I couldn't end today without sharing a little personal note with you all. I've been keen amidst all the pre-Christmas day chaos this week to just stop and live in the moment a little while to think about what this year has meant for me and Love My Dress, and to focus on some of the wonderful memories that I'll be taking from the past 12 months into 2012.
I remember sitting and writing a reflective piece this time last year and goodness me, so much has happened in the time since! Love My Dress has gone from strength to strength, visitor numbers have doubled and I have enjoyed working on raising the profile of Love My Dress outside of the realms of the blog. From a personal perspective, this past year could not have been more challenging and yet fulfilling for me. There have been times I've cried with frustration and times I've blarted tears of joy. I've made many new friends, and lost a loved one, had ups downs, and too many nights working through to the morning that I care to mention. As I consider all that the past 12 months have bought to me, I can't help but feel an immense sense of reward and satisfaction.
I love this little wedding blog and I love the many brilliant opportunities it continues to bring in to my life. I thought it would be nice to jot down some of my highlights from this year and share them with you all…
♥ Handing in my notice to my former job and becoming a full time self employed wedding blogger in March. Best. Decision. Ever!
♥ The Love My Dress Summer Soiree…I smile every time I think about it 🙂 How I loved meeting a few Love My Dress readers! 😉
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2011, Katy Lunsford
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Cinematography (c) 2011, Mintyslippers
♥ Saying goodbye to Grandma – whilst it seems wrong to list in my 'fondest memories' of the year, it is infact one of my strongest memories, and my family did a wonderful job of seeing Grandma off to heaven after she sadly passed away in March. Grandma, I miss you so much and will be thinking of you this Christmas…
♥ My little baby girl's 1st Birhday…
♥ Being with my Husband 11 years in November, and celebrating 3 years since our wedding…
♥ Seeing my daughter Eska win 1st prize at her Irish dancing Feis… {for the uninitiated, you prounounce this 'fesh' – it's a term used for Irish dance comeptitions}…
♥ The Big Fat Wedding Bloggers Photoshoot!
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2011, Devlin Photos
♥ Learning, finally, how to french plait… {much to my Daughter's delight!}
♥ Taking on administrative support and recruting for an Intern! {by the way, I'll be announcing who my new Intern is in January}…
♥ Being sent video footage whilst we were away in New York of our eldest Daughter riding her bike without stabilisers for the first time!
♥ Being photographed by Polly Alexandre – my photography heroine 🙂
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – All Photography on this page, Copyright (c) 2011, Polly Alexandre
♥ Cheekily demanding cake samples via post from Mrs Janet Mohapi Banks on Twitter. Receiving surprise cake delights in the post a week later. Mrs Mohapi Banks knows how to make friends and influence people 🙂
♥ Plucking up the guts to speak publicly at the UKAWP's annual Excellence in Wedding Planning conference…
♥ Getting my written work published in magazines…
♥ Making it to my 10th month as a self employed person – amazing! 😉
♥ Meeting all my Twitter/Facebook and industry friends at amazing events like the opening of Fetcham Park and the By Appointment Only Design evening at One Mayfair…
♥ Being asked to participate with, like, some AMAZING people, on the UK Wedding Industry Awards judging panel…
♥ Surprising our Daughter Eska with a visit to London and going to the ballet at Sadlers Wells for the vrey first time, to see Matthew Bourne's The Nutcracker…
♥ Seeing all the love flow for Victoria and Darren after I featured their moving, and beautiful wedding day on Love My Dress…
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2011, James Melia
I'd like to end this note with a huge massive THANK YOU to everyone who has helped to make Love My Dress a success in 2011. From all of my amazing, supportive sponsors {more on them to come before the year is out} to all the Photographers and suppliers I have worked with on blog content – thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I can only realise my passions through your help, you are all absolutely amazing 🙂
If you were to list a few of your own highlights from this year, what would they be? I'd love to hear…
What is your very favourite memory from 2011?
Do you have any wishes for 2012?
Make sure you check back in tomorrow ladies and gents, for my final blog post of 2011.
Big fat massive Christmas pudding wishes to you all 🙂
Annabel xXx
♥
Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
