What It's All About

June 6, 2014

Last Friday I was driving to an appointment through the canyon roads, and the radio host said the word "wedding." Of course, this totally caught my attention, as anything wedding-related does. So my ears perked up, and I listened.

He began to introduce a new song that recently came out, that he predicted would be the top wedding first dance song this summer...and if not this summer, absolutely the top for the 2015 year. I was really listening now...I just had to hear the song!

About five seconds in, the radio started to cut out. Yes, I was in the middle of the canyon roads on my way to Malibu, so this is an often occurrence. Luckily, I caught the name of the song so as soon as I got home, I looked it up. While a very catchy song and clearly written for couples, I began listening more closely to the lyrics. And it is not often that I stop and think about the lyrics of a song, but these lyrics caught my attention.

Not only do they describe a wonderful relationship, but a wonderful marriage. To me, they were a great portrayal of what a marriage is all about. And so, I wanted to share them with you! You may or may not choose this song for your first dance, but I promise you, you will learn some great things from the lyrics. So take a listen, and then continue reading as I dive into the lyrics and what they have taught me!

Your relationship and your marriage are all about the little things. As soon as you get out of that honeymoon stage, there is no longer a wedding to plan or a honeymoon to look forward to. Everything leading up to the wedding may seem huge but in a real marriage, most days are just normal days where nothing crazy or extravagant happens. So embrace the little things in life and begin to love those little moments with your husband or wife.

"The way you curse when we're in traffic
A million flavors of your chapstick
The way that you keep my heart captive

The way you like to sing my songs
You always know when something's wrong
The way you say you miss me when I'm gone

The things you do that show you care
You're always down for truth or dare
Freeze this moment; let me stop and stare"

Keep those memories close because those memories are the building blocks of your relationship and have brought you two together, have bonded you, and have helped form the amazing relationship, the amazing marriage the two of you now have.

"The Journey concert in AC
Remember we sang faithfully?
I still got that old hotel room key"

And remember those vows that you made, "through good times and bad" and keep those vows close to your heart. It is one thing to say them, but it is putting them into action that makes your marriage strong.

"For better or for worse
No matter how it hurts
You've got me to hold your hand
I promise you the world"

Live every moment in your marriage, like it's your last. You never know when God will request your presence in Heaven, so make the most of every day, and every second you have together.

"In your wedding dress
We'll dance till no one's left
Don't wanna blink my eyes
Don't wanna miss a thing"

And above all else, take your marriage seriously. Live your life together, not separately, because you two are now becoming one. A strong marriage takes work. A strong marriage lasts forever.

"'Cause I can't wait for you to be my wife
To live this life together
And I won't let you go
I need you to know
That you are my heart, forever
And on and on and on"

I hope you were able to see how beautiful the lyrics to this song are, and how much we need to take them to heart. It is all fun and games planning our wedding, but planning our marriage is what we truly need to focus our time and attention on, to ensure we live a happy and healthy life together, forever.

At the End of the Tunnel

June 5, 2014

One of my very favorite parts of being a blogger, is getting to know my readers. When I get a comment on a post, a question from a bride on my Instagram, or a retweet, I cannot help but smile. Seriously, it literally makes my day and brings the biggest smile to my face. I love hearing your stories, helping you through the planning process, and am ecstatic when I finally get to see the stunning photos from your big day! So thank you for being you and for making my job enjoyable each and every day.

Every once in a while, I run into a bride with an amazing story that I cannot help but share with all of you. Not only is Olivia's story beautiful, but I think that each and every one of you (including myself) can learn an extremely valuable lesson from what you are about to read. I would like you to take her story to heart, and apply it to your own life, your own wedding planning experience.

People always say "If something goes wrong at your wedding no will notice but you." I used to take this advice with a grain of salt, however the day I got engaged, is when I began to believe it. In October of 2013, I was in my final year of my undergraduate studies, taking five courses, conducting research, applying to graduate school, and working two jobs... needless to say I had a lot going on and was stressed out! In my own mind, I always felt that I would know or have some sort of clue right before getting proposed to.. I'm a bit hard to surprise ;) However, with being so preoccupied with everything else, this actually worked to my (now) fiancé’s advantage, because I had absolutely no clue before he proposed.

My Birthday was soon approaching and I've always been one to plan something to do for my birthday, however that year I was not really up to adding something else on my plate to organize. My birthday fell on a weekday and I had two exams and a paper due as well which meant no time to celebrate. With not wanting to plan anything, my mom finally convinced me to have a small dinner with close friends and family the weekend before my birthday at my parents' house. That same week before, I broke out into a rash from mental stress, I was barley spending anytime with my (now) fiancé Victor, so getting proposed to was literally the last thing on my mind. I even almost cancelled my dinner that morning...but I'm so GLAD I didn't :)

Ever since I was a little girl, my dad would do scavenger hunts on my birthday to find my present, and the number of clues would be the age I was turning. Because I was having friends and family over, my parents convinced me to still do the "clues" before dinner. I turned to Victor (since he's done them with me for the past several years), and he denied participating in helping me. At this point I was frustrated with him (which also worked to his advantage later on) and began with my clues. The 2nd to last clue read "this is where we get the mail"... located two houses down. I rushed over to mail box, and the last clue read "look behind your mom's pool float. Happy Birthday!" I was excited rushing to the backyard where I walked straight passed my group of guy friends not noticing Victor was not there (since I was still frustrated with him for not participating lol) as my parents were finishing taping up a huge box. I had asked for a new dresser set for my birthday, and since I was completely oblivious to the engagement...that's what I thought was in the box. There was a card on top, and as I opened it I saw Victor's name signed on the right side of the card (still oblivious, I thought he signed the card that was from my parents for my “dresser set”). As I turned to the left of the card, I noticed his writing, and the first sentence began with when he first laid eyes on me at 16. As I continued reading my eyes filled with tears and I could barely finish reading the words before me. The end of the card read “do you want to spend the rest of your life with me? Open box” I began to start opening the box and my heart began frantically racing as he slowly poked his head out. It was so sweet watching him try to stay on one knee and get out of the box at the same time. After he said the words "will you marry me," my knees got weak and I began to shake. I had so many emotions, and cried so hard I literally forgot to say yes.. It was perfect.

No matter what stress I was going through before, none of it mattered at that moment. Once he proposed, in pictures, all you could see was how happy and surprised I was. The advice is true, no one but me would have known that I wore that long sleeve shirt to hide my rash, or that my eyes were tired from waking up early to finish homework, because in that moment they were lit up, and my smile was bigger than ever. Although it was a stressful period in my life, I’ve always thought it was the worst and BEST time to get engaged. I can’t wait to marry the love of my life, June 20th of 2015.

It is inevitable, you will run into struggles, stress, anger and every other emotion you can possibly think of not only in planning your wedding, but in your marriage. And through Olivia's story, I want you to take two things away:

1. No one but yourself will know that anything went wrong on your wedding day. So if and when something that seems so terrible, out of the ordinary, and not as planned happens, just smile and know that it is your little secret. And smile bigger because you know that in everyone's eyes, your wedding was just perfect.

2. In your marriage, there will be ups and downs no matter what, because that is what makes a marriage a marriage. But just know that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. If you work at it, the hard times will end and while you will always know that struggles large and small will come along the way, there will always be light, happiness, and love.

A Lasting Impression

June 4, 2014

Written with love, by Tess Dissa

An important day is drawing nearer; a beautiful day where two people in love will join hands in matrimony. Yes, your wedding day! You can make it the best day ever, but you will need to plan ahead, because before you know it, it'll be the night before the wedding and soon you'll be married. We want you to be prepared, and importantly ready for a day of happiness and fun!

When it comes down to wedding planning, there are so many things you need to think about; the venue, the dress, the food & beverages, music and entertainment, and the list goes on. However, it wouldn't all be worth it if it wasn't for the people who will be there to share this special day with you. That's why your wedding invitations are ever so important.

Picture this, one of your invitees is opening the wedding invitation package you sent them, they take a good look at the exterior of the envelope, the labeling, and the little details you've included such as an envelope seal, and then they open it. What do they see? Do they see a lovely pop of colour and surprise with an envelope liner or do they go right in for the star attraction, the wedding invitations. With the wedding invitations, what do you think their reaction will be? You only get to make a first impression once, so let's make it count. Here are some things you should consider when ordering your wedding invitations...

Know Your Dream Day Vision & Style

If you've been dreaming about this day for a while now, then you'll be able to see it when you close your eyes and envision it. Will it be an elegant and classy affair, a beautiful wedding on the beach, an intimate garden wedding or something truly unique? Your wedding invitation style will be inspired by how you envision your dream day style to be. This includes not just deciding on the style of the wedding, but also choosing a colour palette, theme, and not to mention special details and custom touches such as a monogram or motif design to be seen throughout, starting from the first peek of the wedding invitations to the thank you cards.

Paper Textures, Qualities, and Styles

Wedding invitation retailers offer a wide selection of designs and styles to choose from, and they also offer a selection of paper textures and qualities too. Each variety can differ from the next according to the weight of the paper, the ingrained texture as well as the natural base colour. Based on your choice of these criteria, the print will also change accordingly. Therefore, you should always opt to have samples done and choose your wedding invitations well in advance to avoid disappointment. Holding them in your hands, you can make an informed decision based on colour in different lighting, texture and general appeal.

Wedding Invitation Etiquette & Accessories

The thing with wedding invitations is that it's not just a card that you are sending out, but a request with love, so make sure that it carries the same tone in your invitation wording, and make sure to note correct etiquette when addressing your invitees whether it's in the wording or on the envelope. Also, there's more to it than just the invitation. You will need to include other wedding invitation accessories that accompany the package such as the Reply Card (also known as the RSVP Card), the Directions and Accommodations Card, and not to mention the Wishing Well and Registry Card.

Don't forget the little details. A little something can do wonders to create a memorable and lasting impression, so keep these tips in mind when you pick out your wedding invitations. Here's to a happy dream day wedding!