Enjoying 10 years ~ Kevin & Amber's beach vow renewal
After 10 years of being married, we can whole-heartedly say that we’ve never been happier. We get to play together, work together, love together and raise our daughter together. There was a Bible verse on our wedding invitation and the same verse is inscribed on our wedding rings. It reads, “make my joy complete by being like-minded having the same love being one in spirit and in purpose.” After 10 years, those words have never been truer for us. I didn’t want a “present” to mark our 10 years together, but wanted this point in our lives to be documented – to be able to look back at this stage and see how we’ve grown together and where God has brought us after 10 years. We were so blessed to have Jennifer Young be our “documenter” with her lens. She’s a dear friend and it meant so much to have her there to tell our story.
We’re eclectic, simple, fuss free people, who delight in meaningful “things” and brought that attitude and style into our vow renewal at the beach.
One of our favorite restaurants was the Blue Agave in Santa Barbara. We went there on our wedding night, and admired the walls adored with the artwork of Neal Crosbie. Every piece of Neal's has a coyote in it. We actually each have a small hidden tattoo of the coyote that we got on our 1st year anniversary. We’ve bought several pieces of Neal's work and our favorite is a massive piece titled, “ENJOY”, which we purchased off the bathroom wall of the restaurant in 2003. That piece helped inspire our family company name, “Enjoy Cupcakes” (along with my middle name, “Joy”). In summary, the artwork has been very special to us throughout our marriage. Kevin carried and secured the ENJOY painting into the sand as a backdrop to our “ceremony.”
I followed shortly after with Opal and a bag full of treasures that hold great meaning to us…the small white Bible that my mom carried down the isle 40 years ago, our original wedding invitation that was painted by my mom, a small bouquet of flowers -including calla lilies (which were our sole wedding flower), an iron figurine that we purchased on our honeymoon on Catalina Island, a box of crème brulee cupcakes (crème brulee is our favorite dessert and in 2001 we wanted a wedding cake that resembled the dessert and I was told it wasn’t really feasible – ironically it’s one of our most popular cupcake flavors) and some fanciful ribbon wands made by Opal & myself, each with three strands. I also had in hand a small table from the rustic Mexican furniture store that Kevin & I first met in (he was the Manager & did a free delivery after my boss purchased a large table, which I helped him carry into her art studio).
We had an opportunity to speak from our hearts to one another and renew the love we share, with our beautiful Opal Ray as our witness.
It was just the three of us (& sweet Jen) and everything about the day was perfect. The sun was bright and warm and my handmade dress from Singapore arrived in the mail an hour before I left the house! My heart swells when I remember this day.
Thank you TEAM Hair & Makeup for making me feel pretty & Renea's Bouquet for the beautiful flowers and Jen for images we will cherish forever!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 7:52AM
Reader Comments (14)
Fabulous way to celebrate your bond and commitment. Lovely story and beautiful photos. Congratulations!
so beautiful. (: you just made my whole morning. congratulations.
Peaceful fulfillment is what your story and pictures exude! Best to you all!
I knew I liked you guys the moment I tasted your fantabulous cupcakes! What a lovely event; simple, elegant and truly combining, two hearts at first, now three.
CONGRATUATIONS and best wishes for 60 more!! (My folks were married 69 years when my dad passed, you can do it too!) :-)
sooo beautiful!!! this warmed my heart.
SO beautiful!!! Congratulations on your anniversary!! Wishing you many, many, many MORE! You're such an amazing family XOXO
I LOVE how special this was. I love how you made it so personal and I love that Opal was a part of it. Those pictures are precious. What a treasure. Happy 10 years, Amber and Kevin. Love you both, and sweet Opal too!
LOVE!
thank you all for the beautiful comments. sharing these pics makes me feel like all our friends & family were there with us.
This is so special. What a beautiful way to celebrate and thank you so much for sharing!
Sincerely,
Jill Noel
so honored to have been a part of this. your family is an inspiration--thank you!!!
j.
Oh these are amazing....you guys are amazing...and I'm so blessed to know you all. xoxo
I love this story and all the wonderful pictures. Opal is certainly a cutie pie. And of course, the CREME BRULEE cupcakes sound delicious! What a sweet life!
Congratulations on ten years!! Thank you for sharing this-it is so beautiful! :) I cannot think of a lovelier family--truly you are a blessing to everyone who knows you. Thank you again!