The days are getting slightly shorter, and the thermometer keeps inching up higher and higher, which makes me long to be near the water. I just love fun days jumping waves, playing in the sand, and looking down the beach to view water as far as the eye can see.

Although Lynchburg does not have a beach (wouldn’t that be nice?), we do live close enough to make a beach destination wedding a reality. Jeremy and Meghan chose Corova Beach, NC, but even if your wedding does not take place at the beach, using seashore inspired decorations can be a way to bring the beach to you and your guests.

Touches such as the starfish boutonnieres and hanging lanterns (and even the flower girl “pail”) show that Meghan put a lot of thought into her special day. I do have to say that the photo of her with her father touched my heart immensely … it is such a sweet moment that was captured by Heather Cheatham of Visions by Heather.

Aaahhh … just gorgeous and perfect! Jeremy and Meghan, I wish you all of the best in your new life together, and I hope your wedding was just the start of many more perfectly beautiful days in your future.

For more of their memories, head on over to the blog of Visions by Heather.

Details and keepsakes are important parts of any wedding, and Lala Design Studio can deliver both for a bride and her attendants (even think mother of the bride, flower girl … catch our vibe?). Actually, for you fellas out there, any of these pieces would be a perfect little gift for your bride to be!

The Lily White Cascade Pendant would be the perfect compliment to a bridal gown, and it is bound to go with many outfits after the wedding. Truly beautiful!

How sweet is this for a bride to be? She can proclaim her love for her beau with the sweet Two Lovers Custom Initial Necklace. Darling!

The Alcony Belle Necklace also makes a sweet addition to a wedding look with its tulip like accents.

What attendant would not want one of these beautiful Large Custom Initial Necklaces? It is a trifecta with a beautiful, personal, affordable touch!

And now for the giveaway … the beautiful Duo Custom Initials Necklace by Lala Design Studio. This is such a thoughtful gift! Can you imagine a bride’s excitement when she receives a sterling silver necklace featuring her first initial and her NEW last initial? Well, one of our readers is sure to receive one of these custom pieces!!

So, here is how to enter for this great giveaway, and you can enter multiple times if you follow the guidelines below (be sure to post separate comments each time you do one of the instructions):

1. Comment on this post.

2. Tweet the link to this post, then come back and comment saying that you tweeted it.

3. Follow Hill City Bride on Twitter, and come back and comment letting me know that you did. If you already follow HCB, just comment and let me know you are already a follower.

4. Put the link to this post on facebook, and then come back and comment saying that you facebooked about it.

5. Fan HCB on facebook, and come back telling me that you became a fan (okay, “like”, but I still like “fan” better!!). If you are already a fan, just comment on this post letting me know that you are a facebook fan.

6. If you have a blog, blog about this post, and then come back and comment along with leaving the link to your blog post.

7. Subscribe to the RSS feed, and come back and tell me that you did. Again, if you are already an RSS subscriber, just post a separate comment telling us so.

8. Subscribe to HCB via email (just click subscribe, and enter your email address), and be sure to come back to this post and comment telling me that you subscribed. If you are already a subscriber, just comment and tell me that you receive HCB’s email updates.

9. Click on one of HCB’s wonderful vendors, and come back to tell me who you clicked on and why … fun!!

10. If you have another cool way to get the word out about this post, feel free to do so, but just come back and let me know what you did. I have given you 9 of our fun ways to gain entries, so keep those comments and entries rolling!!!

You have until next Tuesday night (August 17th) at 11:59 to enter so that I can announce the winner next Wednesday the 18th. Do you have to be a bride to enter? NO!! I just want to spread the word about Lala Design Studio and Hill City Bride, so anyone is welcomed to enter … have fun.

Again, a big thanks goes out to Lala Design Studio for hosting this great giveaway. Be sure to check out her other great designs at Lala Design Studio on Etsy!

This session has “adorable” written all over it! Liz Cook of Sincerely, Liz: Photography has such a knack for capturing the true essence of a couple in a fun, unique style, and this session has it all!

I love the fact that it takes place in a kitchen, and it is a glimpse of the life that they will have together spending many evenings together creating delectable meals. From tying on the apron to enjoying a tasty meal, David and Savannah’s love shines through these images. Enjoy, and this inspires me to cook up a meal tonight with my sweetie, too!

Thank you again, Liz, for sharing this creative session with HCB! For those of you who do not know, this gorgeous couple has already tied the knot … you can see one of their wedding photos in Sincerely, Liz: Photography‘s ad on the right. Congratulations, David and Savannah … we wish you a wonderful lifetime together!

For a glimpse of more from this E-session that only started in the kitchen, head on over to Sincerely, Liz’s blog.

“Rules of Engagement”

Growing up, my parents enforced certain rules in our home. One which was that cake and ice cream do not comprise an acceptable dinner substitute. As a sugar fiend with a sweet tooth the size of Texas, I was indignant. How dare they infringe on my rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of chocolate?!? I counted down the years until I would be free to make my own dinner choices and could eat as many sweets as I pleased.

However, as I matured, I realized that my parents were not trying to be controlling, but rather they knew what was best for me. They created that rule because they did not want me to get sick and hurt my body. In fact, when I have children, I will establish similar rules.

Just like families need rules to promote health, fairness, and over all well-being, so do marriages. During our engagement, my husband and I took part in an eight-week counseling course called Engaged. During this course, our leaders encouraged us to come up with “Non-Negotiables” and “Fight Rules” for our marriage.

“Non-Negotiables” are things that my husband and I will always do (or will strive to do) or will never do (or will strive not to do). They encompass all aspects of marriage, from how we spend our money to how we spend our time. Here are some of ours:

• “We will strive to ask the other person before making a purchase of $100 or more.”
• “We will strive to have at least one date night each week. We will always have at least two date nights a month.”
• “We will strive to avoid idols in our marriage, including children and jobs.”

When you and your fiancé develop your “Non-Negotiables,” try to be as specific and practical as possible. Avoid using vague terms like “we will always love each other.”

“Fight Rules” apply to situations of tense discourse. When developing these, be honest with yourself about any bad habits you tend to slip into during arguments. Also, ask your significant other if there is an area you need to work on. For instance, in the past I resorted to a manipulative tactic often called the “silent treatment,” which meant I would emotionally shut down when I was upset. When we developed our “Fight Rules,” my then-fiancé gently expressed that he felt hurt and rejected when I did this, as if I did not care enough about our relationship to talk through our problems. So we came up with the following “Fight Rule” …

• “We will not shut down or use the silent treatment during an argument.”

By identifying this bad habit and prohibiting it from our arguments, I have been able to avoid this pitfall and encourage healthy discussion during times of disagreement.

Once you and your fiancé have created your own “Non-Negotiables” and “Fight Rules,” make it a priority to review them every few months to keep yourselves in check. Some dear friends of mine had the brilliant idea to frame theirs and hang them in the hallway to serve as a constant reminder.

Playing by these rules will help cultivate a healthy, balanced marriage. Now, where’s my chocolate …

~Rachael

Thanks again to Rachael for her monthly column! To view last month’s column click here, and to find out more about Rachael click here. Look for her column on the second Monday of each month.

Ok, forgive the slight play on words, but I just wanted to share this cute cake with you. Who ever knew that adding something as simple as rock candy to a cake could turn out so cute and fun!? This could even serve as a DIY project, and the rock candy can be made to match your wedding (of course!). Here is a recipe for rock candy … it would be fun to at least test it out.

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. I have been doing a lot of blogging lately,  and I am looking forward to sharing more with you next week!!