9 Year Wedding Anniversary
A trip down memory lane…
In just a few short days, my husband Parkes and I will be celebrating our 9 year anniversary…I truly can’t believe it. It seems like it was just yesterday when I found myself walking down the aisle with my arms linked with my Dad’s, and I was staring into the eyes of the man I would spend the rest of my life with.
We were just kids, freshly 22 years old. A couple of broke college graduates who didn’t care about anything else but spending the rest of our lives together. I had a skeleton budget and found a dress that I LOVED for only $250. The venue was $700 and I basically planned every detail myself. It was the most DIY wedding and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
We got married at a community park just outside of Nashville, TN in Brentwood. It was a beautiful October day and I remember feeling SO much love from all of our friends and family members who showed up for us. All 180 of them traveling from all over the country to celebrate our love and marriage.
Of course not everything went right, some of our tablecloths we rented has stains on them. Our Best Man was MIA until about 30 minutes before the ceremony began, and a cold front blew in as soon as the sun set which forced everyone to put on every single layer they had on them which means we had some great photos of girls dancing on the dancefloor with sweatpants under their beautiful dresses, I personally loved the look.
I look back on our wedding and there is so much I would change knowing what I know now…but at the same time I wouldn’t have it any other way. The people we were back then vs who we are now is so different. But our wedding reflected our love and relationship so well at the time.
Looking back at it now, we got married when we were young, dumb, and naive. But I can’t even describe how much I have enjoyed growing alongside Parkes after all these years. I loved who we were then and I love who we are now. Our life together continues to grow and shift with every changing season.
We started dating October 10, 2012. He asked me to be his girlfriend at midnight right before curfew when we were to turn into our dorms for the night. 19 years old and absolutely clueless to what life would have in store for us.
We have experienced so much together. Love, laughter, joy, grief, heartache, loss, we have climbed mountains and trudged through valleys together. There is no better partner on earth for me other than Parkes and I thank God that he gave us each other.
There is no way my life would be as beautiful as it is now without my husband. He has encouraged me through every chapter in my life. Whatever our dreams were, we chased them. And we will never stop. I love you Parkes Carpenter, happy 9 year anniversary.
