The Oxbow Estate can only be described as an experience. When you first enter the Estate, you are met with winding roads, perfectly maintained landscape alongside the Nuese River, and incredible old world charm. Every single detail at Oxbow was carefully considered.
You truly have to see it to believe it.
I had the opportunity to work alongside incredibly talented vendors on a styled shoot at this venue. To say the morning started out rocky would be an understatement. Being the type-A human I am, I am always early, I always prep and pack the night before, and you can bet your bottom dollar I've already over-thought all things that could go wrong (or so I thought...) This particular morning, I woke up at 6:00 AM, allowing myself to run some early-morning errands. Coffee was obviously my first pit stop. I didn't want to wake my husband with the sound of grinding beans at 6:00 AM, so I opted to go to Starbucks (thank you Jesus for the brown sugar shaken espresso). After getting some fuel for my brain to work, I headed over to my parents house, which was on the way to Oxbow, I needed to drop off some paperwork (That seems super official, I just have a working printer and they don't... that's all). It was brief, a "hi, bye" as my family calls it. I headed out of the front door and made my way down to my car. I tried to start my car and...nothing. Certainly, I must have just forgotten my keys in my parents house, right? (My car will start if the key is in a certain proximity). I head back up to the house, retrace my steps, search my parents house, and walk back out to my car empty-handed. I open my passenger door to see my keys...just setting there.
It was at this point where a tiny bit of panic began to set in. My keys were certainly within proximity. For Christ Sake, they were in the actual car. "This must be a fluke", I think to myself, "I must be doing something wrong." I sit there in utter confusion, and then it hit's me...my key fob probably died. I look at my phone, it is 7:20 AM. Oxbow Estate is an hour and a half away from my house, and I am supposed to be there at 9:00 AM. I call my husband to ask if he happened to have my spare key, he did not. I briskly do a walk of shame back into my parents house and ask my Dad if he would be able to take me to the nearest Walmart to attempt to find a replacement battery. My Dad, being the loving, supportive and kind person he is says "why the hell do I need to take you to Walmart at 7:00 AM." Nonetheless, he pours himself a cup of coffee, finds his glasses, and heads out of the door. Conveniently enough, my Dad parks his truck in the front yard (don't ask me why he does this). I thought to myself, "perfect! He'll be able to just drive through the yard, avoiding my car in the driveway that I'm unable to move, and we'll be on the way to Walmart in no time." Wrong. My dad proceeds to make quite literally a 63 point road turn, carefully scooting his huge Dodge truck around my vehicle and a tree. With every gear shift from drive to reverse, I could also feel my gears grinding. "Dad, we could have already been at Walmart by now, why can't you just pull through the yard" I asked. He looks me right in the eyes and says "I just planted grass seed." Once we finally made it out of the puzzle we found ourselves in, I look at my phone again. It's 7:30. I start calculating in my head..."If I go 80 mph the whole time, use the fast pass lane and don't hit any traffic, there's a chance I may only be like 15 minutes late."
In all of my years of life, I never realized that my dad drives approximately 10 under the speed limit. He was trying to make small talk about work, and looking back, I was absolutely short with him. My coffee hadn't hit yet, and all I kept focusing on was how slow my dad was going...after what felt like an absolute eternity, we finally make it to Walmart. I sprung out of the vehicle, I walk into Walmart and instantly feel overwhelmed...my game plan just went out of the window...they remodeled. "That's okay" I tell myself, you can effectively navigate a store. (Let's just say I was really thankful I had comfortable shoes on that day). I speed-walked my butt all over that store trying to find this super specific battery my car needed. FINALLY, I spot it, on the end cap in electronics! I did not want to leave the store without confirming that it was the correct battery (again, I'm type-A). So I purchased a pair of scissors, cut off my leather bind on my key fob and popped that bad boy right in. $5.34 later, we were back in business.
The ride home was long. All I kept thinking about was how my first impression of all of these amazing vendors would now be tainted because the literal wedding planner couldn't even plan her life out and was late. As we approached the house I am hoping and praying that this new fob battery did the trick. As soon as my vehicle was in sight, I start pressing the unlock button like a maniac...and low and behold. It worked. I jump out of my Dad's truck, start my car, and speed off to Clayton, in hopes of making it there as quicky as I can. An hour and a half (and no speeding tickets later), I finally make it to the venue.
I am the first one there. Venue: Oxbow Estate
Planning: LS Planning & Co.
Photography: Megan Smith Photography, Bock Babes Photography
Videography: Gold and Sage, Rippeto Wedding Films
Florals: Busy Bee Flowers
Hair: The Pretty Barrette, Bliss Styling
Makeup: CG Beauty Xo, Molly Graham
Dresses: The Magnolia Bride, Nalia Dress Rentals
Stationary: Jones and Lou Paper
Cake: LBS Cakes
Rentals: Twice Loved Vintage
Models: Linda Tjota, Leanna Redfern, Morgan Patel
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