WEDDING WEDNESDAY: MY BRIDAL SHOWER.

even as i write this post, more than a week after my bridal shower, i am still overcome with joy. 

we planned the shower and bachelorette for the last weekend in april and all of my favorite people were able to attend. to have all of my closest friends, my family and tim's family in one room was an incredible feeling. and to know that they were all there to celebrate our upcoming marriage... i have no words.

my sister and mom worked tirelessly to make sure the day was perfect, from picking up my favorite cake to pinteresting every crafty request i sent them. the balloon-string-as-photo-display, as seen above, was a big hit.

the ladies of my family. special shoutout also for my cousin meagan who helped emily put together a lot of amazingness for the bachelorette party, for which meg also served as the official photographer. which, i kind of regret. #blackmailworthyphotos

my best friend, who also did way too much in ensuring a fun weekend for me. champagne and cupcakes? she obviously nailed it.

my ohio university friends. we're about to hit five years since we graduated, and i feel so blessed to still have these beautiful people in my life.

just in time for mother's day, the moms!

my sweet bean bopped in at the beginning to say hello to everyone. he then headed up to cleveland with his guys for a low-key bachelor party. {wink, wink. haha.}

my side of the fam, so grateful they could all be there.

the lovely baker women, who had to traverse the back roads of ohio to make it.

 

a group shot - minus bets {besty where were you?!} - of the girls out later that night.

i think anyone who knows me in real life - or who reads this blog - has felt the fact that wedding planning has not been all i anticipated it would be. but, this past weekend beyond made up for any of the stress i had brought on myself over this year. to be able to literally feel the love from the most important people in my life and to see their excitement for our wedding - it created a joyful anticipation in me for our wedding day. i am 100 percent positive it is going to be amazing simply because of the wonderful people who will be there beside us. and for that, i can't thank them enough.

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA... KIND OF.

since we're all reminiscing and whatnot with the new year, here's a random post for you. i've lived in three states in my life and all are wildly different. my heart still belongs to each of them a little bit and i thought i'd share some of my personal pros and cons of my homes from the midwest to the south to the west.

the worst: poor ohio. it has a bad rep, but the rumors about the economy are mostly true. there's just not a ton of diverse career opportunities there, though i do have friends who are super successful in their buckeye-state-based jobs {hello tricia and betsy!}. also: you will never live somewhere where people complain about their home state more.

the best: my favorite thing about ohio is that there seems to be a shared experience among people that grew up there. b and i were raised 138 miles from one another, but we have SO many similar traditions. i also enjoy the local fare {pierogies!}, the fact that most people know how to drive in all types of weather and our undying desire to root for the underdog {ex: the cleveland browns}.

the worst: though a booming city, nashville is still very much in the south. it's in the bible belt and you would be remiss to think that everyone lives a liberal lifestyle or is okay with you living one. i got more than one "bless your heart" when i lived there, and if you know anything about the south, that isn't a compliment.

the best: nashville has some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. there is rarely a honk on the highway and i always felt safe walking alone around town, even at night. the food is beyond wonderful and it is also within driving distance to some other amazing places, like new orleans!

the worst: i get flipped off an average of once a week while on the road and i have never been around more aggressive drivers. denver is also super landlocked {am i the only one who thought it was right next to california? oh, i am...} and there is no culinary specialty, unless you count beef, which i do not.

the best: colorado is the most beautiful place i have ever lived. the sky opens up straight from heaven and i have never seen more stunning sunrises or sunsets. there is a ton to do here; regardless of if you enjoy outdoor activities.

four years, three states and what feels like three different lives i've led. i can't wait to see where life takes us next.

TURNING HOME.

what a whirlwind few weeks this has been, and will continue to be. i still can't believe my best friend is married! i'll have photos of the actual wedding later this week - forgive me for slow posting, we are also moving over the next couple of days!

on friday, i flew into cleveland to kick off wedding weekend. getting in early gave me the chance to hang out with my sister and do some of my favorite ohio things. such as, eat fox's pizza, drive through my hometown and watch sunsets like this.

i also got to have a pet fest with this girl!

and have dinner with grandma at the chicken house, which i haven't been to in six years. it was as good as i remembered.

then, it was time for the festivities. one of the best parts of the weekend was getting to see tricia's family and just hang out at their house like we were back in high school. we got ready for the rehearsal dinner in her bathroom, like we had done for dances and cheerleading almost a decade ago. it was very surreal.

i mean, i'm not going to say this is my #1 photo from the entire extravaganza, but it is a pretty good preview for what's to come.

#bestbrideever

WE GO WAY BACK, PEOPLE.

i am leaving this morning {SO early} to head home to stand beside my best friend when she gets married. from girl scouts to 8th grade graduation {the horror of those bangs is truly unspeakable} to high school, tricia has been someone i can depend on. she was the most self-assured person i knew in high school {and dang if that isn't saying a lot when it comes to high school girls} and has continued to live her life on her own terms, something i respect more than words can say.

i'm so thankful for her friendship and honored to be there for her big day.

more photos of us to come, and lord willing, no bangs will be involved in these ones.

happy wedding weekend, tricia!

ohio.

i'm home, i'm home!

no offense to my partner in the backseat, but 10+ hours one way made me a little stir crazy.

a look through the bridge at foggy cincinnati, homeland of many of my best friends. and delish skyline dip, which will be one of the first things i eat if/when i cross back into meat eating.

my hometown.

my sister! my favorite part of ohio.

buehler's holds SO many childhood memories. everytime i go home, a maple creamstick is on the must-have list. there's something about a small-town grocery store that gets me every time.

my bff tricia. who moments after this photo was taken asked me to be her maid of honor. i cried, she bought her dress, i got to say, "are you saying yes to this dress?", and i cried some more. so honored and excited!

and the best of the truly awful family photos we attempted to take. a horrified cat, blinkers, non-smilers (side eye at you, dad), dog sniffing, mom hiding.



awkward family photos: what the holidays are all about.