Once again, thank you to Rachel McLean of RS Exclusive … she is speaking from experience to the guys out there. I love this twist on an article for those grooms-to-be out there. Enjoy!
Dear brides, as much as I love you, today’s topic is actually geared toward your man, so be sure to pass this along to your future hubby, as we want him to know he’s not alone if he’s been feeling a bit of the groom-to-be-blues.
(Ladies, before you panic, let me iterate that when I say “blues,” it has absolutely nothing to do with a lack of excitement on your fiancé’s part about making you his bride – of course he’s excited! — rather, it can be a teeny, tiny voice in his head that points out that his lack of experience in the realm of wedding planning renders him useless, and his opinions for the big day, obsolete. Guess what, this is not true!)
Long before there is even a ring, many future brides already have a pretty good idea of what their wedding should look like, and are ready to dive right in to the planning process with their event planner. Guys, not so much. The fact of the matter is that we’re just wired differently, and that’s okay. (Hey, us girls aren’t exactly dying to hit up Lowes for a new set of tools to tackle the leaking plumbing. And if you are, you’re my hero.)
So here’s the part I want to emphasize: while your future groom may not be chomping at the bit to start picking out flower arrangements, chances are deep down he really does want to be a part of this process – after all, it is going to be the biggest day of his life as well. It’s naturally easy as a bride (you’re on a mission!) to get caught up in making all of the decisions — unintentionally dismissing the groom from playing any important role – which can result in the groom feeling a little left out.
And guys, just because you put a lot of time and energy into your proposal doesn’t mean you can just “check out” and show up on the wedding day. This is such an exciting time in your lives, and we want you to enjoy it to the fullest. Sharing your ideas and plans – and most of all, your support – with each other can make this time even more meaningful to your relationship.
So here are a few suggestions and practical tips on how you as the groom-to-be can best support the love of your life and get involved (without feeling in over your head) in the wedding planning process:
1) Don’t be afraid to give your opinion.
Chances are you probably aren’t going to care whether the centerpieces have fruit or flowers, but you may really care about what food and beverages are on the menu, or what the evening entertainment will be like. While it can be easy to feel (unintentionally) left out as planning kicks into high gear, don’t assume your bride doesn’t care what you think. It’s important that your wedding day reflect who you both are as a couple. Write down your ideas as you have them and talk them over together. Your brilliant ideas may just be the ones to make your reception a smash hit.
2) Be an active listener
It pretty much goes without saying that a woman needs to talk, and as the main squeeze in her life, you are the first person she wants to go to when she has something on our heart, ideas to share, or just to let off some steam. Want to go the extra mile? Take some initiative: set your bride down and ask her how she’s doing, what’s on her mind, and how you can make things better. (Brownie points!)
3) Be available
You have no idea how much it means to your bride to just know that you’re there when she needs you – whether that means making phone calls to scope out the band for your reception, or simply there to offer a hug and an encouraging word when she’s feeling stressed. She needs you!
4) Be supportive
So your expertise may not be floral arrangements, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be involved. Express support and provide encouraging feedback to your bride on the choices she’s making. Tell her she’s doing a great job and that you’re proud of how beautiful things are coming together. Trust me on this: your uplifting words, and show of support, go a long way.
5) Don’t forget the romance!
Amidst the busyness of planning your wedding, don’t forget to take time out for some one-on-one, non-wedding-related, time together. (I.e. plan dates!) The whole reason you’re getting married is because you’re crazy about each other. Don’t let the wedding take over and lose sight of the importance of building your relationship during this time.
Thank you again, Rachel! Be sure to check out the website of RS Exclusive when you get a chance to see their amazing work … what a great team they have to make your wedding happen.
Speaking of weddings, tomorrow is your last day to vote for our I Dream of a Wedding couple … who is your favorite?? You have until midnight on Thursday the 1st to tell us!
You may recognize this adorable couple as we featured their engagement session by Christopher Breedlove Photography. I ADORE Lucy, and she was a true HCB fan … she attended Bliss, a fine wedding fair, and Lucy also utilized the blog to its fullest. Our “Ask the Exclusive” column even featured answers to some questions that Lucy had during her wedding planning process. I adore brides like that, and I am so thankful to have a venue in which they can get ideas along with having their questions answered. I am so proud to feature this wedding trailer by Brad Bennett of Shaking Hands Productions today. Enjoy, and congratulations to Michael and Lucy!
Also, do not forget to vote for our I Dream of a Wedding couple … one of our two finalist couples will win an ENTIRE wedding!! Click here to vote (or scroll down to the last post).
I am SO excited about our I Dream of a Wedding giveaway, and the vendors of HCB are equally thrilled about what we are doing for one couple in Central Virginia.
After receiving plenty of entries, the participating vendors read the stories. Some of the vendors even said your entries brought tears to their eyes! Well, we had to whittle the couples down to our two finalists … and only two because in the numbers these two couples’ stories stood out leaps and bounds above the rest (and the voting tallies showed it!).
I do have to say that this was VERY hard. We received so many touching stories from many deserving people, and I truly appreciate each and every one of you taking the time to participate. I wish you the best in your future together as you continue your love story.
Be prepared for some great stories and cute videos … I would like to stress to PLEASE both read the stories and watch the video for both of the couples as I asked the couples to focus on themselves as a pair and their personalities in the video, yet their written entries tell why both of these couples are so deserving. Honestly for me it’s a tossup … I love both of their stories for different reasons. Good luck with the voting … it’s a tough choice!
So, without further due (and in no particular order), let me present our two finalists!!
Rachel/Daniel
Born and raised as a proud Yankee right outside of Philadelphia, I never thought I’d fall in love with a southern boy—much less move to the south! But here I am, living in Greensboro, North Carolina, a city where people smile and say hello as you pass them on the street, where grocery store employees offer to load your bags into your car, and where country music is played just about everywhere you go. Before I go any further, let me explain how all this madness began. My name is Rachel Michener, a fun-loving, loud, and crazy northerner. I was a nursing major at Liberty University, where I was also captain of the women’s soccer team. As you can imagine, playing a division 1 sport and studying the hardest major at LU didn’t leave much room for sleep, socializing, or boys. However, in the fall semester of my senior year, I met Daniel Gingerich, my best friend, my soul mate, and my husband to be. Here is where our story begins…
In our senior year at Liberty, my roommates and I lived off campus in a townhouse. One day we decided to bake cookies for our neighbors. When we knocked on the door of home 146, we were greeted by an adorable little dog named Penny and a house full of guys watching football. Penny came right up to me, begging to be held, and it was love at first sight. (Keep in mind that I’m still talking about the dog). When I asked whose dog it was, Daniel spoke up in his southern accent. I couldn’t decide who was cuter, Daniel or the dog. With somewhat ulterior motives, I asked if I could ever babysit Penny. His roommates shouted, “Yes! Please take him now!” (Penny was notorious for mooching off their food). So I took the dog home and promised to return him in the morning. And the rest, well, the rest is history.
I quickly realized that Daniel was exactly like my dad—genuine, humble, and fun-loving. This was something I’d been searching for my entire life. Later, Daniel told me it only took 2 weeks of dating to know that I was “the one”, and honestly, it didn’t take me much longer. Our love is joyful, pure, and forgiving. Together we laugh, we cry, and we love deeply. We both understand that marriage is a life-long commitment to putting one another’s needs before our own, and we’re both so excited to begin this new journey together.
As I mentioned, I grew up right outside of Philadelphia. As a kid, my family struggled financially, and we barely made ends meet. At one point my dad was laid off, and we were forced to move in with my grandparents while my dad went back to school. It’s only recently that my parents have been blessed with secure jobs and financial stability. However, instead of buying a bigger house or going on expensive vacations, two years ago my parents decided to invest their money into adopting two beautiful little boys: Matthew who is now 6, and Logan who is now 8. The boys have brought so much joy into our lives, and we love them more than anything.
So, as college graduation approached, I had to make the hardest decision of my life. Would I return to Philadelphia to help raise my little brothers and watch them grow up, or would I move to North Carolina where Daniel, the love of my life, would be working for his dad in construction? The answer became clear when I was offered my dream job on an oncology unit at a hospital in Greensboro, NC. Nursing is more than a career for me, it’s a calling, and I always knew I wanted to work with cancer patients.
Although I was devastated to leave my family, I’m so thankful to be near Daniel. I’m also able to talk to the boys all the time on the phone; they’re so excited that Daniel and I are getting married because it means they get to have another brother. Since we only adopted the boys 2 years ago, they spent the majority of their lives without a family. The other day on the phone Matthew asked me, “Rachel, are you and Daniel married yet?” I laughed and said not yet. He asked me if we could get married on his birthday because it would be the most special birthday present to have another brother. Matthew was born on February 20th, which would only be 6 days after the February 14th wedding. If Daniel and I win the dream wedding, Matthew will get another brother for his 7th birthday.
So you asked, what is my idea of a dream wedding? My dream wedding is to marry Daniel Adam Gingerich before God, family, and friends. It’s watching Logan and Matthew carry rings down the aisle to their new brother and sister. It’s a celebration of life, love, and faith. It’s telling my parents they don’t have to pay for a wedding, because even when we had no money, they have always been the most giving and generous people I know. While every girl dreams of a stunning white dress, a beautiful cake, and a perfect wedding, these are all just a bonus to me. I believe I am the luckiest girl in the world—and whether or not we win this dream wedding, I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.
Ok, now that you have met our first finalists, let me introduce you to our second set. Again, they are in no particular order. Meet Mary and Quinton …
Mary/Quinton
My name is Mary Martin. I met my fiance, Quinton Prinsloo, while studying at Liberty University. Quinton is from South Africa and was in my brother dorm my freshman year. We met while playing a game of fugitive, which consists of different teams trying to get from one side of campus to the other in the dark without getting caught by our RAs. I just remember thinking about how sweet he was and how he was such a gentleman to all the girls on our team.
We started talking and realized that we share the same birthday, February 14th! From that point on we talked constantly and became best friends. We started dating November 9, 2008 and on May 8, 2010, Quinton asked me to be his wife. Last summer I traveled to Africa with him to meet his family and absolutely fell in love with them! Since Quinton is from Africa it is harder for him to get a job here in the States.
We were planning on getting married this summer but had to push it back to next summer as we were having issues with school and money. We attend the Lynchburg Church of the Nazarene and want to get married here in Lynchburg by our pastor, but the tickets to get Quinton’s family here are very expensive. His family has monetary problems and with the tickets being at least $1,500 per person for a roundtrip, we cannot afford to have a nice wedding and bring his mother, father, brother, and two sisters here as well.
We have had so many problems with Quinton’s foreign student status, money issues, school complications, and being engaged for fifteen months now. I feel like we deserve this wedding because even though all the signs have been pointing to us having to elope, Quinton and I want to have our special day. What matters most to us is to finally be able to get married and be together.
My idea of a dream wedding is a traditional and nature-inspired wedding, because I love flowers, and we both love spending time outdoors! I am entering this contest because my fiance and I are so in love and want to get married but cannot at this moment afford to have a nice wedding and to fly his family in as well. It would be AMAZING to have a nice wedding and to be able to have his family share it with us! It has been very discouraging to watch all of my friends get married this summer and to know that even though Quinton and I have been engaged longer, we cannot get married for another year.
Quinton and I are unique as a couple because even though we grew up on two different continents, have two different first languages, different cultures and even different personalities, we find that we compliment each other perfectly. I am a suburban girl from the US, who never dreamed of leaving Virginia, and Quinton is a farm boy from Africa who came to America only for an education. I believe with all my heart that it was God who brought us together. Winning this dream wedding would not only be an amazing birthday gift to the both of us, but also an incredible story to tell our children and grandchildren!
Thank you so much, Mary
Ok, now the nitty gritty. Click HERE, which will take you to Survey Monkey*, which will ask you to vote for one of the couples. Again, I hope that you read the stories thoroughly AND watched their submitted videos as we truly want the “most deserving” couple to win. The public vote counts as 25% of the whole, so get voting. Again, click here. Only one vote PER COMPUTER is allowed so that multiple votes can not be counted. Voting ends at midnight on Thursday, September 1st so that we can announce our winners on September 2nd!
*Survey Monkey is scheduled to be down for maintenance for about 4 hours from 6pm-10pm EST on Saturday, August 27th, so be sure to come back if you are voting during that time!*
I am SO excited about our I Dream of a Wedding giveaway, and the vendors of HCB are equally thrilled about what we are doing for one couple in Central Virginia.
After receiving plenty of entries, the participating vendors read the stories. Some of the vendors even said your entries brought tears to their eyes! Well, we had to whittle the couples down to our two finalists … and only two because in the numbers these two couples’ stories stood out leaps and bounds above the rest (and the voting tallies showed it!).
I do have to say that this was VERY hard. We received so many touching stories from many deserving people, and I truly appreciate each and every one of you taking the time to participate. I wish you the best in your future together as you continue your love story.
Before the final introductions, let me say that this is NOT for voting. At least not yet. I just want these couples to say “hi” to you and give you some time to get to know them, so take a peek at their photo and read an excerpt from their story that they sent to us … you will be able to read their full stories once voting begins.
So, without further due (and in no particular order), let me present our two finalists!!
Mary/Quinton
Mary is from the States, yet Quinton is from Africa. Hailing from two different continents didn’t stop them from falling in love, yet the logistics of Quinton being from another country has made things hard financially since it is difficult for him to get a job in the US. This couple uniquely shares the same birthday, which also happens to be our I Dream of a Wedding wedding date … February 14! This couple has been engaged for 15 months and would love to use the opportunity to receive the I Dream of a Wedding gift to make their dreams of a real wedding with their families present.
Here is an excerpt from what Mary sent in …
What matters most to us is to finally be able to get married and be together. It would be AMAZING to have a nice wedding and to be able to have his family share it with us! It has been very discouraging to watch all of my friends get married this summer and to know that even though Quinton and I have been engaged longer, we cannot get married for another year.
Photo of Mary and Quinton
Rachel/Daniel
Rachel and Daniel met through fate as you might say … a chance meeting that involved baking cookies for the neighbors and a dog named Penny. Rachel’s parents have struggled in the past financially, yet once finances got a little easier, they did not buy their dream house or go on an elaborate vacation … they chose to adopt two boys instead.
Here is an excerpt from Rachel’s submission …
My dream wedding is to marry Daniel Adam Gingerich before God, family, and friends. It’s watching Logan and Matthew carry rings down the aisle to their new brother and sister. It’s telling my parents they don’t have to pay for a wedding, because even when we had no money, they have always been the most giving and generous people I know. While every girl dreams of a stunning white dress, a beautiful cake, and a perfect wedding, these are all just a bonus to me. I believe I am the luckiest girl in the world—and whether or not we win this dream wedding, I am so excited to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.
Photo of Rachel and Daniel
Again, this is not for voting … that time will come soon. Comments are also disabled on this posting to avoid any rogue voting (sorry!). I know you are all excited to get voting on our couple … look for instructions next week on how to vote for one of these two deserving couples. Thank you so much!
Aaahhh, summer is here, and in an attempt to sit back and enjoy summer, I am introducing Throwback Thursday, which is a collection of oldies but goodies that need to be revisited since Hill City Bride’s humble beginnings.
Today’s bride and groom show so much creativity, and one way that can shine through is in their photo sessions. Long gone are the times when the couple just had photos on their wedding day! Now there are so many options available to them, which offers an opportunity to capture more special moments.
Although you have already been exposed to Stone Blue Productions as a talented photography and cinematography company (and do not forget about design … they have done everything for Hill City Bride … our logo, our website and promotional materials), I am excited to introduce to you the owner of Stone Blue, Jeremiah Guelzo, who has many years of experience under his belt capturing those memorable times for the bride and groom.
Engagement
Wedding photos can start long before the wedding day with an engagement session. The session is all about you as a couple being in love and finally engaged. You can go to your favorite date spot or any scenic and romantic place to capture images of you as a couple in love.
These pictures are often used at the wedding (guest book cover, framed photo to sign), on your wedding website, the newspaper announcement and even just to keep as a record of you being the cute couple you are. Plus as an added bonus, it gives you time with your photographer so that you can get to know each other and feel more comfortable on the day of the wedding. Normally this is a big help to the guys as being in photos is not the norm for us (unlike girls who take photos any time they are out with friends).
Why miss out on the fun you could have with the one you love? Plus, the session is about you, so style it how you want it to look and feel and best tell your engagement story.
Bridal
After the wedding date has been set, the plans have been made, the dress has been chosen and the venue has been booked you will prepare for one of the most important parts of your wedding day … your bridal portraits. When your guests arrive at your reception, the first thing they will look for is the stunning picture of you, the bride in that breathtaking gown. Plus what groom does not look forward to seeing his bride all dolled up in a photo that he gets to keep?
One of the most significant parts to your bridal session is the location you. You want to find a location that inspires you and your beauty. Spend time considering whether you want an indoor portrait or something outside in nature … or do both! It all about being creative.
Consider whether you are looking for a more traditional bridal session in a flower garden or something more modern such as a train station. Choosing your location is definitely the starting point to creating perfect bridal portraits. Be creative, have fun and enjoy being a bride!
Wedding Day
Ok, if you have to ask then you really have not even started planning your wedding yet. The wedding day is full of so many little things that you just can not remember with your memory alone. That is why you want to invest in a photographer that fits your style and needs.
You get one shot at the big day. You want to be able to remember your special wedding moments, so do not trust your photographic memories to just anyone. Hiring a professional is money well spent in the long run.
Day After
The wedding day is just so full of things to do that we get very little time as photographers to spend relaxing with our clients. We must do our best not to rush, but in all reality the wedding takes place on a schedule … we wish we had much more time with the couple and could create more images for them!
The day after session is all about the bride and groom coming back to work with the photographer the day, month or year after the wedding in their dress and tux to capture some stunning images in a relaxed and creative approach that you just can not get on the wedding day. Plus, locations can be set up in advance, and the sky is the limit to what we can do with the now Mr. & Mrs.
Trash the Dress
This session is more about creation than it is about destruction. Originally started out on the West Coast, it has grown to be a special part of the wedding process.
We put the emphasis on the elegant and beautiful in an environment that is out of place. Getting wet, dirty or covered in paint may be just the thing to remember your dress by.
Sure, you could store it in the closet and save it for years just to hear your daughter say, “No thanks mom, I will get my own dress.” It is up to you, but for me, I would rather show the kids how cool we were when we were young.
Why do more than just wedding day photos?
Skeptics may wonder why do any of these sessions, but it is important to capture who you were at the time … how you looked into each others’ eyes when you were young and your love was new. Take the time to tell your love story and remember.
It is fun and memorable, and when all of the money is spent on your wedding day there are only two things you walk away with. One is your husband or wife, and the other are memories captured on film and printed out and framed or bound for you to share with your family and friends. Do not miss out on the moments you could share with someone you love.
Wow, what sage advice … I can vouch that it is true! If you take a moment to peer to your right, you will see the quality, Hill City Bride endorsed photographers in and around our area … take a moment today to click and view some of their work! To go directly to Jeremiah’s Stone Blue website, be sure to get ready to be wowed and click here.
