A story told on four wheels

Many moons ago, Ali Harper asked me to help plan her wedding/reception. A year+ of brainstorming, designing, crafting, organizing, planting, hauling, searching, buying, pondering, list making, and an abundance of laughing and happy tears led us to a magical day that wound up gracing the pages of Southern Weddings magazine (see here and here for the print magazine companion website images) and numerous websites (here, here and here). It was this adventure that played a huge part in leading me to my passion for event planning/design.

And this little metal pick-up truck has made the journey with me.

I don't even remember where I found it. A thrift store maybe. It's not an antique, but a cheap reproduction of a vintage toy. There are sharp messy corners and uneven edges. And for some reason, I just had to have it.  When working on Ali's wedding, we knew we wanted a kids' table; Ali had plans to make goody bags for all the sweet little'uns attending the wedding, a brown paper sack of treats and crafts to keep the kids occupied during the reception. We wanted a floral arrangement for the kids' table, and I remembered the truck I had bought and tucked away.

With a green flowering plant nestled into its bed, the truck was the perfect centerpiece.

Years later, for a baby shower for Molly, I gave the truck a fresh coat of gray paint with white accents to match the gray palette of the shower. And this time, it hauled glass jars brimming with peachy pink stock, blue-kissed hydrangea and dusty miller.

Over time, the truck made an appearance more than once "just because." Here holding what I think is chamomile flowers.

Jump ahead to 2013, and I'm throwing a baby shower for Ali! It's a boy. The shower was a Huck Finn theme, with jars of collections — feathers, marbles and rocks, bugs — and everything outdoor adventure that little boys love to do. The truck made an appearance here, no doubt.

On January 9, 2014, Ali gave birth to Parker Grey Wittorf. It only seemed fitting that my trusty two-door jalopy would be gifted to the family. Isn't it fitting that I had painted it gray ages ago and now it goes to a child with the name "Grey"? And that the truck made an appearance at Ali's wedding and now at the birth of her son? I markered his monogram onto the two doors, with gold accents to give it a vintage-sign feel. Planted it with succulents (easy upkeep for a new mommy), and tucked in a little ceramic bunny.

I said goodbye to my four-wheel companion of close to 8 years, only to wish him well as his story continues in the hands of Parker Grey. I see a world of adventures ahead.