Getaway to DC Part II

Ryan planned, and schemed, a surprise destination for our Anniversary meal, and didn't reveal anything to me until we walked off the Metro near the restaurant. We ate at Ripple, a small plates restaurant, and it ended up being one of the best meals of our lives. Each dish was an explosion of flavor, and our waiter was excellent at offering recommendations, and guidance when we needed it. Their menu is all locally sourced and I gotta say the DC livestock make some amazing cheese. We ate until we could hardly move and waddled back to the hotel for drinks and discussion. Sadly the photos of this amazing event did not turn out as well as I'd hope. But, trust me when I say we'll never forget this amazing meal together.

This was a beyond perfect way to spend our first anniversary and I'm so thankful for the special time spent with just us two.What are some special anniversary memories that you have (married or dating)? big kiss, bekuh

Getaway to DC

Ryan and I decided to dash off on a last minute Anniversary getaway last weekend to see what there is to see in DC. I've been to DC on multiple occasions over the last couple of years, but Ryan hadn't been since his toddler days so it was fun getting to watch him see everything for the first time.

We listened to holy rollers preaching at the gates of the White House. Witnessed a Peace Vigil. Visited President Lincoln. Reflected life by the Washington monument. Loved on Einstein. Got lost and ended up at Au Bon Pain. Saw some amazing doors that I had to take pictures of. Smiled into our camera a lot. Journeyed up Capitol Hill and toured the beautiful Library of Congress. All that after driving 4.5 hours at the crack of dawn and only two cups of coffee. I was proud.

After our 6 mile walk about town we headed back to the hotel for a brief sit, and then got dressed for a fancy dinner out. Come back later today for part two of our DC trip. big kiss, bekuh

One Year Later: Our Wedding in Pictures II

We're back with day two of our wedding photos. It's so much fun looking back on all of this and thinking how much has happened in our lives since that day. I'm filled with happiness today because of it. The ceremony and reception are here for your enjoyment.

All photos at our wedding were taken by Sam Dean. A couple of fun facts about the evening-
+ My dress was from Kate Moss' last line for Topshop
+ We had three live bands play at our reception, and our friends The Old ONe Two learned Bob Dylan's "She Belongs to Me," to play at the reception. It's the same song I walked down the aisle to.
+ My family and I made all the floral arrangements for the wedding, and they were my favorite decorations of all
+The tie around my bouquet was a childhood memento of my Mamaw's, that was passed down to me after she died.
+ October is usually pretty warm in VA (like 70F) but the temperatures dipped to below 45F on our wedding day. It didn't get that cold again until February.
+ My Uncle made the arbor we used in the ceremony.
+ Katie read a quote from Jack Kerouac during the ceremony. This one.
You can see more pictures of our wedding here.

One Year Later: Our Wedding in Pictures

First off THANK YOU SO MUCH for your sweet comments and congratulations on our anniversary. It made our day that much sweeter. Second, for the next two days, in honor of our 1 year anniversary, I'll be posting pics from our wedding day. I won't be using a lot of words in these posts, just letting the pictures tell the tale for us. I can't believe after all the trouble and care we went into selecting a photographer I've never shared any of the professional pictures here on the blog! We used a local photographer named Sam Dean and his vintage, romantic style fit in perfectly with our Barn fete.

All photos taken by Sam Dean

You can see past posts on our wedding and all the little details involved here. Come back tomorrow for pictures of the ceremony and reception. big kiss, bekuh

A Letter to My Husband

Ryan,
Happy Anniversary handsome. It seems kind of weird celebrating this day because if we've said it once we've said it a thousand times, "It's just one day in our lives," but I'm going to celebrate it anyway. You are my best friend, my favorite person, and one heck of a kisser. Our first year has been an adventure; both with its crazy awesome joys and its intense tearful sorrows, but we're only better for it. I feel more sure of us today than I did standing out in that freezing field last October, because that's what love should do. Grow. It's still weird to say I'm a Mrs. and a wife but if I gotta say it I'm glad it's with you.

We still burn, burn, burn for the things we're passionate about and that fight will continue to get harder as we grow older. Let's never put the fire out, but instead embrace it and envelope ourselves in a life lived passionately, and fully together. Year two is already looking pretty exciting so let's keep this wild streak alive. I love you. I love you. I love you times infinity. I'll see you tonight you old devil.

Always,
Bekuh

Summer's Almost Over

I can't believe those words just escaped my mouth, but it's true. Summer is almost over. The hottest months are about to be behind us and the leaves will start to change colors and fall before we know it. This summer has had a lot of awesome highs, and couple of devastating lows so I feel like it's time to reminisce about all the thing's that have happened to us Browning's this summer.

1. We spent a good amount of time outside this summer, in direct contrast to last summer when I worked too much to enjoy the hotter weather, and we had a wedding to plan. We've gone hiking, camping, tubing, and we've been on countless walks.

2. We went on a little trip to Charlottesville, to tour the historic parts of UVA and shop.

3. Nellie went camping for the first time, and another weekend trip was had by Ryan and I!

4. We made the painful decision to hold off on our cross country road trip because of Ryan's being laid off, and subsequently starting a new job. Maybe we'll turn it into a cross-country trip next summer?

5. I redid my bike! You can get all the details here.

6. We went to a lot of estate sales, and I thrifted a lot. Including two amazing mid century lamps that now sit in my studio illuminating me with inspiration, and a dresser to replace my falling apart one from childhood. Hooray!

7. Katie and I worked really hard getting the Button Factory inventory in check and preparing the necklaces to launch! We also made plans to attend Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, just for some good old girly fun. Just two more weeks!

8. My good friend Lauren came home from Asia, and I cried happy tears, and we talked a lot. Oh, and she brought me chocolate and candies that I ate almost immediately. She's also been a super willing model for the shop and I'm grateful to her always.

9. I didn't exercise enough, but I rarely sit still. Does that count?

10. We've hosted some amazing get togethers including the BBQ which featured a lot of cool Uncommon Goods items.

11. We've seen three movies which is insane when you think we only saw one movie altogether last year. We've seen Dark Shadows, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Dark Knight Rises. The last two blew me away and Moonrise Kingdom now holds the key to my movie loving heart.

12. Ryan and have been taking a lighting e-course together to better our photography, called the Study of Light, It's been very informative and I'm super excited about my new scrim for those winter months when outdoor photos become hard to do.

13. We pickled and canned for the first time ever, and joined a CSA. It's kind of an unmentioned goal of mine to produce less waste and eat less foods with pesticides. So cheers for eating in season, and organically.

14. We've spent so many hours hanging out with friends, and enjoying the little moments that come from good conversation, knowing glances, and a night filled with laughter. It's been the best.

15. My blog grew three times it's size this summer and my heart is overflowing with love for all of you lovely readers. I've loved getting to know some of you, creating fresh new content, and stretching my photography muscle as I delve deeper into my passions. I really feel like I'm pushing myself in a healthy way and learning so many new skills.

Well that's a recap of my summer thus far, just a few more weeks to push through some goals and enjoy the heat. What have you been up to this summer? big kiss, bekuh