simple days with bonnie rae

“It always comes back to one thing: you should be doing what makes you happy.”

How do you keep a honeymoon slow and simple? You set a budget, brainstorm places you’ve always wanted to road trip to, pack a small bag, grab the dog- and go. 

Our country and culture will tell you that you need a big honeymoon, a big wedding, a big life. It will tell you that you’ll only be happy with a registry full of things you don’t need and a day full of other people’s expectations.

It’s not wrong to want that. If you truly at the core of your being want to spend your time, resources and energy on a big wedding and extravagant honeymoon that’s beautiful.

And if you don’t? If you want to say no to what you think you should be doing and yes to what you really, truly want in your heart, please do it. I can’t tell you the number of friends and loved ones that have told me that if they could go back they would elope.

Avoid spending money and energy on too many details and things you don’t want. You can do what you want in your heart, not what the world is telling you you should do.

If it doesn’t add to your life, it doesn’t belong in your life. It’s not about deprivation, it’s about intentionality. 

Chase and I spent five wonderful days exploring a city we had never been to. The only part we planned was where we would stay, the rest was thought of each day. We slowly meandered the streets of Asheville, NC and stumbled upon adorable restaurants and shops. We hiked to waterfalls and donated to a Wolfdog sanctuary. We even found a haunted comedy bus tour, which was as epic as it sounds.

You have the freedom and choice to cultivate the life that you want. Not the life you think you’re supposed to have but one that makes you authentically happy. Remove the worry of judgement and misunderstanding of others and do what you want, what you need.

Instead of trying to impress others with what you do or what you own, begin to inspire them with the way that you live. Experiences not things, stories not stuff.

More soon,

Bonnie Rae xx