Anniversary Day

Exactly three years ago today, my husband Ben and I got married. But because I only started blogging a year ago, I thought I would share some wedding photos and spend a moment reminiscing. 

Ben and I got married in the morning on July 12th 2013 on an old stone bridge over a bubbling creek in the woods. We celebrated the afternoon away enjoying a potluck lunch and listening to our favorite local bluegrass group Grits and Grouper Soup. All told, it was the most surprisingly magical day of my life. I say surprisingly because before getting married, I wasn't interested in weddings and details and planning the day perfectly. People kept asking me what I wanted and I found myself frustrated because I really had no idea. Our wedding was a true community effort: friends and family pitched in and made it possible. On the day of, I showed up and was blown away by how much love and support I was surrounded by. 

Riding away from the ceremony on bikes.

My good friend Skylar of the Cafe Blue Moose made a cake out of homemade cake-pops.

I got to invite friends from all walks of my life to be in the wedding. 

This was the altar we got married in front of. Ben's brothers hauled it out of the woods and propped it up on rocks while his Aunt Cathy decorated it with beautiful living flowers. It looked like a twinkling fairyland and completely took my breath away.

My wedding dress was a vintage piece my sister picked up for a costume party she went to in college. When I told her Ben was planning to propose, she pulled it out of her closet and it fit me perfectly. The dress was found before I was even engaged. For the reception, I wore a second dress, a simple white hand-me-down from my friend Jess. So I didn't spend any money on wedding wears but felt completely and effortlessly myself all day.

So now it has been three years since the biggest commitment of my life. I look back fondly on our wedding day, but the real joy comes from every day married life. Sharing spaces, music, meals, and car rides. Ben and I get on each other's nerves more than we used to but are we also better at explaining things to one another and have grown to accommodate each other's faults while improving ourselves. Every day is lesson in becoming a better person. One of my favorite quotes I picked up in our first year of marriage was this:

"Marriage is great ... if you can get over yourself."

Little by little, I'm working on it and I can't wait to see where we are in another three years.