For a time, I considered abandoning my Style Boards altogether...they require such peaceful concentration and a willingness to let my mind wander - which became increasingly difficult to accomplish while meeting the demands of running my business.  But several months have passed since creating my last Style Board and I still long to immerse myself in the fantasy of what could be.  Since we are on the brink of welcoming a New Year, it feels like the perfect opportunity to start anew.

This month's Style Board is inspired by the most wonderful and perplexing question (which I am asked all the time), "If you were getting married again, what would you do?".  Well...when my husband and I were married six years ago, we had a small destination wedding in Cancun, surrounded by a handful of loving family and friends.  Our wedding will always hold a special place in our hearts because it is our personal history and will always be a part of us.  But...

If we had our wedding to do again, I am certain we would celebrate our Midwest roots and our love of all things Ohio.  We would worry less and breathe deeper.  We would let our family and friends participate in any way they chose and we would feel comfortable being our everyday selves.  We would revel in long chats over local food and wine. We would encourage dancing and drinking, storytelling and impromptu readings from our favorite books.  We would insist that if anyone grew too tired or too full or entirely too drunk, they should rest under a quilt on a sleeping porch.  We would discuss at length our past and our future.  We would conjure the presence of people who are no longer with us through loving, rowdy, familiar and unexpected stories of our cherished times with them.  We would wander and lay down in the grass.  We would take note of the changing position of the sun and welcome the darkening sky.  At dusk some of us would gravitate toward the hissing bonfire and some would continue sitting at tables under glowing lanterns, hung from the limbs of trees.  Each of us would fluctuate among separation and togetherness, but we would always be bonded through our intimate knowledge of, and enduring love for, each other.  

What better way to celebrate a Halloween weekend wedding than an enchanting masquerade ball?  Katherine and Ryan's romantic Scioto Country Club wedding day was the perfect balance of understated grace and opulent fantasy.  What I loved about Katherine and Ryan was that they allowed themselves to revel in the magic of the glamorous masquerade...but always remained true to themselves, enjoying what was most important about the day...their love for each other and their joyful time spent with family and friends.  They showed such admiration and love for their family and friends throughout the entire day...and even had their parents stand up for them during the ceremony as the Matron of Honor and Best Man.  Even their wedding day design was lovingly crafted by their good family friend, and talented interior designer, David Berg.  It was clear from the beginning of their day that this was a celebration of their love for one another, and also a celebration for those who have shared in their lives and continue to inspire their relationship.

These days, I spend much of my time staring up at the empty white sky and endless bare branches...reflecting on the fresh, green days of summer.  And it's easy to conjure the feeling of those bright, lush days when I look back on Shantel and Kevin's wedding.  But it wasn't just the summer day itself that was bright and happy...it was Shantel and Kevin's gorgeous, sparkling smiles that filled the day, and our hearts, with light and joy.  When I look at their wedding, I am instantly transported to the romantic days of summer, and can suddenly see beyond the looming onset of winter...to the glowing, joyful days to come.