Whew…took a little longer than I expected.
Blog
Hmmm…How Does This Work?!
Life continues to move at an accelerated pace and what better way to share the adventure than a personal blog. Moving forward as we enter into our next chapter, we wanted to organize the chaos of travel, marriage, accomplishments, and whatever else comes our way. There are a number of social media platforms being utilized daily by our friends and family. This page will serve as a centralized repository for those who care to check in on us. So welcome to our blog and come journey with us as we enter into uncharted waters. 
Too Much Footage To Condense
Between Kian (the photographer) and everyone’s footage, I could have easily made a short film for the Sundance festival. Here is my attempt at sharing some of the trip in less than five minutes.
Spoiler: Video excludes wedding day footage.
Put Your Phone Up!!!
Lauren and I agreed that we would have limited cell phone interaction once our family went back to the states. However, I could not resist capturing some of the beautiful things around me.
Is There More!? *In My Drake Voice*
I have traveled the world but never like this. Running around Italy with the family was better than I could have ever imagined. Everything but the wedding, of course!
Not Panama City from MTV Spring Break!
Eat, Pray, LoveLIVE
It is here… the final countdown! I personally have been a part of a ton of bachelor parties and wanted to do something a little different. I did not want to make a major production out of the customary occasion. Panama City was on the list of places I have not visited yet and I was aware of some impressive architectural projects worth seeing. The W hotel recently opened a new property in 2018 and that was enough to finalize the trip. The goal was to eat, drink, explore, and meet new people. The entire trip was a success and I think it’s worth experiencing for yourself.
Here are a few pictures…the rest would require a signed Non-Disclosures Agreement.
Peri not making it easy to leave!
10pm-3am open bar is a young mans game.
Mixing business with pleasure is fine when it is with family.
Rain On ME!!
This past weekend, I was treated to an absolutely beautiful bridal shower hosted by my gorgeous family of hostesses Mary Joy McAtee, Lorraine Darensbourg, Phil Fontenot, Celeste Barbre, Sheila Honore, Krystal Jones, Mary Jean Tucker, Jill Thomas, and Maria Peguese. I even received a surprise visit from my Aunt Mona (Jones) all the way from the ATL!! Of course, we received lots of great gifts, but that was by far the least important part to me.
You see, I was raised to really fall in love with people who treat you right and keep your best interest at heart. Well-rounded good people are hard to come by and even harder to keep around. Friends quickly turn into family and “people I’ve known for years” become aunts, uncles, siblings, and cousins. I am such an emotional person, it does not take much to pull my heartstrings, but I must say I was extremely overwhelmed with gratitude from the love and support I received! Everyone there was so special to me; they each know personal things about me that I have shared with them in private, asked them to keep my secrets, and in return told me things that make me who I am today. As you know, I am not having a traditional wedding here in the states and this event solidified that my family truly cares for me and supports my new endeavor as a wife-to-be. If time (and my liver) allotted, I would’ve LOVED to sit and have some champagne with you all to talk about how much I love you. Your presence made the day perfect and unforgettable.
There were many more people who weren’t there for this event that I still feel the same way about- you are all close to my heart in some way or another.
I raise my glass to all who have shaped me to be the girl that Eli has so gracefully fell in love with: to my oldest childhood friends, to high school homies; to nursing school bests and pseudo-aunts; to forever-faux-husbands and the OKC family; to those who were there in spirit… T H A N K Y O U. Your blessings have been received and we are truly humbled.
Sidney, Aunt Marquette, Makayla, and Sissy
Sarah, Kelsey, and Gwe
Krystal and Val
T-Raine and Michelle
Uncle Eli and Abby
Maria and Momma
T-Mona and Mom
Brandi
Michelle and Lauren
Robyn, Jeniz, and Zubair
Sidney, Aunt Marquette, and Mariah
T-Celeste and Abigail
Tonelli
Momma and T-Mary
Judy, T-Phil, Tia, T-Raine, Michelle, and T-Mary
Tonelli and Audrey
Jaclyn, Stacey, and Maria
T-Phil and Val
Lauren and Austin
Danielle, Kayla, Erica, Natalie, and T-Sheila
Momma and Lauren
Momma and T-Raine
OKC Family
Brandi and Valerie
Madison, the bride’s sister
Momma and Lauren
Momma, Natalie, and T-Sheila
Krystal, Kathy, Mona, Brandi, Val, and Abigail
Mariah, Sissy, and Breezy
T-Phil and Maria
Aunt Marquette and Elijah
Lauren and Sissy
Colina and Karen
Lauren and Sid
Aunt Marquette and Uncle Reggie
My PERFECT Goddaughter Abigail
Lauren and Norah
Menu
Bria, Kelsey, and Kendra
Jackyn, Stacey, and Maria
Mom and Madison
Cutest frame ever!
Lauren and Noelle
Sydney and Elijah
Our Mother’s!
T-Celeste, Tracie, and Abigail
Austin, Noelle, and Momma Linda
The “OMG YESSSSSS!!!” part of the story
It’s always all in the details. Who? What? Where? When? How? What romantic story remains entertaining without the drooling details of how it all went down?
We were in Amsterdam in the middle of winter. The city held no special significance to us except its simplicity and that it’s somewhere we had never been before. I had just passed nursing school boards, Eli was done with his MBA, and we literally just wanted to relax. Our relationship had been on edge for 2 years, both of us choosing to put our education first, and we felt that we deserved to just “be”.
His proposal was unexpected as we drank cocktails at the rooftop bar of The W overlooking the city. He opened the ring box and hit me with a dream one-liner: “Will you marry me?”. And that was it. As he put the ring on my finger, I was FaceTiming my parents to share the news while rushing to grab the Uber that was taking us back to the airport for part II of our London adventure. No speech, no camera, no flowers. It was perfect and I will never forget it. We just stared at each other and shyly laughed because we both finally got what we wanted and needed. Just us with no distractions, no fluff, and no scene. It’s always in the details, but for us this time, it was the lack thereof that made it unforgettable.
I share this story for the sake of the page of course and not to brag about how different we are or to shame others on how their romance plays out. What makes our relationship work is that it’s our version, made for us, designed by us, and fulfilled by us. It’s how we have chosen to operate through the last 8 years of change and growth.
Who, what, when, where, how, but more importantly why. And the “Why” to that underwhelming proposal is why I would say yes a million times over again.
