writing your love story: your wedding day.

Last night I was talking to my Mother-in-law about when Connel and I got engaged.  It was kind of funny, as I re-told her the story, how certain little things came back to me as I talked about it.  Connel was there talking about it too and it was really interesting how he of course remembered different things than I did.  I was also talking to my Mom yesterday and we were discussing how all of us in our family have different memories of the same events or times in life.  I guess, when telling your stories, it's good to have more than just your own input.  It would be good to ask what your parents or siblings or spouse or in-laws remember about the events, it could provide some good humor or insight to the story that you might have missed yourself.

Like for example, my sister posted on Facebook on our anniversary..."7 years ago all the uncles sat around and made fun of the newlyweds on their honeymoon ;)"  And I was like...wait...is that true? did they really?  Anyway, that's kind of a funny little detail that adds some humor to *ahem*...our side of the story.

So just remember to include your spouse and/or families and friends in the storytelling if you can.

Here are some good questions to ask yourself when you are writing your wedding story. 

Planning

How did you decide the date you would be married?

Where did you get married?

Where there any special traditions planned for the wedding?

Who helped with planning/preparations?

Was there any strife caused between the bride and groom (or others) when planning?

What were the details of the wedding?  Was the groom very involved in planning?

Bride

Tell about the bride finding the dress.  Was it easy? Was it hard?

What did the dress look like?

Did she have any special preparations to get herself dressed and ready for the wedding?

How did the bride's day begin?

What were the feelings of the bride on her special day?

Groom

What did the groom wear?

How did the groom's day begin?

What final preparations did the groom have to make?

What were the groom's thoughts when he saw his bride? 

What were the feelings of the groom?

Ceremony

Were there flower girls/ring bearer?  Who were they?

Who were the bridesmaids?  Maid of Honor?  Best Man?

What family members attended the ceremony?

Did any special friends attend the ceremony?

What do the bride/groom remember from the ceremony?

How did they feel?

Did the ceremony conductor give any words of advice?

Were there any vows made?  What were they?

After the Ceremony/The Reception

What were your first moments like as husband and wife?

Who greeted the couple after they were married?

Was there any brunch or luncheon planned?

Were there special guests present?

Where there any special words spoken by family members/friends?

What advice was offered?

What were the details of the wedding and/or reception? (flowers, colors, theme, cake, refreshments, food, location)

Tell about cutting the cake.

Where there any special toasts or traditions carried out? (garter toss, bouquet toss, religious traditions, family traditions, etc.?)

Did the couple have a dance?

Were there any special musical numbers?

Was there a greeting line?  What was the setting like, casual or formal?

What was the farewell like?  Was there a special vehicle?  Was the car decorated?

Other

Who attended?  Grandparents?  Parent? Siblings? Best friends?  Roommates?  Other relatives and friends?  Did anyone travel far?  

Where family and wedding photographs taken?

Did the bride and groom get to take a Honeymoon?  Where did they go?

What were their future plans at the time?  Where would they live and what would they do?

What are some other memorable moments about the day?

What moments will the bride and groom cherish forever about that day?  

That the end of the prompts for writing your love story!  This has been really fun and brought back some cherished and funny memories about our dating and first years together...I am still working on writing mine, but I promise I will post it when it is fine-tuned and I can get more input from my husband!  I hope you have been able to take some time and write down some of your cherished memories together.  Again...if you post it on your blog, let me know I'd love to read it!

writing your love story: engagment.

One evening while we were dating, Connel and a few of his friends planned a date, I thought he was planning a date for his cousin Danny, so I was mad when Connel told me to go home and work on my homework.  When Connel came to pick me up I was kind of in a bad mood, because I had been left out of the planning and the fun. So on the drive to Moose Lake I didn't really talk to Connel, I just sort of stared out the window and sulked. When we arrived at the lake, Connel asked me what was wrong, when I told him, he kind of smiled and said, "Well, I promise that the rest of the night will be better."

We went out in some canoes and we paddled around for about an hour and talked about our future. During this time, I did not know that the rest of the couples had gone back to shore. As Connel subtly paddled toward the opposite shore, we bumped into it. I took my paddle and began to push off. Connel suddenly exclaimed, "Uh...I have to pee!" So we left the canoe and walked to the top of the hill.

Funny...I was totally oblivious in this picture!  Does Connel look nervous? :)

As we reached the top Connel stopped me and looked me straight in the eyes. He said some...well...LOTS of romantic and sweet things.  The only thing I remember is that he said he knew from the moment that he met me that I would be a good mother and that he wanted to sweep me off my feet every day.  I didn't write anything else down at the time...lesson learned.  He then got down on one knee.  I then realized that the whole night was really planned for us! Connel pulled the ring box from his jacket pocket and opened it to show...nothing?!?! For a minute we panicked, but then found the ring in the back corner of the ring box. Whew! (He told me later that he was super nervous about losing it in the lake!)  He then asked me to be his wife forever.  I said yes, of course, and surprise...I didn't cry!  He placed the ring on my finger and then I shouted, "I'm getting married!"

We paddled back to the other side of the lake to find ...a band playing country music and a candlelit Dutch oven dinner for two, right next to the campfire.  His roommates were the ones playing the country music and Cheri, Danny, Kara and Kevin had set up a lot of the dinner.  He had really put so much time and effort into planning it, getting people to help and making it very memorable!

Now to write about your proposal and engagement...

Proposal

• How did he/you propose?
• What was said?
• Where did he/you propose?
• How did each of you feel?
• What happened after the proposal?
• Was anyone else there?  What was their reaction?
• Did he/you talk to your parents before proposing?  How did he "ask permission" to ask for your hand?  What was your parents reaction?
• Did you tell everyone right away or later?  How did your friends/family react to the news?

Engagement/Wedding Preparation

• For how long were you engaged?
• Who helped plan the wedding?  Who was involved?  (friends, family, etc.)
• What were the details of the wedding plans?
• How involved was the groom/bride?
• Where their any silly arguments over wedding plans with fiance, mothers, fathers? (I included this because Connel and I had several!  Haha!)
• What are some fun things you and your fiance did while you were engaged?  Dates, outings, trips, etc.
• Did either of you ever get "cold feet"?  If you did?  For what reasons?

writing your love story: dating.

When Connel and I were dating I decided that would make him something for Christmas, instead of buying it.  I took on the project of making him a homemade quilt.  What I didn't know was that Connel was planning a little homemade something for me too!  We both spent hours and hours working on our gifts for each other.  So, it was one of the best surprises to find out that we had both spent quality time working on our little projects for one another.  I asked Connel what he remembered about getting the quilt and he said "It was nice to have a little bit of you "in" the gift and to know you spent time doing something nice like that for me."  then he teasingly said that he also was glad to find out that I could sew and could fix all his clothes...and that he thought "Daaang! She wants cuddle with me!" (FYI-"Dang!" is an excited expression in my husbands language :)

When Connel brought out the gift he had made for me.  I remember trying to hold back tears.  It was a beautiful wood framed mirror with a shelf.  It was wrapped with a pink ribbon and on the front of the mirror was a heart shaped piece of pink paper that said, "When you look into this mirror, I hope you see all of the wonderful qualities I see in you."  It also remember thinking that I thought it was manly that he could do woodwork! :)  It was a really good feeling that we had both put time and effort into our gifts and really had to think about what the other person would like.  And even though they are just "things", they hold very sentimental value and help us remember those feelings of love and giddiness we had for each other when we were dating.

 That's just one of many great memories.  I'm sure you have some that you want remembered and recorded so now it's your turn to reminisce about when you and your spouse were dating...

Here are some journaling prompts for writing:

Dating Memories

• Maybe you started out as friends?  Tell about your friendship before dating began.
• What were some of the fun things you did together while dating?
• Where were some of your favorite places to go/things to do while dating?
• Write about some of your most memorable or funny dates/outings with each another.
• Did you ever get in a fight or break up?  How did you apologize/make up?  What made you get back together?
• Where your likes/dislikes compatible?  Or did you have to learn to like something?  Did they introduce you to something you had never done before?

Falling in Love

• What were your feelings for him/her that were different from feelings you had had before? 
  
• What was it about that person that made you feel special?
• Was there a defining moment when you knew you were in love?  
• WHEN, WHERE and HOW did you tell them your feelings of love for them?  Did they feel the same way?
• What were some sweet and/or romantic things the other person did for you while dating?  (did they do anything extra chivalrous? or surprise you in a special way? or make/give you a nice gift?)

Involving Others

• Was there any competition?
• What did other people think about your relationship? (friends and family members)
• Tell about meeting one another's families.
• Did you have any outings/activities with the family involved? 
• What were your first impressions of their family?  
• What were their impressions of your family?  
• What were your families first impressions of them?
• Tell about meeting one another's friends.  
• Did you have any outings/activities with the friends involved? 
• What were your first impressions of their friends?  
• What were their impressions of your friends?  
• What were your friends first impressions of them?

Remember to send me a link to your love story if you have it written or have started writing it!  I've loved being able to read a few of them already!

Just a tip:  Writing about all of these prompts at once can be a little overwhelming for some.  You might want to try taking time each day and writing about one or two at a time.  That way you will have started and that is the most important step! 

Have a great night!

writing your love story: firsts.

This picture is not significant, until I tell the story behind it.  This is when we were in Utah at a friends, he was studying and fell asleep.   I remember thinking "Aw.  He's so tired...I love him."  then thinking, "Oh my gosh...I DO love him!"  This is when I first realized I was in love with Connel!  He had been taking time to travel a 4 hour drive from Idaho to Utah almost every other weekend and taking time out of his schooling to see me.  We would stay up late talking on the phone a lot too.  It's good to remember the sacrifice that we went through to see and talk to each other...that must have been part of the reason I fell in love with him!

I have always been into preserving memories.  I like to journal and scrapbook and I love to reminisce about good times past.  I feel like pictures and journals give me a reminder of how far I have come, the blessings I have had, and reminds me of all the wonderful people that have been a part of my life.

I used to write in my journal almost every day.  For some reason, after I met Connel, I only wrote in it a handful of times.  It kills me that I didn't have those raw emotions down in writing! 

It may not be perfect, but what I treasure is that I DO have it recorded!  A few years ago, I wrote our love story in a photo book.  I copied and pasted it here on my blog as well if you ever want to read it.  It's the shortened version...but it's something.

Also, about a year ago, I found a journaled tape that I had made about him sometime during the first few months that we spent together.  It's cute, it's hilarious, it makes me cry...I treasure it!  (I do need to get it updated from a tape to something else so it can be preserved for future generations though.)

So, maybe you have a scrapbook of your dating years.  Maybe you have your wedding album.  But do the pictures tell a story?  Do those pictures tell what your emotions were?  What were you feeling when you first met him?  first held hands?  first kissed?  What were your feelings on your wedding day?  THAT is what matters.  If someone were to look at your pictures, would they be able to know what was happening?  Probably not.  Will your kids want to know what was happening... how you first fell in love?  Probably.

So...I am going to help you record your love story.  Once each week, I will post writing prompts for you to use to help you write and preserve your love story.  From the first day you met, to dating, to engagement, to your lovely wedding day!

Today we will write about "firsts" in your relationship:

• Tell about how you first met?
• When and where did you meet?
• Did someone introduce you?
• Was there a spark at first sight?
• What was it that made you notice him/her?
• What was it about him that impressed her?
• What was it about her that impressed him?
• Was there anything about them that you disliked?  or were bothered by?
• Tell about your first date.
• When and where was it?
• What were your thought and feelings before the first date?
• What were your thoughts and feelings during the date?
• Are there any funny/embarrassing/touching stories about your first date that you can share?
• What were your thoughts and feelings for him/her after your first date?
• Did you want to go out with them again?
• What made you want to go out with them again?
• Tell about the first time you held hands.
• When and where was it?
• What was it like? Was is awkward? sweet?  funny?
• What were your thoughts/feelings?
• Tell about your first kiss.
• When and where was it?
• What did (or didn't) you like about the kiss? 
• What were your thoughts and feelings after the first kiss?

Tips for writing memories/journaling:

• Write first, edit later...don't worry about your spelling and grammar, etc.  Just start writing and then edit it when you are finished with that portion.
• When you do worry about editing.  Watch your spelling, handwriting, grammar, language, and punctuation. 
• Try not to use trendy acronyms.  If you do try to create a key for what they mean.  (In 20 years they might not know what LOL means!)
• Be yourself.  Give your story voice, but it is essential to be yourself as you write, because this is a story about YOUR life!  Written by YOU!
• Write about the good and the bad.  People will want to know that you were a real person with real problems!  It helps them relate to you.
• When you are writing about others, be respectful and tasteful.  Don't be rude.
• Do your best to be accurate.
• Write with audience in mind.  Like your children and grandchildren for example.

Record it how you'd like, write it down, record your voice, make a video, make a book, scrapbook it (don't forget the journaling), blog it, type it...

...just start!

Even better...include your spouse, let them share their feelings and record them, you might find out things you never knew!  (I'm totally going to be doing this!)

So grab your favorite treat, your spouse, and start reminiscing!  And who knows, maybe it will help you remember why you fell in love in the first place!

Okay well, I hope you have some fun while doing this!  If you write or have written your love story on your blog...post a link in the comments or email me...I'd love to read it!

families are forever {poster}.

Another Design using the beach pictures...I like this one best.

baby book {12x12 photo book}

This is a book that I made for my sister about my neice who was born 13 weeks early and in the NICU for 3 months.

preserving photos on a cd.

Not sure what to do with all the extra pictures now that they are preserved in a book?
Have pictures that you didn't use in a the book, but still want to keep to look at?

1. Burn them onto a CD.
2. Make a CD Holder using a Family Fold.
3. Glue it into the back inside cover of the book.

Extra Preservation and fun!

cleveland zoo {12x12 page}.

daddy book {8x8 photo book}