The elephant.

A note from Jami to all those who have supported us, encouraged us, followed us, and booked us:

I have always loved elephants, but if you know me for a short time then you’ll probably realize I don’t enjoy those awkward

"elephant in the room” moments.

Whether you’ve felt it or not, we have been a massive one following us for some time. Me specifically. I hate announcing something and not following through. It’s just not my personality. For months, I have felt like a failure, been at war with God, & just in a very confusing time personally.

I have thought about, dreaded, reasoned, started & deleted this note for many months.  For many months I haven’t had the perfect words, but you know what, I never will.  You know when you feel like you’re being dramatic or over reacting because there are worse things happening in the world or there are more items for the day that you need to focus on so you just try to brush it off and keep going? That’s where I’ve lived.  

The lil figure on one shoulder keeps saying, “they don’t care, they probably forgot what you said already” and the other side says, “you failed. They know.” 

I’ve come to realize that neither one is right.  People don’t decide your failures and successes- yes, I will say that & continue working on believing it. 

What the heck am I rambling about?!? 

January 1st we announced that we were opening a coffee shop + event space. T’was true.  We had a lease signed, a team of people coming around us, and felt like this was finally the time.  

Then Tuesday came. 

My world started crashing.  Without all the nitty gritty details that I don’t want to relive, we lost a loved one that hit harder than I can express, the pieces of the building began to crumble, along with the steps to making this part of a dream come true.  Within a couple weeks, I felt the weight of 2 years of creating & growing a business fully crushing me.  I can’t explain it.  I knew that I had been drained from trying to start technically 2 businesses at once, but it finally hit- I no longer remembered why I was doing what I was doing nor did I feel the same passion or joy for it. 

I have always been a runner. Not so much physically now, but I still have the runner mindset.  I would run everywhere.  I would see how much faster I could get, who I could catch, how long my body could endure the strain.  I have the same mindset in all that I do. 

“Run the race with endurance”

is what my dad constantly says to me.  However, I am not running it with the same endurance that the verse he is quoting was made for. That endurance I carried had become so inward.

It has caused me to close off to others so that I can focus on getting ahead - unintentionally.

It has caused me to miss moments because resting is for the weak- lies. 

Endurance and perseverance do not equate to productivity or efficiency or success.  We do not endure well alone and I had embraced the fact that I had mostly been doing this business alone. 

I don’t want to discredit the people who have sacrificed for me to chase this dream or take away from the friends and family who have encouraged me, watched my babe, moved their lives around to join in, or who have run around with me for 14 hour wedding days. I am truly unceasingly grateful and humbled by you.  When I say I have been alone, I did it to myself, I think. I didn’t slow down to learn critical business things or understand that starting 2 businesses at once would be tough (silly, I know). I pushed through the struggles of it all as hard and long as I could. 

So, now what.

I have shied away from social media after I realized the coffee shop + event space wasn’t happening because I felt like a fraud posting something and then not following through. However, here I am. 

Welcoming the world back. Jumping back into community. Reviving my God given creativity.

Emerald oX. will no longer carry coffee as part of our brand or business. Who knows if it’s forever or just a time, but what I do know is I will be brewing coffee from the comfort of my kitchen so feel free to come by for a cup and stay a while.

I am PUMPED to say we will be solely focused on weddings!

I am OVER THE MOON to pour my attention back on my couples & give them all the creativity + time that I can give them. We are so thankful for this community of Augusta and beyond who has supported us, sipped our coffee, and encouraged us to do this dang thing. Never will that be forgotten. THANK YOU!!!

As we take a lil maternity leave soon, we will be working on our packages, branding, and all the new + exciting things for the days to come. Stay tuned for those, but until then tell your engaged friends about Emerald oX. & let us

curate joy & community in every event .

Thanks Loves! We are in a house of Joy today. Cheers!