making lemonade: there and back again, a wedding's tale: one

[that's right, war eagle! (but, really, boomer sooner!)]

a couple weeks back, T and i embarked on a week+ road trip through the south. our main points were to see my darling get married in auburn and spend some quality time with my grandparents in atlanta. however, we added in a few stopping points along the way to see T's family in memphis, check out the art district in birmingham, and sample some killer bbq alongside a lake in russellville. as jam-packed as it was, it was filled with some of the greatest moments with some of the most wonderful people.

[dawn, you are seriously the most underrated time of day in terms of looks]

memphis pit stop

while i do love a good road trip, it doesn't take too long to feel stir crazy driving for such long stretches of time. so, to help make the trip less daunting, i always like to find great pit stops for us to get out, stretch our legs, and eat something that is not fast food. and so, our first am stop would be for breakfast with T's tennessee-based family.

[elvis' favorite diner, and, hands down the best sweet potato pancakes]

birmingham pit stop

T and i are pretty healthy eaters which is the typical enemy of road trips. so, i planned our next stop to be at a cozy cafe that offered lighter lunch options we'd love, smack in the arts district. perfect spot to explore a bit on foot, enjoy delicious food combinations, and refresh before getting back out on the road again.

[between the panini and the miso caesar salad, we are huge fans]

auburn wedding weekend

once we'd arrived in auburn, we checked in, refreshed, and ventured out to celebrate the bride-to-be's birthday. the company - hilarious, fun, and warm; the wine - ever flowing, and delicious; and the food - too good for words...i still have dreams about their seafood carbonara. we had such a great time and it was the perfect way to start the festivites. we walked back to our hotel that night (don't worry, it was a very short five minute walk) already feeling so energized and content.

[our adorable welcome basket]

[birthday babes]

[dreamy seafood carbonara]

the rehearsal

first up on the day before the big day was the bridemaids brunch. absolutely gorgeous, from the decor to the food and drinks to the lovely ladies in attendance; it was the sweetest way to start off the day's events.

afterwards, T and i spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool, soaking up all the sunshine we possibly could. it was just what the doctor ordered to help us recharge after the long drive the day before.

rehearsal dinner

local country band, taco bar, and a star-filled sky were the setting for a dynamite night. everything about it, made me flashback to jessica (the bride-to-be), laura, whitney, and i meeting for the first time. it is so strange to think that four girls who met purely out of chance in a foreign country connected to each other on such a profound level... and here we are, years later, getting together for each others major life events. when i look back on it, so much of our friendships started from a simple invite to hang during siesta, or to go check out a new discoteca, when we could have very easily just not met up. such simple choices led to such deep-rooted ties that are just as strong now, hundreds of miles away, as they were then, when we were mere neighborhoods away. of all the things that occurred my 21st year of life, they were by far the best. i love these girls, and it meant so much to me for T to get to know and love them (and their significant others) like i do.