a wedding for the books

This past month, one of dearest, sweetest, most wonderful friends AMY got married to an equally wonderful guy, Matt! Over the years, we've had a couple of awesome weekends as a four-some (like here and here) so we were pretty bummed when Brian couldn't come to Austin for the nuptials because of his show, but I tried to make the most of it for both of us!

rowdy bridal luncheon! (not exaggerating)

afternoon with mego and rachel at the co-po. the development is BOOMING these days! if only I could've kept my house there...

 loved Matt's Miami look and all the sweet toasts from the rehearsal dinner! afterwards at J Black's, obvi.

I have to say that Amy was a remarkable bride. Not only was she incredibly beautiful and SO freaking happy on the day-of, but she was super laidback throughout the whole planning process and didn't waste any time obsessing over details that wouldn't matter. I was so proud of her for just keeping it simple, from the time of the engagement (6 months) to the size of the wedding party (just her two sisters) to the location (one of only a few that she considered). She made decisions swiftly and stayed focus on what mattered to creating a day that she and Matt could enjoy with their friends and family. It sounds ridiculous to say - like who wouldn't want to do that - but even the best of us can get so wrapped up in the minutia of things that really at the end of the day don't matter.




Being so laidback paid off on the day-of as well, since you could tell they were having the best time! They seemed to be really present in all conversations, which is REALLY hard to do in the midst of 125 of your closest friends and family, and more importantly, they rocked the dance floor / glow sticks / and everything in between. And, they were both radiating (a little heat, and a LOT of happiness) - I can't tell you how many people commented on what a good-looking couple they are. Truth.

breathtaking dress and veil

so freaking cute together

is that a Phish show, or Matt's ideal wedding?

the earrings came on, the bow tie came off, and they got down to business

Being in Austin for 3 full days was also pretty awesome for me, because I got to spend a decent bit of time just chilling out, eating and going out with friends, and making a couple of house calls to see old friends and their new babies and growing families! The main person I didn't get to see was Amanda and her precious baby Paige, but that'll give me something to look forward to next time. I felt a major heart pang when I landed in Austin, as if I couldn't believe we don't actually live there like we should. Of course we love Chicago or we wouldn't be here, but man those emotions can really come flooding back. There is just so much to love about the city and the life I had there, so it's hard to reconcile that with the rest of the life I've built since then--you forget how many dimensions your life has and it seems weird that such different pieces can all fit together to make up your very own experiences. But I'm so grateful for every trip back because it reminds me of things I want more in my life (queso, I'm talking to you) and things that I'd be missing out on if I were still there.

Thanks for the great weekends, Mr. & Mrs. Foxy! Love you both so much!