Southern Weddings

If the outside of Bonnie and Armon’s house looks like an “after” from Fixer Upper, you’re not too far off: no, Chip and Jo haven’t lent a helping hand, but B + A do live in Waco, and I think there just might be some decorating fairy dust in the water! Bonnie and Armon have spent many hours on their bungalow, crafting a space that’s just right for their current lifestyle, and it shows. Come take a peek!

Bigs hugs to Rachel Whyte for these photographs! (And don’t miss Rachel’s own home tour, as actually seen on Fixer Upper!)

P.S. Fun fact: Bonnie appeared as a bridesmaid model in one of our Volume 6 editorials! See if you can spot her here :)

The couple: Bonnie (25) and Armon (26)
Years married: Four
Where you live: Waco, Texas
Tell us a little bit about yourselves. Armon is a full-time student finishing a degree in International Studies at Baylor University after serving four years in the Air Force. I’m the owner of b is for bonnie design, where I partner with creative entrepreneurs to bring their brand stories to life through heartfelt design and strategy, as well as the founder of the Illume Retreat. When we’re not in class or hard at work, we love to romp around in the great outdoors with our rambunctious one-year-old golden retriever, Boone, or you can find us in the kitchen attempting a new recipe. We’re almost fanatical in our love of Tex-Mex, and love any excuse to host a taco-inspired soirée in our home.

Tell us your love story in one sentence. Best friends turned college sweethearts who fall hopelessly in love and weather years of long distance dating before getting hitched and exploring the world together!
What is your favorite part of being married? We are crazy about the fact that we get to walk through life together as a team. At the risk of sounding cliché, we strive to bring out the best in one another in all seasons. Armon challenges me to let go of my Type A ways and I help ground his big ideas with a more honed sense of focus. Together, we feel unstoppable!

Do you rent or own? Tell us a little bit about where you live. We own our sweet little slice of heaven here in Waco! Our home was built in the 1940s, and for all its quirks, it has so much character that we adore. Armon and I met, built a friendship, and fell in love in Waco. Our story truly started here, and to be able to spend this next chapter in a city we love so much is a true joy.
Tell us about the process of moving in together. Prior to our wedding, Armon was living in military housing on base all the way out in California. When we moved in together, I brought what little furniture I had from college, which was mostly vintage pieces, to our little apartment. We quickly furnished the space with finds from Target and IKEA, and over the years, we’ve been thoughtfully replacing those budget-friendly items with pieces that will stand the test of time. My style is bright and full of light and feminine details, while Armon would like everything to be made out of wood, preferably in a dark stain. Blending our two styles took a lot of experimentation, a lot of discussion, and some big compromises on his part. In the end, we’ve focused on filling out our home with neutral hues, cozy textures, and an intentional mix of masculine and feminine details.

What most makes your house feel like home? I think the art throughout each room adds that personal touch that brings it all together. Armon and I like to collect a piece of art whenever we travel to new places, so the prints, paintings, and ceramics throughout our home carry special memories and fun anecdotes. Some pieces were budget finds and others were more of a splurge, but each one is special in its own way and adds so much warmth and personality to every room.
Who cooks dinner? I usually do, but over this past summer, Armon has really stepped into that role to help me out while I prepped for an online course launch. Regardless of who the chef of the day is, we like both be in the kitchen at the same time, helping each other prep and clean while catching up on our days.
What is your go-to weeknight meal? Weekend meal? We’re big Tex-Mex fans in this house! Tacos with homemade chips and salsa are a go-to weeknight meal for us. I’m a vegetarian and Armon isn’t, and tacos are easily customizable to fit both of our dietary preferences.

What’s your best tip for balancing your relationship and other life priorities? Strong boundaries that separate your work, outside commitments, or school load from the time spent with your spouse make all the difference! As a creative entrepreneur who works from a home studio, I don’t have the option to physically leave work each night to come home for dinner. Instead, we’ve worked hard to thoughtfully create a system of boundaries with clients, my office hours, and even my business’ social media accounts so we can be fully present when we’re together. As Armon has gone back to school, we’ve applied a similar approach to his class work so we can purposefully spend meals and evenings together for good conversation and much-needed quality time!

Do you have a favorite date night idea to share? When the intensity of Texas summers starts to wane a bit, we love to visit our favorite vantage point in Cameron Park, Waco’s beautiful municipal green space. Here, we can perch on top of a limestone cliff and look over the Brazos River and the surrounding valley, soak up the sunset, and chat openly about how we can love one another better in the week ahead. In the thick of summer when being outdoors at any hour isn’t too fun, we opt to grab appetizers and drinks at our favorite restaurant during happy hour, where we can chat, people watch, and fill up on our favorite eats.

This year, our family is most excited about… continuing to turn our house into our dream home! We’re currently furnishing our patio space to turn it into an outdoor haven, and are adding a few finishing touches throughout the interior, too.

Thank you so much for sharing your hearts and home with us, Bonnie and Armon!

A little reminder: we’d love to hear from you! Our hope is to feature REAL couples in the South – not just folks who write blogs (though we love them, too!), but also your inspiring friend, super talented cousin, or neighbor with the cutest house – the kind of person everyone would love to “e-meet.” If that sounds like you or someone you know, take a peek at our Southern Newlywed submission page and shoot us an email!

Written with love by Emily