As you may have read just a few weeks back, I’m very fond of all things wedding, and I often have a few weddings or large events on the books that I am helping to plan. This wedding season may rank in my top two – spot number one will always remain last summer, when I planned my own.

I find myself volunteering my time during the evenings or weekends most summers to help a friend or family member have a beautiful and unforgettable day. This year was different, as I had three unique opportunities: I had the privilege of helping a friend and mentor put together a fabulous backyard wedding; I stood by my dearest childhood friend as a bridesmaid in her wedding; and I had the honor of taking on my first professional gig for the daughter of an old coworker.

This summer was full of excitement, planning, showers, celebrations and also a lot of hard work. I was challenged and I learned many new tricks of the trade. I furthered my passion for and enjoyment of the event and wedding world.

Here are a few highlights from my summer of celebrations:

A sneak peek at a few elements of the wedding I planned and the bride’s picks – Can you guess her favorite color? My favorite turtle cake from Cafe Latte was featured on many tables and was very tempting.

Over the past few months, I had the pleasure of helping my dear friend and bride with many crafts. #happyplace Lots of hard work and late nights made this wedding a stunning success!

A bridal shower brought an opportunity to get ‘wild’ and throw a requested animal print themed celebration – ‘Getting WILD for the Bride-To-Be’ – which had plenty of themed sweets, treats and decor, hand-made invitations and a DIY safari photo booth.

A perfect way to end the summer season – Executing a beautiful and simply planned backyard wedding for an older couple, complete with handpicked hydrangea arrangements by yours truly. It was a treat to jump in at the last minute to help a friend and mentor, Jerrod

While I’ll soon miss the fast-paced excitement of the season, I am sure catching up on all the details of Tessa’s wedding and hearing of Johnna’s plans will keep my itch at ease. In the meantime, I very much look forward to bit of R&R, fall weather, warm drinks and curling up with some good books.