//the girls, photo via
//
My childhood friend, Liz, got married a few weeks ago, and it was the most touching wedding I've attended, so intimate and personal. Dave and I had just returned home from Shanghai a few days before, so the timing was perfect. After a year abroad, there was nothing more beautiful to me than spending time in the California sunshine, celebrating love and reuniting with the girls I grew up with.
//lavender iced tea, loves, and sparklers//
The wedding took place at the
, which I didn't know anything about until Lizzie said that she was getting married there. We ended up spending
there, at the same time as their annual lavender festival. If you're in Southern California during that time, it's a must visit. The resort is a local gem - olive trees and lavender fields and rustic beauty all around.
//friends, laughter, and celebrating Lizzie and Matt//
I honestly believe that California is one of the most beautiful places in the world to live. I loved soaking in everything that I had missed - friends, glorious sunsets, fresh outdoor air. They served breakfast for dinner, which was so cute and yummy. I'll take pancakes at any time of the day!
//stunning reception backdrop and sunset//
That night was one of those nights where I was so happy that everything felt surreal and perfect and just so much like
home
. That night to me was the best possible kind of summer night, all filled with sunlight and laughter and celebration and catching up on everything. I'm so glad to have been there. Life is beautiful!