Travel Diary // Honeymoon in San Diego, CA

Years ago, before Brandon and I were engaged or had any wedding plans, we talked about wanting to go to San Diego, California for our honeymoon. We were obsessed with the idea of going to the San Diego Zoo, seeing the beautiful beaches, the weather, and the food. Thanks to wonderful parents, we were able to make this dream a reality!

We decided to book an Airbnb for the first time, rather than a hotel. We rented an apartment in the center of Little Italy. It was surrounded by wonderful food and a great atmosphere. Our favorite places we ate were Indigo Grill, Bluewater Seafood Market and Grill, and Petrini's. At Indigo Grill we would recommend the Salt and Pepper shrimp. At Bluewater Seafood we ate fish tacos and they were delicious. Petrini's had incredible Italian Wedding Soup. (we actually ate it twice during our stay)

We also visited the Maritime Museum. It was so much fun walking through all the old ships and submarines. We wanted to do the U.S.S Midway Museum but never got to it...it is on our list for the next trip to SD.

The day we spent at Coronado was probably one of our favorite days of the whole trip. The scenery is astounding. The atmosphere is calm. We walked a few miles to the beaches on the opposite side of the island that the ferry dropped us off at. The island is covered in flowers and beautiful homes which made the walk enjoyable. After the long walk, we found a shade spot (under a palm tree) and laid on the ground to enjoy the beautiful weather. It was the perfect.

The San Diego Zoo was everything we hoped it would be. There are so many animals and the enclosures are nice and large. We went in the middle of the week and got there a little before the zoo opened, which we would highly recommend! The normal 30-45 minute wait for the pandas was nonexitant when we got there.
My tips for the zoo: Take a few minutes when you get there to plan your route through the zoo. It is huge and without a plan there is no way we could have seen everything. Wear comfortable shoes because like I said, the zoo is huge. Pack snacks and lunch. We didn't know that you could do this, but we saw a bunch of people that did. Zoo food is so expensive...

We also enjoyed visiting La Jolla Cove and seeing the sea lions and otters. The beaches are absolutely beautiful!

I am so thankful to be married to my best friend and I am excited to start living life as husband and wife!

Wedding Week Thoughts

ONE WEEK from today, I will marry my best friend! Over a year ago, when we picked May 21, 2016 as our wedding date, I remember thinking "oh my gosh that's so far away". Little did I know, that year would go by faster than any previous one.

As this week approaches I am trying to remain focused on one thing...I AM FINALLY MARRYING BRANDON!  I don't want to get caught up in all the little details. I know there are things that need to be finalized this week in order for the wedding to go smoothly and as planned, but I am doing my best not to stress about them.

On August 28, 2007, Brandon asked me to be his girlfriend. We were 13 years old. Nearly 8 years later, Brandon asked me to be his wife. We were 21 years old.

I have been dreaming of being Brandon's wife for about 6 years. I have never been more excited for anything in my life. People keep asking me if I'm nervous and every time I wonder what I'm supposed to be nervous about. I am marrying the man of dreams. The man that I want to spend the rest of my life with. A man who loves me, not despite, but because of my flaws. A man who supports and encourages me no matter what. A man that makes me laugh when I want to cry and who holds me together when I feel like falling about. A man who will sit in a park for 30 minutes while I swing on a swing set because it makes me feel like I'm flying.

The only thing I might be nervous about is falling when I walk down the isle...

[photos by KD Photography]

I'm excited for late nights of finalizing decorations and food. I'm excited to wake up Saturday morning surrounded by my best friends. I'm excited to spend all morning laughing and having fun while getting ready for the day. I'm excited to see Brandon's face when he sees me in my dress for the first time. I can't wait to walk into the church full of friends and family who are excited to celebrate with us. I AM EXCITED TO BE A MRS!! 

Bring on this crazy, wonderful, busy wedding week!