Show & Tell Monday: Wedding Bells

Linking up with Becky today for her series, Show & Tell Monday. Today, we're talking weddings!

1. Are you married? If so when did you get married, and tell us about your special day. If not? How would you describe your dream wedding? 

C and I were married on October 3, 2009, a beautiful fall day during the worst torrential downpour you have ever seen. While I prayed and prayed for a day free of rain, when I woke up that morning and saw the forecast, it didn't bother me one bit. I could tell everyone was so worried that I'd be upset: not one person said a thing to me about the weather all day. Nothing could keep me from enjoying every single second, not even a rain-soaked dress and the leaky roof on our trolley!

What my wedding day taught me, was that it didn't matter how big or how small, how or when... your wedding day is gorgeous because of all that it means. All the planning, the details, the stress... they all seem so big before that day. But when that day comes, it's all about the two of you. And, nothing can really take away from that. Not even 3 inches of rain.

 2. Show us some wedding pictures. Either yours or of some that you love. 

All wedding photos are from the amazingly talented Bryan Avigne Photography!

3. How about the engagement? Tell us your story. If not engaged, what's your dream proposal? 

C took me to Burlington, VT under the premise of a birthday weekend.  We had been together for over two years, and already lived together, so I kind of thought he might propose while we were away. I grilled my mom, and she flat out told me "He hasn't asked your father yet, so I hate to burst your bubble, it's not going to be this weekend". And just like that, I stopped thinking it would be that weekend.

While on a walk on Saturday morning, we stopped down at the waterfront and sat in two Adirondack chairs on the pier. C starting talking about how much I meant to him, and to be honest, I didn't hear much after that. I kept saying to myself "he's not really going to ask me... he hasn't asked my dad! oh no, my dad is really going to be upset he didn't ask him...", and then all of a sudden he was on one knee with a ring, asking me to be his wife. C claims I said "what are you doing?", but I'm pretty sure I said "oh. my. god, YES!". I jumped up, and while kissing and hugging and crying, he told me to turn around. There stood both our families, watching the whole thing. This was my reaction:

4. Show us your wedding rings or an engagement photo! If not engaged/married ... show us your "dream" ring. 

5. Tell us why you think marriage doesn't work out for so many? What can we do to make things last?  

This is a hard one! I think there are a lot of reasons, and some of them pretty obvious. In a world where social media runs our lives, I think people have more exposure, or could be more tempted to developing intimate relationships that can be hidden from their spouse. I also think that some people have an expectation that marriage is perfect, and that once you walk down that aisle, your life will be full of unicorns and rainbows. It's so important to be happy and real before you get married, because really, not much is different the day after the wedding. You have a new pair of rings, and a new last name, but that person is still the same person you woke up to the day before.

Happy Monday!