I am so thrilled about our 2013 I Dream of a Wedding! This year we had so many amazing entries, and I can not wait for you to meet them. For now, these are just introductions, and for the next 5 weekdays, I will be letting you get to know our 5 couples. Once they are all introduced, you will have the opportunity to vote to help determine our winning couple … so exciting!

Today, you are meeting Anita and Jeff (as submitted by Anita) … enjoy!

Jeff and I met at Ciano’s Pizza on Balad Airbase, Iraq November 21, 2010. He was a CID agent with the National Guard, and I was a civilian working for an emergency response cleanup company. I didn’t want to go out that night, but I was responsible for two employees waiting at the air terminal to leave – one being our HR director. I decided to drop a couple of pizzas off to them while they waited. When I placed my order at Ciano’s, I was invited by a work acquaintance to sit with her friends at her table. I sat across from Jeff, and though we only exchanged a few words I was quite taken by him – rare for me since I had blinders on after two years in Iraq, but I dismissed the idea guessing he probably had a girl back home. My pizzas came out, and Vanessa invited me out later to play a game called Rock Band.

After I took care of my co-workers, I returned to my quarters and considered going to bed, but begrudgingly decided to make an effort to go. However, I didn’t know exactly where to go and became lost. After asking around, I discovered it was in a gated compound that took a code to get into. I’m not sure why I didn’t give up then. I waited around for someone I could follow inside and ask directions from. When I finally arrived it was dark, and everyone was playing the game. I enjoyed the evening, though few words could be exchanged.

Afterwards, Vanessa offered Jeff and me a ride, though the distance was short. The next day, I had a message from Jeff. He had read my last name from my badge and looked me up that night. He invited me out with everyone again, but I sadly informed him I was transferring bases permanently the next day, which in Iraq may as well have been a thousand miles away. We started emailing, and then started to talk over Skype, and within two weeks our entire evenings were spent on video chat. He started writing me letters, (real letters!), which I eagerly awaited every day.

On December 28^th, I became violently ill, and found out I had appendicitis and had to have my appendix removed in the army hospital. We had no contact for three days. The army hospital gave me a laptop to connect with family. Jeff had been worried sick and canceled his plans that evening so he could chat with me until the New Year came. Jeff left Iraq in April 2011, and I quit the month after so we could be together. I moved to Virginia that summer. Jeff proposed to me on December 2 at our favorite winery. We are planning our wedding, though we admit we made that commitment in our hearts to each other within the first six weeks over long distance in Iraq. I’m lucky to have Jeff in my life.

Photo caption: The picture is the very first picture taken of Jeff and I together taken at an outdoor restaurant in Victory Base, Iraq. (He was able to find a reason to get orders for three days to my base so we could spend Valentines day 2011 together, which our first real date.)

I hope you enjoyed meeting our fourth couple, and thank you Anita and Jeff for entering. I wish you the best!

You will notice a little change with “Newly Wed” this month … a change in author! I greatly appreciate all of the time and effort that Rachael Eberle put into this column (she did an amazing job, and just click here to view her articles), but it was time to hand it over to another newlywed. I met Shelby at the Bridal Expo, then she attended Bliss, a fine wedding fair (her husband’s name is Bliss!), and then was there to help out during her bridal photo session. I have had the opportunity to get to know Shelby, and she is such a sweetie. I know you will enjoy getting to know her, too!

Shelby has been married for less than two months, and I am looking forward to hearing about her journey and experiences as a newlywed through “Newly Wed”. Welcome aboard, Shelby!!

Hey everyone! My name is Shelby Spillar and a little over a month ago I had the privilege of marrying the greatest man I know. Bliss is an excellent husband, charming, intelligent, and a total stud. What more could a girl ask for? Being married to him is wonderful, but living with a man is much different than any thing else I have experienced.  Here are a few stories from our first month and some lessons I have learned along the way.

No toilet paper, no fun. No woman likes to be left stranded without toilet paper. It’s especially no fun at 3:30 am. I let out a big (loud) sigh as I thought “how hard is it to replace the roll of toilet paper”. I climbed back in bed still slightly frustrated about what had happened minutes earlier. My husband rolled over, kissed my forehead and said “I forgot to put the toilet paper back on the roll didn’t I?” Apparently my frustrated sigh gave it away. He apologized, and I realized it was an honest mistake. We laugh about it often. Be gracious in the little things, you never know when you may need him to be gracious too.

Nesting is just not as important to him as it is to you. If your man is anything like mine he has no clue what you are talking about when you use the words: Duvet, Euro Sham, or Valance. All of which were important elements to me as we decorated our bedroom. Blue paint was blue paint to him, but to me it was “Stonewashed” or “Distressed Denim”. I saw the bedroom as a place we would share some of our most intimate moments, discussions, and even fights. I wanted the room to be pleasing to the eye, as well as, relaxing. Once I communicated my vision he was more enthusiastic in helping me capture my vision for the room.

Be patient, he isn’t going to know what bugs you unless you communicate it. My husband had a funny habit of placing his dirty clothes on top of the hamper and not inside the hamper. I was frustrated every time I walked by and opened the lid and placed the clothes inside. I mentioned it to him, and ever since the clothes have been in the hamper. As I look back, his room while we were dating indicated he had no idea what a hamper was. So I guess having the clothes at least on the hamper was progress.

Quantity vs Quality. A honeymoon is a wonderful way to start your marriage together. I loved having a week with just my husband sharing plenty of quality time with none of the distractions of “real life”.  Going back to work certainly cut back on the amount of time we were able to spend together. I realized that when we were together, we had to make good use of it.  Living in the same house did not change our need for intimate time together. We are sure to set aside time to take walks together, have coffee dates, and meet for lunch.  We put it on the calendar, and it gives us both something to look forward to.  It has helped us to continue deepen our marriage and friendship.

Yes, that IS an actual photo of Bliss and Shelby on their honeymoon!!

Well, I hope you enjoyed our funny stories and took to heart the lessons we have learned. I look forward to sharing more newlywed stories and lessons with you over the next year.

See you in August!

Photo credits from top to bottom: Capture It Photography and Events, Flickr by Roel, Flickr by labkdesign/fergusandme, Flickr by Crashmaster007 and Shelby’s own collection of honeymoon photos.

The blog is taking the week off for the 4th of July, but I hope that you enjoy our “Blogiday” postings!

I will admit that the title “Honeymoon Advice” was meant to grab your attention, but I will be fair and tell you up front that this article is about deciding where to go on your first time away as a married couple. Mean trick, I know! So much time is spent planning the wedding day itself, but once those few hours are over you get to go away and enjoy being a married couple … yay!

One of the myths I want to dispel is that using a travel agent is more expensive … I know from personal experience that it is just not true! Once I did a ton of research on a cruise, booked it and THEN asked my travel agent about it (why I did things in that order, I do not know!), but my agent was still able to find the cruise for a better price. Fancy that!

We have a wonderful resource in town, Melissa Taylor of Travelbugs, and I thank her for guest posting for me today. Have fun planning your honeymoon, and whether your budget is small or grand, there is the right honeymoon waiting for you. Okay, without further due, here is Melissa …

Yes … let’s not forget the honeymoon! When planning your wedding budget, remember that the honeymoon is the ONLY component in the planning process that is just for the bride and groom.

Try not to let yourself get overwhelmed with all of the honeymoon destination options. You can easily narrow down your choices by asking each other a few simple questions. Would we prefer a warm or cold climate? Do we want to drive or fly? Will we want a little adventure or just relaxation and romance? Should we set a budget and then figure out quality vs. quantity or vice versa?

Consider the fact that you and your fiancé may have two very different ideas of the perfect honeymoon. Maybe he wants a lodge in the mountains and she wants an all-inclusive jacuzzi suite in the Caribbean. There is a great solution to that problem, by the way!

A local travel agent who specializes in honeymoon planning is a great resource for keeping your life simple in this department. There is typically no additional cost to working with a local agent because they are paid by the vendors (cruise line, tour operator, resort … etc) as a local employee for you.

Trust your honeymoon to someone who watches for specials, packages, and promotions every single day. Even after the honeymoon has been booked, new promotions and discounts can usually be applied right up until final payment.

So, do not leave the honeymoon decision for last. You two will need this most important vacation you will ever take to finally relax and get to know each other all over again!

Oh, and I would also love for you to check out the possibility of registering for your honeymoon! Especially for couples who already have established homes, a honeymoon is a fun thing to register for. Check it out by clicking here, and thank you, Melissa for your sage advice!

I love having people catch the vision of HCB and want to jump on board! Such is the case with Cami Smith, the newest Staff Writer for Hill City Bride. Cami has a love not only for all things wedding, but she also has a heart for local business women and getting the word out about their amazing businesses. I appreciate Cami taking the time to interview Kasey from Boudoir along with snapping a few photos while she was there. Welcome Cami!

Some may find it hard to believe that a whimsical lingerie boutique in Lynchburg was a man’s idea, or maybe they wouldn’t.  Well it was, and it was genius. When James Forehand suggested it over lunch to his beautifully creative wife, Kasey, Boudoir lingerie boutique became a reality.

After a year of planning and overcoming a few “Am I really doing this?!” moments, Kasey and her manager, Tabitha, who she refused to open the store without, introduced Boudoir to the public. Tasteful slips, gowns, bras, teddies and everything in between hang elegantly around the boutique where classy meets wild.

It was working with non-profit organizations in the area like Amazement Square and Boys and Girls Club that Kasey obtained much of her business experience. The contacts she made through marketing and special events over the years played a big role in supporting the opening of Boudoir.

Kasey, who attended graduate school studying art, chose pink, black and white to create a space that has romantic Victorian sofas and floral accent chairs beside bold black furniture draped with fierce zebra print throws. You can’t help but feel sexy when you walk through the door.

There is a great selection for every type of bride throughout the boutique, a bridal candy shop. If you are a playful bride, check out the skittle bright colors of Cosabella, a flirty lacy collection, or the light feminine styles by In Bloom. If you are a traditional bride, Jane Woolrich Bridal out of London has stunning one of a kind hand sewn gowns that are perfect heirloom pieces. You can even create a bridal registry and get great discounts.

Once you’ve picked out the perfect honeymoon collection, check out the garter belts, jewelry and bridal slippers that make up the Starry Night Collection; all locally made exclusively for Boudoir customers. Then stock up on Sexy in Seconds, everything you need for the big day that you didn’t know you needed: fashion tape to keep that dress in place, pasties when straps just won’t do, discrete safety pins and more. It is the perfect maid of honor emergency kit.

Boudoir is available for private bridal showers, private fittings and bachelorette parties as well as girls’ night out and baby shower events. This Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to check them out for the first time if you haven’t done so already.  They will be extending their hours to accommodate finding the perfect gift for the holiday and will be offering fresh flowers, locally made chocolates and Bodyworks Day Spa and Salon gift certificates for purchase.

Everything about Boudoir is romantically ravenous! We can’t wait for you to experience it!

Designer Collections you can find at Boudior:

Arlotta Cashmere

Brag Bag

Cosabella

Diamond Tea

Felina

Flora Nikrooz

Linda Hartman

Le Mystere

In Bloom by Jonquil

Jane Woolrich Bridal

Munki Munki

Paddi Murphy

Plum Pretty Sugar

Pretty Polly

ShaToBu

Sexywear USA

Toute la Nuit

Soak Wash

Wacoal

Be sure to stop by Boudoir in the Boonsboro Shopping Center, and visit their website and Facebook page. Again, I am so pleased to be welcoming Cami, and you can get a peek at her at her own wedding below.