eternal marriage

Last wedding post, I promise...

10:47 PM

Actually, that's not true. 


I have wedding day pictures and I while I can't truly promise to never ever post about our wedding day ever again, I just wanted to share a little bit of my most blessed day yet. I got to marry my greatest friend, biggest fan, and unconditional supporter. I can't imagine life getting better than this. I don't know what I'd do without that guy. He's just my favorite. 

It was an incredibly perfect day. Even though the cold wind started getting a little out of hand, everything else was a dream. 

Photography by: Mikki Platt Photography

Mr. and Mrs. Larson

My face says it all...  

Hooray for spectacular family and friends!

Two things: I love his face and also, my sista friend did my hair. Her talented little hands were tingling to do something cool and she produced a stellar do! Do a close up on those braids. They're so great!

Shout out to Jerry at Hillside Floral who pulled off an amazing win in the floral department!

If you couldn't tell by pictures yet, I am obsessed with purple...

I love the Manti Utah temple. It will always be my most special place. I will be eternally grateful for the choice we made to be sealed for time and all eternity. We believe that as we obey the commandments of God, keep the sacred covenant we have made to care for and honor each other through life, our joy will be full with our family for eternity. 

East doors. 

This is the Place-Garden building. Nephi and his team from Moon Lighting did an exceptional job!

All the center pieces were lovely. The touch of orange was perfect :)

Amazing lantern-y guys that matched wonderfully. My mother-in-law now owns 12 of them so if you want to rent/buy them from her, just let me know :) They're quickly becoming a hot commodity. 

So much cake. But really delicious! Cake testing was one of the things Taylor participated in as an extremely willing victim...I mean, fiancé. 

We ate the cake. 

That's all for now folks. Don't worry, someday the newlywed thing will wear off and I'll stop being obsessed. 





















Alaska

Two months

7:23 PM

We have been married two wonderful months. I look forward to thousands more!

Ever heard Taylor's proposal? Story time!


I was working as a tour bus driver in Juneau, Alaska for Holland America-Princess Alaska and Yukon (the name has changed many times but I'm pretty sure that is the full, correct and current name). I would drive people from their cruiseship (Princess and Holland America, of course, as well as Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Carribean, Disney and occasionally the National Geographic ships. 



Alaska was my summer home for 5 years. Great times, great people and pretty good dough. Getting paid to live and play in southeast Alaska? Yes, please. 

The Mendenhall glacier (name is confused with Mendelssohn and like-sounding names. Don't be fooled)

A view of the same Mendenhall glacier from about 5 miles away. Gorgeous. 

So, this is all background as to WHY in the world Taylor would even have the need to travel 1,600 miles to propose to his girlfriend. 

We had been dating for only a few months when we started making plans for summer of 2013. I was always the one who thought we wouldn't work out and shouldn't make plans to do summer things together. Taylor was looking for useful and fun internships to round out his résumé in places like California and New Jersey. I had already thought to return to Alaska before even meeting Taylor so I stuck with that plan. Taylor ended up with a job in Salt Lake City, Utah and I travelled to the Land of the Midnight Sun. 

This picture was taken kayaking in Auke Bay at 9:30 pm. 

When time came to part ways, we were not crazy about the idea but we knew by this point that it was the real thing. 
However, it wasn't official (💍) before I left for the north and Taylor spent countless hours emphasizing that because of work and major travel expenses he wouldn't be able to come visit me at all. :(

Then, my dear cousin Morgan got engaged to the lovely Ceri AND my mission president and his wife had gotten home from their mission. So a trip back home for these events was in order. What a relief! Otherwise we would have gone 4 whole months without seeing each other. (Say what you will about Skype, it's not the same)

I started getting the idea that if Taylor was going to propose before school started, he would do it when I went home in July. 

He was characteristically sneaky about the whole surprise and EVERYONE knew  it was coming but me. Even my boss knew. 

I was skyping with him when I was buying my plane tickets to Utah and Arizona, being unusually persistent about knowing if I had bought them yet and what time I was leaving and which airline...blah blah blah. I had no reason to suspect it was anything other than passive curiousity about my travel plans and when I'd get home to Utah. 
Little did I know he was buying the same tickets to come home with me!

The day before I was going to fly home was my last day of work for 10 days. My happy thought was that I'd be seeing Taylor very, very soon. 
Thursday, July 11th started out as any other morning as a tour bus driver: early. I was up at 6 am and at work by 7. Let me reiterate that NOTHING SEEMED OUT OF THE ORDINARY. Or I'm incredibly dense and can't see the obvious signs of a surprise coming. 

I did my normal morning paperwork and preparation for the day. I proceeded out to the bus assigned to me for the day for the usual pre-trip check (a 100+ point check for safety of the vehicle) with my friend Sydney who said she wanted to talk/vent about something. Again, completely normal. 

When I opened the door and walked up the four steps, I found this on my seat.  

Now things started to get weird. 

Sometimes the previous driver forgets something on the bus or leaves paperwork or whatever but this was out of the ordinary. So I picked up the little black velvet box. 

???? What? I was so confused and still unsuspecting. I thought maybe Taylor had sent something in the mail and asked Sydney to deliver it for him. 

I looked up to where she was about half way back in the bus and asked what in the world was going on. 

What's in the box?

....nothing. 

An empty box...from Taylor...on my bus...which I have to check and get ready to go pick up a group of passengers and take them...I don't have time for this....What's going on....I'm going to be late...from Taylor? 

Dozens of thoughts flew through my head and I had an empty box in my hand. I asked Sydney again what was going on, pleeeease tell me. 

'Oh is that empty?'

Yes it's empty! What is happening?

Right then Taylor stood up from where he'd been crouching between the rows of seats, hidden from my view. 

I was speechless. Well, almost. Just one question: what are you doing here?

The few words I remember Taylor saying are: 'Don't worry, I have it!' As he held up a ring. 


Before he knelt down on one knee I held him tight. I wasn't thinking that I was holding up his plans for what came next. 

He said some beautiful words about how happy he would be to make me his wife and then popped the question.  

Of course I said YES! It was pretty quiet though because I couldn't really breathe so I had to say it a couple times before I was sure he heard me. 

Yes, that's my driving uniform and I hadn't even had the frame of mind to take off my backpack. 

Happy, glorious day. 

Taylor had made arrangements with my boss to get me the day off. So we took advantage of the day and I took him around Juneau. 

Breakfast at Sandpiper Cafe (delicious), whale watching, souvenir shopping and 

a helicopter flight up to land on Herbert glacier. Pretty great day. 

Taylor is the master of surprise. He always gets me. Maybe I'll share his cute ways in the future. 

I love this man. I am overjoyed he is my husband and so proud to be his wife. 

Alaskan cruise

London Update

5:10 PM

I realize that people don't know anything about our most recent announcement other than the fact that we're moving to Europe. We made the exciting announcement via every social media network we could and then left you hanging!


Our big move to London, England is still several months away. Taylor will take part of the global Goldman training starting in July in New York. That's the beginning of our move eastward. After corporate training, Taylor will spend time with the group with which he was hired to work. We don't know how long that part of his training will take since they haven't had an analyst go solo to the London office before. 

We don't anticipate getting to London before August 2014, although we are both extremely anxious to get there! Our favorite hobby right now is LONDON. Learning about the city, seeing one of the coolest Instagram accounts about London (seriously, check out @london account. You'll cry), looking at flats to rent, and for me, planning outings to make the most of our time in what will be our home for a while. 

About how long we'll be there....hard to say. We're thinking at least a year and legally we can't be there more than 6 years without applying for permanent residency. So do not fret. We should be back...should be. 😉

We have connected with some wonderfully helpful people that try to answer all of our random questions that crop up as we prepare to move. We are so grateful for them and their patience. 

We have narrowed our apartment search to Zone One for transportation ease as we will not have a car over there. We have these high hopes to cycle to work. If we can brave the near-constant rain. I hope my time in Juneau, Alaska has prepared me this. 

We hope to live very near Hyde Park. Northwest, to be exact. 
 
Can you imagine this being our Sunday walk? Yes, please!
It's just too good to be true. I can hardly wait to be posting pictures I take personally of this beautiful place. 


Some of our dreams and goals for London are to go see what we can see and do lots of it. 

1. Get a view of London and the Thames river from the London Eye

2. Visit the LDS Temple in Surrey once a month. (That's about an hour and a half drive from central London)

3. Visit York! So pretty!

4. People watch in Trafalgar Square. 

5. Visit every single museum they've got! I might do most of this alone but I'm sure I could convince Taylor to come to a couple. Plus, they're free. Hello?! 

6. See where the Queen lives. And perhaps sneak a peek of the royal baby. Keira and Jilian will be extremely jealous. 

Many, many, many more adventures to be had. 

I can't be sure but I think this is part of the financial district that Taylor's office will be near. It really does look like Fleet Street. If you look down the street, above the woman's head, it looks like a sky ride connecting the buildings? I believe that to be two of three Goldman buildings in the area. 

We are very excited to see it in person. But there is so much to do before we get there! 

Taylor and I will graduate within a week of each other and then head off on a cruise (compliments of my grueling and difficult work as a tour bus driver for two consecutive summers in Juneau). 

Where shall the Princess cruise take us? Alaska, of course. Round trip from San Francisco. :) 

Bless you for making it all the way to the end of this long-winded post. If you have any questions, comments or requests for occupying our couch (that we might have to get with a pull out bed) in London, leave those below 😄




bridals

Transformation

12:17 AM

We still don't have pictures of the day but I can't get over our most perfect day. Best day of my LIFE.  Taylor is my dream come true. I couldn't imagine being luckier in love and in life. 

I wanted to put this up now to perchance be of help to all these wonderful women I know who recently got engaged. Shout to the lovely ladies at the Perfect Dress!

I L. O. V. E. my dress. Always will. 


The lace really made it. This is what it looked like before all the alterations. 

The front has these gorgeous pleats from the natural waistline up to a beautiful sweetheart neckline. 

The buttons all the way down the train probably got me. Plus, it has POCKETS. Done and done. The train looked amazing down and bustled up. I was sold on this being the base on which I could build my dream dress. 

My husband and I were married in the Manti Utah LDS temple so sleeves were added for modesty. 

The ladies at The Perfect Dress Utah listened to the faint idea I had conjured in my head and gave me fantastic suggestions and options for how I might want the finished product to look. 

I knew I wanted lace. But if anyone has looked into full lace dresses ever, they cost a pretty penny. Robyn came up with a lace bolero type jacket made of lace with 3/4 length sleeves. L. O. V. E. I kept the sweetheart neckline that became just a whisper under the lace, but contrast enough with my olive skin to look fantastic...if I do say so myself. 

I wasn't excited for the blush sash (not a pink fan, never have been) but it completed the look of the dress. And I didn't hate the bling. 
The veil had this subtle beading all around the edge that perfectly matched my sash. It didn't come made with the dress or anything but was meant to be. 

The lace jacket turned into a piece that would attach fully to the rest of the dress reaching down to the sash and continuing the buttons from the back all the way up to the neck.  

To top it off, some pearl and rhinestone earring and rose gold bracelet to seal the deal. 

To me, perfection. 



Bulldog

Doggie dreams

3:14 AM

Taylor really wants a dog. I am still getting over my aversion to all pets. I had a bad experience, many of them actually, in Argentina as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that made me less that eager to bring a furry friend into my home. But Taylor is very persuasive. How can you say no to a face like this?




Taylor has his heart set on getting an English bulldog. It seems incredibly appropriate to get one to live on English soil but if you've ever lived in or visited central London, you might know that the apartments in Zone One are baby-sized. Not the greatest for a poor inside dog. We also have to consider the fact that both of us will be working full time and the little guy would be alone a lot. 

Someone wise also advised us to be sure to look at pictures of adult dogs because all breeds look cute when they're wee pups but not as attractive when they grow up. 


So he's not a full adult but I can't even believe how adorable that face is! 

Fantastic thing I've discovered about Instagram? @bulldogsinstagram @bulldogstuff and of course @london!!!
Check them out :)



2014

Two Thousand Fourteen

12:15 AM

I've been thinking all morning about what this new year will hold:

•I will turn

this year. In two weeks, actually. Whoops. I feel pretty old. I AM getting old. Taylor loves reminding me about it.

•We will be graduating this year! Class of 2014!
Taylor from the Y
And me from the U

•We are moving across the ocean to London, England

•But before we get to Europe, Taylor has training in New York to do. 

•My youngest brothers will both be on missions. 

Brett in the Mexico Tampico mission. 

Still don't know where in the world Sam will go 

But that'll make two Elder Gonzalez' in the world preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and learning so much from everyone they meet. This will make my mom and dad empty nesters this year. 

By this time next year, we will be residents of the U.K. That still blows my mind.  

So our VIEW will change from time to time this year. We are really looking forward to all Heavenly Father has in store for us in 2014. 


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