This post is rather long compared to my usual but it’s hard to keep it short when you’re recapping an entire trip around the sun! 2016 was a significant year for me as it was the year Erick and I got to say ‘ I do ‘. I will also always remember 2016 as the year I started what has become an amazing outlet for all things fashion, travel, lifestyle, party planning, and more – Elle Mae Bloom!
{ January }
I started off the new year by heading to the ER for the first time in my 24 years of life. Don’t worry nothing life threatening, it was just the only place open on NYD. The night before on New Years Eve I was complaining that my eardrum was throbbing and really hurt. I then spent the next hour laying on the floor while my best friend, Ashley shined a flashlight down my ear seeing if the back of my earring fell down into my eardrum. She SWORE she saw it and even took a picture proving to all of us there was indeed a shiny metal piece down in my eardrum. So the next morning Erick and I headed to the ER where we waited and waited and waited to be seen. After a total of four hours the doctors reassured me there was absolutely n o t h i n g in my ear. 🙂 whoops. I showed them the picture insisting there was definitely something in there and they said I must just have a really shiny eardrum. So me and my shiny eardrum went on home with a very expensive bill and a not so happy hubby 🙂
On a better note January was also the month our baby golden doodle, Brinkley turned O N E! We absolutely love this goofy, ornery, sweetheart of a doggie and are so lucky to have this doodle in our lives!
{ February }
February is always a quite month for us though this is Erick’s birthday month and this past year he turned the big 2-6, meaning he’ll be the big 2-7 here in just a short month – man we are getting old! This February will be a little more exciting than usual though as we are taking a week-long trip to Breckenridge, CO – we’re so excited!
{ March }
I had my first bridal shower! This was the first wedding festivity that took place and made me realize how quickly our May wedding was approaching! My bestie Ashley threw me the most gorgeous bridal shower at The Vintage House, if you live in the Kansas City area you must look it up! Complete with a mimosa bar, floral donut cake, and all of my dearest girlfriends and family gathered to celebrate – it was perfect.
{ April }
Nothing too exciting happened in April, it flew by as I had my second shower thrown by my new Sister in Law’s & Mother in law. I spent the rest of the month tying up loose ends for the wedding and getting everything finalized.
{ May }
Wedding month was here!! It was by far the busiest month of our year!! We started out the month with my 25th birthday on May 7th. I { for some crazy reason } thought it’d be fun to have my bachelorette party on my birthday since it fell on a Saturday, Erick also had his separate bachelor party this same night. While the night didn’t go as smoothly as possible due to our limo company (that story would take a separate blog post on its own!) and Erick’s party bus breaking down 10 minutes into the night – ha! We both still had a great time with our closest friends. Again, Ashley did an amazing job a putting together the details of my bachelorette including a wine tasting at KC Wine Co, dinner in downtown KCMO, and then out on the town. Definitely a night/birthday I will never forget.
May 7th is not only my birthday, but our first fur baby, Brantley’s birthday as well! I always say Brantley was more of an engagement ring than my actual ring. Brantley is our first baby and so very important to both Erick and I, I can’t believe he will be turning F I V E this May.
May was also full of graduations, mothers day, and getting everything ready for the big day. May 20th came quick and it was truly everything I could have ever wanted, you can read about and see our entire wedding day { including our wedding video!} here. We took the most AUH-mazing and unforgettable honeymoon to Rivera Maya, Mexico the following week and look forward to going back someday soon!
{ June }
We made it back from our honeymoon just in time to become Aunt Leah and Uncle Erick for the 5th time, welcoming Mr. Levi Lowe!
{ July }
July 2016 will forever be special to me because this is the month I decided to create & share this platform – Elle Mae Bloom. I started this blog because my creative outlet was feeling rather empty. With the wedding of my dreams behind me (which I absolutely loved every second of planning) I knew I wanted and needed something creative of my own. With my love obsession for fashion and style, home decor, and wedding + event planning Elle Mae Bloom was born. This is the place where I can share my thoughts, style, ideas, goals, and dreams with all of you amazing people. In these short 6 months since my launch date of July 4th I’ve already learned so much, not only about blogging and this creative industry full of makers and creators but about myself. This blog would be rather silly to keep going if it weren’t for my loyal and AUH-MAZING followers who read along every week.
I genuinely T H A N K Y O U so so very much as this would not be possible without you.
I can not wait to see where 2017 and the next 6 months of this first year of EMB takes me – I couldn’t do it with out you guys!
{ August }
Nothing too eventful happened this month, it was spent enjoying the last little bit of summer going to concerts, vintage whites decor market, and delicious dinner outings with friends and family.
{ September }
We kicked off the fall season by heading to Weston, MO and visiting the Weston Red Barn Farm apple orchard. We wandered to their downtown area where we explored adorable little shops, sipped on delicious wine, and listened to live music. We also caught are last game of Royals baseball for the season and ended the month by buying our first big purchase as a married couple, a Jeep.
{ October }
October is when it really started to feel like fall here in Kansas. cider mill fest {cider donuts, yum!} Chiefs football, and the best part a Girls Trip! My sweet mother turned 60 on October 1st so I treated her to a girls trip to Nashville to see Beyoncé in concert! Ashley (bestie mentioned above) came along and the three of us had the best time exploring the city and dancing all night to queen B!
{ November } + { December }
Nothing too exciting happened during the months of November and December. They were both jam-packed with birthday celebrations and holiday gatherings including Erick and I hosting both Thanksgiving and Christmas for the first time as a married couple! We ended 2016 by having a group of fabulous friends over to ring in the new year!
Cheers to 2016, you were so good! Here’s to a healthy, happy, and successful 2017 to all!
“There are stars you haven’t seen and loves you haven’t loved. There’s light you haven’t felt and sunrises yet to dawn. There are dreams you haven’t dreamt, and days you haven’t lived, and nights you won’t forget, and flowers yet to grow. And there is more to you that you have yet to know.”
– Gaby Compres –
Always,
x – L e a h