As I reflect on the past year, my heart is just so full of gratitude. 2017 was filled with blessings from start to finish, and it was a defining year for Sarah Ann Design.

I’m excited to see what 2018 brings… but the year of 2017 will always be close to my heart. 2017 was the year that I took a leap of faith to pursue Sarah Ann Design full-time—and what a wonderful adventure it has been.

Since this time last year, I left my full-time position to pursue Sarah Ann Design wholeheartedly. It was a terrifying leap of faith, but I am so grateful for it. Every day, I get to use my design talents to serve couples on their path toward marriage. I can’t imagine a more humbling and honoring job than that.

In 2017, I connected with the most incredible clients and professionals; there will be plenty of influential people in my future, but the people I worked with this year will always be the first supporters of my full-time dream:

To my dear clients… Thank you for choosing to work with me. Thank you for valuing my services, and for sharing my values. It truly is an honor to be part of your sacred wedding day. Thank you for allowing me to represent your love story, and for allowing me to be part of your legacy for years to come. 

To my dear vendor friends… Thank you for inspiring me, day after day. This year, we created magic and beauty and inspiration that fuels my creative spirit. I am so thankful for your encouragement, support, and creative talents.

And to my husband: Life with you is an immense blessing, and I am more grateful for you with every passing day. Thank you for supporting me, for supporting my business, and for believing in me when I need it most. 

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Nothing can compare to the people who impacted me in the last year, but I also accomplished some big goals for myself and for my business in 2017. The highlights include:

• Serving over a dozen wedding invitation design clients and several branding clients
• Calligraphing over 1000 envelopes (practice makes perfect, right?)
• Planning and Styling two of my own styled shoots (alongside my friend Gray Door Photography!)
• Moving to a full-sized home office… I think my husband is glad our living room is not covered in envelopes!
• Working with a Business Coach to refine my processes and elevate my client experience (thank you, Katie!!)
• Registering Sarah Ann Design as an LLC and setting up business finances (boring, but important!)
• Lecturing as a Guest Speaker at La Reverie Workshop
• Print Publication in Magnolia Rouge Magazine

And I can’t believe it: I met all my feature goals, and then some! Features: Once Wed, The White Wren, Brides of North Texas, Dear Gray Magazine, Oh So Beautiful Paper, Style Me Pretty, Ruffled Blog, Glamour and Grace, Artfully Wed, Aisle Society, Spoken Bride, Hey Wedding Lady, Knots Villa, Wedding Chicks, The Southeastern Bride

 

A peek at just a few of the designs from this past year:

Wedding Stationery

 

Branding

 

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In 2017, my “Word of The Year” in 2017 was “Nourish.” This is what I wrote at the time:

“In 2017, I hope to better nourish this little growing seed of a calligraphy business. I desire to nourish my husband in our first year of married life, and to nourish the cozy home we are building together. I commit to nourishing myself, whether that means indulging in extra creative work or mandating a weekly bubble bath. And most importantly, I humble myself to better nourish a relationship with the God who is the foundation of all else. 2016 was a year of very happy beginnings; 2017 offers boundless opportunities to cultivate those beginnings into things even more beautiful.”

I can honestly say that “Nourish” served me well during the past year. I thought of the word often, and I gave my best effort to apply it to each area of my life.

Looking back on the last twelve months, I can confidently say that I did nourish my business. I’ve watched it grow from a seedling of an idea into a real and tangible brand. I believe I did nourish my husband in our first year of marriage; it was an incredibly happy one, filled to the brim with joy and laughter. I still struggle to nourish myself as much as I should, but I’ve even made progress in that area too.

And that brings me to my “Word of the Year” for 2018: Rooted. 

2016 was a season of beginnings; 2017 was a season of nourishing those humble beginnings. In 2018, I want to see continued growth… but I don’t want to lose hold of the roots I’ve planted in the past few seasons. I hope to cultivate a life that reflects beauty and joy.

• Rooted in my business: I want to focus on projects that are true to my aesthetic and help build a cohesive brand. I want to stay rooted in the values that have driven my business from the start: heirloom quality, distinctive love stories, and sacred marriages.
• Rooted in my marriage: We are lucky to have built a strong foundation in our relationship together; as we continue to grow as husband and wife, I hope we can stay rooted in the sacred vows that tethered our hearts together.
• Rooted in faith. Above all else, I desire to be rooted in Christ—because none of this would be possible without His guiding Grace. Whatever comes our way in 2018 – joy or sorrow – Christ is our stronghold and our reason for all else.

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I can look back on the past 365 days with joyful tears in my eyes; I have been blessed beyond measure. I’ve watched Sarah Ann Design bloom and grow in its first year in so many ways. I’m hopeful for continued growth in 2018, and I can’t wait to see what God has planned for the future of Sarah Ann Design.

“In His fullness, there is grace upon grace.” Again, these words ring true as we close out a year that was abundantly blessed. I pray your 2017s were equally blessed, and that 2018 holds joy beyond compare for each of you.

Brides, I can’t wait to be part of your love stories. Creative entrepreneurs, I can’t wait to be part of your brand stories. Cheers to 2018!

 

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