A Look Back at 2018

Every year I debate whether or not I should write this post, and every year I write one, because I truly believe that if we don’t look back, we can’t fully move forward, and also because I feel that it’s important to share the heart and the personality behind this company, not just all the pretty things.

2018 was filled with absolutely incredible weddings. Another year full of clients that still make me pinch myself. How can this be real life?! I tried to keep my wedding count as close to last year’s as possible, right around the mid 40’s seems to be the sweet spot for what the company has offered service wise, however with the changes that have come at the beginning of 2019, I know that that will change as 2019 progresses and I’ll figure out the new sweet spot.

As usual it is simply impossible to pick out a favorite wedding from the year. There’s so many things I love about every single event and client, and not to mention their families and friends that often keep me laughing, as well as ON MY TOES. Here are some favorite out takes and memories:

• Emily and Al crushing a choreographed father daughter dance.
• Going on a neighborhood hunt for fresh lilacs with the neighbors, and Mike’s debut on the instagram stories which made his day apparently.
• Successfully inflating several GIANT balloons out of the back of the car for the cutest hot air balloon photo backdrop ever.
• Incorporating fresh lavender into boho bouquets for a very special bride.
• My parents actually getting to be guests at one of my weddings and seeing what I do first hand for the first time.
• Clay and Cassandra coming back for more cake after their reception was long over. (don’t worry- we had put it in the fridge)
• Swatting a billion mosquitos in the upper vineyards of Chankaska and laughing with clients the whole time.
• Busting out our Cubs tshirts to surprise one of our groom’s when we started breakdown.
• Hand lettering hundreds of agates for one of our bride’s guests and placing them at each person’s seat.
• One of our client’s flowergirls hanging out with Erin and I for about 3 hours where we discussed important topics such as The Little Mermaid, then asking her if she was going to go dance and her responding “no I like just hanging here with you guys” OK girl.
• Our very first wedding with no florals at all- and our first “Feather Girl”.
• Transforming a hockey arena into a wedding venue.
• Golf Carts and Donuts and Erin saying I DO.
• Erin doing the WORM across the dance floor….in her wedding dress….
• Two words- Poutine Bar (ASI nailed it).
• Building a giant custom wood wall and it looking simply perfect for a special bride.
• Cheering up a crying ring bearer by carrying him to the start of the aisle, it was so adorable (which lead to the cutest processional I’ve seen recently- he pulled it together and did a great job).
• Playing rock paper scissors with three little flowergirls and one of them whipping out “the claw” which had us DYING from laughter.
• Paying a bartender $25 at a resort in Mexico to not kick us out since the bride wanted to jump into the pool in her wedding dress at 10:30pm (worth it).
• Our first “snowed in” wedding – thankfully at a hotel in Minneapolis.
• Charcuterie and Karaoke daytime wedding reception- epic. Absolutely epic. And so fitting of our couple.
• My bride reminding me the morning of the wedding that it was my last under the Meaningful Moments brand.

Alright so that turned into a lot more than I anticipated, but every single bullet point is just a glimpse into tiny moments of very special days. I am humbled and forever grateful to be a part of these days. I can’t wait until I can do the list for next year, there’s already been some great moments.

Here’s to the start of an incredible 2019 season!

XOXO, Amber