While I’m not a big fan of holidays in general (they often feel a little forced to me) I actually love the turning over of the calendar every year – it makes things feel fresh, which is especially needed in winter, even one as sunny and dry as the one we’re currently getting in the Bay Area. That said – how is it 2014 already? (really, can someone please explain to me where exactly last year went?)

2013 was wonderful in a kind of crazy way – I bought a house, moved the business (and myself) into it, started writing a regular column, expanded the team, expanded the business to LA and started driving down there monthly, lived through a six+ week bathroom remodel (in a one bathroom house), celebrated turning 30 by having 75 people to my house for brunch, hosted Thanksgiving for the first time, and planned what will probably be the last big party ever at my parents’ current house (they’re planning on moving in the spring.) Not to mention personally coordinating 26 weddings, throwing big birthday parties for both my best friend and my mom, and somehow maintaining a fairly active social life (if you’re wondering, the thing that gets lost in the schedule is sleep.)

In 2014 I’m hoping to slow down, at least a little bit. More dinner parties and less take-out eaten in front of the computer at 10pm, more coffee in ceramic cups consumed while sitting with people I enjoy and less to-go cups in the car, more walking slowly through neighborhoods and museums and parks and less rushing to back-to-back-to-back appointments, more mornings reading books in bed and less nights answering emails until 2am. I adore my job, and when you love your job and run… slightly towards the high-energy side (ha!), it’s very very easy to slip into workaholism. We have 44 weddings on the books already for 2014 and are taking 50 total this year, and sometimes that makes slowing down feel impossible, but then I remind myself that I have an incredible staff who handle everything given to them beautifully. And that I once did 32 weddings in a year by myself, so 50 between three people is actually really, really manageable. We have so, so many amazing clients this year that I’m pretty much pinching myself constantly – most of the time I can’t believe how lucky I am to get to do work that feels meaningful, keeps me engaged and challenged, and continually connects me to some of the best people (both clients and colleagues) I’ve ever had the pleasure of being around. But I also know that the schedule I’ve been keeping for the last few years isn’t sustainable in the long run, and that if I want to keep adoring my job I need to figure out a way to find some balance. It turns out that I’m not sure that I’m someone who actually likes vacations – after more than 2 or 3 days of not working at all I’m itchy to get back, but I do love half days off, and even whole days here and there, and that occasionally a week or two of a reduced work schedule is lovely (yes, I know how bad it sounds that I essentially just said I rarely take whole days off. It’s true. and I’m working on it!)

We’re kicking weddings things off super early this year with a New Year’s Day wedding (take a look a look my Instagram later today for pictures) and then get another short break before things get busy in February. And, if you’ve been paying attention, then yes! We do still have 30+ weddings from 2013 to blog, and rest assured that Alyssa and I are getting on that stat in the New Year, and I promise not to let it happen again this year…

Wishing you all love and joy and the space to slow down in 2014!

Can someone please explain how it’s January 23rd already? Some random things for you:

• I haven’t actually tried them yet, but I’m excited about this line of colorful compostable ware from Susty Party. Made out of starch and grass fiber, in the US. Rad. (pictured above)
• If you haven’t seen Dan Savage’s brilliant column on weddings yet, go check it out.
• It’s a few months old, but Jessica Valenti’s post, She Who Dies With the Most ‘Likes’ Wins?, is a brilliant must read for everyone. “The truth is that we don’t need everyone to like us, we need a few people to love us. Because what’s better than being roundly liked is being fully known—an impossibility both professionally and personally if you’re so busy being likable that you forget to be yourself.”
• I wrote a piece over at APW on the dreaded Wedding Budget, and answered questions in the comments -  hopefully both are helpful if you’re currently in the thick of things!
• Great advice when it comes to your home – “Go Ahead and Make a Mistake” via Apartment Therapy
• Looking for non-cupcake like (or bank breaking?) flower girl dresses? I put together a board full of them over on Pinterest.

My keyword for 2011 was “purposeful” and my goal was to start flossing every night – something I’d never done with any regularity. I’m calling success on both counts, even though there was a break in the flossing habit this fall (I’ve since gotten back on track.)

My goal for 2012 is to learn to apply fake eyelashes quickly and flawlessly (hey, I never said the goal had to be… virtuous, just easily achievable.) And my keyword for 2012 is Yes.

I know from experience that my life is both fuller and happier when I say yes more often. (This, after all, is one of my favorite quotes.) Yes to adventure, yes to new experiences. Yes to dinners out with friends, yes to spontaneous trips, yes to helping people out when they need it, yes to inclinations to spend a warm afternoon reading outside. Yes to spur of the moment coffee dates with friends, even if it means working a little later that night. Yes to going to that show, even if it’s going to mean an extra cup of coffee in the morning. Yes to doing things that scare me, because they’re usually the things that make me grow. Yes to joy, even when joy seems like it might be a little inconvenient or tiring or expensive. I have realized that I only very rarely regret doing things, but regret not doing things much more often. So here’s to doing things in 2012. Here’s to yes.

Looking forward to all of the things that next year will bring. Here’s to hoping for lots of wonderfulness for everyone in 2012!

It started raining right on time this year, and I’m left feeling a little like I don’t know where exactly summer went. This wedding season has been an amazing but intense one for me (it’s was my first one doing events full time… this weekend will be my 12th wedding in the past 10 consecutive weekends) and I’ve fallen behind in other areas, like keeping up this blog. Some things I’ve seen around the internet that I loved over the past while:

• This piece on “What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently” has been making its way around the internet for a while, but it’s brilliant. If you haven’t read it yet, do it now. “The women who could answer positively to the questions above had, on some level, simply decided that they were going to be happy. They made that choice.” Yes, yes, yes.
• Name Changing, APW community style. It’s a great and important conversation.
• Roxy & Dave’s (of the food-truck catered park wedding) photos are up on Erika Jackson’s blog – and they’re gorgeous.
• We Are the 99 Percent. Powerful.
• making glitter! in photoshop
• Lots of great advice in desktop wallpaper form.
• I want this star projector. Also – potential wedding fun, no?
• glow stick lanterns! definitely potential wedding (and, well, general) fun.

I’m looking forward to having a little more time to read, work on personal projects, and see my friends as we go into the off season (although, the truth is that it won’t really be very “off” as I’m already working on a ton of weddings for 2012!) And, as always, I’m going to be working on trying to find something to enjoy about colder, wetter, weather, which is always a big effort for me (because if I was the queen of the universe, every day would be 75°F and sunny.)

And through all of it, this quote keeps running through the back of my mind – because, my friends, life really is about saying yes. And when you remember that, and you do it, and you have faith in yourself and in the people around you? That’s when things get pretty awesome.

“The thing is, I really like saying yes. I like new things, projects, plans, getting people together and doing something, trying something, even when it’s corny or stupid. I am not good at saying no. And I do not get along with people who say no. When you die, and it really could be this afternoon, under the same bus wheels I’ll stick my head if need be, you will not be happy about having said no. You will be kicking your ass about all the no’s you’ve said. No to that opportunity, or no to that trip to Nova Scotia or no to that night out, or no to that project or no to that person who wants to be naked with you but you worry about what your friends will say.

No is for wimps. No is for pussies. No is to live small and embittered, cherishing the opportunities you missed because they might have sent the wrong message.”

-Dave Eggers

So, here’s to yes, to spending time in the sunshine, and to happy holiday weekends everywhere!

Have a lovely weekend!