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As we leap into this fast approaching event season, we want to look over our shoulder one last time to give thanks to our stoic 2021 couples & families. It was quite a year to say the least! Despite the ups and downs of planning amidst the instability of last year, our clients marched on and trusted us to lead them to their special day, be it weddings, vow renewals, or their child's bat mitzvah or graduation. With each successful ceremony, came celebrations like never before. There was an extra bit of sweetness in each moment that unfolded. Every couple, participant and guest were not only fully engaged but fully present. With so much uncertainty in the lead up, when the moment finally arrived to say (without a question mark but instead an exclamation point), “This REALLY IS happening!”, the energy was justifiably filled with disbelief and exponentially that much more charged with glee and appreciation. A blanket of gratitude fell over all of us as we heard these words echo again and again, event after event, until we reached December 31st with our last wedding celebration. The feelings associated with these emotional roller coasters tied to so much uncertainty will always be my point of reference for the rewards of leaning in and having our prayers answered.  We are equally grateful for our couples and our families! Beyond trusting us, they worked so hard alongside us to hold onto their dreams while at times, needing to bend and flex to meet safety requirements as well as to process additional level of stressors in their planning. In the end, each wedding and celebration was a gift to all!  And speaking of gifts, when 2022 awards came our way in the 1st quarter for both The Knot “Best of Weddings” & Wedding Wire “Couples’ Choice Awards” it had everything to do with our couples and families who took time to share their experience with 5-star reviews and endless accolades. We are so honored to have earned their praise and we cannot be more grateful to have this recognition! In this epic year of intense work and grit, these awards mean so much more. Thank you all with all my heart! After we caught our breath and rested after the marathon, we got busy tidying up files, folders, and photo galleries from last year. Not until this past week, did we have time to reflect on all we were able to create. It has been incredibly rejuvenating and energizing. As we now work with our 2022 and 2023 event clients, we are reminded of why we love what we do and how meaningful it is to bring this joy to others. I have endless memories of time spent with our 2021 clients. I miss them! For postponement couples, many of us spent close to three years planning together so we got “really” comfortable. For all of our clients, there came a closeness in just being there to support each other in the challenges on any given day between isolation, illnesses, losses and the daily challenges and impatience of continued limitations of life in the midst of the pandemic. Despite it all, my moments with clients be it virtual or masked, were such bright spots in my year. I’d love to highlight some of the happy heart moments of our time together! To each of you, you and your day will always hold a special place in my heart given how very much we all gave to get to the finish line together.  Sarah + Matthew | 6.12.21 Braving that frigidly cold site visit day when we stepped into your ceremony circle in the pine grove. Was it the chattering of your teeth or the whisper of I do's that I heard? Regardless is felt sacred and yours and THE most perfect spot for the two of you, who love to forge your own path and are always up for an adventure.  Elizabeth + Andy | 9.18.21 You at your sacred ceremony adorned with endless jeweled blossoms. Flower discussions permeated most every meeting and phone call. I loved that our mutual passion for gorgeous gardens and florals always took priority. When you walked down your blossomed aisle and stood at the alter surrounded by dahlias and September blooms, the vision was complete. I could see how you settled instantly in the setting and the knowing that it was perfect and perfectly you.  Kiersten + Andrew | 7.23.21 Remembering our first walk to the upper field to contemplate a sail cloth tent surrounded by corn stalks. Your wheels were turning as your smiles grew. Through the months and years that followed, I loved witnessing your partnership in creating this day in your own way with your own hands-on approach. From raking out a level area for the dance floor, to making gifts for your wedding party to stringing lights along the endless fence rails. Nothing ever got in your way!  Simone + Gabe | 7.10.21 Walking your new property while thinking about the millions of things we needed to get done (in less than 5 months!) before we even got to wedding planning. You were fearlessly decisive in each moment and never lost sight of the deadlines and what it would take to get 200 guests on the hilltop, on time. Work and focus got us up that steep driveway. I loved that your land was blessed with your union and that your family and friends were there to witness the start of your lives as husband and wife. I am so glad I have you in my sights from my kitchen window and can now call you a neighbor.  Lindsey + Jake | 7.31.21 From our very first conversation to the many that followed through one postponement and to your wedding day, it was always about the details, details, details. I cherished your perfectly crafted response emails with correct punctuation, no typos, paragraph breaks, tabs, bullets and always sprinkled with politeness and courtesies. Your timeline document was timed to the second with nothing left to the slightest bit of chance. On day-of, I witnessed you let go and let be. Seeing you both so relaxed and going with the flow was validation to me that you not only trusted us and your team, but truly that nothing else was as important as your joy together in this day.  Sarah + Benjamin | 7.10.21 Your spectacular wedding day sunset and smiles…both so warm and wonderful. You took time in every moment of the day to enjoy each other and those that surrounded you. Time seemed to stand still. As the night unfolded, and surprise guests appeared (in costume) to charge and ignite the dance floor, you rolled with it all with such grace and joyfulness.  Rachel + Mitch | 8.22.21 Your ability to let go of the sunny dream day wedding but not let go of the most important aspect of your day — your love, each other and being surrounded by those people who adore you so much that they braved a hurricane, tent mud slides and continual torrents of rain and wind to celebrate "you". The Carvel ice cream truck headlights beaming through the storm, the roar of the crowd AND your ear to ear smiles when you held that soft serve cone with rainbow sprinkles and took a lick...was my icing-on-your-cake moment.  Niketa + Arib | 8.28.21 From your adornment, Baraat horse and procession, to ice cream cups to all the wonderful warm tones of your wardrobes, florals and table setting AND the choreographed dance party, your wedding was the best birthday gift I could have imagined. Your ceremony and vows, so very heartfelt and genuine. Throughout the wedding day, the warmth continued to present itself not only in the wood fires but in the hearts and eyes of everyone present. The day truly glowed and was only outshined by your love light.  Kayleigh + Julian | 9.9.21 From our first call, the only thing that was not negotiable was the garden ceremony. You flexed and compromised in so many ways while maintaining your good spirits and optimism. That day brought rain. When we had the dreaded conversation of shifting to Plan B, I love that you chose umbrellas and staying the course to see your dream come true. You smiled away the clouds and focused on each other. Seeing you in the garden together, rain and all, was the sunshine of the day!  Jamie + Ethan | 9.25.21 Dreaming about your fairytale wedding on our site visits was like stepping into a storybook. It was THE best to be on property together to begin to visualize all of the moving parts on this vast and ever so special property. On your day, seeing your fav "RED" hues (Estee Lauder lipstick and Ferrari) inspire a color palette that burst from the lush greens and stone silvers of the landscape, was truly this artist's delight.  Katie + Nikos | 12.31.21 Quite a sparkling end of year! Working together to tie in a wedding and new year celebration was such fun. I loved how focused you were on "wishes" for your guests and the personal touches you added to honor your cultures and your loved ones. The confetti blast off was incredible and it ignited the party all over again. So thrilled to have had our last 2021 hoorah with you both!  Robin’s Bar Mitzvah | 5.31.21 I love the day you proudly modeled your Bat Mitzvah outfit for me. You were excited to share your flower patterned cotton shirt (which of course I loved), asked me about buttoning the vest or not AND flashed your new orange Vans (which of course, matched your color story). You looked so fabulous and beyond cool! Never phased by the rain and going with the flow on this important day, made you that much cooler!   Olivia’s Graduation | 6.6.21 I adore setting a table for guests as much as I adore puppies. Setting your pretty-in-pink tablescape and having my toes liked by your little puppy bull dog, Moe, well, hardly felt like work. I was tickled by it all, in fact! Indeed a very happy and never-to-be-forgotten event year !
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