HAPPINESS IS...

My Wedding 21: The Motorcycle Ride

As the sun began to set, Heather and Jon stole us away from the fun and games for some more fun and games... on Hal's motorcycle! If you've been following my blog, you'll know that his Harley is very special to us both. Hal inherited it from his late father and drove it up from California with a ring. He proposed to me on a bike trip soon after.

I grabbed my leather jacket, slipped on my boots, and off we went up the driveway...

... very slowly. I'm dying of laughter because my cousin drove the photographer/videographer team along beside us in my parents' golf cart! We felt so silly. And yes, we were sans helmet for aesthetic purposes. Kids, do not try this at home.

All was fine and dandy, until we made our way home. Until I felt a sharp tug on my leg. Until I screamed for Hal to stop. Until my train got caught in the back tire!!!

The outer layer of chiffon was completely ripped off. Hal untangled the mass of fabric wound up in the wheel spoke while I looked down at myself in shock. Did an accidental trash-the-dress session really just happen? Laughing it off, I thanked heaven for gown lining and for not being indecently exposed. I have a faint battle scar on my thigh to this day.

Something goes wrong at every wedding. This was our something. But it makes for a great story, right?

Next week... our world record attempt!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 20: Fun & Games

During the reception, I received a few comments from parents. They loved how we catered our wedding to children. This took me by surprise, because that wasn't our original intention. Entertaining the kiddos was secondary to entertaining ourselves. All the fun and games we provided were there for purely selfish reasons! But of course, we were thrilled to see the littles having just as great of a time as we were.

The Viewmaster table number holders were a big hit with small kids...

And big kids alike.

Instead of a photo booth, we opted for a flipbook booth so we could make our own 7-second mini-movies! The boys at Fliptography shot the film, printed and cut the frames on the spot, and stapled the books into instant party favors. Hal and I did the swirl n' kiss while some of our guests got extra creative, acting out entire scenes.

The vintage percussion instruments leftover from the ceremony were quickly snatched up and put to use. The big band we hired had to leave after dinner, but you wouldn't have known from the jams coming out of these boys and girls!

I adore this shot. Hal was overjoyed when miss Charlotte made him a crayon drawing. 

And what's a backyard wedding without lawn games? We placed a few hula hoops, plastic balls and a corn hole set out on the grass. My dad almost built a life size Jenga game, but that bright idea was quickly placed on the bottom of the "I'll get to it if I get to it" list. We did, however, have some giant Pick-Up Sticks which were sadly left inside the house! Although I'm not sure the kids would have known what to do with them. Do they even know what Pick-Up Sticks are?

Let's not forget the tepee playhouse, which I failed to take a single photo in. Doh! Thankfully, my beautiful maids did not.

Next week... the motorcycle ride. Vroom vroom!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 19: Performances & Speeches

With full bellies and hearts, we sat back down for a few very special performances and speeches. My bridesmaid, Melanie Nyema, is sort of a big deal. Right now, she's touring the world, singing back-up for the one and only Taylor Swift. You may have seen her on the telly! Hal and I were so honored when she agreed to perform one of our favorites by Etta James:

SOMETHING'S GOT A HOLD ON ME

My other two bridesmaids, Tiffany and Alissa, were her Pips. Do you remember all 3 of these beautiful faces from my recent Charleston adventure? 

My girl Lauren Santiago is also a big deal. Complex Magazine's 50 most desirable bachelorettes! She sang the second solo of the evening, and rocked the house with a classic soul tune by Edwin Starr. 

TWENTY FIVE MILES

Believe it or not, Melanie and Lauren both sang back-up for me when I was pursuing my solo career in LA. And later, Mel and I sang back-up for Lauren when she started writing her own songs. I have so many special musical memories with these two. Including the craziest gig imaginable, singing for the troops in Guantanamo Bay. And we almost started a record label together! Ah, the dreams of youth. 

Many of my good friends sang with me in Sirens, our all-female a capella group at USC. We had enough of them at the wedding to sing one of my solos, Sooner or Later, originally performed by Madonna in Dick Tracy. Our former musical director, Guang Ming, re-arranged it for modern day and rounded up the gals (who live all over the country) to learn and rehearse the song via conference call! I always imagined singing for my husband on my wedding day. These women made my dream come true.

We originally recorded the song my freshman year, the Sirens' first year of existence. Due to the sound quality and strange arrangement, I'm slightly embarrassed to post this audio. But it will have to do! 

SOONER OR LATER

"Sooner or later you're gonna be mine. Sooner or later you're gonna be fine. Baby it's time that you faced it, I always get my man.

Sooner or later you're gonna decide. Sooner or later there's nowhere to hide. Baby, it's time, so why waste it in chatter? Let's settle the matter. Baby you're mine on a platter, I always get my man."

"But if you insist, babe, the challenge delights me. The more you resist babe, the more it excites me. And no one I've kissed, babe, ever fights me again. If you're on my list, it's just a question of when. When I get a yen, then baby amen. I'm counting to ten, and then..."

"I'm gonna love you like nothing you've known. I'm gonna love you and you all alone. Sooner is better than later, but lover, I'll hover, I'll plan."

"This time I'm not only getting, I'm holding, my man." 

And it only took 10 years to get him! 

After the entertainment, we began the speeches. My dad gave a touching toast, although well over the 2-minute max! He told the now-classic story of Hal's first visit to their house (which I'll have to share with you one day) and offered some heartfelt advice for a loving marriage.

For "not being prepared to speak", Hal's mom gave arguably the best speech of the night. It was pure comedy! She had the crowd roaring one moment, then wiping their eyes the next. 

My maid of honor, Robin, unfortunately had to follow Hal's mom, but did so with grace, humor and class. She gave a beautiful toast that brought me to tears.

I thought the speech by Erik, Hal's best man, was right up there with Hal's mom's. He has a brilliant wit and I honestly can't remember laughing so hard at a wedding speech before in my life. It truly goes down in the books. We're are thankful to have video footage!

My big bro, Christopher, gave another fabulous speech, full of love, jokes and childhood memories. Impressive, considering I gave him one very limiting prerequisite: be nice!

I'm not quite sure what Hal's brother is doing in this shot, but it may have been a reenactment of a bodily function. And from there, he trailed off into some unresolved issues. We love you, Greg, but how many did you have to drink?  ;) 

Hal's youngest brother, Micah, brought the house to tears as he choked up before finishing his first sentence. 

Somehow, the microphone was handed off to us. Standing before our favorite people, who flew in from all over the world, to celebrate in the backyard I grew up in, absolutely blew my mind. There were so many people I wanted to acknowledge, but I was at a loss for words. We gave our unrehearsed thank-yous through watery eyes and lumps in our throats.

Next week... the fun and games!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 18: Food & Drink

Dancing the tango built up an appetite! A lot of brides say they either weren't hungry at their wedding, or they didn't have time to eat. Not the case here. I was ready to stuff my face. A late afternoon dinner was provided by Skillet, the acclaimed Seattle food truck. They served up our favorite comfort foods out of their vintage Airstream trailer.

Chef Josh Henderson worked with us to create a custom menu to satisfy me and my family, the veggies, Hal and his family, the meaties, and everyone in between...

PASSED APPETIZERS:

• Roasted sweet corn crostini, tarragon, creme fraiche.
• Parmesan risotto bites, English pea puree, truffle aioli

DINNER BUFFET:

• Grilled watermelon salad, balsamic reduction, watercress, sea salt
• Artichoke barigoule, braised hearts, mirapoix, saffron
• Poutine, hand-cut fries, vegetarian gravy, cheddar, grana padano, herbs
• Butternut squash mac and cheese, truffle, parmesean, cheddar
• The burger, grass-fed beef, arugula, blue/brie, bacon jam, brioche
• The portobello burger, grilled peaches, gorgonzola, balsamic reduction

My dad lovingly made us the chalkboard menu door. I'm currently trying to find some wall space in our house to hang it up. I almost don't even want to erase it!

My pops also built the bar, using scraps of old wood. Scott Mallard, our bartender, served up two signature cocktails. Hal's was named, "Hal In Washington", made with whiskey and Martinelli's. Sounds strange, but it was delightfully pleasant. Mine was called, "Green Eyed Lady", made with gin, cucumber and mint. We served local beer from from 7 Seas & Sound Brewery kegs, and cold non-alcoholic drinks out of a canoe filled with ice.

Kelly of Tortes and Tarts baked a lovely assortment of dessert table goodies: brownies, cookies, pie pops and cannolis, presented with the tea party china I was given at my bridal shower.

I initially wanted a cake made of cheese, but it would have melted in the sun. And Hal craved the real deal. So we asked my cousin, Isaac, who decorates cakes in his spare time, to make us one. We asked for something small, simple, and chocolate. He delivered, beautifully. 

The wood cake platter was given to us by a neighbor who happened to be clearing trees in his yard a few weeks prior to the wedding. I'm sure he thought we were nuts, but he sawed off a slice anyway.

We fed each other to the duet Hal and I recorded for our soundtrack.

YOU BELONG TO ME - By H+S

No cake fights here. We played nice and didn't make a mess. Although I'm sure Hal was mighty tempted!

Next week... a few very special performances.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo; Catering by Skillet; Bartending by Scott Mallard; Beer by 7 Seas Brewery and Sound Brewery; Desserts by Tortes and Tarts; Cake by Isaac Lind}

My Wedding 17: The Dancing

After our post-ceremony row boat ride, a few family portraits, and what felt like a 2 minute cocktail hour, it was time for our first dance. The Argentine tango! We've been taking lessons sporadically ever since we met, so it was a natural choice for our wedding.

However, Hal is not a fan of choreographed tango. The beauty of the dance is, after all, improvisation. But knowing us, if left to our own devices in front of a large crowd, we'd freeze. So Hal finally agreed to learn a choreographed routine to the classic, Por Una Cabeza. With it's emotional highs and lows, the song symbolizes our 10-year on and off relationship. We studied privately with Tony & Ilana for 8 weeks. They taught us how to wow our guests with subdued basic steps and a few showy tricks.

POR UNA CABEZA

When the music began to play, I was a bundle of nerves. I sat myself anonymously in the audience, while Hal eyed me from across the dance floor. He smoothly walked over and offered me a flower, which I snubbed. So he got down on one knee, and I accepted.

Oh okay. I suppose I'll dance with you.

The dip. Tony & Ilana told us to hold it 8 seconds for a dramatic effect. It felt like years! Whenever we practiced this move, we'd crack each other up, trying too hard to be serious.

We begged our choreographers to give us a climactic one-legged drag across the dance floor. We sort of look ridiculous in the photos, but I promise, it was cool.

Yes folks, that just happened.

After the dance was over, we were in hysterics! I couldn't believe we performed a tango in front of all our friends and family. We had a few small nervous fumbles, but I'm sure no one noticed. I was so proud of Hal for remembering his steps. And so relieved I didn't fall on my face.

I did a quick change back into my gown for the father-daughter dance. I chose a song by Jim Croce that reminds me of my childhood...

TIME IN A BOTTLE

If the giggles give it away, my dad and I did not practice our moves.

Hal and his mother danced to one of her favorite songs by The Beatles. Doesn't she look darling in her vintage Chanel?

HERE COMES THE SUN

When the dances were done, we were famished.  Next week... the food! Nom nom.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 16: Design Details

For today's weekly wedding post, I'd like to take a step back from the actual event and show you all the handmade design details.

My mom painted the directional signs on scraps of wood, similar to the ones leading our guests down the driveway. I didn't notice until halfway through the wedding that the fireworks sign was upside down! Apparently, the arrow was painted in the wrong direction, so my dad nailed it wonky on purpose. I think it adds a bit of quirky charm.

We chose simple off-white linens over long tables with natural-colored wood chairs. It was a puzzle figuring out the table layout on the imperfect lawn. I wanted a U-shaped around the dance floor so everyone could face each other, but our space wasn't wide enough. Thanks to my dad's mathematical magic, he made it all work to my liking. The layout made it feel less like a wedding and more like an intimate dinner party... of 100!

Here's where the vintage mismatched plates and antique green bottles come into play. My original plan was to have only ferns, herbs and greenery on the tables. But the flower farm dahlias were so inexpensive, I'm so glad we used them instead. I love the bright pops of color. There were a ton of leftover baby artichokes after making the bouquets (they were shipped to us in a huge batch from Pezzini Farms in California). So we peppered them around the bottles as table decor.

We numbered the tables with nostalgic vintage Viewmaster reels placed halfway inside Viewmaster viewers, spray painted gold. I collected them all year long! When our guests arrived, they were given a green ticket to match the Viewmaster table numbers and find their spot. 

Remember the little plastic dinosaurs? Hal cut a slit in their backs to hold the Viewmaster reel place cards with our guests' names printed and glued to the center. If there was a reel from my collection that reminded me of someone, I used it to mark their seat. For example: Lauren Santiago got a travel reel of Santiago, Chile. Our friends from Arizona got a Phoenix reel. Outdoorsy friends got a national park reel. Our pilot friend got an outer space reel. And of course, the children received cartoon reels. I got such a kick out of watching people click through their viewers with big grins on their faces.

Our wedding favor was a CD of our soundtrack, placed inside kraft card stock sleeves. Each disc had a different engagement photo printed on the label. We burned the songs onto Verbatim Vinyl CDs to look like old 45s. If you're curious, you can listen to the entire 2G4E soundtrack on Spotify.

Wondering who the heck H+S is on Track 1? That's us! Before the wedding, I begged Hal to record our own version of "You Belong To Me", the ukulele duet from The Jerk, one of his favorite movies. Like a good fiance, he agreed. This was a big deal, people. Hal is NOT a singer and he hates the sound of his voice recorded. I think he did an awesome job. 

You can hear it for yourself...

YOU BELONG TO ME - By H+S

Wish boats took the place of a traditional guest book. We provided origami paper and invited our guests to write down their hopes and dreams for our future together, fold them into a paper boat, and place them in my grandfather's old suitcase. Every anniversary, Hal and I will select one to read and sail it off to sea. 

Our 2G4E marquee letters were lovingly made by Hal himself out of cardboard, gold spray paint, and small round bulbs. We hung them from the the string lights over the dance floor and they looked even more beautiful as the night grew on. We kept them after the wedding and now they're hanging on the wall above our bed.  :)

Next week... our first dance tango!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 15: The Rowboat Ride

It feels like it's been awhile since the last wedding series post! To refresh your memory, I left you hanging at the end of the ceremony. We exited down the steps onto the dock, waved goodbye to our guests, and climbed aboard our getaway vehicle. An old rowboat! My dad gently nudged us out to sea as husband and wife.

I shared a sneak peek of a few of these shots when Heather posted them on her blog. If you missed them, go and take a look. Today, I'll reveal the rest, with a funny behind-the-scenes story.

Meet Jordan, Hal's buddy and handsome coxswain of the OTHER boat. We had a second rowboat to hold Jon and Steve, the media team. As you'll soon find out, Heather smartly remained on shore.

As a child, I spent many memorable summers on these waters, paddling around in the canoe with my family. It was such a treat to be able to experience this again, with my love on our wedding day.

It was around this time that Hal and Jordan decided to race. Silly boys. It was also around this time that Jordan, Jon and Steve noticed that their boat was leaking! My dad warned us that one of the rowboats was nearing the end of days. Thankfully, Hal and I chose the solid one.

Hal and I wrote our vows to each other on large pieces of paper folded into wish boats. We intended to release them into the lagoon as a symbolic gesture. It was a sweet idea in theory, but there were a few minor flaws. After discovering the other rowboat was sinking, we realized we forgot the paper boats on land! My dad had to run to retrieve them and relay them back to us.

When released, the boats didn't float away as beautifully as they did in my imagination. The current tipped them over and pushed them against the boat in a sad state. Wah wah. It was quite hysterical.

From the water, we heard the band playing and our guests enjoying the cocktail hour. We were itching to partake in the festivities, so we swiftly rowed back before the tide left us stranded. My dad tied up the boat and escorted us up the steps to join our friends and family.

Next week... the design details!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo} 

My Wedding 14: The Ceremony

Today, I'm delighted to share with you our ceremony! Cue the music....

SOULFUL STRUT        

The entire wedding party came down the aisle to Soulful Strut, by Young-Holt Unlimited. We chose this song because Hal used to say back in the day, there's no way to not look cool walking to it! It really does give you a natural swagger.

While the girls and I were waiting in the garden, the boys lined up next to Brian, our officiant, one of Hal's best buds since high school who got ordained online just to marry us.

Then came the children's parade. Cannon got shy and froze, so his pops carried him down the aisle and waved the flag for him!

Since the aisle centered around a fire pit which couldn't be moved, we stuck dahlias into the ashes to pretty it up. Later in the evening, the flowers were pulled out to build a bonfire.

Then the band began to play my song. My favorite love song of all time. One Hand, One Heart, from West Side Story. I found the most beautiful brass quintet version and asked the band director of Route 66 to learn it for my entrance.

ONE HAND, ONE HEART

As you can tell, it was a long descent! I walked down the entire length of the yard. But I loved having this time with my dad. We giggled the whole way down.

By the time I got down to the water, my emotions got the best of me. Hearing my song. Seeing so many happy faces. I just couldn't believe this was happening. I locked eyes with Hal and lost it. Almost forgetting to hug my dad goodbye.

Brian acknowledged Hal's father, Hal's adoptive father, and my grandfather. All of whom have all passed on, but were with us in spirit and forever in our hearts.

One of my best friends and freshman year college roomie, Carrie, was supposed to be a bridesmaid. But she got an amazing opportunity to work in Africa for a year, helping mothers in childbirth. I was so proud of her, yet selfishly heartbroken she wouldn't be at the wedding. A few weeks before the big day, she pooled her flight miles with Eddie, a mutual friend of ours, and flew to Gig Harbor from Africa! I was over the moon. She didn't have any wedding attire, so my sponsor, Ruche, kindly shipped us the chiffon mint dress from their bridesmaid collection.

I asked Carrie to do a reading. Keeping things light-hearted and playful, we chose passages from nostalgic story books...

A Lovely Love Story by Edward Monkton

The fierce Dinosaur was trapped inside his cage of ice. Although it was cold he was happy in there. It was, after all, his cage.Then along came the Lovely Other Dinosaur.

The Lovely Other Dinosaur melted the Dinosaur’s cage with kind words and loving thoughts. “I like this Dinosaur,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. “Although he is fierce he is also tender and he is funny. He is also quite clever, though I will not tell him this for now.”

“I like this Lovely Other Dinosaur,” thought the Dinosaur. “She is beautiful and she is different and she smells so nice. She is also a free spirit which is a quality I much admire in a dinosaur.”

“But he can be so distant and so peculiar at times,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. “He is also overly fond of things. Are all Dinosaurs so overly fond of things?”

“But her mind skips from here to there so quickly,” thought the Dinosaur. “She is also uncommonly keen on shopping. Are all Lovely Other Dinosaurs so uncommonly keen on shopping?”

“I will forgive his peculiarity and his concern for things,” thought the Lovely Other Dinosaur. “For they are part of what makes him a richly charactered individual.”

“I will forgive her skipping mind and her fondness for shopping,” thought the Dinosaur. “For she fills our life with beautiful thoughts and wonderful surprises. Besides, I am not unkeen on shopping either.”

Now the Dinosaur and the Lovely Other Dinosaur are old. Look at them. Together they stand on the hill telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs. And that, my friends, is how it is with love. Let us all be Dinosaurs and Lovely Other Dinosaurs together. For the sun is warm. And the world is a beautiful place.

We asked Helen, my dear family friend and neighbor since childhood, to read the second passage from a classic book we all know and love...

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

‘What is REAL?’ asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. ‘Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?’

‘Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When someone loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’

‘Does it hurt? Asked the Rabbit. ‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’

‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’ ‘ It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.’

‘I suppose you are real?’ said the Rabbit. And then he wished he had not said it, for he thought the Skin Horse only smiled. ‘Someone made me Real,’ he said. ‘That was a great many years ago; but once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.’

For our final reading, we asked my cousin Kassia's cherub children, Sawyer and Miles. They are brilliant beyond their years. And c'mon, those dimples! Each line of the poem alternated between the two boys...

Me Without You by Lisa Swerling

Me without you is like...
Sky without blue
Hair without do
Ghost without boo
Kung without fu
Peak without view
Biker without tattoo
Cow without moo
Dove without coo
Eskimo without igloo
Party without yahoo
Clock without cuckoo
Harry without you-know-who
Fisherman without canoe
Kanga without Roo
Foot without shoe
Picnic without loo
Rainbow without hue
Shoobee without doo
How without do-you-do?
Rebel without a clue
Mowgli without Baloo
Cock without a doodle-do
Panda without bamboo
Show without queue
Sneeze without atchoo
Yacht without crew
Potty without poo
A picture that's skew
A knot I can't undo
Me without you?
What would I do?
Phew!

At the end of their poem, their little identically-dressed brother, Teague, 

ran out of the crowd to join them! It was the cutest thing ever. I guess he was used to being around his older brothers while they rehearsed at home. 

Then it was time for Hal and I to recite our personally written vows. My wedding anxiety dreams about not having my vows ready in time prepped me well. 

Hal has requested that I keep his vows between me, him and our guests. But I don't mind sharing my own with you...

I'm not sure how I got through them with the lump in my throat.

Day 1, I loved you before I knew I loved you. Because I already knew you. Because you didn't know that I already knew you. But maybe you knew all along.

Month 2, I loved you because you'd laugh, and I'd laugh because you were laughing, and it'd go on like that until we could physically laugh no longer.

Year 3, I loved you because you'd ask me to talk, but I couldn't. So you'd ask me again. And again. And again, until I talked. You never gave up. Even when I began to talk too much.

Year 6, I loved you because it wasn't just me who loved you. My friends loved you. Their men loved you. Strangers loved you. The world was charmed by your charm.

Year 8, I loved you because you left behind your known life to share an unknown life with me. This might be why I loved you most of all.

Long after we chose this date to get married, I came across a poem by Pablo Neruda that reminds me of our relationship. Strangely enough, it's called, September 8th:

Today, this day, was a brimming cup,
today, this day, was the immense wave,
today, it was all the earth.
Today, the stormy sea lifted us in a kiss
so high that we trembled in a lightning flash
and tied, we went down to sink without untwining.
Today our bodies became vast,
they grew to the edge of the world
and rolled melting into a single drop of wax or meteor.
Between you and me a new door opened
and someone, still faceless,
was waiting for us there.

To me, this poem is about evolution. Our evolution. And our growth. You were always there. Squeezing my hand like a gentle reminder. Leading us here. To this day. Today.

Year 10, Month 9, Day 8. Because I loved you. Because I love you. I promise to love every moment with you. To Year 60 and beyond.

For our ring exchange, we recited the vows from West Side Story, alternating lines...

I, Hal, take thee, Shannon
I, Shannon, take thee, Hal
For richer, for poorer
In sickness and in health
To love and to honor
To hold and to keep
From each sun to each moon
From tomorrow to tomorrow
From now to forever
Till death do us part
With this ring, I thee wed.
With this ring, I thee wed.

Mozel tov! Hal is half-Jewish, so we included the breaking of the glass. Traditionally, the groom does it, but I felt left out of the fun and wanted to stomp on the glass too. Hal ended up stepping on my toe and I let out a little scream.

"I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE!!"

The kiss. Or a few!

MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY

Cue exit music. We chose More Today Than Yesterday, the cheesy one-hit-wonder by Spiral Starecase. Because really. It doesn't get more joyful than this. Before the ceremony began, we marked the wedding party's places with vintage percussion instruments.

As soon as the song came on, they grabbed their cowbells, tambourines and triangles for a sing-a-long celebratory exit! Feeling quite foolish, I might add. But that was partly the point.

Instead of following our friends up the aisle, Hal and I hung back for our post-ceremony row boat ride. We danced down the steps to the makeshift dock and waved to our guests who gathered around the edge of the bank above. Bon voyage!

Next week... we're on a boat.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 13: Before The Ceremony

While Hal and I were taking our beach portraits, our guests were arriving via school bus! My mom hand-painted these wood signs to lead everyone down the long driveway...

Right this way
We'll see you soon
Get ready, get set
For a fun afternoon

Follow the music
Find your chair
Head to the water
We'll meet you there!

Funny side story: the wacky bus driver, a toothless older woman wearing pigtails with scrunchies and a neon reflector crossing guard vest, whom we later found drinking our beer and eating from our dessert table after the reception, got LOST on the way out to the house! Thank goodness, our buddy Tim knew where to go and turned her around.

Remember when I was looking for a smaller-sized big band or jazz orchestra to serenade our guests as they arrived? With our budget, this didn't seem possible. Then I discovered the Seattle swing band, Route 66. They were willing to cut down their crew, yet still keep a large sound, so we could afford to have them play a few hours.

Our friends and family meandered down the lawn to the theater seats and pews set up by the water. Designer, Kristen of Coates Willie, made the tepee and shipped it out from New York just for the wedding.

Introducing the cutest flower girl and ring bearer known to man: Talynn and Cannon, my bridesmaid Tara's delectable children. My mom and I made them pipe cleaner crowns, gold streamer wands and green flags.

Although we hired a caterer for dinner, we decided to save money by providing our own pre-ceremony snacks. This was a full-day affair, after all. We set out cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts, olives, flavored water and lemonade for our guests to nibble on as they arrived. The goldfish were a hit!

I love this photo. It's typical Hal, scribbling out his vows on a tissue box at the very last moment. He had them written on his iPhone and forgot to transfer them to paper for the ceremony.

Up at the house, my ladies and I had a toast! Or five! A bottle of champagne (and a can of Rockstar) was popped. I don't remember what we were laughing about, but it was some funny isht. So funny that we didn't even realize the groomsmen had started their descent! We quickly grabbed our bouquets and scrambled down the stairs.

My pops met us at the entrance to the circular garden, where we had a moment or two of waiting time inside. I have a vague memory of the girls and I singing a song? Sounds like something we'd do to calm my racing heart. 

One by one, they exited the garden on other side to walk down the aisle. Leaving my dad and I alone to take it all in. I grabbed his arm. Deep breath. Here we go...

Next week:  the ceremony, vows and all that good stuff! 

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 12: Beach Portraits

After taking portraits with the wedding party, our friends walked back to the house while Hal and I stayed a little while longer on the beach.

Skipping rocks wasn't planned at all, but it seemed only natural! I am not a good rock skipper compared with Hal, who usually gets 4 to 5 bounces each throw. But I was pretty proud of myself here. I got a nice 3 jumper at one point. Maybe it was all the wedding day excitement.

We were loving our time alone on the beach, until someone glanced at their watch. The guests were arriving!

I didn't want to let go of his hand. We walked back, mostly in silence. And the occasional bout of laughter when it dawned on us that we were about to get married. The next time we'd see each other, would be when I walked down the aisle.

Next week... the moments before the ceremony!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 12: Bridesmaid & Groomsmen Portraits

After our first look photos, I regrouped with my gals to take wedding party portraits. It was decided to do them before the ceremony so we could spend more time with our guests later on. Since we were walking to the beach, we slipped off our fancy heels and changed into comfortable flats. And me, into my beloved motorcycle boots.

I asked my bridesmaids to pick out their own vintage dress and hair accessories in the green, mint and gold color palette. I'm pretty sure they were each under $100. Don't they look fabulous? I wasn't quite sure how it would all come together, but I have to say, I couldn't have asked for a better mix of styles and shades. And their baby artichoke bouquets seal the deal!

The men were asked to find their own vintage (or vintage-inspired) suit and hat while Hal provided the green and gold ties he picked up at local thrift stores, including his own. The Harley Sportster was inherited from Hal's father and is his most prized possession. Makes for good tough-guy groomsmen pics, right?

This series cracks me up. I think Jon asked them to do something funny. So Hal apparently busted out a musical number. They look like an an all-male a cappella group.

We led the entire wedding party through a neighboring trail down to the beach. My brother and I used to spend our summers down here as kids, swimming in the Sound, building driftwood forts and searching for hidden treasures.

These walking shots made us laugh. We had to pretend like we were strolling at a normal speed. It felt like we were in a slow-motion movie scene. I loved how they turned out!

Next week... Hal and I alone on the beach.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 11: The First Look

Remember when I asked Hal if he wanted to do a first look? He wasn't into it. But as you can see, we were convinced otherwise.

Heather and Jon scouted out a sweet spot in a quiet wooded setting on my parents' property. While my bridesmaids were still getting ready, Heather lured me out of the house to sneak up behind Hal, who was waiting for us with Jon. I was giddy with anticipation.

That special light you see near Hal's head? We're pretty sure it was his father. ♥

Only my face is shown in these shots, with uncontrollable giggles, I might add. But Hal's reaction was just as I expected. Calm, cool and collected with a big adoring grin.

My baby ain't 'fraid to show his emotions! You'd think a first look would get all the tears out before the ceremony, right? Wrong. As you'll see in later photos, we're both saps. What can I say.

The 360 degree spin and dress approval!

We're so grateful we had this chance to be "alone" before the hustle and bustle. Seeing each other before the vows didn't take anything away from the ceremony. It saved us time and calmed our nerves.

Stay tuned for next week... the lovely ladies and dapper dudes that make up our wedding party!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

P.S. If you like first look photos, here are 9 more.


{Images by One Love Photo}

My Wedding 10: Getting Ready

My friends, today is a big day. It's the International Day of Happiness, woo! It's the first day of Spring. And it's the day I finally reveal my official wedding images by One Love Photo. There are a ton, so I'm breaking them up into easily digestible weekly segments. Thank you for following me on this journey so far. Over the past few weeks, I've really enjoyed being able to share with you the details and process behind the greatest creative project I've ever pursued, leading up to the happiest and most emotional love-filled day of my life.

Here's how it began. Our guests would be arriving at 1pm, so Hal and I woke up at 5am to practice our first dance. This seems crazy, I know. But we had been taking tango lessons and never had a chance to practice our choreographed dance on the smaller-sized dance floor my dad set up on the lawn. The sun was rising and there was still a layer of dew. We were slipping and sliding all over the place and couldn't help but laugh about the absurdity of it all. This was actually one of my favorite memories of the wedding. It was a sweet way to connect with Hal in the quiet early hours before the chaos.

My special lady friends came to the house around 6 am (such troopers) and we got to primping. My girl, Cara, spent most of the morning helping our day-of coordinator arrange the table settings and flowers, bless her heart. My maid of honor brought over a tray of fruit, croissants, OJ and champagne, which was such a nice gesture. I had zero appetite, but knew I had to cram something down so I wouldn't pass out later in the day.

While we were dressing upstairs, the boys got ready in the basement. Hal told me later that he was freaking out because he couldn't find his tie. But as you'll notice in the photo, he put it on before buttoning up. You can see the outline of of the tie as he's tucking in his collared shirt! So funny. I'm pretty sure that's why the rest of the guys were laughing at him.

My very sweet friend, Sarah Wong, did my make-up. She flew up from LA early for a trial run to make sure I was comfortable with the final look, natural and classic old-hollywood with a bright lip. The lovely Sophia VanSlyke did my hair. I call it "the illusion". People thought I cut it! I asked for a half-updo so the back of my dress could be seen and she came up with this pretty 20's style creation that worked perfectly with my headpiece. This photo was taken later in the day, so I'm a bit wind-blown. I actually prefer it this way.

The green part of the headpiece is an antique Art Nouveau woodland headdress from 1911 Germany! Pippa from Pippatree sourced it out for me. It arrived in a darling heart-shaped wood box with a matching men's corsage and a pillow embroidered with the names of the original bride and groom. I wanted to wear it like a halo, but it didn't fit around my entire head. So I took a piece of vintage jewelry that I already owned and fastened it to the ends to make a crown.

My gown is Tadashi Shoji. I posted before about my dress-selection experience and final fitting, but never clued you in on how many dang alternations this puppy needed. Like most brides, I lost a bit of weight. But my seamstress needed 4 separate appointments to get it so the back wouldn't bunch. The intricate beading and embroidery was extra tricky.

And remember how I told you my bridesmaids made the bouquets the day before? Here is it is. My beautiful artichoke bouquet with ferns and herbs. Theirs, which you'll see in later photos, are a smaller version with baby artichokes. The day after the wedding, I unwrapped my bouquet, boiled it, and savored every last bite.

Next week... the first look!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by One Love Photo; Dress by Tadashi Shoji; Shoes by Remix Vintage; Half of headpiece by Pippatree; Hair by Sophia VanSlyke; Makeup by Sarah Wong}

My Wedding 09: Welcome Sunset Cruise

Ahoy mates! After the rehearsal, the wedding party and our out-of-town guests met up at Jerisch Dock in downtown Gig Harbor. In lieu of a traditional groom's dinner, we rented My Girl, a local charter yacht for a cruise around the Puget Sound. Captain Paul led the way...

We were hoping to navigate over to my parents' house to point out the wedding venue from the water, but there wasn't enough time. Instead, we exited the Harbor and traveled underneath the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and back. Here's a map if you're curious.

The boat was two stories, with a full bar on the enclosed main level, and a covered dance floor up top. Hal had an iPod's worth of bossa nova we intended to play through the sound system, but we completely forgot to set it up. Doh! You know you're having fun when you don't even notice the lack of music. For food, we had a low-key taco bar for people to nibble on at their leisure.

Funny side note: It was around this time that I realized I was wearing my vintage lace mini dress inside out! I quickly changed in the bathroom and asked if people had noticed. Thankfully, they didn't, or they were too polite to say otherwise. Ay ay ay. That's how scatterbrained I was that day.

My cutie pie parents had just celebrated their 39th anniversary. 

A big thank you goes out to my big brother, Christopher, for being the official photographer, and to AAA for arriving in a flash when he locked his camera in the car moments before boarding!

After we docked, many of our friends went out for drinks and karaoke at El Pueblito down the street. But I went home for my beauty sleep. Tomorrow would be the biggest day. of. my. life.

Next week... the wedding photos!!

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by Christopher Bachmann}

My Wedding 07: The Website

For this week's wedding post, I'm revealing the website! My brother and I worked really hard on this puppy and it was one of my favorite parts of the wedding planning process. Because as you can see, it ties everything together. Our colors, our engagement photos/art, the vintage nostalgia theme from our save-the-dates and the movie theme from our invitations, now all make better sense.

I definitely could have made things simpler by using one of the many pre-designed wedding websites available. What, Shannon takes the easy road? Never! Christopher built his own wedding website many moons ago, so I was thrilled when he agreed to help with mine. I shared my design ideas and with his expert coding skills, he manifested a playful and interactive website for me and Hal to enjoy for life. Yay for big brothers who happen to be photographers AND web programmers!

The coolest thing he did was the randomization code for the main photo on the homepage. I asked him to animate our head-shots so that one of us was always looking at the other at the wrong time. (This is something silly Hal and I do together for a laugh). But Christopher thought, and I now agree, that we should eventually look AT each other. He made it so we catch each other's eyes... sometimes! You have to watch for awhile to even realize our heads are turning back and forth.

For the PLOT header, we told our story. How we met, fell in love, broke up, got back together, broke up again, and reconnected for good. I don't think I've ever shared with you our full history before. So if you'd like to read up.. pour yourself a cup of tea and kick back. It's a long one!

The CAST & CREW part was extra fun. Since I already knew we'd be premiering our Amelie-inspired movie at the wedding (the video was added to the site later), I dug out our toddler photos and came up with a few more likes and dislikes that didn't make it into the movie.

We asked our bridesmaids and groomsmen to do the same. The result is a hilarious and quirky mix of cutie pie childhood photos and personality tidbits of our friends.

Christopher made a nice horizontally scrolling gallery of our engagement photos/art. This was the first time they were revealed, so I'm sure our guests were somewhat bewildered!

Hal had been collecting songs for our wedding soundtrack since before we got engaged. Combined with my own list of tunes that remind us our relationship, the list was 50 songs deep! We only wanted to give out one reasonably lengthed album as wedding favors, so we majorly cut it down to 20, plus a hidden track. It's an awesome sentimental-to-us mix of old soul, classic jazz, 90's rock and hip hop.

To save some stamps, we asked our guests to RSVP online. Christopher installed a clever form box that pulls down from the top.

As you click on each header, the body scrolls down to a new section of the site. At the very bottom of the GIFTS page, we put in a secret photo of us dangling from monkey bars. Some of our guests told us later they never knew it was there. Surprise!

So that's everything. What do you think? Are we nuts or what? To fully experience the entire website, visit:  www.shannonandhal.com

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

{Images by Christopher Bachmann}

My Wedding 06: The Movie Premiere

Loves, I've been dying to show you our wedding movie!

Last year, I gave you a sneak preview with a few film stills. At the time, I hadn't seen any actual footage and was nervous about the final product. But Katia Herrera, our fabulous director, proved I had nothing to fear. She knocked it out of the park!

Hal and I are pretty big movie buffs. We loved the idea of setting up an outdoor screen at the wedding for our guests to watch classic flicks from blankets on the grass underneath the stars. A true green carpet premiere. But rather than showing full-length features, we landed an opportunity to make our own 3 minute, 28 second movie instead.

While writing the screenplay, I was inspired by one of my favorite movies of all time, Amelie. I wanted to tell our story in a similar fashion, to reinforce an emerging theme of our wedding: vintage childlike nostalgia and simple pleasures.

And here's where I gush. I watched Katia's save-the-date videos and immediately knew she'd be able to bring our vision to life. She is talent, folks. If you're a future bride looking for a super creative wedding photographer or videographer, Katia is your gal. She's based in Mexico, but is expanding globally and loves to travel. I adore working with people who get as excited about a project as I do.

So now, ladies and gentlemen, your feature presentation... 2G4E (together forever).

Sit back with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy!

Director & Cinematographer: Katia Herrera
Assistant & French Voiceover: Samuel Catherine
Editors: Katia Herrera & Marcelo Hdz
Music: Amelie Soundtrack by Yann Tiersen

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.

Found Hearts

Today, and every day, I hope you find love.


{Images via: 1. Animais Respeito; 2. Cheezburger; 3. Boyseeshearts; 4. Hawee Ta3kees; 5. Lucy Loomis; 6. Villa Mandala; 7. Buzz; 8. Pinterest; 9. and 10. Adventure Journal; 11. Tom Humphrey; 12. Fun Mag; 13. A Little Light Reading; 14. Adventure Journal; 15. Wendy Mink; 16. Wave Song; 17. Simply Nature; 18. Boyseeshearts;  19. Ginger Opp; 20. Kktp; 21. Middle Aged Diva; 22. Tailor & Kelle; 23. Julie Lueders; 24. Adventure Journal}

Everlasting Paper Flowers

The prettiest paper flowers I've seen. Helen makes each of them by hand and presents them in a Valentine's box with a personalized name tag. To be kept, saved and admired forever.


{Images by Frances & Francis}

Love Notes

Do you and your honey write each other love notes? We don't. After 10+ years of togetherness, everything's been said. But I suppose it's less about the words and more about the effort put in to show you care. Here's a fun idea. An entire wall of origami paper hearts. Inside each pocket holds a little love note to be opened and read. Melanie shows us how to make them right here.

Since V-Day falls on a Thursday, will you be celebrating over the weekend? I think we might visit the Seattle Aquarium down by the pier. Neither of us have been and it seems like a nice and warm romantic outing for a cold winter's day.

Have a special weekend, sweetie pies. Enjoy the lovey dovey links...

More pretty paper hearts for the wall.

And cute love letter scrolls.

Drink bubbly with heart-shaped drinking straws.

Stir up some heat with match book valentines.

Find a secret message in a bottle.

Have breakfast in bed with lace heart pancakes.

Show off your gams with DIY heart tights.

Embarrass someone with a giant printable poster.

Serenade your sweetheart with a love playlist.

Say it right with conversation heart sugar cookies.

And some posts of mine you may have missed...

• DIY Felt Fortune Cookies
• Heart Art
• Roller Skate Dates

{Pre-edited image via Minted by Melanie Blodgett}

4 Heart-Shaped Sweet Treats

Too early for a Valentine's Day post?

Last year, Hal surprised me by making us heart-shaped lasagna. So for this year, I'd like to stick with the theme. Maybe I'll make him one of these heart-shaped goodies: pink Rice Krispies treats, curd & jam filled puffs (aka Polsterzipf), gingerbread cookies on milk glasses, or marbled peppermint marshmallows.

Which of these sweet treats would make your heart melt?


{Images by: 1. Lisa Kisch; 2. Svetlana Karner; 3. Jennifer Carroll; 4. Liz Stanley}

My Wedding 02: DIY Save-The-Date Paper Dolls

I'm thrilled to share with you our save-the-dates!

To get the guests revved up about the wedding, I wanted to send them something unexpected. Something they could play with. Our theme wasn't yet established, but we knew we would ask our guests to come dressed in their vintage best. Racking my brain, I thought about old toys that conjure up nostalgic memories for all generations. Paper dolls? I bounced the idea off my mom and her eyes lit up. Yes!

I tried to draw the paper dolls myself, but failed miserably. So instead, we Photoshopped our heads onto vintage doll bodies. My mom and I scoured eBay for the perfect bride and groom with acceptable underclothes. I scored the perfect retro set! It came with hilarious outfits and accessories for the big day, the wedding night, and the honeymoon. No black kitties, but I found another hand-drawn cat image for Bailey. She had to be included, of course.

Initially, I planned to print on magnetic paper so guests could hang us on their fridge as a reminder. But I discovered reusable adhesive fabric instead. It's more affordable, lightweight, easy to cut, ink jet printer friendly, and leaves no residue. You simply peel off the backing and stick it to any flat surface.

Do you remember the hand-carved face stamp I had made? It was put to good use on our envelopes! I also got a custom address rubber stamp from NoteTrunk and designed a very simple H ♥ S logo for our postage stamps from Zazzle.

We got great feedback from our guests. Even my grandma loved them, which could have gone either way. A few friends sent us photos of the tux on me, the gown on Hal, and the garter around Bailey's neck!

P.S. For this project, a big thank you goes out to my mom, my brainstorm and research partner, my brother, the Photoshop wizard who made sure our heads looked like they belonged on our bodies, and my husband, who agreed to be seen by the world in shorty shorts and black knee high socks.

SEE THE REST OF MY WEEKLY WEDDING SERIES HERE.


{Images by Christopher Bachmann Photography}

Our Engagement Pics on 100 Layer Cake!

I'm so honored to be featured on one of my favorite wedding websites, 100 Layer Cake! Have you seen it? They posted our engagement photos. Blush!

A little back story. Hal was very adamant on not doing typical engagement pics. If it were up to him, we wouldn't have done them at all and I'm sure a lot of men would agree. So I tried to come up with an idea he would like, that represented us, minus the cheese. And he was down with retro graphic art.

I turned to Christopher, my photographer brother, for a sibling collaboration. He captured Hal and I goofing around in front of a green screen, doing things we actually do together in real life. Christopher then sent me the cut-outs of our bodies and I arranged them in Photoshop, adding different shapes, colors and other graphic elements.

If you've been following me for awhile, you'll know I was somewhat secretive about this and other details of our wedding. But I'm thinking about doing a new series starting in January: a weekly post about all the stages of my wedding planning, from how I asked my girlfriends to be bridesmaids, to our save-the-dates, to our website and everything in between. This will lead up to our professional photos of the big day.

What do you think? Would you be interested in learning about the behind-the-scenes of my wedding planning process?


{Photography by Christopher Bachmann}

Love In Motion

This engagement shoot by Portuguese photographer, Andress Ribeiro, makes me smile. I love how he uses motion and movement to his personify his style.

Doesn't the top photo remind you of Robert Doisneau’s iconic “The Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville"?


{Images by Andress Ribeiro}

Counting Blessings

Happy Thanksgiving, loves. I just want to take a time-out before the festivities begin to count my blessings and express my gratitude for a few things on this earth...

The tiny house I call my home.

My husband in long johns. 

Music that builds in intensity. 

My grandmother's hand-knit throws. 

The pounding rain on our roof. 

My kitty's healthy purrrr.

The openness of strangers. 

My endless curiosity. 

The warmth of my bed in the morning.

My niece's exuberant giggles. 

The dusty scent of old books.

My besties' long-distance love.

The wonder of the moon.

My cold hands around a hot cup of tea.

The remembrance of dreams. 

And I cannot forget you. My readers, friends and support. Thank you for always coming by.

Have a wonderful long weekend and I'll see you again on Monday. xo


{Pre-edited image by Annija Muizule}

Custom Animal Couple Portraits

I like Andrea. She's an NYC-based illustrator also inspired by music, nature, and vintage childrens books. Hey girl, can we be friends?

Hmm, if I were to turn Hal and I into animals for her custom portraits, I think we'd be dinosaurs: Apatosaurus for me, Ankylosaurus for him.

What animals would you be?


{Images via Paper Sparrow by Andrea Lauren}

Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Guess what we did on our last full day in Belize? As you can see from our extra awesome outfits, yep. That's right. SCUBA!! We upgraded our packaged snorkel tour to an intro dive. We've been dying to learn how. Especially Hal, who could spend all day every day in an underwater aquarium.

We took a speed boat to Laughingbird Caye, the southern most island in the central lagoon of the Belize Barrier Reef. It's one of the world's greatest scuba destinations.

This is Bertrand, our scuba instructor. And this is where my heart stops. He quickly flips through flash cards about breathing and what happens if you don't. Then we immediately strap on our gear and practice hand signals and other basics in shallow water. But I don't retain a thing he said on land! I fail the mask clearing numerous times. So Bertrand says screw it. Let's just dive. Sometimes you have to learn by doing. As soon as I went under, it was easy breezy. Kind of. Once you get the hang of breathing solely through your mouth with a strange apparatus.

We were down for 45 minutes on our first dive! We saw schools of fish and critters in conch shells and a barracuda. After lunch, we went down again. Via boat back flip! (That took some convincing). This time, reaching 70 feet when we're only supposed to go 40. We saw a lobster and a humongous ray.

Sadly, we have no underwater photos of the brilliant things we saw on the bottom of the sea. Just our memories. But we surfaced with ear to ear grins. We're officially hooked and would love to get certified. Do any of you scuba?

Once we got back to Turtle Inn, we took advantage of the complimentary massages for honeymooners. We've decided that here on out, all future trips will be honeymoons. Shhh, no one needs to know.

We hit up the oceanfront bar for pre-dinner drinks and toasted to our final evening with mini Sofia champagne.

"What should we toast to?" I asked.
He raised his can.
"To you. The best thing about me."

See why I keep him around?  :)

After a farewell breakfast with friends, we packed our bags and left for the airport. But in order for us to get there, we had to fly a tiny plane from a tiny airport. Just us and the pilot. Hal even got to sit up front! This was an adventure in itself. It was the perfect way to end a trip of a lifetime.

In the middle of the flight, we hit a stormy patch of weather. Raindrops hit the windshield and I braced myself during the turbulence. I immediately thought of JFK Jr., John Denver, Aliyah, and the long list of celebrities who died in small plane crashes. Great, this is how my life will end. On the last day of my honeymoon. But Hal gave me a reassuring hand squeeze and our pilot expertly guided us out of the dark clouds, bringing us down with the smoothest of landings.

From the little plane, we boarded the big plane. And 3 hours, a layover, and another 5 hours later, we were home.


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 12

On the morning on Belize's Independence Day, we woke up the heaviest thunderstorm I've ever experienced. It was thrilling! The rain pounded, the wind roared, and our cabana roof started to leak on my side of the bed. But I didn't even care. I actually watched the storm unfold as I showered. With floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the bathroom looked out to the private patio. It felt like I was outside, but with hot water raining down on me.

After the storm passed, we walked out to the main road to watch the local parade, which pretty much consisted of townsfolk crammed in the back of trucks dancing to music from their boomboxes. Love it. Can you believe that Belize only became an independent nation in 1981?

Afterwards, it was time for our Monkey River wildlife adventure tour. We were so happy to share it with our honeymooner friends, Jeff & Steph.

Meet Terry, our expert guide for the day. He actually grew up in the tiny Monkey River fishing village. We ate a traditional Creole lunch cooked by his mother, while his pops was sound asleep on the porch rocking chair.

It was such a beautiful ride.

After some quality river time, we parked the boat to explore the jungle.

We learned that breadfruit leaves have have a fuzzy back and they stick to any type of clothing. Terry and his friends used to play in these woods as a child. During team games, one team would cover themselves in the leaves in order to distinguish themselves from the other team. So I placed the leaf on my back and left it there for the rest of the day. My little leaf friend.

At last, we came upon a family of howler monkeys high in the trees. We heard them from the moment we entered the jungle. They make the most frigentening sounds imaginable, similar to the smoke monster from LOST. Or dying beasts with breathing problems. If I heard this sound without knowing what it was, I would have ran for my life.

I took a video so you could hear them too. Creepy, right?

On our way home, we hung out for a bit in shallow waters to try and spot a manatee. And we actually saw a few! Every once in awhile, they'd surface to breathe. Terry has eyes like a hawk.

Another day, another incredible tour in Belize. And tomorrow... possibly our favorite one yet.


To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 11

After three days in the jungle, Blancaneaux arranged for us a private transfer to Turtle Inn, Francis Ford Coppola's charming ocean resort in Placencia. Our fourth and final destination.

We got settled into our beautifully decorated Balinesisan style cabana and set off to tour the grounds.

That fancy coconut drink? I'd been waiting for one all honeymoon. Hal surprised me with it. Good hubs.

Borrowing Turtle Inn's wheels, we biked into town. Placencia is small, super quaint and 100% authentic. We really dug the non-touristy laid back island vibe.

We made it to the crooked dock and bought a few homemade coconut macaroons from Brenda's Caribbean Kitchen. As we left, Brenda shouted after us in her Creole accent, "See you 'round like a donut!" Needless to say, that became our phrase for the rest of the trip.

When we got back to the resort, we noticed that the bridge leading to the entrance was built over a pond full of turtles. I couldn't get enough of them. Aren't they the cutest little guys ever?

For dinner, not only was it Indonesian night, it was silent movie night. Score. Our entire table was filled with about 30 small plates of tasty morsels, no kidding. We stuffed ourselves silly while watching Buster Keaton on the big screen.

But this night was far from over. Lucky us, it just happened to be the eve of Belize's Independence Day. The entire village, including the Turtle Inn staff, met at the Barefoot Bar for drinks and dancing. It was pretty awesome seeing the front desk and concierge gals letting loose in normal street clothes. Apparently, we left before the party really started. But we wanted to get back - a storm was brewing overhead...

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 10

The next day, we had a tour to Caracol, the most extensive Mayan site in Belize. The adventure began with a brief visit to Rio Frio Cave, the largest cave system in Central America with a massive 65-foot entrance.

And then, the main attraction. Geronimo was our knowledgeable guide. He informed us that Caracol took 600 years to build and was only recently discovered in 1936 by lumberjacks. Situated 1600 feet above sea level with no body of water nearby, it remains a mystery how more than 150,000 people were able to survive there.

It's almost fully restored, but I was still surprised we were allowed to climb up the 135 foot pyramid of Caana (Sky Palace) where royalty lived.

The gal in pink and the guy in white were our tour buddies, Jeff and Steph, also on their honeymoon. We became fast friends.

Just when we thought we made it to the top, we were fooled. There was another plateau with an even higher structure to climb. Every generation built on top of the last.

That's a tomb. Looking in and looking out.

Kicking it with the Sun God, Kinich Ahau.

I like to take pictures of Hal taking pictures.

And finally. Finally we get to the top.

But now the fun part. Going down.

On the ground again, we came upon the ball court. I had a giggle thinking about ancient Mayans playing ball.

And then Geronimo picked up a tarantula!

It was a scorcher of a day, so on our way home, we stopped by Rio On Pools, to swim and cool off. Jeff & Steph got some great shots of us under the falls with their waterproof camera. I'll make sure to share them when I get the photos.

On September 20-21, a few days after we left Caracol, they held a huge Equinox celebration with a traditional fire ceremony performed by a native Maya shaman. 100 people gathered there to camp overnight underneath the stars and watch the rising sun over the temples. We were kicking ourselves for leaving too early. How amazing would that have been?

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 9

Our local guide, Jorge, met us in the lobby to take us on our tour to Barton Creek Cave. During the 45-minute bumpy jeep ride, rain came down in sheets. This made for an adventurous drive. But thankfully it let up as soon as we arrived.

Jorge stopped the car, pulled down an overhanging branch, and picked a few berries for us to taste. The leaves smelled so familiar, yet I couldn't place what it was. As we nibbled into them, the tips of our tongues became numb! They were from an Allspice tree.

We strapped on our spiffy blue life jackets and got cozy in the canoe. Me in front on flashlight duty, Hal in the middle on photo duty, and Jorge expertly steering from the back.

If you'd like to see more cave videos, visit our YouTube page.

Jorge told us that the cave was a spiritual place for the ancient Mayans, used mostly for ceremonies and sacrifices. It was the gateway to the underworld. If a water droplet fell from a stalactite upon your head, it was considered a blessing.

That's a skull, people. A human skull! The remains of 28 humans have been found in this cave. Most of them teenage girls.

And those are bats! It was hard to capture their detail in the photo, but there are hundreds of them all huddled together. Creepy cool. They were right overhead and I was worried one would fall on me.

About a mile in, the stalactites hung so low that we had to stop. Jorge said this is where he usually turns around, but since he liked us, he let us bend down to go a little further. And bend down we did. Our heads were between our knees. Not for the claustrophobic!

On our way out, Jorge shut down the lights so we could get a feel for how dark it really was. After a few moments, our eyes didn't adjust. That's how dark it was. Jorge stopped paddling and we were perfectly still. The blindness was powerful. All we could see was black. All we could hear were drops of water.

We slowly made our way back toward the entrance. It started with a tiny speck of light. It grew and grew until I could no longer tell what was moving, us or the light. It was breathtaking. So beautiful, I was moved to tears.

Hal and I were almost at a lost for words. I asked Jorge about something I heard in the cave. It sounded like children laughing. Perhaps up above the cave or in a nearby town. He said no, they must have been ghosts. I'm sure he was joking, but the little girl in me believed it.

We climbed back into the jeep and bounced our way back to Blancaneaux in the pouring rain. That was by far one of the coolest things we've ever done.

To be continued...

Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 8

We don't get ocean sunrises on the West Coast. So Hal and I set our alarms to rise with the sun before meeting our van transfer to Belize. And we actually woke up. That's a first and probably a last. To be honest, I think it was my first sunrise ever!

One 5-hour car ride, two tortas, a relatively painless border crossing, roadside dried plantains, a van switch, and 2-hours of bumpy off-roading later, we reached our first destination in Belize: Blancaneaux Lodge, a 20-room luxury eco-resort near San Ignacio, deep in the Maya Mountains. Francis Ford Coppola bought it while abandoned in the early 80's, fixed it up, turned it into a personal family retreat, then opened it for public in 1993.

Fun fact: Only wealthy Belizians have thatched roofs, when you'd think otherwise. That's because it takes a very skilled and knowledgable craftsman to build them. The palm fronds must be picked during the right cycle of the moon!

To ring the front desk, we used the conch shell-phone.

We were greeted by friendly faces and received a complimentary upgrade to the riverfront honeymoon suite! Complete with a heart-shaped lawn. The cabana itself was relatively small, but it felt very cozy. We could pick coconuts from our deck.

Exhausted from our early morning drive, we watched a fascinating educational presentation on the elusive jaguar (nerds!), devoured a homegrown meal at their Guatemalan restaurant, and hit the sack.

The next morning, we sipped our coffee and tea from our deck. For breakfast, they served fruit, fresh squeezed juice and a basket of fry jacks. What are fry jack, you ask? They taste like a donut. Deep fried doughy goodness.

Hal wanted to make sure we got some pool time. Here he is beach whaling again. He's the cutest.

We were dying to explore the grounds by horseback before our scheduled tour later that afternoon, but we were short on time. So we set off on foot, discovering acres upon acres of pine jungle, rivers and streams, fruit and nut orchards, organic gardens, and pristine natural beauty. Blancaneaux is truly a magical place.

To be continued...

Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 7

On fire from our ruins exploration, we decided to cool off at Gran Cenote, one of the largest underground freshwater caverns in the Riviera Maya.

We strapped on our snorkel gear and discovered an underwater wonderland.

After a delicious meal in town at El Asadero, we got back to Coqui Coqui and booked a massage to relax from the day's adventues. Above is the view from the spa. I made the mistake of requesting deep tissue. The lady literally beat me up. I had bruises for days!

We loved La Zebra so much, we went back again for salsa night! I wore my 60's orange day-glo dress that I forgot I had packed. The color really popped at dusk. We showed up late for the lesson, but watched others dance while we dined. Too shy to salsa on stage, we stole a few moments away from the crowd to shimmy in the dark. It was the perfect last evening in Tulum.

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 6

We woke up at the crack of dawn to visit the Tulum Mayan ruins. We were told to get there right when it opens to avoid the heat and the crowds. This gorgeous sunrise made us forget what time it was.

A little kitty greeted us at the entrance.

Check out the iguana admiring the view in the lower right hand corner of the photo above (click on the photo to blow it up). Since he blends into the rock, I just spotted him now! And doesn't the lone palm tree reminds you of Dr. Suess?

Tulum's ruins are the most picturesque Mayan archaeological site, perched on a cliff above the Caribbean. As recently as the 1960's, the site was accessible only by sea.

As we were leaving, the tour buses were just arriving. Getting there bright and early was the best thing we could have done. It was quiet and peaceful and almost mystical. We practically had the entire ruins to ourselves.

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Wedding Sneak Peek!!

Sorry darlings, but I'm interrupting the honeymoon recap for a teaser posted today by our incredible photographers, Heather & Jon of One Love Photo. I'm just too darn excited not to share! A funny story accompanies these shots, but that, I'll save for later.

It's strange seeing photos of your wedding for the first time, because you don't even remember doing the things that were captured. Like me raising my arm like that? Wha? By the looks of it, we must have been giggling the entire time. And if it didn't show on my face, I was most definitely giggling inside.


{Images by One Love Photo}

Our Honeymoon - Part 5

On our last day at Viceroy, the breakfast servers sent us off in style.

A taxi drove us to our next destination, Tulum. Our sexy ocean-front suite at Coqui Coqui took our breath away. We received a lovely welcome bag full of sweet-smelling perfumes, soaps and lotions.

The view from our balcony! Front, left and right.

Naturally, it was time for a nap. Noticing a trend?

We took a walk along the beach to explore. The sand here miraculously never gets hot. Yes, those are band-aids on the sides of my feet. This trip confirmed what I already guessed: I am the mosquito's favorite food.

We walked to Lina’s Mexican Cantina at the La Zebra for dinner. While I was munching on what could quite possibly be the best veggie tacos of my life, Hal excitedly points to the ground. It was a baby turtle! The waiter scooped him up and let us hold him. His little fins were going a mile an minute. We were told to take him to the sea. We temporarily abandoned our meal to save him and heard a commotion on the beach. Baby turtles were everywhere! There must have been hundreds attracted to the lights of the restaurant. It was so special to see a large community of people picking them up and steering them in the right direction. When we later told our story to Coqui Coqui's management, they said we were very lucky to experience the endangered sea turtle quest. It happens only a few days a year.

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 4

We were itching to hit the town and experience real Mexico outside of the Viceroy bliss bubble. So we took a cab to Playa Del Carmen. There's one long strip of shops, bars and restaurants and we sat down at the first place with a "cheap cerveza" sign. The waiter took the photo above and I'm not sure why we're laughing. But I'm pretty sure it's because he told us to say something stupid to get us to smile, like "guacamoleeeee".

I had to get my 'chos fix! In this part of Mexico, I noticed they use this particular mild white gooey cheese. I'm pretty good with cheese, but I couldn't figure out what it was and forgot to ask. We gobbled it right up. Loved those huge pickled jalapeno slices piled on top.

We walked towards the ocean. The light was beautiful out by the cruise ship dock, so we snapped a few. Are you tired of our mugs, yet? Clearly, we enjoy the self-portrait. This skill comes in handy on two-person vacations.

Back at the main strip, we searched for a restaurant to eat dinner. I spotted this place with swings around the bar. Done! As we were seated, our waiter took our photo with his camera. Before we could question why, he came back to sell us a bottle of tequila with our photo on it. We bought it because we were sucker gringos. While enjoying our burritos, an old man approached us with a guitar. Cancion de amor? Si senior.

This little man wanted to be in the mariachi band.

Since we were in the birthplace of chocolate, it was time for Ah Cacao, a chain in Mexico on every corner like Starbucks. Hal tried the super thick sipping chocolate. He couldn't get enough. And thanks to the hysterical Portlandia skit, we kept blurting out "cacao" for the rest of the night.



Our night ended with a bang. The weather had been perfect since we arrived. It averaged 85 degrees during the day, maybe 70 at night. As we were sitting at a table, the wind picked up. Fast. We noticed shop owners rushing about, moving their items inside. Strange, we thought. Rain began to fall. Fast. In a matter of seconds, it was a torrential downpour! We raced to an undercover table and witnessed our first tropical rain storm. It was hurricane season, after all. Ten minutes later, it was over. Shop owners moved their things back outside and people resumed the streets like it never even happened.

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 3

We woke up early the next day to something trampling on our roof. "What on earth is that?" I groggily asked Hal. "I think it's the monkeys", he replied. "They've been running back and forth overhead for the past hour." If it was anything other than monkeys, I would have given them a piece of my mind. But monkeys are forgivable. I imagined them playing a lively game of duck duck goose.

After a breakfast of fresh fruit and mexcian pastries, we parked ourselves on the beach to chill, read, nap, sip, dip, repeat.

Then it was time for a couple's massage. We chose the Poesia Del Mar (Poetry from the Ocean) treatment that takes place at the end of the dock. Heavenly. And the jet skiers got a nice peep show. The breeze kept blowing our towels off!

Later we migrated over to the pool. Happy man. If left to his own devices, he'd live in a pool.

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Our Honeymoon - Part 2

We emerged from the jungle and a private palapa was set up for us on the beach.

We sat down with smiles, dug our toes in the sand, and drooled over the menu. It had our name printed right on it! Props to Chef Jetzabel Rojas, our meal was out of this world. I had the best jicama salad and chile relleno of my life. It was also the most expensive meal of my life, but you try to ignore those sorts of things on your honeymoon. The food, service, ambiance, and company were worth the price, one hundred percent.

After the meal, we took our bottle of red and moved from the table to a pair of chairs facing the surf. We sat there, not wanting the evening to end. We relived the wedding and laughed. We reflected upon each and every moment. Each and every guest. Never have we felt so much love.

It was now dark, so we walked back through the winding jungle path to find our room, but got lost along the way. We found the outdoor lobby instead, with its stunning light fixture. I took a photo. Hal took a photo of me taking a photo.

Inside our villa, was another glorious surprise. The floor was littered with flickering candles and a heart of rose petals on the bed.

To be continued...


Our Honeymoon - Part 1
Our Honeymoon - Part 2
Our Honeymoon - Part 3
Our Honeymoon - Part 4
Our Honeymoon - Part 5
Our Honeymoon - Part 6
Our Honeymoon - Part 7
Our Honeymoon - Part 8
Our Honeymoon - Part 9
Our Honeymoon - Part 10
Our Honeymoon - Part 11
Our Honeymoon - Part 12
Our Honeymoon - Part 13

Life Is But A Dream

Hey honeys, I'm home! As a full-fledged card-carrying wife. Wild!

I don't even know where to begin. The amounts of joy I've felt these last three weeks has been indescribable. I've been preparing myself for the hard hitting reality that it has come to an end. But for now, I'm still flying high from all the love. What laundry? What inbox?  

I'll be sharing our honeymoon photos here in the coming weeks if you're curious about our adventures. As for the wedding shots, we'll have to wait until the professional ones get edited and featured. But maybe I can sneak in a few of our guests' photos here and there, like this one.

Thank you for supporting my guest writers who kept Happiness Is afloat while I was away. Hal and I loved reading all of their unique perspectives on love. What did you think? If you missed any posts, you can find them all here...

Lia
Randi
Caroline
Naomi
Chelsea
Brandi
Tiffany
Rachel
Melina
Meagan
Lillian
Tali
Ellen
Summer
Christen
Donna

{Image by Jenn Harrison}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Donna

Please welcome my beautiful and loving mother, Donna...

 

Two weeks ago my husband and I saw our youngest child and only daughter marry the man she’s loved for the last ten years. She was married here at the home where she grew up, on a warm day at summer’s end - gathering all the people most important to her in one place. There was singing and dancing and joy and laughter. My heart melted as my daughter, the beautiful bride, took the arm of her father - my husband of almost 40 years. They walked towards us through the grass as the musicians played One Hand, One Heart, from her favorite musical, West Side Story.

Make of our hands

One hand

Make of our hearts

One heart

Unlike today’s couples, who wisely tend to marry later, I was a young bride. I met my future husband at age 15. We started dating at age 17, attended our high school prom together, married at 20, and had our first child at 23. Last month we celebrated our 39^th wedding anniversary.

When you marry so young, the difficulties in staying together often stem from immaturity - and as I look back, I realize just how immature we were. But the strength lies in the fact that you’ve already shared so much; common background, school, and many memories, before ever starting your married life. Our shared experiences fostered Friendship before Romance. It’s this friendship that has helped us over the bumps common to all marriages. Romance will flame and flicker and sometimes even die out due to neglect, but a friend will understand and help to build the fire once more. 

I was a child of the times when I married in 1973, and an early, fervent believer in the Women’s Movement. I loved this man very much and wanted to marry him, but I was determined not to be one of those women in Betty Friedan’s book who felt they had to be married and then lost themselves. I was determined to keep my individuality and personhood. Our wedding ceremony was sprinkled liberally with like-minded quotes from Kahlil Gibran. “Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone; even as the strings of a lute are alone, though they quiver with the same music.” “Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup.” “It is out of the resonance between individuality and union that love… is born and reborn.” And so, our marriage was launched on the premise of preserving our separateness and individuality. Unfortunately, our immaturity translated idealism into a need to be right or to force a perspective. It resulted, not surprisingly, in dramatic, impassioned arguments that could last for days, and hurt feelings that were nursed way beyond ridiculous.

Make of our lives

One life

Day after day

One life

After a few years we grew up a little and began to mesh more. Our divisions became less noticeable. The couple became a family. A team. A unit unto itself. An insult to your husband becomes an insult to yourself. Accomplishments of your spouse become your family’s accomplishments, and we all become cheerleaders for one another. Now, after forty years, (much to the embarrassment of our children) my husband and I tend to show up more often than not wearing the same colors and similar styles, even though we dressed separately.

What’s changed over the years is that now we let most of the minor issues stay minor issues. We don’t sweat the small stuff or have to prove each point like we did starting out. Arguments will last a few minutes – even seconds, instead of a few days. Moments later, we’ll find ourselves laughing and discussing a completely different topic. William James is famously quoted, "The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook."  After forty years together and knowing a person so well, this actually involves very little conscious effort.

We continue to have our individual interests and separate curiosities that enrich us personally and as a couple, but what would have shocked and amazed my 20-year-old self, who was determined to keep her individuality at all costs, was the discovery that the larger share of our happiness lies in our shared life.  We find it more fun to share an experience than experience it alone. Any experience. A movie. Travel. A funny story. A sunset. First it’s just more fun to share. Then it’s important. Then necessary. Finally, it becomes food for your soul.

My husband has always been a notoriously loud snorer. (yes, we know all about sleep apnea…) The thing is, no one can sleep in the same room with him. Except me. I’ve fallen asleep to his personal roar for so many years that it’s become my soothing ‘white noise’. So much so that when he’s away on business trips, I can’t get to sleep - because that comforting rhythm of breath and heartbeat that I love … is missing.

After forty years we are starting to resemble this old, gnarled tree in our front yard growing from two root systems. We began our marriage as separate, strong, young saplings, determined to claim our space. Then over the years we found the amount of individual space we thought we required shrank. We grew and reached out, provided support, leaned against, and intertwined - until now it is difficult to see which part of ourselves began with which person. We’ve become that tree that started life as Two, but grew up as it grew together, until it now towers as an older, yet stronger, One.

If you are able to persevere through the difficulties of childrearing – trips to the hospital for broken bones (or in Shannon’s case, a broken nose from a back handspring gone awry), nights lying awake hoping your high school kid comes home safe and sober, college applications and acceptances – you’ll finally hit the Empty Nest. You’ll feel the loss acutely, but eventually it gives way to a new sense of peace. Suddenly you have time for each other again. You have time to appreciate and be grateful for the life you’ve built together and the people who are a part of that life. Happiness for us is watching the sunrise together over a mug of fresh coffee before the day begins. Barring major life crises, you find that your life has become easier (unless you’re planning the home wedding of your only daughter….). You discover the quiet joy – and peace – of just being together; of your One Life.

Shannon and Hal are just beginning that one life together. As Lia so eloquently described in the very first guest blog, life will be the same – yet subtly different, after publically pledging their love in marriage. At the end of 40 years, if they work at it and are very, very lucky, they may be surprised to find their life has amazingly and gloriously been transformed. And then the two shall be as One.

Now it begins

Now we start

One hand

One Heart

* * * * * 

“One Hand, One Heart” from West Side Story.

Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

{Image via The Vintaquarian}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Christen

Please welcome Christen of La Rue Neuve...

Love stories are made of moments.

Fiance and I have been together for nearly eight years. We have setled into routines and habits, and we certainly have had our share of ups and downs. For the most part, we live a rather normal, quiet yet satisfying life. The magic is in the moments. 

We had not been living together very long. I woke up mid-morning on a Saturday. Fiance was still asleep. As I regrettably opened my eyes, the softest, most perfect sunlight flooded our bedroom. Everything was quiet. The air was cool, and the light was warm. Fiance signed, rolled over, and moved in closer to me. In that moment, I needed nothing more. I longed for nothing. I desired nothing more than what I had right then and there. I become overwhelmed with a sense of deep contentment, which can only be felt in the still presence of the person you love most. I will never forget that moment.

The second moment that springs to mind occured several years later. Time: Saturday afternoon. Location: our friends' gorgeous 18th century home. (We were housesitting). If memory serves, we were preparing to host a dinner party (with our friends' permission). Both in festive moods, we played with the dog, dancing and singing as we prepped the food for later that evening. As I ran from the kitchen to the laundry room to put in a new load, Fiance simply said, "You're the one, kid." I stopped dead in my tracks, unsure if I had heard him correctly. My stomach knotted in the way it used to when we first started dating.

"Did you hear?" he asked.

"Yeah, I heard."

(Long pause).

"I love you."

That's all I said. There was no need to say anything else He had said it all.

A year later, I came home after a particularly rough day at work. In a grumpy mood, I put on my grossest sweats, threw my hair into a topknot, grabbed a magazine, requested a glass of wine, and plopped myself onto the couch. Very attractive, I assure you. In no time, Fiance had me laughing and my mood had improved. Jokingly, I informed him that this Michael Kors watch on this page of this magaine would make it all better. In true Fiance style, he suavely leaned over he couch and presented me with a small box. All he said was, "I don't thave a watch, but how 'bout a ring?"

Love stories are made of moments. Our love story might not be worthy of Hollywood, but the best ones rarely are. 

So to Shannon and Hal, I wish for you a lifetime of moments.

{Image via This Is Us In Love}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Summer

Please welcome Summer of SummerCushman.com...

My husband and I recently celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary and if you ask anyone that has spent time with us, most of them will tell you that it’s obvious how much we truly enjoy one another. I’m often asked about our marriage and what makes it work the way it does. The answer I give is that we follow two simple rules:

1. We’re not allowed to die. (I know, I know... we can’t actually follow this one. But it makes us feel better to hold it up as a rule anyway!)

2. We aren’t allowed to go too far off in a direction that the other doesn’t have at least a basic understanding of. (This one is really the key.)

Let me give you a few silly examples: I used to be a professional make-up artist obsessed with fashion models and trends. When I was deep into this work, Jeremy knew all the top cosmetic labels and could identify the fashion models by name. When we moved in together, he loved watching football on Sundays. I knew nothing about sports and therefore thought Sundays kind of sucked. One day Jeremy created an elaborate football field on the coffee table and taught me the basic rules of the game so I could understand what was happening (and now I’m actually the bigger football fan in our house!).

Over the past 15-years we have both grown and changed a lot. I left the cosmetic world for seminary and yoga teacher training. And Jeremy is now pursuing his PhD in Rhetoric and Composition. Clearly our lives have followed a winding path, but we have taken each step of it together. I can talk rhetoric and Jeremy can talk yoga. We understand these things simply because the other one loves them. For us, that’s enough of a reason to love them too!


{Image via Bygone Americana}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Ellen

Please welcome Ellen...

Chris,

I met you in WASHINGTON D.C on the 4th of July.

You drove to BALTIMORE twice a week just to kiss me.

I went back to NEW YORK CITY to pursue my dreams.

You took the train once a week so I could lay in your arms.

We got an apartment together in QUEENS.

I watched you surf in SYDNEY.

You held my hand across the Pacific on a trip home we'd never forget.

I had you teach me how to drive stick in CONNECTICUT.

You'll never do that again.

We went to see your family in MILWAUKEE and I knew I wanted that with you.

I biked through DENVER and imagined living together by the mountains one day.

You sat with me looking at the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, contemplating our next step.

I drink my morning coffee in SEATTLE, a place we both smile and call home.

You are my best friend, my love, my heart, and I am so grateful that I get to see this beautiful world with you.

Love, Ellen

 

{Image via 8Tracks}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Tali

Please welcome Tali of Imperfectly Perfect...

I am here to fill in for the talented Miss Shannon who is busy right now getting hitched. (Woo hoo!) When Shannon asked me a few weeks back if I would like to fill in for her, I was truly flattered that she had asked me, and of course I accepted her offer. Not wanting to disappoint, and having to step into her shoes (very talented shoes if I may say so myself), I sat in front of this computerized blank piece of paper and couldn't find the words for my thoughts. What can I write? What do I want to say?

I was asked to write about long-term love and relationships. That should be simple. Naturally, I thought that since I am in a long-term relationship, I could tell you all about it. But I wanted something else, something different, perhaps a different perspective. So here it goes...

I am Tali. I share my life with my amazing husband, Shay. In Hebrew, "Shay" means gift, and he truly is one for me. See, I was married before to someone else, and that didn't work out, and just when I thought I could never find something better, I did. I know it sounds cliche, but we really have a perfect relationship. By perfect, I don't mean we don't fight or argue, or drive each other nuts at times, because frankly, I don't think that kind of relationship exists. By perfect, I mean that no matter what, we love each other, we support one another, and are always there by the other's side.

I've had my share of relationships in the past, and in my line of work as a wedding photographer, I get to observe other couples interact with each other. Not all relationships are the same and not all couples are alike, but there are a few "guidelines" that can help build and maintain a loving healthy relationship. For Shay and me, these are the core ingedients I've found important.

Balance. A good relationship is all about balance. It's always a balancing act that goes back and forth. It's impossible for two people to always be equal - love the same, give the same, do the same. But when you keep things balanced, you each feel that what you're giving into the relationship, you are also giving back.

Communicate. I think that kinda explains itself, but I'll elaborate anyways. It is impossible to share your life with someone with a lack of communication. It's the key to everything. If two people can't find a way to openly and honestly communicate their needs and feelings to one another, the relationship doesn't stand much of a chance. Couples must find a way to communicate regularly, openly and directly. 

Be open and honest. The more honest and open you are, the better. Yes, most couples have a few little secrets from each other. I guess that's inevitable, but I really do think you should try and avoid secrecy and dishonesty. 

Spend time together. For me, this is an easy one, as both of us love to spend time together. Actually, in a perfect world, we'd do everything together, but that's us. That's not really the norm. Most people need their space and that's good. It's important to maintain your "me time" but it's just as important to invest enough time together as well. 

Date and romance. After you've settled into a relationship, especially when you move in together, it seems that the romance and courtship go down the drain. Don't let it. We try to have at least one night a week in which we go on a date. Doesn't matter what you do, just leave the house and spend the day, an afternoon, an evening, just the two of you.

Resolve things. We have a rule. We never let a fight go unresolved. It's okay to fight and argue, but you have to resolve it. Don't mall on it, don't leave it just like that, and don't play games. If you resolve things on the spot, they stay there. They don't linger. They surface back later on in the future. There is nothing worse than walking around all day mad at each other. And don't forget to kiss and make up. ;)

Love with all your heart. If you're in a relationship, then be in it. Give it your all. Don't hold back. It's the best thing to love and be loved!

And now, before I leave Shannon's kingdom, I'd like to wish Shannon and Hal a very long and happy life together. Live, love, and be merry.

{Image by Tali Schiffer}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Lillian

Please welcome Lillian of Unstitched...

Now that I am engaged, I have been thinking and talking a lot with friends about marriage and what makes a successful marriage. I wanted to share three things that I had heard:

One was from a spiritual teacher, who said it simply: Men: never ever hurt a woman's emotion. Women: never ever hurt a man's pride.

Another was from a fellow blogger friend, who had read this in a book: Men are actually very simple. They only really want three things in a marriage that will make them happy, and it's in this order: respect, food, and sex. (After asking around, this seems to be true.)

The last was from a close family friend: Getting married means you're making a lifetime commitment to an imperfect person.

{Image via Gwen In Love}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Melina

Please welcome Melina formally of Owl & Peacock and now Golden Kin...

Humans have the uncanny skill and desire to classify and quantify - what fortune! Numbers mean so very much to us: they structure our days, months and years; they give us ages, physical features and wealth. More numbers do not always imply greater nor better; but, sometimes they do. Some numbers make news headlines. Others cause scandals. And some discover new worlds while archiving the old. A whirlwind of contradictions, these numbers - so why not let them flutter to the wind and watch them play?

I reflect back on many of the numbers in my life. I have trod this earth twenty-seven years alongside two parents, one brother, one sister and four dogs in this wonderful country of fifty states. Ancestral roots stem from four grandparents, exponentially doubling backwards for millennia and traveling to at least three different heritages. My maternal grandfather was twenty one years older than his wife, my maternal grandmother; she has spent twenty one years without him now, is eighty-seven years old and still works six days a week. She is my number one love - at least of familial caliber.

But my first romance was a mere five second kiss in a classmate's treehouse at age fourteen. Ever since, I have kissed more boys than I care to share - definitely more than ten fingers' worth. It strikes me, presently, as a silly waste of many hours and days. Or not; because we all know that everything we have done up until this present moment led us to precisely this present moment. And presently, there is only one man who exists so fully in my world.

I met my husband almost one year ago, the eighth month of the celestial year. He lived two states away; we spent a mere twenty minutes chatting and it took only two seconds to realize that he was the one. We met again one month later with three hours of conversation, then sent nearly six dozen letters for nearly six weeks. A trip together to the Second City; and without a numbered carat on my fourth finger, we eloped three minutes before the courthouse closed. Only four others knew: our siblings and the waitress serving our celebratory lunch. Three weeks later we shared the news with the dozens of family and friends, and eight months later, we are finally having a celebration with one hundred guests.

Dizzying, no? It took a while to gather those stats; because, truth be told, I do not really care for any of those numbers. Not anymore. They're simply fun to giggle at, something I bring up when I want to get a peek at my husband's two dimples. 

Our first kiss occurred three weeks before we married. Most are incredulous of our haste; but time seems to be the last thing on our minds nowadays. Time holds all those numbers we defied and laughed at. We're not very fond of rules, especially the numerous rules we have not created ourselves. And that's just it: we create everything, our universe, together. Numbers are a new, a very brand new thing that we are building. What matters those numbers involved in the foundation so long as it bears a great, wondrous structure? We know that we will laugh together for many, innumerable years to come - but we take it moment by moment and revel in the marvel of existence. Then, and only then, do our numbers shine. 

So go play with your numbers. Play and make believe and gain points and tally; then forget it all and start a new game afresh. Innumerable doors will open and close throughout our lives - one of which may be a love that cares not what the score is. By saying Yes to whim and spontaneity: this is how I found the perfect teammate. 

Besides, who doesn't like a game?


{Images via Vintage Photobooth}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Rachel

Please welcome Rachel of Elephantine...

One of the things I love about being in a long-term relationship is the traditions that we have. Every morning I give him a kiss on the cheek when he leaves for work, every weekend we go out to breakfast and listen to "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" on the drive home, every Halloween we buy ample amounts of candy despite not getting any trick-or-treaters. Sometimes the traditions are sweet and sometimes they're silly; sometimes they're formed on purpose and sometimes on accident. One at a time, they might not feel so significant, but added up all together they turn into something special.


{Image via Bippity Boppity Boo}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Tiffany

Please welcome Tiffany of Eat Your Heart Out LA...

When Shannon first asked me to write a guest entry on Happiness Is… I was honored. Then she informed me that the theme of the post would be on long term relationships and love.

And I panicked.

My whole identity is based on being single, after all. My writing, my evenings, my musings — it all revolves around my lifestyle as the girl who is not in a relationship. I’m a serial dater. I’m the girl that gets weekly forwards of articles entitled, “Why You’re Not Married” and “Single and Off the Fast Track.” I’m the girl who has never babysat, never fantasized about my bridal gown, and has never wasted an eyelash wishing for love. What, then, can I contribute to the subject of longevity? What do I have to say about love, that someone who is actually in love can’t articulate more eloquently and accurately?

Then I realized I do have experience with a long term relationship. One that lasted years and endured a thousand little heartbreaks. One that held me up through debt, and funerals, and hospital visits, and job woes. One that lasted longer than any of my romances: the relationship I have with my three best friends from college. Sure that’s not what most people have in mind when being asked about long-term relationships, but some people are blessed with a husband or a wife. I was blessed with friends.

The four of us have traveled the world together. We’ve dodged flying champagne bottles on New Year’s Eve in Barcelona; we’ve dodged handsy men in Paris. We’ve cried together in Vancouver. We’ve had 10 course meals in Seattle. The four of us read the same novels at the same time (we’re in an exclusive four-member book club). And we can break down any song into four-part harmony (if you are so lucky as to have my number, you will now know who is serenading my voicemail message), willingly performing for any stranger we encounter. I know everyone thinks their friends are tops, but can your three closest friends compare Mikhail Bulgakov to Gabriel Garcia Marquez in one breath then segue into a harmonized rendition of an SNL Lonely Island tune the next?

I live a life that’s remarkably transient. In a single year I’ll move twice, and it’s likely I’ve swapped jobs. My social group of the moment will have come and gone, along with some boyfriends I cared about and others I didn’t. My hair color? That’s probably changed too. And by the next time you see me, I’ll probably be contemplating a move across the country. But the sole common denominator of the last decade of my life has been those three girls. They’ve never fled, even at my moments of weakness. They’ve loved me, even at my most despicable lows. 

When most people imagine the last chapter of their lives, they imagine it with their spouse by their side. I picture my three girlfriends there, hands wrinkled, a little grey perhaps. Because they’re the ones I’m sure I’ll grow old with. Their friendship is the greatest love I’ve known.


{Image via Chalk & Ink}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Chelsea

Please welcome Chelsea of Lovely Indeed...

Hi friends! I'm stopping by to share a few things I've learned during my first year of marriage. My sweet husband and I just celebrated our first anniversary, and amid a spectacular first year, we definitely learned quite a bit about each other, ourselves, and making a marriage awesome. So big congratulations to Shannon on her wedding, and my gift is the little bit of knowledge that I have to share! Let's get to it.

Exercise your Empathy Muscle. I seriously remember the moment that I realized how much more I understood about my husband if I just imagined myself in his situation. If you can empathize, suddenly a whole other world of understanding floods in and maybe misunderstandings aren’t so weighty anymore. Try putting yourself in your honey’s shoes. See what happens.

See Kindness for What It Is. I like using the little spoon. Not the big soup spoon. Ever. Mr. Lovely knows this, and sometimes still gives me a big spoon. But the point is that he gave me a spoon! That’s really sweet, right?! Now I can just sit here and eat my yogurt. He really just tries to be kind and give me what I need. So I’m trying to stop saying, “Aw, dude, the big spoon?” And just say, “Thanks, Boo.” (Yep. Sometimes I call him Boo.) Moral of the story: if the hubs tries to do something sweet, give him credit.

Do Something Extra. It sounds dumb, but surprises at home can be really awesome. Like “Surpriiiise! I did the laundry and you don’t have to.” Or “Surpriiiise! I made you a delicious beverage!” Mr. Lovely is really good at this one — I’m getting better. He usually beats me to it. But I’m trying to do more extra.

Just Say Yes. Sometimes you don’t want to do that thing that he wants to do. I don’t want to go to this store to look for a chair, because we’ve been to ten other stores today looking for chairs. But he wants to and so maybe I just say yes. And not a sulky, icky yes that clearly says “You’re a big jerk.” A yes that says, “Dude, I’m in. Let’s do this.”

Let Him Help. Sometimes, dudes just want to be dudes. Yes, you can lift that heavy thing yourself. But dudes like lifting it for you because it makes them feel dudey. (Dudey. It’s a word now.) I consider myself pretty capable and independent, and I like doing things myself. But when my husband says, “Let me do that for you,” I let him. Because who knows how long that’s gonna last?!

In any case, I know this just scratches the surface — being married is awesome, and I kind of see it as this zillion-piece jigsaw puzzle that the two of you are always working on, together. Lots of stuff to figure out and fit into place. And obviously there’s so much more; I'm sure Shannon would love to hear your tips, too! xoxo

{Image via Silver Velvet Sky}

GUEST SERIES ON LASTING LOVE: By Brandi

Please welcome Brandi of Not Your Average Ordinary...

"The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don't finally meet somewhere, they're in each other all along."

- Rumi

The quote had been written on a sheet of paper and taped to one of the walls in the small acting studio I attended in college. It hadn't always been there; one day it simply appeared. As days passed (and eventually turned into years), I found myself more and more enchanted by the thought: lovers do not meet, they are within one another all along. It seems both foreign and familiar at the same time.

We ask new couples, couples getting married, couples who have been together for years, how they met. Why don't we ask, "how did you recognize one another?" The heart sometimes knows right away; sometimes it is cautious, taking its time to open and see love clearly. But there are few sights filled with as much beauty and hope as seeing two people who have recognized each other, promising to hold that love and discovery sacred. 

 

{Image via Pretty Indeed by Elizabeth Messina}