2015 HIGHLIGHTS

2015 is going to be the hardest year for me to let go of. Looking back on all of these memories (and photos) it’s hard to believe all of this happened in just one year. When time just seems to keep speeding up as I get older, I am in awe of everything this year has brought my way. Another reason I love having this blog is to keep visual documentation of my life. I think it is one of the best decisions I ever made–one day my kids (maybe even grandkids) can look back through my posts and see just how much fun their mommy’s life was / is. Sometimes I like to scroll through to give myself a little perspective on what I achieved in 12 months and honestly, this year will be pretty damn hard to beat. Here are my favorite moments from 2015:

Getting married in Greece. The wedding, the guests, the events, nothing will ever beat it. Our wedding was everything we wanted it to be–intimate, naturally beautiful, easy-going, and memorable.

Honeymooning in Lake Como. After island hopping in Greece for most of our honeymoon, Paul surprised me by whisking me off to Lake Como right when I thought it was time to go home. I see a lot of Italy in 2016!

Buying a home. After years of searching for the right house, we finally found it! Even though my bridal shower landed pretty much on moving day, that didn’t stop me from loving every moment of it–the shower AND moving day. Yeah, I’m pretty crazy like that.

My bridal shower. A day full of all my favorite women, lots of pink, lots of rosé, and lots of sweets. My sisters, mom, mother-in-law, and best friend threw me the shower of my dreams. And even with the rain that poured down I was as happy as could be.

Touring Naxos with 50 people. 50 of my friends and family, that is. My parents arranged a private tour around the island and it was nothing short of a scene out of the movie Mamma Mia. We even tossed our hats in the air while yelling “OPA!”

Collaborating with brands I love. This year brought an immense amount of growth for the blog. I began working with brands I love–Schutz, Gypsy 05, Daniel Wellington, just to name a few–and I am so excited for what 2016 will bring. It is surreal to be approached by brands that I admire who find MY aesthetic up to their standards.

My bachelorette party in Mykonos. It wasn’t until we were all seated along the shoreline at Sea Satin Market with lacey cat ears that I realized how many beautiful ladies I had on the island with me. It was a night unlike any others–one with many confessions, cocktails, and strangers snapping our pictures everywhere we went.

Sailing to Paros. A sunset sail to yet another beautiful Greek island. We danced, cheers-ed, snapped pics, mingled, ate…it was quite possibly one of the best evenings in 2015. I am so grateful for my parents arranging such a beautiful event.

Gypset Kitchen launching. My younger sister launched her food blog, and I could not be more proud. After launching her Instagram (@gypsetkitchen) last year, we spent this entire year brainstorming, planning, and creating her beautiful site. I cannot wait to see everything that comes out of my talented sister’s culinary career.

The all white party. For our rehearsal dinner my in-laws hosted a beautiful dinner on the beach in Naxos. All our guests dressed in white. It had a very Gossip Girl-esque vibe to it. This was the night our bridal parties made their speeches and there was laughter and tears. We spent the rest of the night setting off lanterns, drinking Greek cocktails, and dancing the night away. Unfortunately the photos from that night were lost.

Sunsets in Santoini. I was lucky to witness 5 magical sunsets in Santorini, Greece during our honeymoon. Sitting cliff side with some of the best cocktails I’ve ever tasted, with my new husband by my side is pretty unforgettable. I look forward to the day I can return to this truly unbelievable island.

My wedding dress. Working with Galia Lahav on my custom wedding gown was something I never imaged happening in 100 years. I also never imagined that it would attract such attention from wedding publications that I follow and admire. Being included in Wedded Wonderland’s Top 20 Gowns of 2015, and the feature of my entire wedding is just more documentation for this outstanding year.

My wedding video. It was no ordinary video. It took months for me to get it but let me tell you…it was worth the wait. I am so incredibly honored to have worked with the talented team that put together the best of my wedding into one artful, tasteful, moving 20-minute video I’ve ever watched.

Traveling to New York. It was a business trip that felt very much like pleasure. With my business partner on one side and one of my clients, whom I consider a close friend on my other side, we trotted all around the city drinking every last bottle of rosé in sight. Another reminder that I have incredible people all around the world in my life.

Donuts. Lots of donuts. Such a simple pleasure that I almost forgot I love so much. I was very lucky to have consumed the amount of donuts I have this year. I mean, maybe that’s not such a good thing, but hey, they make me happy.

A huge THANK YOU to the people who read my blog, who comment their thoughts (positive or negative), who follow my social channels, who share they follow my journey when I’m out and about, who support my choices, who encourage me to keep blogging, who make these photographs possible, who are by my side day in and day out. Without all of you I would not be able to pull off this crazy thing we call blogging! I am saddened to leave 2015 behind, but equally excited to see what 2016 has in store for me.