This April, H and I traveled to Ogden, Utah for H to be a groomsman for one of his childhood friends. We took just enough time off work to fly in for the wedding, but since neither of us had been to Utah before we squeezed in some sightseeing too! This weekend was a whirlwind [...]
H and I wanted to do something romantic for our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple, which was also, coincidentally, our six-month wedding anniversary. We decided to do a special weekend trip to one of our favorite destinations—Lynchburg, VA! We stayed at the Virginian Hotel downtown and planned a whole weekend of socially distanced activities, including wine tasting in a private igloo.
This summer, we descended on Newport, aka preppy headquarters, with H’s family for a week. We had a great time—we took the train from DC to Newport, stayed in a condo that was walking distance to everything, and generally soaked up the New England coastal vibe. I could have stayed another week touring mansions and enjoying the ocean views! This vacation was also my opportunity to showcase my preppiest looks, which for me is really saying something.
I was shocked when I realized we had been married for almost a year—it went by so fast! To celebrate, H and I went to the Williamsburg Inn (“the scene of the crime”) for a long weekend away. This weekend was an absolute dream—we both agreed it was one of our favorite things we did this year. I loved spending some quality time together before we plunged into the craziness of September wedding season.
This Valentine’s Day H and I went on a quick but romantic trip to Annapolis, Maryland. Annapolis is less than an hour away and there was so much I wanted to do there—I can’t believe we hadn’t taken a day trip there before! This getaway was a great way to break up the dreary month of February, and I loved learning more about the historic downtown area.
After attending three weddings in September, we had one more on the docket—H’s friend from college was getting married the first weekend of November in Williamsburg. The wedding was gorgeous, and we were so excited to celebrate the happy couple in one of our favorite places. Planning this weekend would have been simple, except
This September, due to a combination of pandemic engagements, rescheduling, and sheer chaos energy, H and I were invited to three weddings: one for a college friend in Cincinnati, one for H’s college friend in northern Virginia, and one for my cousin in Richmond. While the logistics of the month were daunting, I was beyond excited to celebrate these three beautiful couples with our friends and family and for one of my all-time favorite activities—choosing wedding guest dresses!
he second weekend of October, H and I spent a few days unplugged at a Getaway House near Shenandoah National Park. I had tried to book one last fall when I was craving a cozy cabin experience (and a socially distanced weekend away during peak COVID) but of course they were completely full, so I made a reservation for October 2021 instead. I had no idea when I booked the trip how busy we would be this fall, and this weekend getaway in the mountains was the perfect mini-break for us to spend time together enjoying nature.
Waking up the morning of the wedding, the surreal feeling from the day before stayed with me. Maybe I couldn’t believe that the day I had planned, reworked, and planned again was really happening, or maybe it was just the bizarre sensation of waking up in a huge, fancy hotel room by myself, like I was Princess Ann in Roman Holiday. It’s funny that the day started with something totally spontaneous—I woke up to a text from my parents to ask if I wanted to come with them to get breakfast at a pancake house!
I have to start by admitting that I started shopping for my wedding dress before we started looking at wedding venues, which is evidently a cardinal sin in wedding planning. In my defense, I KNEW that I would want a huge ballgown no matter what venue we chose. There was just no scenario where I would wear anything less formal.
Sudden Claireity 