It had only been a week since we shared our previous whirlwind weekend, and somehow we outdid ourselves with an even more ambitious escape. This time the trip stretched to six days, crossed ten states and involved forty hours behind the wheel. Yes—four zero hours of driving. It was equal parts exhausting and exhilarating.
What prompted such a marathon on the road? My cousin’s wedding in Dallas coincided with some unused vacation days, and of course we couldn’t resist the idea of a classic road trip. We left Richmond on a Thursday and drove west, dividing the journey into four long legs of roughly ten hours each. Along the way we stopped in Nashville for a full day to stretch our legs, soak up the local vibe and indulge in some serious barbecue. While there, we spent time with two favorite home bloggers and even had a playful moment where we were briefly recognized and almost outed during our low-key southeastern romp.
After our Nashville stop we pushed on to Dallas and arrived in time for a beautiful Sunday ceremony. The wedding itself was full of personal touches—lots of DIY decor that reflected the couple’s style and careful planning. From handcrafted centerpieces to thoughtfully assembled ceremony accents, the celebration felt intimate and intentional. Seeing family come together for those meaningful details made all the miles worth it.
Once the festivities wrapped, we hopped back in the car and began our return trip to Richmond, this time taking a route that led through Birmingham. Even though we were logging long driving days, there was plenty to enjoy: changing landscapes rolling by the windows, roadside diners with surprising comfort-food hits, and the small discoveries that only a cross-country drive can produce. The mix of exhaustion and excitement gave the whole trip a surreal, cinematic quality.
Along the way we stayed at a standout hotel in Nashville with the Bowers. It had a quirky, memorable personality—one of those places where the décor invites conversation and the public spaces feel like an extension of your stay. That quirky hotel energy, combined with great company, made our short stopover feel like a mini-vacation nested inside a larger journey.
We also documented a lot of the trip. We rigged a makeshift dashboard camera—basically a tripod secured with duct tape—to capture long stretches of interstate, shifting skies and the occasional roadside oddity. Those hours of footage include sunrise and sunset drives, changing weather and the small rituals that make road trips so addictive: swapping playlists, stopping for gas and coffee, and the quiet stretches where everyone drifts into their own thoughts. We even put together a brief video about how we travel with Burger, our companion on the road, showing some practical routines we rely on to keep a pet comfortable during long drives.
By the time we rolled back into Richmond late Tuesday night, we were overflowing with stories, photos and video clips. There’s a stack of home-related posts brewing about the things we saw and did while traveling—DIY wedding inspiration, travel tips for long-distance driving, a review of that funky Nashville hotel, and highlights from our road-captured footage. We’re excited to share those pieces, but first we need a little time to unpack, sort through the photos and edit the footage so everything looks and reads the way we want.
For now, consider this a quick dispatch from our very full week: a six-day, ten-state, forty-hour driving adventure that delivered a gorgeous family wedding, a memorable Nashville stop, and more roadside moments than we could have planned. Stay tuned—more detailed posts and photos are coming as soon as we stop dreaming in highway signs and finish pouring through the miles of video.