Table for Ten
I think it’s high time for a life and family update around here, and today I have a great one for you.
So here it is….
This summer, I got married!
His name is Beau. He built my house. He took my sketches and turned them into the place my boys and I call home. He painted it the wrong color. He helped me keep it on budget. He made me feel safe and cared for.
He proposed last December on my front porch.
And just like me, he has four kids. Which makes us a family of ten.
We got married on August 5th, in the cutest little open air chapel.
I was a beautiful, sunny, 104-degree day. Our eight kids were the bridesmaids and groomsmen. There were about 100 people there, and besides my sticky bra constantly sliding down onto my stomach because I was so sweaty and the DJ being ehh, everything went great and was a freaking amazing day.
Originally we wanted the wedding be something very small (pretty much an elopement), and keep it simple. Minimal planning. Easy. But also…it’s not every day you get the opportunity to get married and have all of your children there. We wanted them to be included, involved, and make that day a great memory for everyone. Also, life is just too dang short not to celebrate beautiful moments with the people you love.
Also, I’m never going to say no to any event that allows me to wear a fluffy dress, dance, and get great pictures.
A few details –
My dress was inspired by the picture below, and I pieced together my copycat on Etsy.
Blue skirt | Lace top | Shoes | Hair Combs
All the kids clothes were from Amazon, and the florals are Hobby Lobby flowers that my stepdaughters and I put together.
My husband designed my ring, the stone is a blue/green (Montana) sapphire. His ring is from Vintage Gentleman.
I think my favorite part of wedding planning was selecting the music. Here are some of the highlights –
- Family, officiant, and groom processional – Clean Slate by Donovan Woods
- Flowers kids song – Let’s Grove by Earth Wind & Fire
- Bride processional – Hearts on Fire by Passenger
- Wedding recessional song – Love You Madly by Cake
- First dance – The Maze by Manchester Orchestra
- Grand exit – Don’t Wanna Be Without You by Penny & Sparrow
Another favorite thing was that we had a funnel cake truck instead of an actual wedding cake, and it was a huge hit. 100% recommend.
I thought about uploading my whole wedding video to share (it’s sooo good), but decided to keep the ceremony, vows, and speeches just for us. Here is the last minute and a half though –
We honeymooned at the Excellence at Playa Mujeras, which is such a beautiful resort. It rained 4 out of the 5 days that we were there, which was disappointing, but didn’t stop us. We lounged around on the beach under grass umbrellas in the rain, drank fancy drinks in the rain, made new friends in the pool in the rain, and dressed up for fancy dinners, in the rain. The last day were were there the sun came out, which was awesome and made it super hard to leave.
That was three and a half months ago now (had to wait to get the pictures back to write a post about it, obviously), so you might be wondering what life looks like since then.
Let’s start with what should be a simple question – Where are we living?
Right now, and since the wedding, all ten of us have two house that we live in 50% of the time (besides the college kid). Sometimes we are all together, sometimes we are separate, sometimes it’s just me Beau, and most of the time it’s as a family of six, but with a different set of kids week to week and in different houses. Confused yet? Yeah…you should see our shared google calendar. It’s…colorful.
This isn’t the long term plan…that has been a work in progress. If you would have asked me where we would be living almost a year ago when we got engaged, I would have told you his house, because it’s big and beautiful and has room for everyone. If you would have asked me four months ago, I would have told you a new house we bought together, so that everyone has a fresh start and is on level playing ground.
But now, much to my surprise…and his…and everyone’s, we’ve decided to sell his house and move into mine. Mine, by the way, is 1700 sq ft and 3 bedrooms/2 baths. It’s not a house for a family of ten. After much consideration and back and forth, we came to the conclusion that life will be better if we live small.
Small house. Small bills. Not afraid of what the economy or interest rates will do. Hopefully with enough money left over at the end of each month to live life, and not just survive it.
The plan now is to add onto my house. In order to do that though, we need to sell his house. And as we all know…now is a terrible time to be selling a house.
So for now, we wait. He and I are jumping houses to wherever the kids are, trying to keep things as consistent and stable as possible for them, and just having adult married people sleepovers.
While that may all sound a bit crazy, and it is, it also isn’t. The schedule is intense, and there are a lot of people involved, and life is certainly full…but life is peaceful. Everyone is experiencing change and adjustments and blending families is no joke, but it honestly couldn’t be going any better.
Beau is such a soft place to land. He is kind, and patient, and someone you can truly talk to, in the most vulnerable and unfiltered way. It’s the most amazing thing. Life right now feels like a warm hug at the end of a long and chaotic day. The kind you can sink into, take a deep breath, and exhale all the weight you’ve been carrying.
That’s pretty flowering and poetic language…which normally isn’t my thing, but sometimes life calls for it.
So what’s next? Well, since this is a design blog, we’re going to talk house stuff, of course. I haven’t been putting much energy into mine the last year or so, because I figured we were leaving and it didn’t matter. But now…now the plans are back in motion. I’ve already designed an addition and gotten it approved with the neighborhood, so we will be diving into that. Stay tuned!
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Congratulations! You look so happy!
Dear Ashley,
you two are so lucky. :) I wish you the best and will happily be waiting for the extension posts. :D
I have been following you for YEARS and this post has me in tears. I am soooo happy for you and Beau!!! ❤️❤️❤️
You’re the sweetest, thank you! 🤗
Amazing!!! Congrats on all the things! You deserve happiness ♥️
Wishing you wild success-but you already have it!! Great news, so much to be thankful for right now!
Congratulations! The whole wedding was looked beauitful! I’m been following you since your first house. I feel part of your family. Wish you LOTS of HAPPINESS and LOVE!!!
Since the first house…you are part of the family! Hard to believe that was 12 years ago already. Thank you so much for the love and support!
So very happy for you, Beau, all the kids and the life you’ll be building together. May God richly bless each of you together!
Thank you! ❤️
Congratulations! So happy for you!
Love this post, we are so happy for you ❤ Can’t wait to see what you come up with on the home addition.
Congratulations and thank you for sharing your amazing wedding photos of your wonderful extended family 💖
Thanks for looking at them! I wanted to post like 87 more, but tried to control myself. It wasn’t easy 😅
Congratulations!
How wonderful for you, Beau and your family! You deserve it!
Onions! I swear it’s onions I was chopping up! Don’t mind the pile of used tissues, I am making a craft thing….Oh, who am I kidding!
I am SO happy for you all! I have followed you from all those years ago when you had kidlet one and two, and now, after all your trials and tribulations, here you are all married to a terrific man and some wonderful kids! I am so happy things are working out for you, and wish you all the very best for the rest of your lives.
You did a fantastic job on the wedding – all of it! I am so proud of you as if you were my own daughter!
Those onions and craft projects will get you every time 😂
Kidlet one is almost 14 now, can you believe it!? All eight of them are really good kids, we have a lot of fun together. Looking forward to all that is to come. Thank you for sticking with me all these years…and who knows, this blog might last long enough for you to watch me become a grandma…what a crazy thought that is!
So so happy and excited for you. You both look so happy and truly at home in each others arms.
Can’t wait to see the addition to the house and all you do to continue making it a haven for your blended family.
The addition has been challenging, this house was not meant to be added onto. I believe we have a way that works…it will be a super unique house, that’s for sure. I believe the final product will be 6.5 bedrooms (plus an office), three bathrooms, and only like 2300 sq ft.
I am so happy for you! What a wonderful family you guys have created.
Congratulations! I am glad you are back to blogging and sharing with us. Sounds like you are on to the next fun adventure. Wishing you the best!
That sounds amazing, I’m so happy for you two! Love the non-traditional wedding dress.
Thank you! I knew I didn’t want an all white dress from the get-go, and when I saw that picture I instantly knew it was the one. Plus it wasn’t expensive and I can still wear the top separately. And the skirt too, if I can bring myself to cut to knee length.
I think that’s beautiful that you will eventually all be living in the house you built together. Congratulations, you look and sound so happy!
I am so thankful that Beau found you. The whole family just loves you and your boys.
We feel the same ❤️ So happy to be part of the family.
The scream I screamt that Beau is who painted your house the wrong color 😂🤣 What a plot twist! Is designing your house how you two met? Can’t wait to see your house addition plans. Congratulations to both of your families!! 💖
Yeah, he did that…but he fixed it real fast 😂 And no, not originally. We live in the same area and used to go to the same church, like 10 years ago. Thank you for the congrats, and house plans to come!
Wow!! That’s amazing. And what a beautiful occasion. Congratulations!!
I never expected to burst into tears upon reading the first few lines of this, but here we are!
I don’t know how long I’ve been following you, but it’s been a LONG time. I think you only had two kids at the time. Probably feels even longer because I’d, at some point, went back and read every post on your (old) blog. I’m rarely this overjoyed for someone I’ve never met, but my heart is so full for you right now.
I’m so incredibly happy for you and your beautiful family. Congratulations!!
Love that he was your builder! That’s the stuff hallmark movies are made of!!
Congratulations! Have followed you for quite some time, way back to the first house and that kitchen reno maybe? Good long while – happy for you and this new chapter in your life. Best wishes for many happy years together.