I first have to apologize for the lack in my blogging…. its been a crazy few weeks! Wedding season is in full swing and I am working on my new office (details to follow in a post next week!) so blogging has been on hold! Time to get back in the swing of things, starting today, on my ONE YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 🙂

May 7th, 2011 was my big day…. and now here we are, 365 days later, celebrating our first year. I just can’t believe it’s already been a year! It seems like it was just yesterday that I was walking down the aisle towards Brian, ready to say “I Do!”

I just wanted to take a personal moment here on the blog to think out loud about the past year, my first year of being a wife. I wanted to reflect on the great moments, and the hard challenges that we faced together, all bringing us closer in one way or another.

They say that your first year of marriage is the hardest, that all the changes are sometimes a lot for a new married couple to deal with. Living together, combining finances, the joining of two families, all stress factors. I thought about it also Ill admit, how does this all work out? How do I go from being so independent, to having a husband? How will our married life look? How will our first year be for us?

Funny thing is that even before we were married, all of  my questions just seemed to fade away. Brian and I got engaged, moved in together, and started planning the wedding. During that planning process was really when we learned to work as partners. We made choices together, and worked together to pay for the wedding. It was our first financial challenge as a couple, and we passed the test with flying colors! Our engagement was a magical time, and yet a stressful time that pushed us to communicate and work together as a team.

Since the wedding, we’ve kept that momentum going strong…. complete team work. We’ve stood together though some difficult times, leaning on each other and supporting each other. We’ve also celebrated some amazing moments, toasting to our successes both independently and as a couple. Weddings, funerals, family members in the hospital, promotions at work, paying off that wedding, starting a new business, moving into a new condo…. so many highs and lows this year! Up and down we go….but at least we are on this crazy ride TOGETHER!

Just like a new relationship, the first year of marriage is about laying a strong foundation for the future. It is about getting into a routine as a couple, learning more about each other and growing together. Brian and I have done this, and done this well. I am so proud of us, proud of where we are today, proud of where we are going together. We have kept a strong sense of who we are independently, and yet incorporated each other into our lives in every way. We are walking together, in the same direction, excited for our future.

Brian, I love you with all that I am. I am so proud to be your wife, so proud of what we have built together this past year. We have a wonderful life, a life that I am blessed to live with you each day. I am so excited for what is to come, for us to start our family, and to see where our careers lead. I’ll be here for your every step of the way, just as you have been for me. Happy Anniversary to us ❤

~Candice

Here are a few highlights of our amazing wedding last year….. oh, such wonderful memories! 🙂