After I had decided to work for myself, I dug through all my old files to find some clients from years past. I'm so glad that I printed out the information from weddings through the different companies I had worked for so that I could keep up with everyone and check in from time to time to see how their "happily ever after" was going.
While going through my files I found some emails from a client that I very clearly remember because of her amazing reception and the amazing love that she had found. She was one of my clients that had searched for love for years and had finally found the one. They planned their reception to be on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad because of her fiances passion for trains. They had eveyone dress up to match the "theme" of their wedding and I think every guests showed up in elegant victorian gowns and very classic suits. It was absolutely magical to see. The planning details in this story don't matter, what matters is the love and joy the couple found in each other. That's what matters all the time, with every wedding that is planned.
They enjoyed themselves and their guests, they laughed and had fun, they hugged (even me) and loved each other to the fullest on that day. It was an absolutely honor to be a part of something where so many people were truly there, just celebrate and enjoy each other.
I emailed her recently to catch up and see how things had come along. Through the process her fiance/husband had struggled with cancer and I was hoping he had gotten better and they had been celebrating their love/life still to this day. Unfortunately the news wasn't good, and he passed away only a short time after their wedding day.
My post isn't to share someone's personal story or to make anyone upset by reading something sad. It is to let every bride that comes across this post know that what matters is the "love" and the memory you create. The details are great, the dress should be beautiful, the cake should be delicious but the day should be a celebration. If every bride took the time to relax and just enjoy their day, their love, their friends and family, if every wedding was as joyous as theirs, no one would ever look back regretting their bills, their hair choice or their makeup, they would look back and know that their special day was filled with love.
Don't invite the people that don't matter just to have a big wedding, don't choose a site that you don't like just to impress guests. Don't do anything that doesn't directly relate back to you being able to celebrate the amazing day you were able to commit to a lifetime with the person who you'd found to share your "happily ever after". You never know how long that will be, so you should always have a special day to cherish.
this is very great. thanks for posting.
ReplyDeletehelps confirm me & my husband's choice to keep our wedding small. we each had the big first wedding...but because they were about the wedding, and not the love, both marriages did not last.
however, the 2nd time around was about the love. 6 close friends/family witnessed our commitment to eachother...and a few months later, we had a small group of friends and family help us celebrate that commitment to each other with an amazingly fun & warm party. every once in a while i catch myself wishing we had a "bigger" memory...but when i actually remember that day, i get full of warmth & love. because, although it was a small celebration, the 2nd time was actually about the LOVE we feel towards eachother.
wow - sorry to babble on & on...but this post helped me to remember WHY we are together in the first place...and WHY we chose to celebrate the way we did...because it is ultimately JUST about the LOVE...nothing else.
thanks for posting!
in our community it is common to invite the immediate family and special close guests for the wedding ceremony and dinner, then a second round of guests can join in for the dancing, you can have a buffet table set up for them, many people understand the high cost of events and are happy to be able to partake in the festivites even if it is part of the evening!
ReplyDeleteVery touching and timely. Congratulations on your new path/venture and do wish you the very best. Please let me know if I can be of help to you in anyway.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.MarryCaribbean.com
You are right on target. Most couples get too wound up in details that don't matter and forget that the whole point of the day is to be married at the end having shared the day with people that love and support them. It's not about the party at all but the commitment of love between two people starting a new life together. If all wedding coordinators had an outlook like yours, more couples would keep that important focus.
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