Everlasting Love

In honor of our 1st anniversary, here is a recap of our wedding day at Molon Lave Vineyards and Winery.

 

"Ever thine. Ever mine. Ever ours." -Ludwig Van Beethoven

 

 August 2, 2014 

 

Our wedding video by Eidetic Memories (my sister's fiancé!).

 

 

 

I couldn't bring myself to buy my girls the cliché robes, so I went with fun rompers!

I think he looks quite dashing in a tux!

 

My brother-in-law, T.J., walking our mothers to their seats.

Dapper little ring bearer, Trey!

One of the flower girls playing with her rose petals.

Kaitlin and Sadie being escorted by the groomsman, Blaine.

 

Officially man and wife

 

Trey looking quite fly with the flower girl and train-bearer.

The wedding party!



My beautiful Mother



 

"Now a soft kiss - Aye, by that kiss, I vow an endless bliss." -John Keats 

 

Nothing like ending the night with sparklers!

  

Our next big adventure for our 2nd year of marriage:

 

Ezra Riley Wilcox

due November 20, 2015



 

Cheers to many more wonderful adventures with the love of my life, Brian. May our life be filled with happiness and never-ending adventures! I cannot wait for our next big adventure to arrive in November--Ezra will fill our hearts with more love than we know how to express.

 

-Katie

 



Dreams Do Come True: Budget Friendly Weddings

Hello, fellow bloggers!

Recently, I read a startling article from the Washington Post about marriage. Did you know that last year only 51% of all adults ranging from 18 and up were married? So, why is it that 7.5 million people were living together as couples, but not married?

In my opinion, I believe that one of the many factors involved is the economy. I noticed that many of my friends are getting engaged right out of college...broke. Don't delay your marriage out of fears...or money.

Harry proposing to Charlotte!

But, does that mean that if I get married broke that romantic, fairytale weddings with a great honeymoon are out of the question? Or that I will always live in an apartment trying to get by? Absolutely not!

How do I get the perfect honeymoon if I'm broke?
Recently, I started doing research on how to get exactly what you want...tastefully. So, what did I find for your perfect honeymoon? A registry! Yes, you read that correctly. "Buy Our Honeymoon" is a site for your wedding guests to help you out with that special, and much needed, getaway! Crazy, right?

Okay, so now you are asking "how does it work." Well, according to the site "Buy Our Honeymoon is a wedding registry for the couple who already have everything they need for their home, and who dream instead of romance in a faraway paradise." You can register for plane tickets, drinks, dinner, cruises, clothes, etc. So, get your soon-to-be-wife/husband and plan your perfect honeymoon together!

For more information visit: Buy Our Honeymoon

What if you are looking for your dream home, but you can't afford it? Or what if it is a "fixer upper" that you bought for cheap in the perfect location?
Well, hold on to your seat because I have news for you! There is a registry for that too! And yes, this is a tasteful way of asking for help from your friends and family.

"Hatch My House" is an online registry that you create yourself. All you have to do is sign up and create your ideal house! How fun is that? Your groom/bride-to-be and you can sit down and create a home together...for free! I think that sounds like one of the most exciting things that a newly wed couple can do.

For more information visit: Hatch My House

For more fun wedding ideas: 

• Pinterest: Wedding Decorations 
• Belle The Magazine: For the Sophisticated Bride 
• Martha Stewart Weddings 
• Project Wedding 

What is your dream wedding? And how do you plan on getting it?

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that's what you've given me. That's what I'd hoped to give you forever”-The Notebook

"Good love letters ask for nothing."

One of my SSB (secret single behaviors) is to watch romance movies. These movies tend to be old black and white films, but tonight was different. It all started while I was browsing the movie section at Target, I found a movie for $10 called Waiting For Forever. Purchased it and watched.


Review: 
The movie is a bit of a tear jerker, but such a cute love story. I would recommend watching it...maybe for Valentine's Day. Oh, and maybe you should have a box of tissues and some chocolates next to you :)


Question:
This movie made me think about love letters. Why do people not write them anymore? Is our society so cynical that we don't really believe in spending time to write our thoughts? 


So, what are some of the best love letters in history?


1) John Keats to Fanny Brawne:


"My Dearest Girl,

I have been a walk this morning with a book in my hand, but as usual, I have been occupied with nothing but you: I wish I could say in an agreeable manner. I am tormented day and night. They talk of my going to Italy. ‘Tis certain I shall never recover if I am to be so long separate from you: yet with all this devotion to you I cannot persuade myself into any confidence of you….

You are to me an object intensely desirable — the air I breathe in a room empty of you in unhealthy. I am not the same to you — no — you can wait — you have a thousand activities — you can be happy without me. Any party, anything to fill up the day has been enough.

How have you pass’d this month? Who have you smil’d with? All this may seem savage in me. You do not feel as I do — you do not know what it is to love — one day you may — your time is not come….

I cannot live without you, and not only you but chaste you; virtuous you. The Sun rises and sets, the day passes, and you follow the bent of your inclination to a certain extent — you have no conception of the quantity of miserable feeling that passes through me in a day — Be serious! Love is not a plaything — and again do not write unless you can do it with a crystal conscience. I would sooner die for want of you than —

Yours for ever

J. Keats”


2) Lewis Carroll to May Mileham


"Dearest May,

Thank you very much indeed for the peaches. They were delicious. Eating one was almost as nice as kissing you; Of course not quite; I think, if I had to give the exact measurement, I should say three – quarters as nice; We are having such a lovely time here; and the sands are beautiful. I only wish I could some day come across you, washing your pocket -handkerchief in a pool among the rocks? But I wander on the beach, and look for you, in vain; and then I say, Where is May? And the stupid boatmen reply, It isn’t May, sir? It’s September?’ But it doesn’t comfort me.

Always your Loving C.L.D.” 


3) Why not one from the movie? Will to Emma

"Dear Emma,

Those two words “Dear Emma” take me away to another time when we used to write to each other after Mom and Dad died. I used to tell you about my new friends and my new life. And you used to tell me about the grand time my mom and dad were having in heaven.

Truth is nothing. What you believe to be true is everything. And the main thing that I used to believe was that I would be with you forever. Forever. The reason it has taken me so long to write to you is that I see that I have been a fool. I’ve spent my life fooling myself.

Every letter I’ve ever written to you has been a love letter. How could they have been anything else? I can see now that all of them except this one were bad love letters. Bad love letters beg for love back. Good love letters ask for nothing. This, I’m pleased to announce is my first good love letter to you because there is nothing more for you to do. You’ve already done everything. I have enough of you in my head to last forever. So please don’t ever worry about me. I’m peachy. I really am. I have everything.

If I had one wish it would be that your life brings you a taste of the happiness you have brought to me. That you can feel what it’s like to love.

Your friend forever,

Will"

How do you write a love letter?

-Grab a pen and paper...

1) Say how much you miss them

2) Mention what you love about them

3) Share your fondest memory

4) Express your deepest feelings

5) Look forward to the future

When was the last time you received a love letter? 

"So this is love. So this is what makes life divine. I'm all aglow..."

During a woman's life, she is often found questioning the aspect of relationships, love, and even what Walt Disney gave us as children...fairytales. Here is to all the women searching for their prince charming...

What type of love are women looking for?

Carrie and Big

Well, in my opinion, Carrie, from the hit series Sex and the City, said it the best...

"I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love."

Girls grow up with fairytales. Can you blame us for wanting a man to rescue us when we are a "damsel in distress?" Disney provided us with the silly, yet beautiful stories of finding love. Unlike Romeo & Juliet, women want a happy ending not a tragic ending. Women want to ride off into the sunset with prince charming. 

Sleeping Beauty

Still not getting it? Well, simply put, women want to be rescued. I'm sure many girls will scorn me for saying that, but think about it. Whether you want to be rescued by a man, a dog, or your best friend, you still want to have that fantasy fulfilled. And there is nothing wrong with that.

How do women find their prince?

• Dating sites
• Happy hour
• School
• My Mom always says, "you will find your true love in college or graduate school."
• Random places: 
• Dog parks
• Home Depot
• Starbucks
• Hey, maybe even riding the airplane if you are an avid traveler!

Sometimes, women look for their prince and sometimes, he finds them.

My opinion?

B and I

Well, I believe relationships and love are complicated. Also, I believe that there is a prince charming for every little princess born into this world. Yet, I believe that women have to kiss a lot of frogs before they find him. And when you do find him, it will be a rough ride on the carriage through life. Love is not easy, but it is the fairytale you are looking for. Keep an open mind and stay strong, love will find you. 

What happens when love is found and becomes complicated?

Well, you definitely found it if it is complicated. Work at it everyday and remember the wise words of CoCo Chanel, "As long as you know most men are like children, you know everything."

Perhaps, you don't like what CoCo said. What about what Audrey Hepburn said?

Breakfast at Tiffany's

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

Have you lost faith and need some reminding?

Watch:

• The Notebook
• The Last Song
• The Little Mermaid (my favorite!)
• Hercules
• Well, any Disney movie
• The Ugly Truth
• Sex and The City 1&2
• Breakfast at Tiffany's (another favorite!)
• Gone With The Wind (my grandparents saw this on their first date!)

Read: 

• The Wedding: Nicholas Sparks
• Twilight Series: Stephenie Meyer
• Pride & Prejudice: Jane Austen
• Gone With the Wind: Margaret Mitchell

Have you found your prince and are ready for marriage? Check out this fun blog that is filled with clever ideas for save-the-date invitations!

Have you found your prince? Share your story with us!