Rowan kick and move. We took baths a lot. 

May was a month devoted to Amy & Jon's Wedding, my last month of work at the bank (!!!), and just living with that huge belly! I remember being so stressed about my pregnancy during this month. I tend to focus my energy on things I can't control (working on it) so this doesn't even surprise me. Rowan was always happy and healthy throughout my whole pregnancy and for that I am so grateful! This month, my in-laws visited and we finished my office and had a huge cooking weekend to freeze meals for after baby. It was the best. 

After Amy's incredibly fun and beautiful wedding, I found out that my dear friend Nicole was getting married... in JULY, and she wanted my help. Well, being the way I am- I said why not! Her and Tyler came up north over Memorial day to essentially plan their whole wedding. We walked, I prayed that  labor would start early, and was counting down my last minutes of work at the bank.

Sweet Pea Photography

Eventually, I was done with work! It was two weeks of impatiently waiting, but when Rowan arrived a week late, it was worth every single second. His birth was incredible and without a doubt the most amazing moment of my life. You can read more about Rowan's birth here. 

Isaiah and I celebrated our wedding anniversary! It was our first time leaving Rowan and I was anxious, but entirely glad that my in-laws were the ones to babysit. We tried to ground ourselves a bit, it was hard to believe everything that was actually happening! We ate, drank, and even went on the ferris wheel. :) 

In July, Rowan's newborn photos came back and I was obsessed! I think they are everywhere on the internet now. I don't care. We went on lots of walks downtown, met up with friends, and enjoyed summer in Northern Michigan! We worked at our community farm, too. It was fun to take Rowan to the beach for the first time at Good Harbor Bay! 

Before I knew it, It was the end of the month and time for Nicole's wedding. Rowan and I packed up and headed down to Flushing, Michigan where we spent days arranging flowers and coordinating the whole weekend. 

and it was perfect. 

Nic Gatlin Photography

After the wedding, we spent lots of time enjoying summer. We started hiking, I got some alone time (aka drinking coffee and browsing Pinterest at Oryana), and took too many (but still not enough) photos of Rowan. We met up with Krista and Elizabeth a lot and walked downtown. It was the best ever to have friends with babies! We went to our local Breastfeeding group on Mondays, too. It was so much fun when Madison and Gwendolyn were born! 

In August, Isaiah turned 29 and the next day we took off for a week long trip to Minnesota. We spent precious time with my family, especially visiting with my Grandpa at the lake. Ro got to meet some new faces and it was the perfect week for us all to just relax. We ate burritos, shopped, swam in the lake and looked at old photos.

We took Rowan to his first baseball game with my parents! I nursed at Target field and ate too much ice cream. :) 

After that trip, I got very tired and anxious. I was worried about finding a part time job, probably not sleeping enough, and missing Isaiah since he worked so much. As you can see- I was very tired. But I still made time for this photoshoot, played with flowers, went to church, and ate brunch with my family on Sundays. It was a trying few weeks but when answers came and prayers were answered... even more amazing things started to happen. 

My Northern Michigan Styled shoot was featured over here, and I officially launched my website! I got back into blogging and started working harder for my brides. In one month, I booked six incredible weddings and feel so blessed to be a "Work at home mom". It's been challenging to find a balance, but is something I'm working on every day. 

Through the fall we continued to get produce from our magic CSA box that we pick up every Monday. We had fun cooking and trying our best to eat all the tomatoes! We transitioned Rowan into his crib and I started exercising more regularly. 

Rowan loves the Moby wrap and his stroller. His favorite thing was meeting up with Madi & Gwen to go for walks and coffee! I started the Postnatal Project with For the Glow and worked out daily and started up my green smoothies. Rowan was still nursing strong and learning new things every day!

In November, I turned 25, visited my family in Minnesota again and hosted Thanksgiving. It was a really busy month but full of love and the things that matter. Rowan and I flew solo (he was great), we shopped at Trader Joes, visited with my extended family, ate at Panera with my mom and sis, and just hung out. It was nice to have a week with my parents! 

When we got home, Isaiah and I hosted Thanksgiving at our house. Rowan started eating simple puree and enjoyed an apple, parsnip and pumpkin smoothie for Thanksgiving! My mother in law and I had fun decorating for Thanksgiving and setting the table. 

And before we knew it, it was Christmas. Last night and this morning have made my heart so full. Just the three of us this year, cooking coq au vin, watching Home Alone and playing with Rowan's new toys. If I could sum up the year in just one word- it has been a year of faith. Faith in God, in the future, each other, and ourselves. We have gone through seasons of life that we just didn't know how in the world it would be okay, or work out. Somehow, under God's overflowing grace, we are happy and blessed beyond measure. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds! On new year's eve, I will be posting the next letter to my future self. I get goosebumps just thinking about it! Merry Christmas, all! Hugs from us! 

Romantic Northern Michigan Wedding Inspiration

Hooray! I am so excited to finally share the full roster of amazing images shot by my friend Bevin of Eliza Jean Photography. This editorial shoot is such a big piece of my heart and my story, a visual representation of what I love and what my business stands for. In my October goals, I mentioned that I was going to submit this shoot for publication to my favorite wedding blog. What did I have to loose? When Jocey from Wedding Chicks wrote me back and said the shoot was "amazingly pretty", I just about fell off my chair. How amazing to create something beautiful, and be able to share that with even more people? See the full feature right over here. 

We decided to shoot in an amazing wildflower garden on Old Mission Peninsula, Hooper Farms! The owner, Terry, is just the sweetest and her location was perfect for what we had in mind. She graciously donated all of the blooms for the shoot, so I tried not to overthink the flowers too much before I got there. My goal was to bring to life a beautiful garden party, with gold details, yummy dessert, and colorful floral arrangements. 

If you've had a chance to read my philosophy, and how my business name was inspired, then you already have a good idea of why I choose to incorporate a love letter. I was so excited that the Wedding Chicks decided to run with this idea! At each place setting we enclosed an inspiring quote or sentiment and addressed it personally to each guest, which also served as a place card. I love this idea for a small wedding, luxury truly is in the details. Holly did an amazing job designing the whole roster of stationery, I am in love with her watercolor invitations! 

We strung bistro lights, ate dessert, and soaked in all the sweetness of summer in Northern Michigan. The photos turned out so beautifully! Later this week, I'm planning to do a post about what you don't see, what went wrong, and things I learned from my first shoot. I am so grateful to these amazing vendors who had faith in me and decided to jump in to make this little dream happen. I know Ginger would've approved. :) 

Concept, Design, Styling & Florals: Sincerely, Ginger Weddings Photography: Bevin Deak of Eliza Jean Photography Cake: Penny Christians Stationery: Holly Thomas Design Venue: Hooper's Farm Garden "Kiss Slowly" Print: Sarah & Bendrix Gold Chiavari Chairs: Sweet Seats Bridal Gown: To Have & To Hold Ribbon: Frou Frou Chic 

On Rest & Balance

This morning I was drinking my coffee, sitting in my office, surrounded by papers, binders, boxes and bins. Everything from my photoshoot this week was not unpacked (there were literally dead flowers everywhere). I was so overwhelmed looking around me and seeing this huge MESS. What's more important though, is the mess that's dwelling in me lately. In the busyness of this season, I need to give myself more time and space to simply rest. 

Thanks to the Return to Rest Retreat for the photo! 

In the wedding industry, it's easy to work overtime without realizing it, to work straight through meals, to text your clients while watching movies with your spouse, to let work spill over into your life. I love what I do. It's true! When I get a call from one of my brides at 8pm, I always pick up! My brides quickly turn into friends, and it's important to me to be there for them. But I know how important it is for me to have some balance in my life. I need to recharge, pray, reflect, set goals. That's a big reason why I love blogging so much! 

But somewhere between my calling as a wedding planner, a wife, a mom, and whatever else my role might be for the day- I loose a deeper connection with myself and with God. I love the mission behind the Return to Rest Retreat, have you heard of it? My goodness, if I could even begin to tell you all the ways my heart needs rest. How amazing that they are offering this retreat to wedding professionals? 

My purpose in sharing this today is to make a commitment to resting more often. To working hard to achieve balance between work, play, and rest. Even without this awesome retreat weekend, I'm planning to do just that this week. As I mentioned before, I'm currently working with Laken, doing one on one work with her. One piece of homework she gave me was to take a nap. Can I get an AMEN? :) 

December... goals and other happenings.

You may have seen this post on Instagram the other night. How is is even possible that it's already December 8th? Complete madness I tell you. Rowan's 6 month birthday is on the 14th, Christmas is coming, vacations, birthdays... so much to celebrate. Before I know it it will be wedding season again. I've been challenging myself this month to think strategically about how I spend my time. What are my goals, what do I need to do (or not do) in order to knock 'em outta the park? 

November was a fabulously FULL month. I celebrated my 25th birthday, visited family and friends in Minnesota, hosted Thanksgiving, and continued working hard for my 2014 brides. In fact, I've only blogged once since I posted my goals for November... woops! I'm not going to go through the rundown and check the things I did and pout about the things I didn't do. I decided a few days into the month that I was not going to post a public "31 days of gratitude", for a number of reasons. I'm planning to blog a little bit more about that later this month, actually I'm pretty excited about it. 

In December, all I want is to see the big picture more clearly, and work harder to translate that vision into my day to day life. My priorities this month are to spend more time with Isaiah and Rowan, recharge and set goals for 2014, streamline my client binders and workflow, not overbook myself, and take a nap (just one...). I'm also working with my girl Laken on taking steps to love my postpartum body more. Can I just say for a minute how amazing that girl is? Spend .2 seconds on her blog and you will also have a mega girl crush. 

Just because it isn't "wedding season" doesn't mean that we haven't been busting out amazingly beautiful work! Just this week, my styled shoot from August (which I will be doing a full blog post about this week), was posted on Wedding Chicks! My first styled shoot ever was published on a major wedding blog. All I can say is that I am so proud of my sweet friends Bevin, Holly, Terry, Allida, and so many other amazing friends who helped me put together this little labor of love. Check it out, will you? :) 

On Wednesday I spent the whole day marching through the snow and making beautiful things happen with Cory at Snow Moon Ranch. You guys, I cannot wait for the scans to come back from this shoot! Definitely my most involved editorial ever. So many amazing Northern Michigan vendors came together and made it happen (and by make it happen... I mean pulling my car out of the snow). More to come on this in January! 

Bevin Deak of Eliza Jean Photography

And as if that weren't enough, my amazing friend Shelby and her sweet little girl came up north to spend a couple days with me and Rowan, and dream up some details for our collaborative shoot this winter. See what I mean about winter not being a slow time? :) 

I am entirely aware of what a word dump this post was, but I just have to much more to share! Check back this month for lots of posts about 2013. (Realizing just now how many posts I promised within the last 10 minutes). 

xoxo

Let's Celebrate!

Twenty-five years ago, my mom and dad went out for spicy Mexican food, and only hours later she went into labor (which I now have a true understanding of), and I was born. Today, November 20th, on my birthday, I feel different than I have other years. I'm a mom myself now, and as most new mama's will tell you, I have so much more appreciation for my own parents. I'm so grateful for this gift of life, motherhood, love. I'm endlessly thankful for my family (both old and new), and I have such a clear sense of purpose and excitement moving into the next twenty-five years.

Thanks for the photo, SMP! Just add candles, perfect birthday cake? :)

Today I'm celebrating another year of working towards a better me. It was yet another beautiful year of ups and downs and countless moments of self-discovery. Last year on my birthday, I was around 8 weeks pregnant, and I spent the majority of last year enjoying that journey. For the past 5 months, motherhood has enveloped my life the the most joyful and overwhelming way. Last year I was able to serve brides and their families and share my gifts. I learned more about my family history. I designed more flowers and took better care of my body. My husband and I dreamed bigger than we ever have in our relationship, and are learning how to love each other more purposefully every day. I've learned more about how I want to structure my time, and therefore, my life. We traveled and visited with our families more. The message that love does has been sinking further into my heart. (Thanks, Bob!) I know now that love does things, that action is important, that I don't want to be a person that just says this or that, I want to show people how deeply they are loved with my actions. 

I'm declaring my 25th year to be the most intentional, action filled, love driven year yet. More celebrating, more making what matters happen. More time with Rowan, less time in front of the TV. More traveling and hugging my family. More yoga and green smoothies. More coffee with friends, stronger relationships. More kissing. More books, more restful Sundays. I want to squeeze more life into my 168 hours. (Have you read this book? Do it.) So today I'm celebrating that. Next month, I'll be sharing the my next letter to my future self, and I can't wait. When I read last year's letter, I just about burst into happy tears. God is GOOD. Isn't is amazing what love can do? Celebrate with me, will you? 

November Goals

November is here! Not only is November my birthday month, but it's also the start of the Holiday season (Christmas starts November 1 in my opinion), and hosts one of my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! I try to cultivate a habit of gratefulness on a daily basis, but this month I'm going to intentionally focus on naming the things I'm thankful for. My primary goal is to relax with my family, work hard for my brides, and prioritize my health. 

 October was a great month, filled to the brim with visits with family and lots of fun projects. Here's a rundown.

1. Blog more! Like I just said, I love writing (and it takes time) but I have a strong desire to blog this month. My goal is 3x per week. Check! Okay, so I didn't blog 3x per week, but I did blog more, that has to count, right? 

2. Organize and have a meeting with my husband about personal finance. I won't lie, this has been a tough period regarding money. After my part time job offer "fell through" I have been left without a job (aka steady income). I have been so fearful of looking at the hard numbers but it's time to step up and make a plan. It's never as bad as I imagine. (Deep breath) Check! I feel like we are at such a peaceful place with finances, I still would like to sit down and print statements, categorize spending, etc, but I don't feel a sense or urgency and fear like I did last month. 

3. Find a job! Related to goal #3, it's really really time for me to find a way to make money. The catch is, I don't want to let my education, experience and skills go to waste at a minimum wage job. Please pray that the right PT opportunity comes along and that we are a good fit!  Praise God! This goal was not met, but for the best reasons. I booked 6 fabulous weddings this month (a record!), and my yearly goal for bookings is intentionally small at 8-12. Each one of these brides are so special and I already feel a connection to each. I can't wait for this summer. So thrilled. And, I will not be finding a part-time job at this time. 

4. Submit my brand inspiration shoot to a wedding blog for publication! Quite honestly, I have no idea if anyone will pick it up. But I am willing to take a risk and ask, what's the worst that will happen?  Check! It was submitted, and accepted! I won't share with who quite yet, but I will say that it is one of my favorite wedding inspiration blogs, and was my top choice. Couldn't even believe. 

5. Stick to my goals of achieving a healthier me: mind, body & soul. I want to continue attending the church we've started planting ourselves in, eat to fuel my body, and exercise because it feels good! If you're interested in following my journey on Instagram... (@rachel_fortheglow).  Check! We've been attending church and loving it, and I've been very dedicated to my physical fitness this month. Planning to continue with the Postnatal Project through the new year. Feeling stronger every day. 

via Glitter Guide

November is going to be busy, no doubt. I have two weekends of venue scouting with new SGW brides, a week long trip to Minnesota to visit my family, and Thanksgiving to celebrate! Amidst the chaos, my over arching goal is to cultivate joy and gratitude, and be present in the moment.  

 1. 31 Days of Gratitude. To keep myself on track, every day I will be posting something I'm thankful for on Instagram, tagged with #sincerelythankful. I think this will be a fun way to speak the words that run through my mind each day.  

2. Celebrate my birthday! Okay, admittedly this is a strange goal, but when you're a new mama (or a veteran), it's hard to find time to yourself. I'm hoping to sneak away for a birthday coffee, mani-pedi, and shoe shopping mission.  

3. Date my husband. Sometime this month I'm going to take up all those babysitting offers and ask Isaiah to plan us a real date. Maybe a movie, dinner, walk? Doesn't have to be too complex. Just time to be together.  

4. Take 5 month photos of Rowan. Okay, I'm so not that mom who can be disciplined enough to pose my baby with a cute little number showcasing how many months old he is and all that. I'm just not "pinteresting" enough. I love puns. But, I do want to take some nice photos on my camera and not just my phone.  

5. Host Thanksgiving! We are having a fairly large family gathering here at my house. I'm responsible for flowers (obviously), and pie (also... obviously). I can't wait to cook and spend time with Isaiah's side of the family.  

What are your goals this month? Leave the link below so I can check them out! Wishing you all the loveliest November.  

Life is too short!

It's been a year since Making Things Happen Chicago, and I've been revisiting some of my notes from the day. At that point, I was 6 weeks pregnant, scared out of my mind, discouraged about my business, wanting to badly to leave my job at the bank, and still in the very early stages of figuring out how to be a good wife. I'm not saying I've figured everything out, but I wanted to share this list with you.  

LIFE is too short not to... 

Tell my family & friends that I love them, visit my family on a whim, hug and kiss my husband just because, take care of my body, be an amazing wedding planner, do what matters with my time, take risks, eat well, smile and laugh everyday. 

 I absolutely love where my head was that day. I love where my heart was! This year, I'm keeping the same goals. Life is too short! But I'm going to add a big one... spend as much time with my sweet little Rowan as possible. To give him love and grace in every moment.  

Photo by Bevin Deak of Eliza Jean Photography

 Life is TOO SHORT to.... 

Be afraid, spend money recklessly, play small, hate my body, compare myself to others, sleep all day (had to laugh at that one...), lie to myself .

 Can I get a heck yea? I ended the session with... "My life is too short not to live the exact life I want for me and my family. It's too short not to do all the things we want to do." 2014 is going to be a great year. 

Sweet Sunday

I think I'm going to make Sunday night blogging a tradition. Last night my little family had the whole day off together (a Saturday!!) and it was so lovely. We didn't do much, took a family nap, watched movies, ordered in Chinese, just plain hung out. I didn't check my e-mail, fold any laundry or even get dressed. Well I changed from jammies into glorified yoga pants (thanks Lululemon for making me feel like a real human even though I have no clothes). The point is, it's was so relaxing. These are my people. My husband and my little Rowan, my club. 

My hubs is really learning my love language! :) 

This morning at church our pastor spoke about acceptance, and being a part of the "group". I don't want to completely butcher the beauty of his message, but it boils down to this. God wants us to succeed. He is on our team, rooting for us and encouraging us. You cannot be "weeded out" or left behind, you will always be a member of Jesus' club. 

I wish I would've taken notes this morning, because it resonated so deeply for me. It was such a simple message but one I really needed to hear. I struggle with always feeling like an outsider even when I'm doing everything I need to do to be an insider. But the truth is, I am on the inside. When I'm making what matters most happen, when I'm dreaming my biggest dreams, when I am focused and intentional about fulfilling my calling, I am in the "club" in the most perfect sense of the word. God wants to see my success and he will bring the right community into my life and fill that missing piece. 

Tonight I am pursuing that mission with my whole heart. I Face-timed with my grandpa, I bought a plane ticket home to Minnesota to visit my family, I arranged some gorgeous farm fresh blooms, I took Rowan on a drive around Old Mission Peninsula, I prayed for God to pierce my heart and help me realize what matters most. I hoped and prayed that He would be on my team this week. What did you do today to make your Sunday sweet? I would love to pray for you this week. 

Dreaming of.... Sophisticated European Travel in Shades of Pink

Happy Monday, girls and boys! Today I'm starting something new on the blog, inspired by the way Pinterest makes me feel. You know, the feeling you get when you browse pins late into the night? Your heart fluttering with each beautiful bouquet and cuddly puppy? Okay, maybe that's just me. Nevertheless I'm excited to announce my new favorite hobby... Dream boards. Similar to an inspiration board, my plan is to simply pick a few photos that make my heart go pitter patter, photos that make me slip into daydreams. 

Clockwise: 1, 2, 3, 4

Come connect with me over on Pinterest to keep up with my daily inspirations. Looking forward to this fun series! I plan to post... whenever I feel like it. :) 

xoxo

Rachel  

Sparkle & Shine for What Matters

It's been a little while since I've been "real" on the blog. Last year at Making Things Happen (wow it's been a year!), I learned so much from Lara, Emily & Gina about facing your fears, saying yes to what matters, and doing more of what fires you up. I wish so badly I could return for this years conference! Since last October, when I was newly pregnant, I've welcomed the most perfect little boy into the world, celebrated my first wedding anniversary, quit my full time job, launched SGW full time, and have learned (and am always re-learning) how to truly focus on what matters most.  

Does this sound familiar? Probably. This year I discovered out what my authentic path was. And honestly, the whole "stay at home mom/wedding designer/ budding floral designer/ just trying to do my thang" role can sound a little... I don't know, tired? But here's the thing. It is my thing. And just because you're not the only one doing it, doesn't mean it's not unique. It's unique to you. Every step you take forward, every risk you take, means another jump for making what matters happen. 

I get e-mails all the time from women who want to be mothers, they want to plan weddings or start their own business. They want to know how I'm doing it. Here's a straight up answer... I'm busting my ass. I am taking big risks, I'm trying to figure out a balance, I'm facing obstacles head on and figuring out a way to make it work. My husband is not making a bazillion dollars, we aren't going on vacation 4x per year, and I'm definitely not keeping my house clean. But what I am doing is being a mom that is present and loving. I am a good mom. I am setting goals for my business that are big and scary. I'm asking for what I want, I'm putting myself out there (so scary). And still, things aren't perfect! But I am trying to stay consistent. So my advice is this... just do what you can with what you have. You will come across obstacles and people who aren't on your team. That's okay, remember who your people are and what you believe in. Keep asking yourself why you're doing what you're doing. And, are you doing things or just thinking about doing things. As Lara would say... action. I love that. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month & Why My Favorite Color is PINK

Big dreams are scary. When I was first starting to plan weddings, I had no idea how much my life would change. I didn't know how motivated I would be come to make what matters happen. I named my business Sincerely, Ginger after my grandmother, Ginger Brauer. You can read more about my philosophy on weddings and how she changed everything for me here. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I want to give back in a big way. Ginger was a big supporter of the Race for the Cure in Brainerd, Minnesota. So much so that they named an award after her, the Ginger Brauer Award. Here's a little bit about it... "The Susan G. Komen Brainerd Lakes Race for the Cure established the annual Breast Cancer Support Award in 2000.  The first winner, Ginger Brauer, lost her battle with breast cancer in 2001 and the award was subsequently named in her honor.  Ginger Brauer exemplified the selfless giving of time and energy in support of local breast cancer activities and was an active member of the Race for the Cure committee from its inception." Wow. How amazing is that? Talk about making what matters happen.

 I remember the day she won that award. I was in sixth grade. We all had matching hats on that said "Team Ginger" and we walked the 5k along with survivors, their families, and community members who wanted to support the cause. I have a vivid memory of my grandma holding my hands and dancing with me to Aretha Franklin's "I Will Survive" after she was announced Volunteer of the Year that summer. It was hot, and she was so happy, and I remember people crying. I didn't know exactly what was happening, but I remember thinking that maybe she wouldn't always be a survivor. I remember hating breast cancer. 

I was thirteen years old when my Grandma Ginger lost her battle. Everyone told me repeatedly how I was too young to lose a grandma... I agreed. I was a child, mourning her death and also trying to help my three younger siblings understand. I didn't cry at her funeral, not because I wasn't sad but I was just so shocked. I have memories of crying hysterically after the funeral next to the pond in front of my Grandpa's house. I thought about my mom, and how sad she was. I prayed that my own mother would live forever.  

I know I'm not the only one with a story about breast cancer. I'm sure most of you reading this post have a story of your own about a loved one, or someone you knew. This month, in honor of my Grandma Ginger, her life and legacy, I am pledging to donate $1 for every person that shares the following image on Instagram or Facebook. I plan to raise $1000 to donate to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Brainerd this summer, under my family's team, Team Ginger! I also hope to be present to race this year! 

If you would like to make a separate donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, you can do so here. For more information on early detection (for us younger gals) check out this amazing organization, Bright Pink. And be sure to check out my friend Nicole's new business, Thistle and Bur! Thank you so much for creating this beautiful image to spread awareness.

I can't wait to see you guys sharing your stories this month. Hop on over to Instagram to see the post and start spreading awareness!  

October Goals

It's time for me to get back to blogging, back to the core of why I started this journey in the first place. I blog because I love it and I fully intend to be honest and forthcoming in this space. I see this blog as a home for my big dreams, business aspirations and a place where I can talk about a variety of things happening in my personal life (pregnancy, etc). So this month I am getting back to blogging. It's been a struggle this summer to keep up with the blog with a new babe. Of course nothing is more important than this sweet time with Rowan, but I love being able to write and share here. 

So without hesitation or embarrassment (this is a safe space!) here are my goals for October. 

I love this shot of Stephanie Sterjovski's desk, featured on Glitter Guide! How fun are those colors? 

1. Blog more! Like I just said, I love writing (and it takes time) but I have a strong desire to blog this month. My goal is 3x per week.

2. Organize and have a meeting with my husband about personal finance. I won't lie, this has been a tough period regarding money. After my part time job offer "fell through" I have been left without a job (aka steady income). I have been so fearful of looking at the hard numbers but it's time to step up and make a plan. It's never as bad as I imagine. (Deep breath) 

3. Find a job! Related to goal #3, it's really really time for me to find a way to make money. The catch is, I don't want to let my education, experience and skills go to waste at a minimum wage job. Please pray that the right PT opportunity comes along and that we are a good fit!  

4. Submit my brand inspiration shoot to a wedding blog for publication! Quite honestly, I have no idea if anyone will pick it up. But I am willing to take a risk and ask, what's the worst that will happen?  

5. Stick to my goals of acheiving a healthier me: mind, body & soul. I want to continue attending the church we've started planting ourselves in, eat to fuel my body, and exercise because it feels good! If you're interested in following my journey on Instagram... (@rachel_fortheglow).  

I hope that amidst all this chaos and change that I can be still/confident/faithful enough to soak up every bit of sweetness that Rowan holds at this precious age of 3 months. I am hoping and praying that I can be calm.  

What are your goals this month? If you have a blog, link to it in the comments below. I would love to check them out and encourage you!  

#MogersdoMN: Our First Family Vacation

In August we were lucky enough to spend a week visiting my family in Minnesota, where I spent my childhood. As unbelievable as it is, we hadn't visited since we moved to Michigan, almost two years! We booked these plane tickets while I was still pregnant. Rowan was only 7 weeks old and took is first plane ride (like a champ) and traveled all over the state. I was a little anxious about what traveling would do to our routine but honestly he did great! 

The highlight of the trip was hands down my grandpa meeting Row for the first time. This photo was taken right as we got out of the car... I'm so glad Isaiah captured this moment! Speaking of my grandpa, we just learned that his cancer has returned and that he will need to go through another year of Chemotherapy. We are so devastated but trying to stay positive. For anyone that's gone through chemo or lost a loved one to this horrible disease, I am so sorry. We appreciate all the prayers and energy you have to give. 

Our trip was a whirlwind... but it was also relaxing. We spent a few days visiting my grandpa and Karen. We fished, cooked together, went swimming, and drank wine and talked over dinner for hours. It was intimate and meaningful. Since we have such limited time together each year, I cherish each hour.  

We also stayed with my parents and siblings for several days! One of the most unexpected, but a favorite part of the trip were the hours I spent looking through an old box of photos and letters that my great grandma passed on to my mom. I plan to write a whole post on that soon. Such incredible little treasures!  

We celebrated my brother's high school graduation, went to a Twin's game, ate delicious food, Rowan met a friend his own age for once, we shopped at the Mall of America, and Isaiah final got to experience Bravo Burritos. 

I'll keep it short, but I am so thankful for this trip. I can't wait for our next visit!  

Amy & Jonathon: Elk Rapids Waterfront Wedding

Oh, where do I begin with sweet Amy and Jon? These two were a joy to work with from beginning to end. When we first started working together a year ago, I simply knew we would hit it off. Shortly into our planning process I found out we were expecting Rowan, so by the time the big day rolled around I was 37 weeks pregnant! Regardless, their day was simply amazing and captured them perfectly. I was lucky enough to also provide the flowers for the wedding. Check out all those colors! I asked Amy to write a little description of her day... so I'll let the bride take it from here! 

From the Bride... Our beautiful wedding took place on the shores of Lake Michigan in Elk Rapids, Michigan on the 18th of May, 2013. In the morning gray clouds loomed over the sky while good luck rain sprinkled the ground. It turned into a perfect cloudy day with the temperature being in the 70s and right before the ceremony the sun came bursting out shining down on us. We celebrated the event with our closest friends and family, so our guest count was around fifty people. The reason we decided to have both our wedding and reception on the beach at the Elk Rapids Harbor Pavilion was because of my groom, Jonathon. The only request he made about the whole wedding was for it to be on the beach because the beautiful beaches of Northern Michigan always made him think of all the great times we spent there. How could a bride say no to that?

Picking the color scheme was a no brainer for me. I always knew I wanted orange lilies in my wedding bouquet, so I went with orange and blue. I picked those colors because I wanted to keep the wedding fun and lighthearted. With Rachel’s help she guided me towards pastels of a light mint teal and a pretty coral to help keep the romantic wedding feel, because I wanted it to feel like a wedding and not like just another party.

For the ceremony we had a special surprise for Jonathon. He always loved Irish music with bagpipes; the boy even has a set of bagpipes of his own! So his mother, Lis, asked one of her friends from Beaver Island to play the traditional song of “Here Comes the Bride” as I walked down the aisle. Jonathon was wearing a tan suit with a pastel blue and orange paisley bow tie; because I think bow ties are just the cutest thing ever. Plus blue really brings out my guy’s eyes! I am a little bit old fashioned and didn’t want to see my groom until the moment of the ceremony. The moment we saw each other a huge smile spread across our faces. I walked toward my man in a beautiful beaded corset dress with a sweetheart neckline. Jonathon said that the combinations of seeing me walk towards him, the bagpipes playing, and the fresh beach air made his wedding perfect.

To help captivate the romantic feel to the wedding, my Father built a beautiful white trellis. Rachel came up with the idea to hang different designs of white ribbon so the beach breeze would add to the atmosphere. I asked my MOH’s mother, Tammi, to be our officiant, who happens to be the Magistrate of Antrim County where marrying people was part of her job description. It was also special to me that she conduct the ceremony because I have been best friends with her daughter Maggie since Preschool, and her house was like my second home. Maggie wore a beautiful light mint dress that ended just above her knees. The best man, Jonathon’s brother Andy, wore a tan suit that match Jonathon’s but instead of a bowtie he wore a normal tie made of the same pastel blue and orange paisley material.

After the ceremony we opened up the reception area to start serving cocktails while we had our photographs taken. The reception hall was decorated with confetti field balloons, and the tables were lined with white table clothes. On the tables we had teal and corral ribbons going down the center and mixed up the center pieces by either having a vase of flowers or a jar filled of shells and sand. The building itself acted like a decoration because the half facing the water was all glass doors so everyone was able to look out into the lake all evening long.

For our food we had Canteen Catering, who did an excellent job. Jonathon and I both love breakfast food, so on our buffet we had Quiche and pancakes! A family friend, Penny, made our amazing wedding cake. It was light blue with beautiful white pearl decorations lining the bottom of all three layers. At the bottom she crumbled up Nutter Butter’s to look like sand and for the toppers she made the most adorable star fish completed with a veil and a bowtie! We kept the flavor for both the cake and the frosting vanilla because Jonathon and I really enjoy the simple desserts instead of trying to squeeze a bunch of flavors into one bite. On our drinking menu we had red and white wine, Labatt beer, and water and fruit punch. For the toast we had a specialty drink of mimosa’s to help make the moments special.

The dance floor was one of the highlights for the night because we had glow sticks available to help make dancing more fun. Even my grandparents were out on the dance floor! Our photographers, Sweet Pea Photography and Deak Photography, captured some great action shots, that helped complete the beautiful and fun photo album they created.

To exit the ceremony, I owe a special thanks to Rachel, who helped make that moment special. I originally wanted a sparkler sendoff but since we were out in the Elk Rapids Pavilion that was not a possible, it was one of the restrictions of holding the event there because of the gas lines running underneath the building.  Rachel told me not to worry about it, she had an idea. As we walked thru our row of friends and family everyone popped a confetti popper so brightly colored paper rained down on us as we left, it was a perfect ending that made my wedding really feel like a dream come true!

Amy and Jon... you deserve a lifetime of happiness. I am so thankful that I got to be a part of the day you made a commitment to forever. A huge thank you to the amazing vendors that helped us pull all this together! 

Wedding Planning, Design & Coordination: Sincerely, Ginger Weddings & Events; Photography: Sweet Pea & Deak Photography; Venue and Rentals: Elk Rapids Pavilion; Floral Design: Sincerely, Ginger Weddings & Events; Music: Mr. Music DJ's; Paper:  The NIA Designs; Catering: Canteen Services of Northern Michigan; Cake Design: Penny Christians (e-mail me for contact info!) Bride's Dress: To Have & To Hold

Sneak Peak: Nicole & Tyler's Big Day!

Wow, what a weekend! I just wanted to pop on over and share some previews that I posted on Instagram over the weekend. Nicole, you were such a beautiful bride. I can't thank you enough for having me a part of this day.  

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Between wind, rain, a newborn sidekick, rental car fiasco, losing my cellphone and more... we pulled it off. And I couldn't be more proud. The sun was shining brightly and the newlyweds danced the night away. A huge thank  you to everyone who helped me out on Saturday, you know who you are! I can't wait to showcase more photos from the day. 

Have a nice night!