How I knew he was the one...

Alexandra Marie Photography

We love love. Because weddings are all about love, right?? So in the midst of our planning tips, tricks, and secrets, we wanted to take a moment to remind you what your wedding day is all about.

It's all about marriage. It's all about "the one" you are going to spend forever and always with.

So we decided to ask you how you knew when you found "the one." You may be thinking about getting engaged, asking the question soon, or at the start of a beautiful relationship and are wondering how you know when the time is right! Or you're me and just love hearing these adorable stories ;)

So sit back, relax, and enjoy :)

"The day I met him. I was a ski instructor and he was a snowboard instructor. I had a few nervous kids in my class and when he made them not only smile and laugh but also helped them understand the concept I was teaching - without ever having put on a pair of skis himself - I knew I couldn't let him get away."

"He makes me laugh and puts up with me even though I annoy him sometimes."

"I was getting rid of old clothes and he asked why. I said I don't have enough room in my closet and he told me he would give me a bigger closet! Sold! hahaha!"

"Because no matter how much he may annoy me sometimes, I can't help but smile when I look at him. I knew that from the second week in!"

"When he took me to his parent's house for Christmas after only dating for three months and told his family he planned on keeping me around for a while."

"My fiance and I have a number in common. 610. It is our birthdays (3.21.91, 3+2+1=6, 9+1=10 and 2.13.82) 610 also comes up a lot more for both of us but I am not going to write it all out lol. Also, his son is named Cayden and my daughter's name is Cadence...both named before we met! We also both had surgery and our scars match up when we are laying on each other. And then there's the obvious, I knew he was he one when I couldn't explain my feelings. They were too strong and not very understandable. I made choices involving him that I couldn't explain. Everything, just was. It was like my heart was making all decisions without my permission. Yeah, he's the one :)"

"They are not, nor do they bring drama That's how you know."

"No matter how annoyed or upset or moody I am, he never fails to make me do my embarrassing witch cackle laugh. We can be in an empty room and have the best time! We are like two mischievous kids when we're together. But most of all, after 5 and a half years togehter, we are still like loved up teenagers."

"I never get sick of his company. No matter what I am doing, I know that I would enjoy it more if I was sharing the moment with him."

"He's the one for me because he's patient with me when I lack patience. He always knows how to make me laugh even when I am mad and cheer me up or make me feel better when I am having a bad day. We built our relationship based on friendship, and have shared the same values and relationship goals for our future together. He is easy to communicate with and knows my personality even if I don't always express myself. He is the one for me because he is the one I want to talk to when something good or bad happens and he continues to push me to be a better person. He is the one for me, because he makes me feel lucky to be his fiance, and I couldn't imagine my world without him."

"They say relationships are hard, but the right one isn't. Life is still hard, sure, but my true love is always the joyful part."

A huge thank you to everyone who shared your story and reasons you know that he/she is "the one." It is always great to get some positive energy in the midst of planning and to remember what this wedding is all about!

And if you didn't have a chance to tell us, comment below with how you knew that he/she was "the one." We would love to add to our list!

The Big, Bad Stress

Stress. Anxiety. Pressure. Strain. Tension. Worry. Nervousness. Concern. Unease. Fear. Panic.

Have any of these words come to mind since he popped the question? If you've begun planning for your big day, then most likely that is a yes. And while The Overwhelmed Bride has come to the rescue, we're going to take a step back today to see where all of this is coming from!

We are here to keep your wedding planning stress to a minimum and while there may not seem to be any other cause for it, there may be. And that is for you to figure out.
 

The Causes

There are thousands of reasons you may be stressed out right now...

 - not enough time to plan
 - not enough budget to cover your wants
 - family and friend pressures
 - I have no idea how to plan a honeymoon!
 - pressures from tradition
 - you can't find a dress you love
 - your DIY project didn't turn out as planned
 - who should be a bridesmaid?
 - the guest list

...just to name a few. But no matter what stress you are feeling right now, there are two categories in which all stress will fall under...the marriage or the wedding.
 

The Wedding

Everything I listed above falls under stress because of the event you are planning. You know those nerves you feel at the thought of walking down the aisle? Most often than not, they are related to the event.

Societal pressures cause these nerves - they cause us to shake, to get butterflies, and sometimes even bring us to tears. Because we are told from a very young age, that a wedding should be stunning, elaborate, and perfect. And if our day is anything other than that, what will our guests think? It will be embarrassing, to say the least!

Now I am not saying that this is how it should be, but this is how it is, whether we like it or not.

And for today, these are considered the good nerves, the ones that you can control if you think about the real reason why you are there...the marriage.

The Marriage

Christopher Todd Studios

And that brings me to my second point...

The second category of stress you may be feeling is in regards to marriage. You are making a huge commitment here, not one that should be taken lightly so if there aren't some butterflies in there, then that may not be a good thing either. However, if you are so stressed out over the thought of marriage, then I urge you to SLOW DOWN.

As you walk down the aisle, there should be the nerves of excitement, but not the kind that stress you out. You may be nervous for showing off the huge event you have planned over the past year, but if there is any doubt in your mind that you may not be ready for marriage, then take some more time to plan.

Maybe you are nervous about finances, living under the same roof as your soon-to-be husband, the thought of kids, or anything else. And if that is the case, then I think another year of engagement wouldn't be the worst thing.

I promise, if he is the one for you, he will still be waiting a year later.

So think about the stress you are feeling right now...is it the marriage or the event?

61 Years of Marriage

This year they celebrated their 61st anniversary. Yes, 61 years. Through thick and thin, three children and ten grandchildren, their marriage is still going strong.

My grandparents, Arthur and Donna Jollymour, are such a wonderful example of what a marriage should look like. They are role models for my own marriage and so, I wanted to share their beautiful story, and their marriage advice for all of you!

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Can you tell me the beautiful story of how you met?

Donna:  We met at Cal Berkeley. His fraternity was having an "exchange" - that's what they called get togethers...one fraternity with one sorority - in April 1952 at a park in Berkeley. There were about 60 or so guys and gals enjoying the picnic, getting acquainted, etc. What I didn't know was that he was the fraternity president.  I was looking out of our living room window and there parked in front was an empty yellow convertible with the top down.  Standing at the far end of the front door, the guys came in and a tall handsome guy walked all the way to the far end of the room and said to me, "Do you need a ride?"

"Yes," was my reply. He said his car was the yellow convertible.

At school we had a registers file where were could look up names, and the next week being interested, I looked him up and found out he was older than he had told me, actually a senior...I was a sophomore.   Several of my sorority sisters were pinned, or engaged, to guys in his fraternity and our spring formal was coming up. So, I asked one of my sorority sisters to ask her boyfriend to invite him to be my date.  (I happened to be in the Cal hospital, so I couldn't call him myself).  The night of the formal at the Claremont Country Club, May 23rd, we hardly danced. We sat outside on the deck, talking and talking, as if we were old friends who knew each other, but hadn't seen each other for a long time and needed to "catch up". That night we both discovered we were interested in Hawaii.

He called me the next week and invited me to dinner, and honestly, two weeks later, after seeing each other practically every day, he proposed, quickly adding, "Not now, someday" and I knew I too felt the same way . We became pinned in the summer, but kept it secret until September when I could announce it at a sorority dinner.

In October he gave me my engagement ring. We were on our way to a fraternity party, driving along and he said, "Do you want your engagement ring now?" My reply was, "Yes, please pull over and stop".

Arthur: Actually, the exchange was at Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland hills. When "my fraternity brother", Rich, asked me if I wanted to go to the SK formal with "a Donna something or other", I was in the shower and he hollered it over the the stall wall and four voices answered "sure". On that dinner I invited her to, the night before someone had broken into our fraternity house and stolen my wallet with all my money so she paid for dinner.

What has been your biggest marital struggle?

Arthur:  After 61 years, I can't remember any.

Donna: I feel the same way, if there were any. We learned a long time ago not to hang on for very long to disagreements. Easier for him, but I'm still learning. Just get over it - life's too short. I think women are more emotional than men and we tend to hold a grudge until we learn that it doesn't do any good. In the long run, what difference does it make?

How do you keep the spark alive?

Sparks come and go, and come again. If they were always around, one wouldn't appreciate them. Life is mountains and valleys and a lot in the middle.

What advice do you have for couples who will soon say their "I Do's"?

Through the years there have been lots of changes in both of us. Don't expect to make changes in your partner. Embrace each other, adventure, and remember that sometimes it will be 50/50, others 25/75 or maybe 60/40. And remember to respect your differences in opinion.

I believe a sharing of "faith" in whatever religion one embraces and a strong family bond are the keys to a long marriage.

There have been so many life changes in the past 60 years. We both took our marriage vows very seriously.  Marriage isn't a disposable item, if one thinks that way, don't get married.

A huge thank you to my adorable, loving, and oh-so-amazing grandparents for being a wonderful example of what marriage is all about. I know that we all can learn a lesson or two from you :)
I love you Baba and Papa!