Celebrating One Year

I still can't get over that I am married and that Josh is my husband. Or just saying "husband." And even though nothing day-to-day has really changed in our relationship, there's just something about being married that makes my heart a little happy. It's definitely the best. Being married to Josh is the best. And with this year being pretty hectic for the both of us - a nice weekend getaway was exactly what we needed. Our anniversary would also be the first weekend we've gone out of town alone since our honeymoon!

We had talked awhile back about taking off a few days of work and maybe going somewhere like Nashville (I've been dying to go!)...aaand then our anniversary kind of snuck up on us out of nowhere. So instead, we decided to do something that was within a few hours from where we lived. Josh ended up finding a cute country hotel in Williamsburg called Wedmore Place - that also happened to be right next door to a winery!

We had an amazing time celebrating! I loved visiting the little shops in downtown Williamsburg and eating at the local restaurants. Williamsburg is very dog-friendly, too - I was slightly regretting we didn't bring our furry family member with us!

Josh and I at the Williamsburg Winery.

The best part of our weekend though was our anniversary dinner back home at Trummer's on Main. Josh and I love, love, love trying new restaurants - and this by far, was the one of the best meals we've ever had. Not to mention the best service we've ever had. They took the time to make our evening so special - everyone (hostess, waiter, bus boy, and wine server) greeting us a happy anniversary, our secluded and intimate dinner seating, and a complimentary dessert at the end of the night.

Arugula salad and fried risotto. Pan-seared grouper in a port and ginger sauce. Braised short ribs over red pepper polenta.

Celebrating one year!

And the rest of our night was perfect. We spent it going through our wedding album, exchanging gifts, and snuggling with our pup. My parents even picked up Georgetown cupcakes for us while we were out of town - including some of the same flavors we had from our wedding day!

Josh is the best thing that's ever happened to me (besides Vega, of course). I don't think I can pick just one thing that I love most about Josh - but if I had to, I'd probably say his charm. He's so easy to get along with and talk to, and anyone that meets him for the first time instantly love him. Or maybe it's just those blue eyes?

Looking back, I would've never imagined that a guy that I met at a party in college would one day be the man I marry. We loved every crazy little thing about our first year and can't wait for all of the adventures that year two has in store for us!

Photos / Wedding

This past weekend, Josh and I celebrated our one year anniversary! We can't believe how quickly this past year has gone by. It feels just like yesterday we were engaged! 2013 so far has been crazy for the both of us - but we've enjoyed every single minute of it and can't wait for what year two has in store for us! We spent the evening of our anniversary going through all of our favorite photos, sampling a few bites of our year-old wedding cake (yum?), and reflecting back on the awesomeness that was our wedding day.

Happy 30 Years

Today is my parents' 30th anniversary! My parents are both from the Philippines, and they met each other after being set up on a blind date. They married five years later in a gorgeous little church surrounded by close family and friends - and my dad paid for the entire wedding!

And towards the end of my wedding planning - and in the midst of being so caught up on every American tradition - I realized I didn't even have any of my families' culture tied into it. So leave it up to my dad to bring a little bit of Filipino tradition to the mix. Most men in the Philippines wear a barong to their wedding or formal events. My dad decided last minute to wear a barong for my ceremony, before he changed into a tuxedo for the reception.

My parents on their wedding day in the Philippines (1983) and my dad and I on my wedding day.

We decided to celebrate this past weekend with a lovely Sunday trip to a nearby winery! Living in Virginia, we are lucky to have so many amazing wineries within 30 minutes of each other. We decided to go to Paradise Springs Winery in Clifton - mainly because it is one of the closest wineries to us and it is dog-friendly. And it was such a gorgeous spring day, I couldn't imagine leaving Vega at home indoors! Vega's favorite pastime? Basking in the sun.

Look at that happy face!

Now that the wedding has been over (for awhile now), I've really looked forward to events like these where I get to plan and decorate all over again! I used mason jars, a whitewashed serving tray, and picture frames from my wedding. Remember my favorite cheese knives from my wedding registry post? Yes - those made an appearance again!

My favorite and most recent inexpensive purchase were the plastic crystal dishes that I got from the dollar store (and it was four dishes for $1!) - which I used for the fruit and nuts. 

I added a photo of my grandparents on their wedding day - their anniversary is the day before my parents. My grandmother lives in the Philippines, so it was a small tribute to her as well!

We purchased a few bottles of Chardonnay from the winery (delicious!) and I prepared some light appetizers and snacks beforehand. I purchased the off-white bouquets from Trader Joe's - which happens to have great flower deals every now and then. Overall, a relatively inexpensive little get together! And most importantly, we had so much fun spending time with my parents and family. And Vega was able to add another winery to her list! So far, she's been to two - can't wait to add more to it once the weather stays warm.

Sunshine and wine with my best friend. Skirt from Love Culture.