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Handmade Virginia Farm Wedding by Stephanie Williams

Jodi + Kurt’s is one of my favorite V4 weddings. Like yesterday’s bride, Stacy, J + K are wedding photographers and constantly surrounded by ideas. According to Jodi, “I knew I wanted a vintage-inspired wedding with lots of handmade elements. We, as artists, wanted something created by us, to truly reflect our lives and our relationship. Once I got engaged, I created several inspiration boards to really narrow my ideas. I showed them to everyone involved in the wedding. Most people didn’t quite understand the ideas we were dreaming up, but they went with it!” We think their handmade wedding came together beautifully and we just can’t seem to stop looking at these images by Stephanie of This Modern Romance.

P.S. Jodi + Kurt actually shot another wedding that appeared in V4! Check out Katie + Max’s colorful wedding here and here.

Jodi + Kurt’s wedding invitations were a true labor of love! “We wanted our invites to be personal and completely handmade so we could give our guests something special. We worked on these invitations for several months going through prototype after prototype until we finally found one we loved. Our invitations were a burlap folio, constructed out of thick board, burlap, twine, and cameos. In the inside, we attached envelopes purchased from Paper Source, which were lined with part of a doily. Each pocket contained several inserts with specific information pertaining to our wedding. One of the pockets contained a DVD of a stop-motion invitation video that Kurt and I made.”

How adorable is J + K’s ceremony setup? Those hay bales were used on the family farm after the wedding and those quilts all came from Jodi’s family.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. We actually met in high school, though we never had any classes together and barely even talked to each other. Kurt secretly liked me, but never pursued me until we reconnected when I was a junior in college. We ran into each other at a church we were both attending at the time and Kurt pursued me for about four months until we started dating. We dated for four years, got engaged in September 2009, and married in October 2010.
Describe the proposal: (From the groom) Jodi had always wanted to go apple picking, so we planned a date in September of 2009. I wrote down the addresses of three orchards in the area and thought I was set. Little did I know none of them allowed you to pick your own apples. At this point, the ring was burning a hole in my pocket and I was almost at the end of my rope. Jodi, on the other hand, was having a good time driving around in the country. Not having any more leads to follow, she called one of her friends who recommended an orchard an hour and a half away. After driving most of the afternoon away, we arrived at Carter Mountain Orchard, outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. It was absolutely stunning with an incredible view of the valley. We wandered around the orchard picking some apples and after finding a nice secluded area, I asked her to turn around. As she turned, I held out the ring and asked her to marry me. There were lots of hugs and kisses and intermittently, she found time to say yes. The rest of that evening she couldn’t take her eyes off her hand. Lucky for us, we brought our cameras and a tripod along so we were able to shoot a quick engagement session of ourselves.
Three adjectives that describe the day are: Elegant, simple, and handmade.
How many guests attended your wedding? We had about 100 guests attend.
Tell us about finding your wedding dress: I loved my wedding dress! Before I got engaged I knew I wanted a lace dress for my wedding, preferably one by Monique Lhuillier. Since my sister got engaged about four months after I got did, we both had the opportunity to go dress shopping together, which was so special! We both found our dresses the same day and both were Monique Lhuillier
Describe your wedding flowers: We loved our wedding flowers! We wanted a mixture of flowers that reflected our soft, vintage color palette. Janie, our amazing florist, incorporated dahlias, ranunculus, peonies, garden roses, eucalyptus, fern curls, mint, ornamental cabbage, dusty miller, and more. All of the flowers tied in perfectly with our vintage aesthetic! The boutonnieres were one of my favorite details from the day! Kurt and I knew we wanted to do something different and non-floral for the boutonnieres. We also wanted to tie in something camera-related, since photography is such a huge part of our lives. Kurt did some research and found a small lens on eBay. Our stylist fastened the lens to a burlap leaf and it turned out fantastically! Lynn also came up with the idea of using old film negatives for our best man’s boutonniere. She cut and folded the film negatives into a small flower.
What was the most memorable or touching moment about your wedding day? The most memorable part of our ceremony was definitely our prayer at the end. Our pastor had approached us about doing a communal prayer where everyone prays over us aloud and at the same time. During the entire ceremony it was overcast and cloudy, but during this prayer, the clouds parted and the sun shined right on Kurt and me. It was such a beautiful blessing from God! We had never felt more loved than in that moment.

Photographer: This Modern Romance // Videographer: Josh Gooden Cinematography // Designer: Sunshowers and Rainshine // Venue: Family farm in Mount Crawford, Virginia // Florist: JMFlora Design // Pie Baker: homemade // Caterer: groom // Bridesmaid Dresses: J. Crew // Bride’s Dress: Monique Lhuillier // Hair Stylist: bride // Makeup Artist: Erika Nixon // Bride’s Shoes: J. Crew // Bride’s Jewelry: earrings by Ten Things // Groom’s Fashion: J. Crew // Groomsmen Fashion: J.Crew // Rentals: Classic Party Rentals and Central Virginia Rental // Linens: Griffith Bag Company // Cameos: Poppy Loves Paris // Fabric: A Garden of Roses and Lonestar Quilting // Favors: groom // Officiant: Troy Pearson // Band: Shenandoah Travelers

We think you might love these weddings, too!
Alli + Chad’s at-home wedding here and here.
Meghan + Chris’s colorful farm wedding here and here.
Audrey + Jordan’s sweet outdoor wedding here.

xo Nicole April 19, 2012 | view Nicole's blog
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Kristen, April 19, 2012 12:21 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply The dog lying on the ground during their kiss is seriously my favorite "kiss" shot I've ever seen. Other than my own, of course. :) Gorgeous!!

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Friday Favorites – Inventory Inspiration: Sewing Drawers, April 20, 2012 1:11 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] Sewing drawers are great for holding your wedding favors.  {source: Southern Weddings} [...]

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Tim Duncan, April 27, 2012 1:30 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply That last photo is SO SWEET! Love it!

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Best of Pinterest: Our Latest and Greatest Pins {April 2012}, April 29, 2012 12:06 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] This rustic altar is probably one of my favorites, and obviously quite a few of you fellow Pinterest mates.  The wood ladders graced elegantly with flowers in antique mason jars, who wouldn’t love this?!  {source: Southern Weddings} [...]

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Honey Bee Bridal Shower Ideas

April 19, 2012 by Emily in Inspirations,Main | 8 comments

This weekend is Earth Day, belles! And with all the stunning natural beauty that surrounds us in the South, we thought it would behoove us to pause and take a minute to appreciate the majestic Lowcountry marshes, the romantic Spanish moss dripping from live oaks, and the endless fields of blue bonnets, to name just a few distinctly Southern gems.

We also have this eco-conscious bridal shower inspiration with which to celebrate! Photographer Sarah DeShaw partnered with Kendra from One Love Organics to put together this pretty inspiration. Wouldn’t something like this be perfect not just for a bridal shower, but for a low-key bachelorette or pre-wedding pampering session, too?

Love the idea of wrapping gifts in burlap – and of pairing the burlap with shiny satin ribbon to add a feminine touch!

If you’re ready for some Southern-style relaxation, we’ve got just the thing for you – a sweet tea pedicure!

Yum, don’t you think?

Sources:

Design and Photo Stylist: Sarah DeShaw // Photography: Sarah DeShaw and Brent DeShaw // Venue: Hampton Island // Flowers: Holley Jaakkola // Clothing: Go Fish // Products: One Love Organics // Hair & Makeup: Katherine Taylor // Paper Goods: A Darling Day

xo Emily April 19, 2012 | view Emily's blog
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Lisa, April 19, 2012 9:01 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply So darling! The fact that it's eco-friendly makes it even prettier :)

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kim, April 19, 2012 9:55 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Super cute! I love the vintage feel to it all and the honey cocktails are genius! hugs! Kim @ Party Frosting!

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laurie, April 19, 2012 10:13 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply i am swooning over here!!! this is a must! what a cute idea with perfect details!! :)

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Elizabeth, April 19, 2012 1:19 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply All sweet ideas! Love the sweet tea pedicure! I think it would be fun to incorporate that into a girls' night :)

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Earth Day Spa Bridal Shower » Sarah DeShaw Photography Blog, April 24, 2012 8:20 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] Earth Day Spa Bridal Shower Tuesday, April 24, 2012 In celebration of Earth Day this past Sunday I wanted to share some of my favorite photos from a styled shoot I put together! If you missed seeing our feature on Southern Weddings and instructions on how to do the sweet tea pedicures make sure to check out our Honey Bee Bridal Shower Ideas Here. [...]

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a {honey bee} bridal shower « A Darling Day, April 26, 2012 1:09 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] honey bee bridal shower was featured on Southern Weddings last week, and includes directions on how to make the sweet tea pedicure! Check out their full post [...]

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A “Bee-utiful” Bridal Shower | Southern Wedding Whimsy on a Budget, May 1, 2012 2:30 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...]   All of the pictures shown above/the entire shower inspiration can be found here.. http://iloveswmag.com/2012/04/19/honey-bee-bridal-shower-ideas/ Now, for my favorite part… Pinterest Knock-Offs! The Cocktail  [...]

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Friday Wedding Thoughts | Bridesmaids and Weddings, May 7, 2012 12:18 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] iloveswmag.com via Bridesmaids and Weddings on [...]

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Garden Party Texas Wedding by The Nichols

As someone who is working in the industry while planning a wedding, I can empathize with Stacy, a wedding photographer who must see gorgeous ideas every weekend. In the end, though, it seemed she and her now-husband Adam had no trouble crafting a wedding that was true to them – which for these two meant “a big fun party at a ranch with our closest family and friends!” And with our favorites The Nichols there to capture the action, I’m sure this photographer had no regrets about how her beautiful day was captured for posterity!

“It is with exuberant bliss…” How’s that for a a first line on your invitation?!

Bouquet perfection from Prive Floral! In fact, Stacy says she cried when she saw her bouquet, and we don’t blame her! Tina used garden roses, tulips, clematis, andromeda, and dusty miller for a lush garden feel. Love the lace wrap, too!

Stacy admits she was more stressed about finding her wedding dress than anything else. She says she was a ball of nerves, but decided to go look at dresses with her best friend just to get over her fear – and ended up finding the one! She loves that it’s not white but a peachy color, and we have to agree.

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did write our own vows. I just love how personal they were. My favorite line to Adam was that I promised I would try to put away my clothes the same day that they came out of the wash. Adam’s favorite line to me was, “Stacy, I love you so much and cherish every moment with you. I want to be your husband, as we discover new places and moments, as we advance, and as we share the next laugh, hand in hand.”
What readings, if any, did you have at your ceremony? We had three readings. One was chosen by my aunt from my grandmother’s bible. Adam chose a reading from Ghandi. I chose a reading from Samuel Stoddard called “I Like You.” It’s sweet and silly like we are.

Tell us about some of the songs you used throughout your wedding. We walked down the aisle to the instrumental version of “Don’t Stop Believing” by Low Strung. I have always wanted to walk down the aisle to this song, way before it became popular! Our processional was our road-trip song, “Hard Sun” by Eddie Vedder. Our first dance was “Grown Ocean” by Fleet Foxes, but our second dance that got people on the dance floor after dinner was one of my favorites, “You and Me” by Penny and the Quarters. Our last song with confetti was Footloose (my all-time favorite!) We made our exit to “Jump in the Line” by Harry Belafonte.

Our favorite detail of the wedding was: There were so many! It’s really hard to choose. We incorporated so much of ourselves. We collected plates so that we had different ones for all the guests to use and we’re keeping a nice set of them as our everyday use and fine china. We made our guest favors, which were soap jars made out of old mason jars we found under Adam’s mom’s porch! We added a soap pump and liquid soap. Then we made a little tag that said, “Here’s some suds from your buds. Love, Adam & Stacy” Lastly, I think our tattoos were probably both of our favorites! They were very personal and while I still have a ring on my left hand (my tattoo is on my right hand) Adam’s tattoo is his ring. His is in the shape of a tree and I have an owl that would live in that tree. I loved that we ‘unveiled’ his tattoo instead of putting a ring on him.

Ahh, the Southern BLT – bacon, lettuce, and fried green tomatoes!

For dessert, Stacy and Adam served a delicious-sounding wedding cake: one banana layer with chocolate ganache and vanilla custard, and another layer of chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter. They also offered “his and her desserts,” which were gummy bears, Seinfeld Snickers (mini snickers with forks and knives tied to them) and jalapeno chips!

I think the biggest thing that we learned and realized is that we can’t control everything. Let the process be a little bit of a surprise because holding onto something that might not happen or go the way you envision could let you down. Just remember the most important thing: at the end of the day, you are marrying the person you love! That’s really all that matters. Focus on that love and your day will be magical.

How did the two of you meet? Tell us your story. I was the photographer at a wedding in Luckenbach, and Adam was a persistent guest. He asked me to dance and I finally caved in and danced with him for about 1 minute to the end of a Brad Paisley song. We exchanged cards later that night and he called me the same night to ask me out for a date for that Monday — which he then showed up late to because of his job! It’s a good reason, but I love to tease him about it!
Describe the proposal. We had been talking about getting married and had ordered a vintage ring online. I knew it was coming in the mail but Adam said he was going to surprise me with it. We got home from the gym one day and the postman was there with the ring. I knew a proposal wasn’t going to happen then, so I went about my daily routine, washing dishes and straightening up the house when Adam told me to come see what our three crazy dogs were doing. I headed out back to see them and when I turned the corner, he was on his knee and he asked me to marry him! He said he couldn’t wait to give me the ring and we only had it for about 20 minutes! I cried and said yes!
In what month did you get married? March, we wanted a spring wedding in Texas with all the wildflowers in bloom!
How many guests attended your wedding? About 75
Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We didn’t do a first look. Being a wedding photographer, you might think we’d decide otherwise. But we both agreed we wanted that build-up of anticipation to happen as I walked down the aisle. It was perfect!
What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? I was born and raised in Austin and Adam grew up in this area for most of his life as well. Our wedding was our take on the traditional Southern: just a big fun party at a ranch with our closest family and friends. We got to spend the weekend out there with most of them. We had elements of tradition but a lot of them with a little spin.
What range did your wedding budget fall into? $25,000-$50,000
What is the one thing you are most happy you splurged on? For me it was my dress. It wasn’t crazy expensive, but more than I had originally thought I would spend. I LOVE my dress, so it was worth every penny. We added a bunch of things that we weren’t originally going to have. We just wanted to have the best day and for all the details to be just right! We don’t regret any of it. Food would be a close second since we are foodies.
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? This is a hard one! Our ceremony was pretty incredible! Our friend Gina did the officiating and she was brilliant! Our readings and the music for it were just great. We laughed, cried, hugged and kissed. It doesn’t get much better than that!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Spend the money on a good photographer!! Our wedding day was such a blur of excitement and emotion, we are so thankful we have so many amazing photographs!!! I would have said that The Nichols were our big splurge but we knew we wanted spectacular photography from the get go. They were one of our best investments!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you looking forward to in the future? We are going to enjoy married life! We love being newlyweds. We didn’t take a honeymoon because we travel frequently and already had trips lined up throughout the rest of the year. Right now, we’re just enjoying life together.

Photographer: The Nichols // Videographer: Photography by Vanessa // Planner: CLINK // Venue: Longhorn River Ranch // Florist: Prive Floral // Wedding Cake or Dessert Baker: Michelle’s Patisserie // Caterer: Primizie // Rentals and Linens: Marquee Rentals // Lighting: Ilios // Paper Products: Anibella Ink // Bride’s Gown: Ivy and Aster Duchess Gown // Bride’s Earrings: Kendra Scott // Hair Stylist: Danielle Barr // Makeup Artist: Face Kandy // Bride’s Shoes: Bamboo Crush 42 in blush // Bride’s Cardigan: Forever 21 // Bride’s Sash: Ribbon from David’s Bridal, flower from Ruche // Bridesmaids’ Dresses: various

xo Emily April 18, 2012 | view Emily's blog
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Jennifer Nichols, April 18, 2012 1:01 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 2 reply We adore Stacy and Adam and just count our lucky stars that they chose us to document their wedding day!! Thank so much for the feature!

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stacy, April 18, 2012 1:18 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply SO EXCITED!!! We loved our wedding day and we are so honored and thrilled to have it featured, especially on Southern weddings! We love all of our vendors (more like friends) that helped us have a magical day! XOXOXO!!! stacy (the bride) :)

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Kelli Ahern, April 18, 2012 2:13 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 1 reply Those table settings are AMAZING! Beeeaaaautiful work Nichols!!!!

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Nicole, April 18, 2012 2:23 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 1 reply I'm just crazy for Stacy's bouquet and peachy dress!!

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Brittany, April 18, 2012 3:26 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I ADORE those toasting flutes. Where did you get them?

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Rachel, April 18, 2012 10:54 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply It was so great to be a part of Stacy + Adam's special day. Excited to see it on SW too!

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Katherine, April 19, 2012 8:59 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Couldn't be happier for Stacy & Adam-the perfect wedding for a creative wedding photographer!

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Link love | Three Apples Events, April 20, 2012 1:22 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] Austin photographer Stacy got married and her beautiful beautiful wedding was shot by equally fab Austin photographers The Nichols.  YES! {via Southern [...]

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“Um Real Wedding por dia…”: encantador e intemporal Simplesmente Branco  |  Simplesmente Branco , May 14, 2012 7:55 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] Stacy é fotógrafa de casamentos e, por isso, acredito que a pressão para fazer as escolhas certas tenha sido mais que muita. Depois de verem as imagens, decerto que concordam comigo quando digo que acertou em cheio! [...]

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  • Nancy Ray Photography
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Southern Weddings Pinterest Contest: Finalists!

Ever since we announced our first ever Pinterest contest, I know y’all have been eagerly awaiting an update! I am so excited to say we’ve chosen our three finalists from the 50+ entries (y’all made it hard!), and now we’re ready to vote! If you recall, we’re doing something a little bit different for the prizes this time around: the Southern Weddings ladies worked with three different vendors to choose a prize that corresponded to each finalist’s board, but only the finalist with the most votes will receive their hand-selected prize. Make sense?

Here are the nominees!

Finalist No. 1: Country Lush by Justine

Sources: White by Vera Wang gown, cowboy boot bride photo by Jodi Miller via Southern Weddings, cotton bouquet photo by Pasha Belman via Southern Weddings, The Farmhouse wedding venue, romantic invitation suite photo by Gina Zeidler via Southern Weddings, Amy Osaba floral arrangements photo by Our Labor of Love via Southern Weddings, pink cake photo by Nancy Ray and Caroline Joy via Southern Weddings

If Justine receives the most votes, she’ll win an adorable cake stand from Sweet and Saucy Supply!

Finalist No. 2: Black Tie with Blue by Alexandra

Sources: gardenia bouquet photo by Elizabeth Scott via Southern Weddings, caviar biscuits photo by Jose Villa from Southern Weddings, portrait by David Wittig via Style Me Pretty, magnolia wreath photo by Meredith Perdue via Style Me Pretty, Valentino bow shoes, mini donuts photo by Chris Court, champagne tower photo by Mario Testino for Vogue, The Lee Chapel at Washington & Lee University

If Alexandra receives the most votes, she’ll get to dress her gents in classic black bow ties from Ties.com!

Finalist No. 3: Peaches by Lisa

Sources: chapel photo by Amy Arrington via Southern Weddings, necklace photo by Melissa Schollaert via Southern Weddings, peachy arrangement photo by KT Merry via Style Me Pretty, cotton boutonnieres photo by Melissa Schollaert via Southern Weddings, bridesmaids photo by Paul Johnson via Southern Weddings, dahlia bouquet by The Nichols via Style Me Pretty, biscuits photo by Ulmer Studios via Southern Weddings, peach wedding cake photo by Nate Henderson via Style Me Pretty

If Lisa receives the most votes, she’ll get to choose a lovely clutch from Oatmeal Lace Design!

The finalist who receives the most entries via comments on this post will win the prize that the Southern Weddings team has hand-selected for them! Please, only one vote per person (we can and will be checking IP addresses and deleting multiple comments from the same address to make sure everything stays fair!). We’ll announce a winner Monday, April 30, so get those votes in quick!

Jodi Miller, Nancy Ray, Jose Villa, Meredith Perdue, Amy Arrington, Melissa Schollaert, KT Merry, and Elizabeth Scott are all fabulous members of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

xo Emily April 18, 2012 | view Emily's blog
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Kelly, April 18, 2012 10:13 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 1 reply Yay Justine!!! So excited you are a finalist and I cannot wait to celebrate with you and David in September!

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Rachel, April 18, 2012 12:48 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Black Tie by Alexandra!!!! I love her board

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Linden, April 18, 2012 10:13 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My vote is for "Peaches" by Lisa... We spent our honeymoon at Palmetto Bluff, so that chapel pic just makes me smile. It is the most charming place and the chapel is adorable!!! I also LOVE those non-"bridesmaidy" bridesmaid dresses and the biscuits! So cute!

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Emily, April 18, 2012 11:08 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Hi Linden! I JUST visited Palmetto Bluff this weekend and it was magical! So fun that you honeymooned there!! Honey List review coming soon!

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Whitney, April 18, 2012 10:27 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My favorite is #1 Country Lush!

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Lisa, April 18, 2012 11:02 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Oh my goodness! What an honor to be chosen as a finalist among all of the beautiful boards! Thank you so much, Southern Weddings! :)

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Ruby, April 18, 2012 11:09 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Seriously loving the Peaches by Lisa. :)

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Molly, April 20, 2012 6:06 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Ruby: Seriously! Peaches is amazing! So simple and delicate but sophisticated and beautiful at the same time!!

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John, April 18, 2012 11:19 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My vote is for #3 - Peaches by Lisa!!! :)

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Vicky, April 18, 2012 11:39 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My vote is for #3 Peaches by Lisa! I love everything about it!

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Faith, April 18, 2012 11:39 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 2 reply Justine's "Country Lush" is perfect for the upcoming Spring/Summer wedding season. So soft, feminine, and romantic!

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Jillian Nicole, April 18, 2012 11:57 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Oooh, they're all so pretty, but my favourite has to be #3 Peaches by Lisa! I love the soft, pretty colour palette, and anything with Dusty Miller is a winner in my book!:)

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Natalie, April 18, 2012 12:00 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #3 (Peaches) by Lisa for sure!!

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Karen, April 18, 2012 12:02 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for Peaches by Lisa!

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Lee, April 18, 2012 12:42 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #2 Black tie with blue!!

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Ame, April 18, 2012 12:46 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 1 reply #1!

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Jessica @ The Budget Savvy Bride, April 18, 2012 12:47 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for Black Tie with Blue by Alexandra!

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Elizabeth, April 18, 2012 12:57 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #2. Alexandra!

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Katie, April 18, 2012 1:20 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply They're all so great but my favorite is Alexandra and Black Tie with Blue! Hope she wins!

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Sara, April 18, 2012 1:24 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Peaches by Lisa!

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Melissa, April 18, 2012 1:30 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #3 by Lisa is so cute!! i would definitely use this as an inspiration board for my wedding.

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Dee, April 18, 2012 1:34 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I love everything about #3 Peaches by Lisa!

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Angie, April 18, 2012 1:56 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for #3 Peaches by Lisa!!

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Emily Hawley, April 18, 2012 1:59 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I love the black tie with blue by Alex!!! SO PRETTY!!!!

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Andrew, April 18, 2012 2:06 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for #2. By alex

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Courtney, April 18, 2012 2:23 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #2 for sure! Alexandra has such great taste!

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MacKenzie, April 18, 2012 2:17 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote #3 Peaches by Lisa!!!!

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Cameron, April 18, 2012 2:42 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #2 Alex!

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Sterchi, April 18, 2012 2:49 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Champagne fountain baby! Love that one

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Sterchi, April 18, 2012 2:51 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply So i vote #2

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Kat, April 18, 2012 3:25 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 1 reply I really like Country Lush and Peaches... they're both pretty, soft & romantic! It's a tough choice but I have to pick #1 Country Lush by Justine as my favorite!

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Jadzia, April 18, 2012 5:09 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Love Peaches! It's fresh and light and I love the picture of the church!

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Priscilla, April 18, 2012 6:22 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I LOVE the classy look of Alex's Black Tie with Blue! #2 for me.

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Dana, April 18, 2012 7:03 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply peaches by lisa is so adorable! all my favorite things are in it!

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Leah, April 18, 2012 7:25 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply i vote for lisa #3 peaches!!! ahhh i just LOVE it!

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Aleisha, April 18, 2012 7:31 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Black Tie with Blue! Alex has such great vision!

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Kelli, April 18, 2012 7:33 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Love #3 Peaches by Lisa!

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Georgette, April 18, 2012 9:23 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My vote is for "Peaches" by Lisa. Love the colors and the picture of the church!!

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Annie, April 18, 2012 9:53 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Black Tie by Alex! So pretty! #2 #2 #2 #2 #2!!!!!!

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Kelly, April 18, 2012 10:39 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Number 3 peaches by Lisa!

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jen, April 18, 2012 10:55 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #2!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Lengyel, April 18, 2012 11:22 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Peaches #3 by Lisa! :)

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Maggie, April 18, 2012 11:34 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My vote is for #3!

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Annette, April 19, 2012 12:30 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Lisa's is peachy! Love it...my vote is #3

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Todd Hansen, April 19, 2012 9:03 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Black Tie Southern Charm.Alex such great taste.#2

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» The White Bouquet, April 19, 2012 9:30 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] I would love your vote in the Southern Weddings Pinterest contest! Just leave a comment on the post to vote–I’m #3 Peaches! Thank you so much [...]

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Taylor J, April 19, 2012 10:02 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Peaches by Lisa!!

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Kristy, April 19, 2012 10:50 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I love #2!!!!!

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Marie, April 19, 2012 11:42 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for #1 Country Lush !! So romantic !

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Ashley, April 19, 2012 11:46 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I really like Country Lush by Justine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Laura, April 19, 2012 12:15 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote Justine's Country Lush!

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Kellen, April 19, 2012 2:23 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Black Tie with Blue!!

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Kathleen, April 19, 2012 2:31 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Black Tie with Blue by Alexandra! Gorgeous! and the adorable mini donuts :)

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Janis, April 19, 2012 2:56 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Love #2, Alex!

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Caroline, April 19, 2012 3:12 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #2 by Alex!!!! She is amazing! Hope she wins!

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Lindsey, April 19, 2012 3:22 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Justine's is my favorite!

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bobbie, April 19, 2012 4:09 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Alexandria Hanson!!!!!

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Cheri, April 19, 2012 4:42 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Yeah for Justine!

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» Bridal Style: Girly Girl, April 19, 2012 5:41 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply [...] to be a finalist in the Southern Weddings Pinterest contest! Take a look at the three finalists here and leave a comment to vote for your favorite. My board is “#3 Peaches by Lisa” and I [...]

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Austin, April 19, 2012 6:39 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Justine is my favorite!

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Adam Gillem, April 19, 2012 7:14 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for No 2, Love it Alex.

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Mackenzie Tuggle, April 19, 2012 9:45 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for number 2 Alexandra.

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Lisa Tuggle, April 19, 2012 9:46 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply 2 alexandra

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amanda, April 19, 2012 10:00 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I'm going for #2. A little classy and fabulous!

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Julie Ann Moore, April 19, 2012 10:11 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Number 2. Love the hugging dress, champagne tower and magnolia wreaths!!

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Marletha, April 20, 2012 7:33 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I really like #2 Black Tie with Blue She did a great job!

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Megan, April 20, 2012 10:45 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My note is for #1 - Country Lush by Justine - ABSOLUTELY stunning! :)

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Supal {chevrons and éclairs}, April 20, 2012 11:01 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I love Lisa's! Peaches! It's such a great way of incorporating the simple things around you :)

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Erica, April 20, 2012 12:40 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply LOVE #3 - Peaches by Lisa! My wedding is all these colors plus navy :)

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emma, April 20, 2012 3:27 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply gotta rep the G of A and go with peaches! :)

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Shannon, April 20, 2012 5:45 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Peaches by Lisa, gets my my vote!!!!

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Steph, April 20, 2012 6:15 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 2 reply My vote is for #1... Justine! Can't wait for you to have your Farmhouse Weddings in September!!

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diane, April 21, 2012 12:27 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 1 reply Pretty as a peach, Lisa!! Simple and beautiful!

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Krystal, April 21, 2012 10:55 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My vote is for Justine

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Brooke, April 22, 2012 9:46 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for #3...all the perfect details for a Southern Wedding:)

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Chandler, April 24, 2012 12:46 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for #2 Alexandra

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Leeson, April 24, 2012 1:23 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I love #2 by Alexandra! So pretty & classic!

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Theresa, April 24, 2012 7:31 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply #3 Peaches by Lisa!

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Debra, April 24, 2012 7:41 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote for #3 Peaches. Love the church scene, the outfits on the bridesmaids and the cake looks so yummy...

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Gabriela Frei, April 24, 2012 8:03 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote Peaches by Lisa :D

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Mariela, April 24, 2012 8:10 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply PEACHES by Lisa! Those bridesmaid dresses are so cute, and the cake nicely ties the look together.

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Danielle, April 24, 2012 8:11 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I liked Lisa #3 Peaches!! :)

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Emily, April 24, 2012 9:13 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply My vote is for board #3 by Lisa. So beautiful :)

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Kristen, April 24, 2012 9:40 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Lisa with #3 Peaches!!!

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Patty, April 26, 2012 12:27 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Lisa!! Peach is such a beautiful color. It's prim and proper like any Southern bell should be :)

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Maggie, April 27, 2012 5:59 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Black Tie by Alexandra!! Gorg

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Paige, April 29, 2012 1:54 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I vote #1 Country Lush by Justine!! Hope you win girl! xoxo

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Kristi, April 29, 2012 8:42 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply Country lush #1 is beautiful! Go Justine!

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Marriage Confessions: The Gift of Happiness

April 17, 2012 by Emily in Main | 2 comments

Katie, our infinitely wise and hilarious Southern friend from Marriage Confessions, drops by twice a month to share her funny, smart, and poignant perspective on life after the wedding!

My husband and I recently were given an all-expense paid trip to Costa Rica by the Costa Rican tourism board. It was a program sponsored by the tourism board which awarded one million dollars worth of vacations to Costa Rica to random people. They called the program, “The Gift of Happiness.” We stayed in three five-star resorts, had fancy pants dinners every evening, and participated in local excursions like taking surf lessons in the Pacific Ocean and crossing mile-high hanging bridges in the rainforest.

Tough life, huh?

It was the first time my husband and I had been on a vacation alone since we were married almost seven years ago. Between family obligations at the holidays and spending the last three years either pregnant and/or raising tiny human beings, we just haven’t been able to get away together. We were really looking forward to a chance for us to unplug, unwind, and spend some time alone.

Steve Steinhardt

To be honest, I sort of expected our trip to be a bit of a gripe fest. The kids seem to have one illness after another these days (proving my theory once again that children in daycare are, in fact, carrier monkeys), money has been tight, Chris and I have been fighting a lot, I’m in the middle of about four different writing projects in addition to teaching full time, and Chris’s job has been more stressful than normal. Our life has been hectic and… well… not too darn happy. I really worried that we would spend all of our time away on the trip talking through some of those situations, since we’d finally have time to sit down and hash things out.

On our first day in Costa Rica, at our first meal together, Chris and I kept sitting there staring at the gorgeous hotel, looking back at each other, and just laughing. What were we doing here? By dinner that night, we’d moved on from the shocked phase to the missing our kids phase, and we spent our dinner laughing even more about funny things our kids had done over the past few weeks that we just hadn’t had time to share with each other. We talked about how great our kids were, how proud and grateful we were to be their parents, and how parenthood had made us better people and better spouses.

By our second stop a few days later, Chris and I were spending meals talking about what we were missing at work. Only, the conversation quickly turned to how much we both loved our jobs. How we were both so excited to get up every day and go to work. How the people Chris worked with and the students I taught made us want to do better, to be better. Conversations about our careers turned quickly into conversations about our dreams. Things we’d always wanted to accomplish – like me writing a book and Chris running his own theater. And for the first time in our lives, we had actually achieved major goals we’d both set for ourselves years and years ago. We laughed about the things we’d accomplished with each other by our sides, and we held hands as we insisted we couldn’t have done any of it without the other.

Divine Light Photography via Southern Weddings

By the end of the trip, Chris and I were having conversations about the future. We talked about the things we’d like to do as a family, and the things we’d like to do as a couple. We allowed ourselves to put our heads in the Costa Rican clouds for a bit, and talked about renovations to our house and private colleges for our kids that we’ll probably never be able to afford. We talked about all the adventures we still have ahead of us, all the things we have to look forward to. We talked about growing old together, and holding each others withered, wrinkled hands as we watched our own grandchildren play.

Somewhere in the middle of a trip that was supposed to make my life happier, I realized that my life is pretty darn happy already.

I think sometimes, we get so bogged down in the nitty gritty of life that we don’t realize how good we really have it. Wouldn’t marriage be easier if we didn’t have to manage households and careers and families and all that other stuff along with it? Wouldn’t it be easier to be happy if we could just be instead of always having to be doing? But that’s the thing about marriage. Life doesn’t stop just because you’re married. I think the key to staying happy in marriage is to stop waiting for those perfect, Hallmark card worthy “happy moments,” and start recognizing the happiness that already exists in our relationships. I had to go all the way to Costa Rica to discover that the happiness in my life lives there within the happiness of my marriage.

Jose Villa

Not that I mind having to go lay on beaches in Costa Rica…

Oh, the things I’ll do for my marriage!

P.S. Check out a few of Katie’s past columns for Southern Weddings:
I believe in Valentine’s Day
My Wedding Registry Changed My Life
Managing Your Money
On Moving

xo Emily April 17, 2012 | view Emily's blog
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Wedding Invitations, April 17, 2012 6:23 am   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I'm marrying the love of my life in 4 months, and this post, (did make me cry) but gave me such hope. Thank you for sharing. I know that no matter how tough life gets, every day is a miracle, and the gift of happiness is intertwined in all the little stitches. Good luck with your plans and dreams :)

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Elizabeth and Ryan | Elizabeth Ryan Photography, April 17, 2012 1:27 pm   Yeehaw! Love this: Thumb up 0 reply I love this! It is so true that sometimes the nitty gritty of life overshadows the amazingness within! Cheers to traveling to Costa Rica and dreaming among the Costa Rican clouds!

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Reaction to a marriage proposal: Well dip me in molasses and roll me in cornflakes!

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