{dear friend}

on my birthday.

September 17, 2015

Hi! How are you? I hope you’re doing fine.

I’m in a busy season of life, I think. Turns out the year you get engaged and get married and travel on a three week honeymoon to Europe AND get a puppy is one for the busy books. Who knew right? But oh, it’s been a dream!

And wouldn’t you know, today is my birthday! We always make a celebration out of these sort of happenings over here. It’s probably so cliche to say this was the best year yet, but, honestly it was. It absolutely was. And 32? Well, I’m ready for it. The start of another year is so exciting and curious! What kind of surprises will this year bring? Would it also be cliche to say I think it might keep getting better? That each passing year is more divine than the last? Because that’s true as well. How could it not be? At least that’s what I believe to be so. I have more memories than ever, from all the years and all the moments, all bottled up and carried around in my soul. Piling more and more in my heart with each passing month, day, year, second. Surely getting older is the most amazing thing to celebrate. Surely getting older is collecting all the good you’ve had, and the promise of what’s to come.

Last night we stayed up making red velvet bundt cake, so today we can eat it. In the morning we’ll wake up early and have Eggs Benedict and walk the puppy. I’m packing peanut butter and jelly with potato chips for lunch {because it’s my favorite} and tonight we’ll have family over for tacos. I’ll give my class an extra recess {just because!} and wear a favorite dress and buy myself some flowers. I’ll call my mom to tell her that I love her, and wish her a happy birthday too!– I was born on her birthday all those years ago and it’s one of the very best things I could think up to share. I love you mom, to the stars and beyond, and I hope your day all that you wish. ♥♥♥

Today is going to be a good day. And thirty-two is going to be great. ♥

11 Comments · Filed Under: celebrations, life ·

Hitchswitch!

August 19, 2015

Ever since Zan and I got engaged I have been looking forward to changing my name. I love love love my old name, but I also love love love my new name, too.

Anna Winchell <– that’s the new me! Which is exactly the same as the old me. Thank goodness. :)

I knew this summer would be the perfect time for me to change it legally. Being on summer vacation means I have more free time to run extra erands. Also working it all out in the summer means I can start the school year fresh with my new name. I like how my new class doesn’t know me yet, so Mrs. Winchell won’t be hard for them to remember to say. (Although it’s still a bit strange for me to hear!)

Turns out, as it is with these things, changing your name is a pain in the butt. Legally, at least.

A friend told me that The Knot has a great guide to follow when it’s time to change your name, but even that felt a bit tedious to me. So many websites to go to to find information! So many places to stop into! The thought of it literally made my head spin.

Then I found Hitchswitch.

Praise up!

For a (not too crazy, totally worth it) price they offer 2 different options to fit your budget:

Print at Home package (you fill out the forms online, print them at home, sign your name and send them in yourself) and a Full Service package (they mail you an awesome folder filled with all the forms you need (already filled out!) WITH pre-addressed pre-stamped envelopes, which was really the icing on the cake for me.

Both are worth it because you don’t have to trail around town or scour the Internet for the correct forms. Which is seriously the worst. (You do need to go to the DMV in person though (tragic) because they don’t let you do that through the mail.)

Overall it was so easy breezy. So very stress free.

My favorite part is how organized it all was. When the package came there were checklists and sticky notes with arrows where I needed to sign. Everything was placed in the order in which I should complete the forms and send in (Social Security first!). I just loved the simplicity of it all.

Especially after the craze and prep of the best day ever? I was the busiest bee for months!

Oh yes! I’ll take allllll the simple I can get.

7 Comments · Filed Under: Uncategorized ·

photobooth favorites!

August 3, 2015

The photobooth was one of my favorite parts of our wedding. Everyone had such a blast and after much debating beforehand, I am certain looking back that it was money well spent! I’m not exactly sure where my mom found the adorable paper cut-out props from, but I did a little research and found out that you can purchase them online here. I also happily discovered they were designed by The First Snow — the same etsy shop where I bought my bridesmaid thank you cards that I seriously love so much. A favorite illustrator for sure!

Below are my very favorites.
So many good ones it was hard to choose!

What a hoot! Cracks me up every single time. :)

If you were at our wedding and want to view them all,
click here! {you can download them individually, too!}

1 Comment · Filed Under: celebrations, wedding ·

our wedding day.

July 27, 2015

Oh my. How do I even begin to describe this day? I suppose the more I sit here and think about it the more I know that no amount of words will ever do it justice. But the photos just might and for that I am beyond thankful and so excited to share them with you. Our wedding day was magic. It was more than I could have dreamed and better than I ever imagined. We were engaged on the coldest and brightest of New Year’s Eves and although we will always now have a special place for winter in our hearts, summer is where our souls are meant to be. So on a gorgeous day in June we were married. We planned our celebration in just over 6 months and both agree we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. We have been together for what seems like forever. So many summers and falls and winters and springs. And are thrilled to keep loving each other until forever and a day.

I grew up spending my summers on Skaneateles Lake, a gorgeous little spot tucked right into the Finger Lakes in New York. When we started to look around for venues the Mandana Barn in Skaneateles literally dropped right into our laps — or maybe I should say we dropped right into theirs. I knew I wanted a simple wedding. One filled with green grass and flowers and family and friends. I worked hard to bring the vision I had in my mind for this day to life. And with the help of everyone around us it was more than I could have hoped for and then even better still.

The morning of the wedding Zan and I met up for breakfast on the water. We went to the bakery in town, got donuts and coffee and sat quietly with our feet over the edge of the lake. We weren’t nervous or anxious, only completely and wonderfully at peace. I am so glad we got that time together the morning of our day– before the hustle and bustle, before the thrill of it all.

My cousin Paige gave us some of the best advice before our wedding day. “Stay together the entire length of the day,” she said. Someone had given the advice to her and I will forever pass it on to others. It seems kind of obvious, but there are certainly times where we could have become separated during all the excitement. So many different friends to talk to! Such a big family! But once we came together for our first look we never left each other’s side.

Although much of the wedding was planned by yours truly (and thankfully my mom who was able to be so close when Boston felt so far),there was certainly a team that helped the magic come alive. Our vendors include… Venue: Mandana Barn / Catering & Planning: James Hares, Mandana Inn (James help was immeasurable. Since we didn’t have a traditional wedding planner, James took over so many of the important venue details and truly helped the day come together perfectly.) / My dress: Ceremony Boston, designed by Karen Willis Holmes / Bridesmaid dresses and my blue suede shoes: J.crew / Zan’s suit and Groomsmen attire: J.crew / Groomsmen Ties: The Tie Bar / Band: Silver Arrow Band / Officiant: Emily VanLaeys / Flowers for tables, arbor, and ceremony: Fifty Flowers {with help from a massive team of my family and friends} / Bouquets, flower crowns, and garland: Laxton’s Florist / Hair and Make-up: Melissa Evans, Arabella Salon / Boat Rental: The Sherwood Inn / Wedding Arbor & Best Day Ever sign post: made by Zan, decorated and hand-lettered by my Aunt Heidi / Invitations and paper: designed by me, hand-lettered and illustrated by my Aunt Heidi ♥

And last but absolutely not least— an amazing photographer was my number one requirement {besides the groom, of course!}, and if there’s a word stronger than incredible then that would most certainly describe ours. Chad and Rebecca Hansen from First Mate Photography were a dream. They captured our day exactly how my memories keep it — beyond perfect. These photos are everything to me. A celebration of love, indeed…