GRATITUDES + BREAKTHROUGHS // JULY 3, 2018

Gratitudes

Virginia Dare Dress Co. just released their new line which included a chambray wrap dress called Alice. It’s knee length, has pockets and adorable ruffles on the neckline, I knew I needed her in my closet. Rebekah Murray, the owner and designer held an open house all week for friends to come by and try on the new styles and shop. I ended up with Alice but, couldn’t resist the Poppy headband. It was originally made for kids but, it is so cute! I can’t wait to tie it up while driving around the coast in Italy! There is also an additional print in Alice which is a white and gray plaid that is perfect for winery picnics. That one is going on my wish list for the fall! If you’ve been hesitant to buy one of her dresses, don’t be! The craftsmanship and detail are seriously impeccable. They are comfortable and I feel like they fit real women. I can dress it up for a bridal shower or down for an easy Sunday afternoon at a winery. You can see more of Rebekah and her dresses at @virginiadaredressco on Instagram.

The weekend was filled with second shooting. I hung out with Stephanie Messick to shoot a Disney inspired wedding that truly was a dream come true. And on Sunday I was with Rebekah Murray for a Nigerian/American wedding with major garden vibes. I’m thankful to have a group  of gals that trust me to tag along to second shoot. It’s a creative outlet for me, a way to really experiment and push myself to make beautiful portraits without being in total control.

I popped in on Friday to surprise Kensey (my baby sister) and her husband Jason for dinner. I love casual nights with a cocktail. I don’t know about you guys, but I swear nothing tastes better on those super hot days than a Bud Light. I realize I’m about a decade past college, and I do talk about wine a whole lot. But, I do seriously feel like an ice cold Bud Light just takes the edge off. So that’s what I had on Friday night. #classyaf

The Fourth of July is this week and I couldn’t think of a better color and name to represent American than Coca-Cola Red. This a vibrant orange based red that has a major pop <- see what I did there. It’s definitely brighter hue than their classics like OPI Red and Big Apple Red – both of those are more blue based. If you plan on celebrating hard tomorrow like I am, I would definitely recommend it!

Breakthrough

I am extremely thankful and grateful for my business making it 4 years!!! That’s huge in small business terms, as most fail within the first 5 years. Fingers crossed I make it through this year 😉 I took a lot of time to sit and appreciate the business and life I’ve built. There is something powerful in that, I cultivated a life that I love. With that though there are definitely challenges and hardships <insert moving back into my parents basement> but those sacrifices are what make this dream so much more special. I’m happy to say too, that I’m half way booked for 2019 and I am so excited for my new couples and the venues I’ll be able to shoot at all over hunt country, now I just need to add a few international trips. Anyone?