Brooke & Jason just welcomed baby girl number two… and yet it seems like yesterday we were dancing on their wedding day.

We hit it off instantly, Brooke & I. After many conversations, I learned that she is a scientist who does fancy science things, but at the root she & I are very similar. We are passionate about many of the same things and we find similar values in life. Since her wedding, I am honored to say that we have become friends who discuss the great wonders in our lives. And of course, many conversations revolving around ‘Guess what my kid just did- is that normal?’

*****

I remember your wedding like it was last year… we had a rainy day & I was so excited to use my vintage umbrella! How many years has it been now? 

Oh wow, it does seem like yesterday! Three years this May 2015!

And do you want to tell us how life has changed since the wedding?

Well, we’ve tried to keep charging through life: we had our first child, Meredith, about a year and a half after the wedding.  Jason and I have taken a few trips both before and after Meredith, and moved into a newer home, further out in the suburbs…they’re right, kids change everything 😉

Now that you’ve moved from wedding planning to family planning, let’s remember some of the wedding advice you received. What advice stands out whether or good or bad??

One piece of advice that I received stands out as the most unique recommendation: Spend the time of the reception with your new spouse.

The recommended went on to say that this is the only party where you should experience the evening together and not compare notes about who said what and who did what throughout the evening.

Let me tell ya, it can be quite challenging when you’re running around talking to all your friends and family, but I agree that this is the one party you want to experience together. And who doesn’t want to see the bride and groom gleefully enjoying the first few hours of marriage TOGETHER 😉

What was the BEST advice? 

Be sure to EAT! Not that reminding me to eat is difficult, but enjoy a lunch or breakfast before the big event, and-for the love-enjoy whatever you’re serving at your reception. You’re gonna need it to hit the dance floor, be on your feet the rest of the night, and enjoy your friends and family that are there to support you and your new life as a couple.

Anything you wish you’d done differently? 

No. I’d do nothing differently. Did things go perfect? No. But it was a wonderful day and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’d hang with my girlfriends while getting ready and be so silly and dance so much that in all my pictures from that time, my hands were in the air. I’d laugh so much that in every picture my mouth is open, and I can hear my own cackle through the photograph.

I’d stay true to who I am, go with my gut, and do what was best for me and my beloved on that day. I’m a fan of Emily Post’s Book of Etiquette (being a debutante from the south), but sometimes your life and who you are doesn’t always align with the ‘proper’ or ‘traditional’ expectations of a wedding day. Life isn’t always proper and traditional…

So, no I wouldn’t do anything differently. I’d laugh, cry, hug, and dance my way through a memorable wedding day.

Who helped make your day fantastic?

Everyone, absolutely everyone. Each person’s smile, well wishes, and laughter that we got to embrace during the day made the day memorable.

Although, having a wedding planner certainly allowed me to focus on all these special moments instead of worrying about what time we need to be at the church, if all the vendors showed up, and who gets which boutonniere!? I’ve been a part of weddings with and without a wedding planner, and I’d recommend an experienced wedding planner to any bride, if possible. With a good wedding planner, you can truly just relax and enjoy your whole day*. That way there’s no additional pressure on a Mother of the Bride or Mother of the Groom or even your bridesmaid extraordinaire to worry about any wedding details.

*We used the incredible Patti Gehring of https://www.pattigehringsignatureweddings.com/

What is your favorite wedding day memory or a favorite piece from your day? 

There are two memories…the moment I walked out of the Bride’s room to the Chapel doors (nervous, excited, and overwhelmed with blessings); and the moment we left the Chapel together arm in arm. Of course, I had a truly talented photographer that captured that moment we walked out of the Chapel…feelings of love, happiness, calm and overwhelming peace. And of course, that brilliant photographer shows us the photograph in black and white, and we both smile every time we see it hanging in our living room.

*you can insert that photo here

Now that you are married and starting your family, what’s next? What are your hopes & dreams for the future now that you are a mom?

Well, let’s see…It’s probably not about what’s next, but more like what is the new normal. I think you know what I mean when I say that. It’s so easy for us to dive right into talking about work-life balance, or I’m worrying about what I’m feeding my kid, and is she going to nap today? And of course, my usual mantra: come on over, I’d love to see you, but my house is a mess. Add all those thoughts up in my head up, and you’ve got the new normal.

What’s next? Continuing to find the best way to be a mom, wife, daughter, friend, employee, overall contributor to society (laugh), and find quality time for myself (necessary to realign focus and energy). My hopes and dreams? To be in the moment, enjoy one another, not take myself/life/or anything too serious, and to make it through those teenage years. HA!