Wedding Pickle

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Stephanie & Juan Florida Wedding

I always feel such a connection when I get features that come from local photographers! And by local I mean from where I lived before or where I am living now. I had the pleasure of meeting Alexis from from Red Stone Photography in a networking event here in Pensacola and I'm so excited to feature this wedding from Lynn Haven today! The little details are just touching and the colors are uplifting. Even better is the joy that is captured. Oh and you gotta see the groom's cake, just darling! lol :-) Congrats to Stephanie and Juan!

Photography: Red Stone Photography via Two Bright Lights
Venue: Panama Country Club
Hair Stylist: Luxe Hair Salon
Event Planner: Bella Dia
Floral Designer: Hallmark Flower Shoppe
Dress Store: David's Bridal, Simply Elegant
Cake Designer: Sunshine Sweets Bakery
DJ: GTS Entertainment Group, Inc.
Makeup Artist: Makeup By Savanna
Tuxedo and Mens Attire: David's Bridal

Monday, June 11, 2012

Marriage Monday is Moving!

You know when something happens that suddenly becomes the straw that broke the camel's back? I recently went through that and I have a confession... one I'm terrified to share on a public platform for all the world to see...

Source: tumblr.com via Melina on Pinterest

I started seeing a counselor. Yes, I do believe that God is the end all, be all of the answer to all of our problems. But, think about it. People who have been given the gift of listening and guidance were given that gift for a reason. I can pray all the time and read my bible all day, but to be able to talk to a third party that can help me sift through my thoughts and inner battles of my mind?... Well, having that is simply an answer to my prayers.

In just 2 (really long) sessions, I've learned new ways of improving my attitude. To treat the voice inside me telling me negative things as a separate being (a.k.a. the Devil) who keeps me from reaching my full potential which God intended for me to live out His purpose. The other thing I learned is the act of questioning my negative thoughts. When a thought pops up in my mind I tell it "No!" But then I also question it by asking it "Why?" Why do I feel this way? What do I think is stopping me and what habits have I not realized I have been forming, but constantly live by?

I am tired of hindering myself and my own growth because of fear of failure, of guilt, or the fear of acceptance. I realize that I have to life my life for me. To allow myself to reach my full potential because I know I can never do what God intends for me if I keep listening to that negative voice that shoots me down all the time.

If you have been following me for a while, you have seen my struggle to keep posting, or to even be present not only on the blog but on social media. But now as I work on myself through this counseling experience, I have to apply what I learn.

Over time, the focus of the blog has shifted from a wedding inspiration blog to a Christian marriage blog. This comes from my belief that divorce in this nation can be eliminated if God is present in our marriages. Now that just makes all those wedding planning details and pretties and stresses all worth it just knowing that we are building stronger marriages when we strive for Christ!

As I have been shifting towards a career that is easier to move around, working towards being a fitness trainer, and as the focus of the blog shifted from wedding planning to planning for a stronger marriage, I have been fighting with myself for a long time to change the name of the blog. My fears have been that I'll lose followers but for those of you who follow me anyway, I know that it will be worth it.

Thanks to a third party opinion, I have made the decision to change and start anew on a new blog. I like to think that this blog has always been me, but I want to blog from a name that I can better grow with. I can never leave the blogging world, not only for the hard work I have put in the last year and a half, but also because of the messages I have received from readers that inspire me and keep me going. To those of you that keep up with me here in my little corner of the vast world wide web, I cannot leave. My name may change but I realize that perhaps God has given me an outlet, a way to reach out to others. To inspire others in leading them towards Him! Many of you have reacted positively to my Marriage Monday posts and to my Love Challenges. Right now I feel as if that is my calling. That even if I speak to one person, that even if one couple has a beautiful memory because of a challenge I put out there, that even if I lose the wedding planning followers but keep the followers who also want to build a strong marriage, well.... then it is all worth it!

I haven't bought a URL yet, and the site isn't even up to all the tweaks I want to make to it, but I decided to go ahead and move myself. I pray that those of you who follow me for your marriage will keep following me. I'm not leaving, I'm just moving. It is kind of like life when we move to a new neighborhood or new state right? But it is still me!

And to those of you that I lose, or have already lost due to my lack of posts lately, I pray for you always! I pray that while you are in the midst of your planning, that you are able to keep God in front. That while you are about to scream and punch everybody in the face for bugging you on wedding details that are Driving. You. Crazy! That you will still be able to keep that moment when you will say your vows, when you will say "I Do" in the front of your mind.

I pray that we never lose sight of what is truly important in the process of getting married. And then I pray that I can continue to provide a raw and open account of a woman who keeps trying. I'm flawed but the beauty is that God loves me anyway. It is my hope that you can feel not alone in certain feelings, to relate to the common issues we face as Christian women, yet may be too afraid to admit or feel! My new blog is me opening up the dialog for us to relate to each other and to support each other.

Allow me to introduce my new internet home:

thestronglifeblog.blogspot.com

It is about living strong in our marriage, in our homes, our bodies, and our faith. It's a bit of the chronicles of marriage (no marriage is perfect but the journey is the beauty!), fitness to make stronger, healthier bodies that bring stronger attitudes, and growing in Christ, the learning, the mistakes and the all around way that being a STRONG woman makes us better wives and better servants of God.

"She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." ~Proverbs 31:25

"I can do all this through Him who gives me strength" ~ Phillippians 4:13

P.S. Marriage Monday will be on the new blog as "The Wifely Life" and even better, the Love Challenges aren't leaving at all! They will continue on the new blog asap! I hope to see you there! Here is to living The Strong Life!

P.P.S. Does this mean Wedding Pickle is over? No way! I plan to put together guides that round up posts from my archives and some other ideas in the future. Wedding Pickle won't be full time anymore but it will still be around. Consider Wedding Pickle and The Strong Life to be sister blogs! Complementing each other. One for before your wedding and one for after! :-)

Source: sodahead.com via Melina on Pinterest

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Whitney & Chris Hawaii Engagement

I really love when I get submissions with pictures that are Just. So. Pretty! The beauty of nature is beautifully captured and not to mention the love between this lovely couple! I also love that this shoot from Nate and Jenna Photography isn't what I typically think of when I think of Hawaii, which only shows more of the beauty that state has!

From the Photographer: A beautiful Texan girl and handsome English gentleman meet interning at a church in Maui, Hawaii and know they can't live without each other. They decided against a typical Hawaiian beach photo session and did their engagement session in the beautiful, secluded upcountry Maui with spectacular sweeping coastal views. The shoot looks more like somewhere in Europe than on a tropical island.

Photography: Nate and Jenna Photography via Two Bright Lights

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Love Challenge Update

I've been going through a lot and brainstorming and thinking a lot these days. What this means is that I have decided to be up to something new. Anyway, I'm working on an idea for the love challenge series and it is also going to have a new "face". It is still going to be me in the video, but they are moving places. Think along the lines of a new domain.

Confused yet? So am I. I want to share what I'm working on but I just don't feel ready to make the change. So just bear with me with these Love Challenges, they will be back, I promise!

In the mean time, here are the challenges from last month:

May's Love Challenges
1- Write a note saying how proud you are of your man.
2- Do something or get something for him without him asking.
3- Give yourself an hour of "you"time that focuses on making you a better you.
4- Pick up a book or read an article that is marriage related. Knowledge is power!

Already did these? Maybe check out the challenges from the 14 Day Love Challenge we did in February. Pick one and challenge yourself to do that this week!

1- Begin a list of a 100 things you love about him
2- Hold his hand at a random moment
3- Be positive in your words and behavior
4- Tell him you love him at a random moment
5- Leave a sweet note somewhere for him to find
6- Give him a small gift to show you care
7- Ask for him to help you with something
8- Give him a compliment
9- Dress to impress him
10- Tell him "Thank you" for something specific he did
11- Start making plans to make him a heart-shaped food item
12- Find a moment today to cuddle with him
13- Dig out some old photos of the two of you and put them on display
14- Give him a Valentine's day card

I'd love to hear from you about your experiences with the challenges! Be sure to Like Wedding Pickle on Facebook to share!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Kaitlin & Seth Colorado Wedding

Where have I been all week? Where was the 5th Love Challenge? Are you asking these questions? It has actually been a rough week for me emotionally (maybe more on that on a later post) and I stayed away from my computer to avoid being productive. I haven't even been to the gym all week! That is usually where I go to feel better. I know I am being vague but I ask for your prayers for God to give me strength!

Anyways, I couldn't think of a better pick-me-up and a perfect way to come back and end the week then to feature an absolutely gorgeous wedding! Gorgeous couple, gorgeous venue, beautiful photography from Kelli Nixon Photography and a romantic classic car and pink shoes make an appearance. Yeah, I'd say this is a perfect way to end the week and welcome the month of June! Have a great weekend everyone!

From the Photographer: Kaitlin & Seth met at a Calvin College, a Christian college in Grand Rapids, MI. They have a really traditional "falling in love" story. Both are completely committed Christians and dated in College. They were married by Kaitlin's pastor from Michagan at a venue in Colorado. We were fortunate to be the photographers for this stunningly beautiful couple.