welcome 2013!

LaurylLane-HappyNewYear Somehow we survived the "end of the world" (sans zombie apocalypse), and found ourselves at the end of the year. I'm not sure how it all happened so quickly, but here we are in 2013!

2012 was a rough year for me in many ways. I experienced a great deal of loss on a very personal level, and had to make some hard choices both in my personal life and regarding my business. Change is hard, but so, so good. I am learning and growing in ways I never imagined I would. I look forward to the year ahead with more excitement than I've ever felt before. 2013 is brimming with possibilities and today truly feels like the first day of the rest of my life. I am beyond grateful for where I am, and so thrilled by the beauty that surrounds me. May you, too, be surrounded by beauty and energized for the days that stretch before us! Happy New Year!

Image of the Silver Lake Reservoir by Lauryl Lane.

happy valentine's day!

In celebration of Valentine's Day, here's a sneak peek of a bouquet I fashioned for a recent collaboration. More on that later. For now, isn't that ombre effect exhilarating? Hope you're spending a beautiful day with the one (s) you love!

I feel like every day should be Valentine's Day, if this is truly a day of celebrating love. Sammy and I were cuddled on the sofa last night, discussing what we should do today. Sammy said something like, "we celebrate our love EVERY day." And he is so right.

This past year has been the hardest year for our relationship despite 9 years of togetherness. The difficulty mostly had to do with us being separated so much. The cross-country move and my many commitments in L.A. caused us to be apart for a total of nearly two months. Yeah, that time was broken up, but it sure added up. Neither of us had been apart for more than a week or two per year for any of the previous years since we first met during our junior year of college. It was rough. It led me to cut back on the number of destination weddings that I'm willing to commit to each year. And it made us think about how short life is and wonder if there is ANYTHING more important in life than being together?

We think not.

When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, For all the day they view things unrespected; But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee, And, darkly bright, are bright in dark directed; Then thou whose shadow shadows doth make bright, How would thy shadow's form form happy show To the clear day with thy much clearer light, When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so! How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made By looking on thee in the living day, When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay! All days are nights to see till I see thee, And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.

William Shakespeare Sonnet 43

Image | Floral Design | Styling by Lauryl Lane.

Celebrate!

Be always at War with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better person.

- Benjamin Franklin

Wow! 2011 has come and is nearly gone. Poof! The older I get, the more quickly time seems to pass. 2011 was a good year for me and for my business, and it also brought unexpected change in the form of a cross-country move. I still miss Los Angeles and my friends there, as well as the incredible Southern California wedding industry, but I'm slowly learning to navigate Denver and the surrounding areas, and I'm excited about the mountain weddings that I already have booked here in Colorado for the 2012 season. I'm also thrilled to have met some great fellow wedding industry professionals out here and to have had the opportunity to collaborate on a number of creative projects. I'll be sharing those in the days and weeks to come: first up is this festive tablescape and arm bouquet that I recently designed. Enjoy, and have a beautiful New Year's Eve celebration with the ones you love!

Images by Sara Hasstedt (1,2 & 6) | Additional Images | Floral Design | Styling by Lauryl Lane.