365 Days Until I DO

Holy Cow. In exactly 1 year I will become Mrs. Michael Petrellese. Kinda crazy, right? It seems like just yesterday that I was a 12 year old girl dreaming about my Prince Charming, and now in 1 short year, I will get to marry him. In all honesty, it's been kind of a whirlwind; we met last summer, had been dating 8 months before he proposed, and now that we're engaged, I know this next year will fly by even quicker than the first. The thought of this day actually happening is so much more overwhelming than any of my childhood fantasies-but not for the reasons that I thought. On the surface, wedding planning is deciding what type of dress you want, picking your colors, choosing what flowers you're going to have, selecting a venue. All of these aspects are overwhelming in itself, but at the end of the day, you can plan and organize those details until your hearts content. But no one could have prepared me for the amount of love I have in my heart for this man. 

The past couple of days I have been Pinteresting wedding ideas like a mad woman, knowing that in just 365 days all of those ideas will become a reality. But as I really sat to reflect about what this day is going to be about, all I see is him and I. Sure, the food will be amazing, and the flowers will be beautiful, but in 10 years from now, those aren't going to be the things that I remember. I want to remember the way he looks at me when I walk down the aisle, the way he holds me as we share our first dance, and the way that as that day comes to a close, he will have my heart for the rest of our lives. 

I thank God everyday for bringing Michael into my life. He is everything I could have hoped for in a man. He is so steady in who he is, and that is something that I will always be grateful for. He is the strongest person I have ever known, he never wavers in his love for me and has been my foundation and is someone I know I can count on through every turn. He has an unbelievable ability to see the good in every situation and has been the bright light in my life since the day I met him. Needless to say, I think I am going to be a blubbering mess on our wedding day, and it will be a miracle if I can keep it together (which will be something he will NEVER let me live down!).  

I promise my wedding posts from here on out won't be as mushy! I swear I'll be more detail orientated and show you more of the exciting wedding deets, like venue, dresses, decorations, all that fun stuff. But I had to throw in some love for the man who has stolen my heart. 

For now, I will enjoy the next year being Kendra Sears, the girl I have been for the past 26, and this time next year, ya'll better be ready to cheers to Michael and Kendra Petrellese...that has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? 

One of my favorite shots from our Engagement Shoot, will post more about that another day :)