An Anniversary and a Wedding

Last month Woodley and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary! The weekend before, we traveled back to the lovely spot in Big Sur, CA where we were married last year. The particular ocean side cliff we chose for the wedding has a very special meaning to us because it is also where we got engaged, roughly a year and half ago. 

Our first year of marriage has been like a dream and I can't believe it's already over. We have had so many laughs, surprises, and have created so many wonderful memories. That reminds me...  I really need to start working on a scrapbook. :) 

During our weekend in Big Sur we had mixed weather which led us to be extremely grateful that our wedding day last year was so lovely. However, after growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I don't mind a bit of cloudy, rainy weather. Especially when I know that we need the rain. 

These are a few pictures from our hike down to the wedding spot. It's amazing to me that I ever made it down the steep path in my long wedding dress and while carrying my heavy heavy bouquet. (I asked for a large bouquet and boy did I get it - I think it must have weighed 10 pounds. I don't think it would have been a problem if I had been walking down the aisle of a church but it was quite difficult to manage while trying to hold up my dress on a 30 minute hike down to the wedding location.) :) 

Once we got past the steepest gravel part of the processional, the woods gave way and we came out onto this lovely field leading down to the ocean. It was wonderful to hike it again, this time with Woodley by my side. As we walked down, arm in arm, I asked him what he was thinking about last year as he saw me walking down to him on our wedding day. He said he didn't remember because he was too busy trying to videotape it. :) I guess that's why some couples hire people to do that part for them. Although, for my part, most of what I remember of the processional was trying not to drop my bouquet or trip over my dress while simultaneously avoiding the cow pies.

I do think it was one of the most romantic places for a processional though. 

Ah, here we are at the spot! On our engagement day, Woodley brought me down to this exact cliff. I had my camera with me and was stunned by the fabulous view so I immediately started taking photos. As I was trying to take a picture of the coastline, I came over to this ancient fence post and knelt down. Woodley tells me he was waiting for the perfect time to propose and when he saw me kneeling down, he knew that was it. He came over and knelt beside me and asked me to marry him. It was perfect! 

It is quite a long way down to the beach below! We are all grateful that although we got married quite near the cliff's edge, the pastor didn't accidentally take a step too far backward and fall over the edge. (I'll have to post pictures of the actual wedding to show how close he was later)

We always love the sunset this time of year when the sun seems to go down between the hills and the ocean just like it would in a painting!

Three days after we got back from our Big Sur Trip, on our actual anniversary - June 17, we hopped in the car and drove up to Portland, OR. Our dear friends Allen and Beth would be getting married on Saturday the 20th and we decided to caravan up I-5 with Beth. The trip went smoothly and we had a great time celebrating their wedding and remembering our own.

Theirs was the first wedding we had been to since a month after our wedding and it was very touching to hear their service which was actually very similar to ours. 

They made such a lovely couple! We had a wonderful time dancing after the wedding was over. We even got to do the Bohemian National Polka, one of our favorite dances!

Congratulations Allen and Beth! 

~ElizabethRose