Pages

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

#goinboan in 3...2...1...!

Ladies and gentlemen...we are THREE days from the wedding!


My boss asked me a few months ago if I was going to take off the week of the wedding. He thought I was crazy, but I know myself. I would prefer to have something going on so I have less time to worry or be anxious about any of the wedding details. So, I decided to work Monday - Wednesday this week, and now I have just one more day in the office!

Speaking of countdowns, there have been so many to enjoy during this season:

  • The last holiday season as a single
  • The last trip for me to KS and Jacob to TX
  • The last goodbye of our long-distance relationship
  • The last weekend as a Livengood with my family
My dad texted the other morning and said we had 127 hours and 30 minutes until the ceremony. Now we're down to 89 hours and 10 minutes. Isn't it amazing how time can either seem to pass quickly or slowly? It seems to be dragging on right now...

It has been so fun to celebrate this season with family and friends. Jacob and I are so blessed by the generosity of community. The offers of assistance with planning, setup, tear-down, etc,. are so very kind. We are grateful for their thoughtfulness and willingness to lend a hand. It "takes a village" to plan and pull off a wedding!

And now instead of counting down lasts, we'll be looking forward to so many firsts:
  • First kiss as man and wife
  • First dance as man and wife
  • First vacation together
  • First house
  • First summer
And so much more! 

"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." -Song of Songs 6:3


Friday, January 23, 2015

'Twas the week before the wedding

I can hardly believe it - the day is almost here! 


After four months of dreaming, planning, meeting with vendors, signing contracts, and making lists, the wedding is just seven days away. Jacob is so much fun to plan with! Throughout this process, we've enjoyed learning more about each other - our preferences, what excites us, how we envision celebrating with family and friends, etc. We had certain things we planned together and other things we each took charge of and either consulted with each other or decided it will be a surprise. 

One of the things I love about Jacob is his patience. He has listened patiently to me as I talk through decisions that need to be made or details I'm debating. He's such a great partner in the planning, and I know it will carry through in our marriage.

My sister gave me a wonderful planning tool called The Bride's Handbook: A Spiritual & Practical Guide for Planning Your Wedding by Amy J. Tol. The thing that drew me to Amy was her honesty about how busy wedding planning can be and how important it is to not become so consumed with the practical planning that the spiritual focus falls to the wayside. Each section presents a practical approach to planning some aspect of the wedding and then makes an analogy to how we prepare ourselves as brides of Christ. The book is set up in 12 sections:

  1. The Engagement
    • Bride of Love, Your Engagement Plans, Bride of Transformation
  2. The Groom
    • Bride of Loyalty, Your Groom, Bride of Trust
  3. The Budget
    • Bride of Self-Control, Planning Your Budget, Bride of Grace
  4. The Basics
    • Bride of Devotion, Planning Your Basics, Bride of Discipline
  5. The People
    • Bride of Patience, Planning for Your Guests and Attendants, Bride of Selflessness
  6. The Flowers
    • Bride of Joy, Planning Your Flowers, Bride of Peace
  7. The Photos
    • Bride of Faith, Planning Your Photography and Videography, Bride of Modesty
  8. The Wedding Attire
    • Bride of Humility, Planning Your Wedding Attire, Bride of Honesty
  9. The Invitations
    • Bride of Prayer, Planning Your Wedding Stationery, Bride of Courage
  10. The Ceremony
    • Bride of Worship, Planning Your Ceremony, Bride of Dependence
  11. The Reception
    • Bride of Goodness, Planning Your Reception, Bride of Wisdom
  12. The Gifts
    • Bride of Contentment, Planning for Your Gifts, Bride of Generosity

I am sure you can tell from the section and chapter titles that there is some good stuff in this book! Each practical chapter has note-taking pages, and these were really helpful for brainstorming. I highly recommend the book if you are looking for a gift for a new bride (or yourself!).

The days will pass quickly, and soon it will be here: the day I say "I do" to my best friend. My prayer is that the day would honor the Lord and be a special time of celebration with family and friends.