Our 2017 “Year in Review”!

I am not going to lie—this year’s “Year in Review” is something I have been putting off for a few days.  I am usually very excited to sit down and reflect on the passing year.  And I am usually even MORE excited to be looking forward to the incoming year.

Today, I sit here with more emotions than I know what to do with.  For myself and many of you reading this, 2017 was a year that was filled with many highs and lows.  My “Year in Review” for 2017 is going to be a little different than previous years.  I hope you understand.

I had many expectations for 2017, both personally and professionally.  I started the year with so much excitement.  I had so many amazing clients that I was working with.  And oh hey, I also had my own wedding on the calendar to plan with my amazing planner, Tiffany Learned of Detailed Engagements. 

January was a month of preparing for the year and getting details in order for our wedding season which kicked off in early February.  February through July—I was always on the go!  It was client meetings on St. John, events, phone calls, trips to States for my own wedding planning–my days were long and full of many tasks and to-do’s. 

We had some pretty awesome weddings this year.  Each one had its own uniqueness and special moments.  We worked with beautiful couples and wonderful vendors.  And I promise…2018 will have MANY blog posts outlining these special weddings!  (PS–Gathering all of the photos for this post made me SO happy!)

Paradise Planning’s season slowed down mid-July.  I took the month of August at a slower pace.  I spent three weeks in Massachusetts celebrating with my bridal party.  My bachelorette party weekend was one for the books and my bridesmaids knocked it out of the park for my bridal shower.  I can honestly say that August 2017 was one of the best months of my life. 

Upon my return to St. John at the end of August, my focus then turned to our remaining weddings in September and November and my own wedding scheduled for October 1.  Things were still on track and going as planned.

It was August 30 when I was first informed about a storm that residents of St. John “should be watching” called Irma.  A good friend was starting to read up on how to prepare for a hurricane while I sat across the room from her. There was some nervousness in her voice and I kept saying “I have a wedding on September 2.  I’ll prepare after that—until then, keep me posted!”

The wedding on September 2 was a very special one for me.  It was the wedding of two dear friends’ mother.  And it was even more special because I had planned both of those sisters’ weddings on St. John in previous years.  The wedding was beautiful and one that I will always remember. 

The day after the wedding, my plan was to start preparing my house for Irma.  Something told me to spend the day at the beach and I decided to do that.  That was the day that I learned the true meaning of the phrase “the calm before the storm”. 

Honeymoon Beach September 3, 2017

The days pre-Irma/Maria are a blur to me, as are the days, weeks and months that followed.  Lives, my own included, were turned upside down.  My hope is that in time, I will be ready to share some incredible stories with all of you.

For now what I do want to share with you is the MAJOR life lessons that 2017 has taught me.  Here they are:

1. 1.  Life can change in an instant. In the case of so many around me, a timeframe of about 8 hours forever changed us.   Some lost their homes and their belongings, others lost jobs.  Some were forced to relocate and leave a life that they had created.  Do not take a day of your life for granted.  Live each day to the fullest because tomorrow is not promised.  And sometimes your tomorrow is NOT what you planned it to be.

2. 2.  A positive outlook makes all the difference. When you are in the midst of uncertainty, you have a choice to make—be fearful or be hopeful.  Always choose Hope.  See the glass half full at all times, even when it is hard to do so.  I promise, it will help.

3. 3.  Take time to “just be”. We live in a world that is fast-paced, competitive, and ever-changing.  While technology is a tool to keep us all connected, it is good to take a break from time to time.  Enjoy things that are around you.  Put that phone down and look at the person across from you in the eye and connect with them.  Take a walk in the woods or on the beach and enjoy nature.  Create memories with those you love.  We most likely will look back on Facebook and Instagram like we do MySpace.  But memories—those will always be there.  Make some awesome ones.

4. 4.  Be grateful for those family members and friends that are able to “see you through the storms” of life. Both literally and figuratively.  There are numerous people in my life that showed me unconditional love and understanding when I didn’t even understand what was happening around me this year.  I honestly do not know what I would have done without them.  I am forever grateful.

Many people have said to me that they cannot wait for 2017 to be over—and for some, I completely understand.  For many around me, it was a year filled with loss, pain, and heartache.  For me, despite the latter part of the year having some BIG bumps in the road, I can say that 2017 is a year that I will focus on remembering the positive things.  I am blessed to say they outnumbered the negative. And I got to be a bride!  (SOOOO much to still blog about!!)

Life is truly all about perspective, isn’t it?

To all of our 2017 clients, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your memories.  To our 2018 clients, we cannot wait to make new memories with you!

Wishing you all a wonderful 2018!  Cheers to your best year yet!