Wedding Date on Nov 21, 2021

Anne and Megan met through a mutual friend, Emily. Anne and Megan went to college together and were roommates throughout their time at The University of Kansas. They remained close friends and Anne was a bridesmaid in Emily's wedding (and then Emily was one of Anne's bridesmaid's!). Megan and Emily became close friends during their 3 years of medical residency training at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. One Sunday morning, Emily and Megan had worked a difficult overnight shift at the hospital and instead of going to bed, they opted for a relaxed "Sunday Funday" at Emily's house with homemade Bloody Mary's. Anne just happened to check in with Emily that day, and was invited over to join their "Sunday Funday." It was that day - in yoga pants, hoodies, hats, and the enveloping smell of vodka and spicy Bloody Mary mix - that Anne and Megan immediately felt a connection. And that was it :) Anne initially proposed to Megan on September 25th, 2020. Anne was working from home during that period of time and was constantly scheming proposal details and planning. From custom designing Megan's engagement ring through hundreds of sketches and frequent Zoom meetings with the out-of-state jewelry designer, to interviewing/hiring a local engagement photographer, and booking an after party with close family/friends at their favorite local neighborhood Irish pub, Anne proposed to Megan on a Friday afternoon/evening after Megan got home from work in the backyard of their first home together at sunset. Megan then proposed to Anne the evening of Christmas Day 2020. After the September proposal, the two agreed that Megan would propose sometime by Christmas, but wanted to leave any other details/timing expectations as a surprise. The day had been filled with joy and gathering around Anne's family for Christmas celebrations, but Megan knew Anne would be anticipating a special Christmas gift while the family was opening presents Christmas morning. To Anne's dismay, no ring/proposal...yet. The family separated that afternoon with plans to reconvene that evening for dinner and a drive around town to look at Christmas lights, a family tradition. As Anne and Megan were about to walk into Anne's parent's home, Megan pulled Anne aside to a small, quaint island in front of the home surrounded by trees with white Christmas lights and pretended her boot zipper was broken. She got down on one knee and proposed to Anne with her entire family eagerly peeking through the windows. For their wedding vision, they aspired for a unique combination of elegance, classic simplicity, and easygoing feels with influences of bohemian/natural/coastal elements. They wanted to keep the focus on their core values and the natural beauty of the Florida marsh setting while still adding their own flavors and style to the overall decor and feel for their guests. They describe their wedding as, "Quite literally the best day ever. It was FUN, exploding and overflowing with all forms of love - love for one another, love for our families, love for our friends - both life-long and new friends - love for what Amelia Island means to us and getting to share it with everyone we both love, all in one place - together. Celebrating, letting go, and just being together. As health professionals having worked in hospital settings during the entire course of the pandemic, combined with having just recently moved across the country, buying a home, and both starting new jobs just months before the wedding, we had quite a bit on our plate as a couple (although, that is JUST our style!). Being able to briefly disengage from the "real world" and dive head first into being fully present to absorb every ounce of love, joy, happiness, and celebration of our love, our health, our family, and our friends encased by the backdrop of Amelia Island, a place that holds a very special meaning for us, it was truly magical. It was the best day ever." Anne's favorite moment was that brief moment Anne and Megan spent together after having just recessed from the ceremony site to an area under the Spanish moss and just getting to look at one another - just them two - and realize what just happened. It was so pure, so private, and so honest. Her other favorite moment was the private last dance. In fact, Anne loved it so much, they danced twice. Their color palette was emerald/forest green, champagne, white, gold, and clear/glass/acrylic. They had a vision of "classic, simple, and elegant" with regards to flowers, cake, and general decor. They wanted a touch of coastal/tropical touches while maintaining a simple "white and green" color scheme for the most part. For their wedding favors, they included a mini bottle of bourbon (as Megan is from Kentucky), a mini bottle of KC bbq sauce (as Anne is from Kansas City), and a mini bag of popcorn from a local Amelia Island creamery shop. Due to several conflicting issues, they tried to think of an alternative "exit celebration" from the traditional idea of sparklers after the reception. Instead, they ordered small bags of lavender for the guests to toss on them as they recessed down the aisle after the ceremony. They also asked each of their elder family members to write them letters with marriage/life advice for them to keep in a memory box for them to reflect on. Their "guest book" was a custom live wood slab. They drilled two holes into opposite sides and strung it up into a tree in their backyard. It now hangs as a memorable swing they get to look at every day. Their advice to brides and couples-to-be is, "On the day of, be present, let go of all the planning, and just CELEBRATE. During the planning process, be intentional about how you want to hold onto the memories of that day so that you can feel confident in just being present that day."