Simply Rooted

Welcome to the beginnings of Amber + Oak Coordinating! I'm thrilled to create a space of authenticity and connection as well as helpful tools and tips for those planning their special day!

As I kickoff this blog, I wanted to share a bit of my heart and world with you! To start, I am a very simple gal. I grew up in a small town on the Oregon coast, in a very simple home with an incredibly loving and grounded family. I'm an introverted extrovert with a love of old movies, Mexican food and cozy blankets. I crave being in nature, experiencing new things and I have a profound love for details and order.

After college, I moved all the way across the country, landing in Georgia. I simply reached a point in life where I was ready to explore what the world had to offer outside of everything I ever knew in Oregon. Over the last 10 years, I have since discovered the significance in trusting my gut, being open to heartache, and leaning into my fears, choosing growth over being stagnant.

I am a big go-getter with a deeply rooted fear of failure. Most of us have this same fear in slightly different forms; I just happen to keep mine wrapped up in a nice little bow for no one to see. The introvert in me loves to over perform in order to keep failure at an arms length, but I still fall short and I am learning to be okay with that.

For those of you who have already searched for me on social media, you might have run up a bit short. I tend to be a very private person. Quite a few years back, I made the decision to stop posting on social media. It just didn't feel right for me. I kept craving more depth in life and relationships and realized every post I made was simply for others approval of some sort.

So, throughout this blog-space, I plan to share little snippets of my soul to provide a look into who I have become and give those interested in working with me an opportunity to get to know the real me - the simple girl behind all the details.

With that said, the two most important people in my world are my husband and my son. Back in October 2016, I married my best friend on a beautiful farm in Adairsville, GA. I loved planning every detail of our wedding and have since relished in the memories we've created.

Currently, my days are filled with sticky fingers, stinky diapers and some very sweet hugs and kisses from our son. He has taught me how to play in the dirt and just be a kid again.

The busyness of my life has slowed down with a toddler. Yes, I said it. Now hear me out - the day to day is up and down and has all sorts of crazy wrapped up in it, but the busy schedule of full-time performance this restless soul of mine still craves is currently met with silence. I like to be busy, always moving from the next task, project, activity, etc. feeling great accomplishment. However, being "busy with a toddler" sometimes means being busy with things that don't always satisfy my soul. It's being busy playing with trucks for two minutes, then running to go play under the covers for four minutes, wiping down the highchair for the millionth time, then terrorizing the cats to then screaming with no end in site because we can't eat candy for breakfast. However, I have chosen the stay at home mom life (and remote-part time working mom life) because I believe that one day, not too far away, I am going to crave these early toddler days...at least that's what everyone tells me.

I personally believe God designed each of us with a passion and a purpose. And truth be told, I am a woman who loves to work. I love having tasks to accomplish, big or small. I crave being productive, using my hands and my mind for creativity, for order, for growth and helping lighten the load of others. I did not grow up dreaming about being a mom, much less a stay at home mom. Did I mention I really like my privacy? Well, you don't get much of it with a little one following your every footsteps...but in all transparency, I have found a sweetness in experiencing the things I never knew I wanted. I have grown as a woman in ways I never could have without being a mother.

With that said, there is a definite need for balance in life and I have learned the hard way that if I don't find ways to fill my own cup and lean into my passions or calling, I won't come close to being the best wife, mom or woman I have the potential of being. And more importantly, God won't be able to use the very gifts He's given me in ways that could make the biggest difference. So, after much prayer, deliberation and encouragement from my biggest supporters, I have decided to dive into the one thing that has always been my gift and passion.

Here enters Amber + Oak Coordinating. My drive to excel, passion for details and desire to help others has come full circle, emerging into the world of wedding coordinating. Through my life experience, I have come to not only understand the significant need for passionate wedding coordinators, but I have experienced the very joy this role can provide for couples and myself.

As I embark on this new journey, my hope is to provide helpful tools and tips that will bring simplicity to the wedding planning process. For the couples who are planning their entire wedding, I would love to walk along side the final stages of the planning process with you. I would love to help tie up any loose ends as you near your wedding day, creating a space of peace and serenity as you walk down the aisle. There are a great number of working pieces in preparing for a wedding, but the true joy I've found in weddings is the connections and memories made. After all, the wedding is just the kick-off of a lifelong marriage - the true work is yet to come.