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 Thanks again to Luxury Travel Guide for awarding us with "Corporate Event Company of the Year - Jamaica"! It is indeed an honour to have received another award in such a short space of time.
We continue to represent the tiny Caribbean island of Jamaica, and proving to the World that our island is where the real magic happens! xx  ....WHITE LIGHT EVENTS JAMAICA!
That's right folks, years of hard work, dedication, blood, sweat and tears has led to this moment! This is the moment that our designs and creativity is recognized on a global level! It is a real honour to receive this award and none of our creativity would be possible without thanking a few people. To our families who have nursed us back to health after countless 24-36 hours stints on our feet To our team of loyal and zealous work men who recognize that no idea is too big to handle. To our amazing vendors/suppliers who understand our vision and have supported us through thick and thin. To our clients who have given us the chance to be as out-of-the-box and as creative as humanly imaginable. We are only ever in competition with ourselves...continuously striving to make each wedding unique and offering handmade designs that WOW. Thanks again! White Light Events Team  Now coming from me, this may seem a little bit hypocritical because I treat every wedding like it’s my own, and I’m not saying that doesn’t have it advantages. Let’s face it, anything you put your heart into it with the purest and highest intention must reap magical rewards. BUT… no matter how good your intention, how much energy and effort you put into it… it is not your wedding! You’re not entitled to anything, other than your payment at the end of a job well done. You cannot force your ideas on your clients. Yes, you may be offering your advice from a place of experience or from a creative stand point. They may very well be great pieces of advice or creative snippets. You may feel disappointed, dejected or frustrated when the client turns down your ideas….ah my lovelies, suck it up, not your wedding, not your final call! You need to know when to quit the fight. Put it this way, you may think that your job is to actually plan the wedding. NO! That is where you have gone wrong. It’s your job to make sure the bride feels relaxed and comfortable while she makes decisions about her wedding. You make suggestions, you present options, you give expert advice and then you back up and let her make HER decisions and feel comfortable doing so. I have had several brides that I have encouraged to use a tent, so that in the event of rain, there is no panic. Despite the logic, many of them have decided to go out on a limb with no tent. As uneasy as I was each and every time one of them made that decision, I still smiled and said, “let’s think positive- it will not rain”! And in the case where it does rain, I say, “rain is a blessing, it is still going to be an amazing day”. The last thing she needs from me is pressure and a big fat “I Told You So!”. A huge mistake we make ( I am so guilty of this, and I scold myself all the time), is that we tend to spread the budget too thin because we want to give the bride everything she wants to make her happy. I want to give her stuff she doesn’t know she wants, but I know she needs to make the event that much more perfect (in my eyes). But when an “oh shit” moment comes, I’m backed against the wall - no money in sight - running to the ATM to pull out my personal money to ensure that everything is taken care of. Some of you may be like, “awww, what passion, and selflessness”. Listen to me- ITS DUMB AND ITS STRESSFUL!!! I put myself in a very compromising situation, I have my own expenses to consider, and half the time, the bride doesn’t even notice the extra details that you have gone overboard on because she’s caught up in the excitement of the day. IT IS NOT YOUR WEDDING. THERE IS A BUDGET FOR A REASON. STICK TO THE BUDGET! Finally, DO NOT TAKE ON THINGS YOU ARE NOT EMPLOYED TO DO! You already have a very stressfully detailed job. Taking on additional details that are outside of your scope of work is just making a very complex job… more complex. You do not have to figure out how to have the two step-parents in the room with no fighting….not your job. You do not have to help write the vows, you do not have to fan the bride, you do not have keep all the bridesmaids’ high heels safe while they dance. All those things can be designated. OR… we are dealing with adults, adults can be responsible for their shoes. YOU need to focus on your job and not over extend yourself to the detriment of the job ….BECAUSE ITS NOT YOUR WEDDING!   A Bride can’t help but be a bride and listen, that is her right. She can dream up her fairy tale wedding with all the frills and thrills she desires to make her dream day come to life. YOU however are NOT the bride! You have a job to do. At first it may seem like your job is to give the bride what she wants, but take my advice, the bride only knows what she thinks she wants…it’s your job to KNOW what she really NEEDS! I’m even going to make this easier for you by telling you exactly what EVERY BRIDE wants: They want a memorable, smooth flowing day enjoyed by everyone, and dare I say, “the best wedding anyone has ever been to”. You will not achieve this task by having an outdoor, open air wedding in Florida at 1pm in August because that’s when she thinks the sea will look most beautiful as her ceremony backdrop. So no matter how many violinists play like angels, and glasses of champagne you feed those guests, they are going to be miserable in the heat. They will hate you and the bride, regardless of how beautiful the décor is or how romantic the ceremony is, they will still hate you! The key to a successful wedding is to think like a guest! The most successful weddings are when the guests feel like they are a part of an experience, a story and not just a spectator. From they arrive at the wedding, the venue helps to set the stage for the type of experience you want everyone to have. Beach relaxed, courtyard romantic, hill top hideaway or garden cheerful – that is what starts the event off right. While they wait for the bridal party and bride to arrive, what will they be doing? During cocktail hour, will they just be sitting there restless, knowing maybe a handful of people, or will there be activities that force them to intermingle, or be entertained? It’s your job to guide the bride to think of these things. At the end of the day, this is a one day experience for the bride, and if it doesn’t go well, she’ll cry about it and have to move on. You on the other hand, may be out of a job. You are only as good as your last wedding. The idea is to impress as many people as possible because you’re not getting repeat clientele… well these days who knows… but generally, the idea is that you get one pop to make each client happy, no second chances, and no free rides. You have to work at this! Pull out those comfortable shoes and work for ratings. Making guests happy means sometimes holding their baby for an hour so mom can get a chance on the dance floor, or it may mean being the one to jump on the dance floor and start the dance train to get the energy flowing! Whatever it is, it’s your job to inspire your bride with creative ideas that will make her big day memorable and keep your name at the top of the Wedding Planning Game! Go be awesome!   As a wedding planner you will be expected to know some great caterers. I am sure I don’t have to tell you that food is one of the most important aspects of the wedding and one of the biggest ticket items in the budget. So, take my silly advice and do not go out on a limb and recommend a caterer that you have never worked with before or that you have never tried their food before! I don’t care how many people rave about this person’s cuisine, if it hasn’t passed your lips you just can’t vouch for them. Here’s why: - Catering service is so much more than just great food. I’ve worked with many amazing caterers whose food could meet top notch standards anywhere in the world BUT their service was absolute garbage. Yup, I said it. Their wait staff were unprofessional, slow, messy, unaware of etiquette… just a never-ending train wreck that was extremely painful to watch. Guests got the wrong food, party favours were stolen….and yet the food was delicious. - Do your due diligence on your caterers. Some caterers are better suited for small groups rather than larger numbers. The tasting goes so well when it’s a handful of the bride and her family members, but on game day, they crumble under the numbers and the food from the tasting is a distant memory. - Not every caterer can make any and every meal. Some caterers are suited for different styles of cuisine. A caterer that says they can cook anything really should be taken with a pinch of salt. I love when a caterer says “I can’t, but I know someone who can”. Here is what that says to me: It’s not about the money for them, it’s about the quality. You know that the other vendor must be good because a chef recommending another chef …. I mean, who better to know right! Still…. refer to paragraph 1 just to be sure. The tricky part to all this is when the bride chooses her own caterer and they are someone that you have never worked with. The plus side is that it takes the pressure of food quality off your shoulders, but alas, no free rides my love, you still need to be thorough in your dialogue: Do they provide plates and cutlery? Do they set up or do they just drop off the food? Do they provide the wait staff as well as the clean-up service? Will they be cooking on site; do they need a tent for that? Do they need a wash area? Will they be providing that or do you need to source it? You may be taken aback to know how many caterers DO NOT provide many of the services I just listed. More to the point, YOU my friend, become responsible for these things! Personally, I prefer a full-service caterer, that way I am not responsible for damages to rentals like table cloths, serving tables, plates etc. However, if there is no getting around it, then ensure that you discuss a refundable cash security deposit - that will be refunded once its assured that nothing was damaged. If not, you stand to lose. Finally, I urge you to consider staff meals! You would think this would be a given, since no one can run to KFC in the middle of working someone’s wedding. However, this detail is very often overlooked. Some caterers make special meals for the staff (DJ, photographer, planner, etc) while others serve whatever the guests are eating. This little service is NOT free or included, it must be discussed so that it is clear that no one is left out. Hungry people are angry people…not ideal for wedding day splendour!   So the biggest rule of business is - “don’t go into business with your friends or your family”. But seeing that I am all about breaking rules, here are a few rules that should help you seamlessly break that rule. Let’s face it, what could be cooler than planning weddings with your BFF!? Rule #1 Prepare for your friendship to change. It’s true. This is not necessarily a bad thing by the way. I still have to prepare you for it. Your conversations about whatever you used to converse about will now more or less be about weddings! Wedding décor, the poor or great vendor, the new people you met, the frustrations, how much your feet hurt, how badly you want to bathe, why you wore a particular bra because it hurts. You will swap photos on Instagram (not of your children or outfits) of weddings you dream to set up. Your talks will no longer be about “mom hacks”, diet trends or whatever normal people talk about it. It will be centered around how to make the business better, from marketing better, to new décor ideas. As I said above, your friendship will change… not for the worse… just different. Rule #2 Know every aspect of your business For me, I think this is one of my biggest, most important rules. Both individuals should know every aspect of their business… but you DO need to delegate your roles and then STAY IN YOUR LANE! Learn every aspect of your business because it helps with vendor choices, helps with quality management, helps with crisis management. However… micromanagement never helps a soul! If you can’t trust people to do their job, and to do their job well, then you shouldn’t be in business with them. You have to exercise trust. Don’t get me wrong, you have the advantage of there being two of you, so you can cross check each other, knock ideas off each other, even call each other out if you don’t agree with something. But at the end of the day, you have to trust each other and give each other the space to do the delegated job and do it well. Another aspect of this, and it is a very precarious aspect of this rule… THEIR fuck up is YOUR fuck up! If you know your business and you are checking back each other as you should, then guess what, finger pointing cannot happen. For example, in our business, I do the costing, but my partner checks it back and sends it out. That way, if I cost a centerpiece for $10 instead of $100 she should see it before it’s sent off. BUT if she doesn’t, and the client gets it, then it’s both our cross to carry. We don’t do blame game in our business because we are involved in every aspect of the business. I can’t tell you the number of times Tulle (code name for business partner) and I have had to clear plates because the wait staff weren’t coping, or I had to MC while she was trying to fix the bride’s dress. Me telling the guests that the wait staff is incompetent doesn’t make me look good or help the situation. As a business owner, you just get on with it and clear tables for the team. There is no I in TEAM. #teamworkmakesthedreamwork Rule #3 Leave the fight with the job. Tulle has resigned on me …. probably on almost every job. We fight and bitch, and sometimes want to drive a spear through each other at some point during almost every job. But once the job is complete, we are back to laughing till we end up nearly wetting ourselves. You can’t carry those feelings home; you can’t take them personally. Being a business owner is a high stress job, and being a Wedding Planner is a job that can make you takes things VERY personally. You have to be willing to let go sometimes and realize that you don’t always have to have your way… you can give them their way at times too. It’s hard, I know. You have a vision and you want to preserve what you believe is the vision of the bride, but so does your BFF. Unfortunately there will be times that you both have very different opinions on what you believe that vision is. Not everything has to be a fight to the death. Rule #4 Sometimes it will be unfair…but as friends, you will understand You heard me right, sometimes it will feel down right unfair! You’ll feel like you are doing most of the work, you’ll feel like you are putting in most of the resources or the most time. Guess what though… you’re probably going to be right about that…sometimes. This is where you have to pull on your “best friend powers”. Recently I had pneumonia. Tulle ended up not only having to do her work, but mine too. Vice Versa. Tulle’s dad passed on a couple years ago. Her head was on another planet, and she fully zoned out on me for the greater part of 9 months to a year. I didn’t get upset that she wasn’t pulling her weight because my best friend, not my business partner, lost her dad. She could stay zoned as long as she needed till she found peace. That’s the benefit of working with your friend, they offer certain leniencies that a traditional boss wouldn’t. Rule #5. Know when to let go. People change. One day bestie may wake up and decide that she doesn’t want to be a wedding planner anymore. Thank God that hasn’t happened to me yet, but I have been faced with the prospect of her leaving on an indefinite sabbatical to go spend some quality time with family in the UK!! Eeek scary stuff right! But let’s face it , people change, dreams change, and as her best friend, she has to feel comfortable enough to tell me the truth. Even if it hurts, you have to allow her the chance to go forth and be who or what she wants. I believe honesty is the quality that will hold the friendship together in the long run. The partnership may end but that is absolutely no reason for the friendship to end. My statements have not been evaluated by the friendship and business bureau and cannot cure or destroy friendships or businesses.   Taken from http://www.scarymommy.com/awesome-things-about-marriage/?utm_source=FB&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000035 My husband and I are in our 18th year of marriage. Over that many years, you gain a deeper understanding of what words like love, commitment, support, annoyance, frustration and forgiveness really mean. While it’s certainly not sunshine and roses all day, every day, being married can be pretty freaking awesome. Here’s why: 1. Not having to date. No waiting for a guy to call, no wondering whether or not he’s really into you, no uncomfortable conversations about where you think this is headed. I do not miss any of that awkwardness and uncertainty at all. 2. Not having to shave religiously. Don’t get me wrong—I’m a shaver, but it’s more for my own comfort than for my husband. If I want to ditch the razor for a while in the winter months, it’s all good. Hubby don’t care. 3. Burping and farting and not being embarrassed. (Tee hee hee *snort* Bodily functions are funny.) 4. Sharing household duties. I’m admittedly a little spoiled in this area, since I married a guy whose parents owned a janitorial service and who is well-trained in mopping floors. It’s sanity-saving to have another grown-up to dust, do laundry, and pull long-lost LEGOs out from under the couch. 5. Sharing kid duties. Take the awesomeness of No. 4 and multiply it by 40. Parenting is a crap ton of work. Single parents amaze me. My husband and I can barely keep up with three kids between the two of us. I can’t imagine going it alone. 6. Warm up your feet at night—naturally. 7. Having someone to Netflix and chill with, and I mean actually watch Netflix andactually chill, at the end of the day and actually like it. 8. Not having to call sex “Netflix and chill.” 9. Having better sex. It’s a common myth that married couples’ sex lives will inevitably fizzle out, but I don’t think that’s true at all. If you can push through the little kid years of physical and mental exhaustion, the intimacy of marriage can create a really fun sexual playground. 10. Having a cuddle buddy. As fun as sex can be, sometimes you just want to be close without expending any energy. It’s lovely to be able to say, “I’m not up for a romp tonight—let’s snuggle.” 11. Having someone to come rescue you when you try to pull a casserole dish out of the top cabinet, start pulling everything else out with it, and can do nothing but teeter there with your arms fully stretched above your head while you precariously keep it all from crashing onto your head. 12. Having someone who understands how the remote control works. I have a college degree and still can’t figure that sucker out. 13. Being told you’re beautiful when you’re sitting bleary-eyed on the couch in your jammies and haven’t even had your coffee yet. 14. Sharing the driving on road trips. I love to drive, but not for hours and hours at a time. Being able to relax in the car and stare at the pretty scenery is a highly underrated perk of life partnership. And when the kids are little, having a co-pilot to hand out snacks and wipes and pick up dropped binkies is a huge bonus. 15. Being able to say to the kids, “Go ask your father,” when you don’t have the mental or emotional stamina to field one more freaking question. 16. Having someone who understands the opposite sex. I adore my little boy, but some of his boyishness befuddles me. It helps to have someone else with a penis to offer some clues as to why the boy does what he does. 17. Having someone to vent to without being judged. Sometimes you just need to complain about everything for a minute and get it out of your system. Spouses are great sounding boards. 18. Having a soft place to land at the end of a hard day. Sometimes you just need to curl up and let the day dissolve. Spouses make great teddy bears. 19. Constantly learning new things about one another. People are pretty fascinating, and life partners are especially so. It’s really cool to watch a person unfold over time, to witness the way they change, and the way you change along with them. 20. Being able to say almost anything and know that you’re not going to scare them away. There’s a magic in being vulnerable with someone and a beauty in feeling safe enough to do so. 21. Having someone to pick up the slack when you’re sick. Parenting when you’re sick is a big fat NO. There’s nothing more endearing than a man who makes you honey lemon tea and keeps the kids out of the bedroom while you binge watch Downton Abbey and complain that you’re dying. 22. Being able to be you—all you, nothing but you—and having that be cherished. 23. Getting tax breaks, having someone to do your taxes with, and having someone to complain with about doing your taxes. 24. Communicating with a look. It might be “Are you effing kidding me?” or it might be “Hey baby, how you doin’?” but when you’re married long enough, you can practically have a whole conversation without words. 25. Building memories and reliving them over and over. The best part of being married a long time is the ever-growing archive of stories and memories you collect together. There’s comfort in sharing life experiences—good and bad—as a team. I know that not everyone is thriving in their married life and that I’m fortunate to have an amazing spouse, but I also think people can be too quick to tear down marriage in general. Sure, it can be challenging at times and good relationships require work, but marriage really can be fabulous way to live.  Taken from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laurie-stone/how-to-pick-a-really-good-husband_b_9193604.html?
I came upon my wedding picture recently, taken June 7th, 1980. My husband Randy and I were 23 years old. Thirty-five years ago we knew nothing much except we loved each other. But looking at this young bride, I give her kudos for one thing. She knew how to select a mate. To that end, I have 8 thoughts for any women out there not sure if their guy is husband material... 1. Pick a funny man. This is important. The first time I met Randy we were 19 and sitting in our college cafeteria. He made me laugh... a lot. That was my first impression of him. Almost 40 years later, he still makes me laugh... a lot. He's always the funniest guy in the room. You'll need this sense of humor. It will sweeten the good times and soften the bad. 2. Pick a sweet man. The first time Randy arrived for a date he gave me a little bouquet of yellow chrysanthemums. Decades later I still can't see or smell these blooms without thinking of that day. Even now, Randy still brings me flowers. He knows how much I love having a fresh bouquet in my Connecticut kitchen. I love that he does that. 3. Pick a man who loves music. Our marriage has always had a great soundtrack. In college we'd drive around listening to Steely Dan's "Aja" and the Who's "Quadrophenia." Over the years Randy has filled my life with music he not only plays on his bass, but has turned me onto -- Hendrix, Zappa, punk in the 80s, Grunge in the 90s, Outkast in the 2000s, and of course, always (sound of heavenly choir) the Beatles. 4. Pick a smart man. One of the things I love about our marriage is the snappy dialogue. Sometimes we're Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in "Bringing Up Baby," all fun, witty banter. Other times we're Ralph and Alice Kramden from "The Honeymooners," fast zingers and deadpan sarcasm. Sometimes the dialogue is from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf," with George and Martha's high, toxic melodrama. Whatever our mood and circumstance, we always have interesting conversations and that keeps life intriguing. 5. Pick a good man. While I can be prickly and snarky, Randy always takes the high road. He sees the best in people. He never holds a grudge. He's sympathetic. He treats everyone with dignity and respect. From the Chairman of the Board to the taxi driver, Randy wants to know everyone's story. He could strike up a conversation with a mailbox. I wish I had his openness. I'm working on it. 6. Pick a strong man. For the past 35 years Randy's risen countless mornings and gone to his corporate job with aching joints and a body that doesn't always feel great. Some years he's taken 100 business flights in every kind of weather. I'm always awed by his toughness and the skill needed to provide for a family year after year. What a great example to our two sons. What a great example to me. 7. Pick a passionate man . Randy has many interests like music, wine, and alas...collecting. Anyone who's read my blog knows my "enthusiasm" when it comes to the newspaper, baseball card, political memorabilia, and coin collections. Oh well. Randy loves life. What can I say? Things could be worse. He could also enjoy amassing snakes or antique surgical equipment. 8. Pick a good father This is most important. A man can be many things, but if he's not a good Dad, that's a problem. I knew Randy would be a good father by the way he treated our first cat Floyd. (Full disclosure: I adopted Floyd to jumpstart Randy into wanting kids. It worked like a charm). I saw how much he loved this goofy feline and knew he'd be an affectionate, loving, patient father. I was right. And that's the list. That's what you look for in a husband. I got lucky and I know it. I found my best friend early in life and we got married and somehow kept it together. Life isn't perfect, but it's almost always beautiful. Did I miss anything? What makes your marriage work? Laurie Stone writes from the woods of Easton, CT. Come visit her blog, "Musings, Rants & Scribbles" where she shares thoughts on growing up, growing older and growing (hopefully) wiser. You can also find her on Facebook. Follow Laurie Stone on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LaurieJStone  Taken from http://apracticalwedding.com/2015/04/how-to-find-a-wedding-planner/ If you’ve already hired professional vendors for your wedding, you know that some are easier to gauge than others. Photographers? Well, you should make sure you like their personalities as much as their portfolios, but you can generally get a pretty clear understanding of what the finished product will look like just from their websites alone. Officiants? It’s a little harder to tell if they’ll be great or if they’ll turn into that scene from The Princess Bride, unless you actually, you know, see them perform a ceremony. Wedding planners and coordinators fall somewhere in the middle, because the job is both visual and logistical. And logistics are hard to showcase on a website. Not everyone has it in the budget or desire for a planner or coordinator (for that, see how to stage-manage your wedding), but if you do you, they can make your wedding smoother and more organized, and in some cases, even save you money. But that doesn’t mean all coordinators and planners are created equally, or that everyone is going to understand and value what you’re trying to do with your wedding. As with any other person you’re hiring to play a key role in your wedding, it’s important that you do some research before you sign a check. Before you get to the part where you sit down and talk with a prospective planner or coordinator, do your due diligence. Check their website and online reviews, get a feel for who they are and what they do. Once you’ve done your basic vetting, set up a time to meet in person or have a lengthy chat on the phone (because people’s Internet personalities and real life personalities don’t always match up, y’all). If you’re not sure what kind information you should be asking a prospective planner or coordinator at this point, here are six quick questions that can help you figure out if they will be a good fit for you guys, and your wedding. Think of it as a mini compatibility test:
Taken from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jp-reynolds/15-romantic-quotes-to-inspire-the-writing-of-your-vows_b_9066166.html?utm_hp_ref=weddings&ir=Weddings
Brad called me the day before his wedding in a panic: "How do I write my vows?" I was surprised because Brad's a violinist and often plays at weddings, so he's heard numerous vows. In that moment, though, he sounded like a drowning man! I told him to just speak from his heart, but this only confused him, "How do I do that? What else should I do?" "Nothing," I told him, "just speak from your heart." I reminded him that a vow is not a pre-nup. It's a pledge of the heart and, as such, is not a detailed listing of everything that he's going to do or not do in his marriage. His vow is but an echo of what is deep within his heart. Brad and his fiancée, Mary, had been high school sweethearts and dated throughout college. She, too, was a musician. At their ceremony, Brad made his vow first. Mary's eyes were glistening as he spoke movingly "from his heart." When Mary went to speak, she was so overwhelmed that she reached out for my hand. I thought she was just giving my hand a squeeze so as to steady her nerves. But, she held it tightly throughout her vows. Over the last 20 years, I've officiated many, many ceremonies and while I've not seen it all or heard it all, too often I can forget just how difficult it is to find the words to let someone you love know that there are no words to describe your love! I'm not sure I can teach someone how to compose a vow. A toast or a speech? Sure. A vow, though, is such an intimate expression of devotion that it defies instruction. While I can't tell you exactly how to write your own vows, I can help you focus on your love and life together, and, in so doing, find the words that echo what's in your heart. I invite you to slow down, mindfully create time and retreat into your heart as you consider what you're promising to your partner in this crazy world of ours. What follows are 15 of my favorite quotes about love, companionship and marriage. After each quote, I pose questions to get you thinking about the particulars of your love and commitment. Let your answers to these quotes inspire and guide you as you go about writing your personal vows! 15 Quotes To Cheer And Inspire You 1. To love someone is to hope in them always. Anonymous • What are your hopes for your partner? For your own self? • What are your hopes for your life together? 2. Make yourself necessary to someone. Emerson • How is your partner necessary to your life and well-being? • Is your partner your life OR does your partner give you life? 3. To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage. Lao Tzu • How has loving your partner given you strength and courage? • What have you been able to do with that strength and courage? 4. Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, only with what you are expecting to give -- which is everything. Katherine Hepburn • What does it mean for you to give "everything" in your marriage? • Is there something you're not willing to give your partner? 5. You have made a place in my heart where I thought there was no room for anything else. You have made flowers grow where I cultivated dust and stones. Robert Jordan • What has your partner brought into your heart and life that you thought was never possible? • How have you brought healing to your partner's heart? 6. We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. Robert Fulghum • How are you weird? How is your partner weird? • What do you enjoy about your shared weirdness?! 7. The first duty of love is to listen. Paul Tillich • What do you enjoy about listening to your partner? • What has listening to your partner taught you about yourself? 8. Never love anyone who treats you as ordinary. Oscar Wilde • How does your partner treat you as extra-ordinary? • How do you treat your partner as extra-ordinary? 9. Two people fall in love, and decide to see if their love might stand up over time, if there might be enough grace and forgiveness and memory lapses to help the whole shebang hang together. Anne Lamott • Have you and your partner been able to forgive each other? • How important is the notion of "forgiveness" in your life together? 10. For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul. Judy Garland • What is something your partner has told you about yourself that no one else has ever said? • What have you told your partner about him or her self that no one else has ever said? 11. My whole life changed when I decided not just what I'd like to do, but when I decided who I was committed to being and having in my life. Tony Robbins • How does your partner help you be who you want to be? • Who and what has your partner introduced you to that has broadened your world? 12. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. George Carlin • What is a moment you shared with your partner that "took your breath away"? • What do you hope never to forget about the experience? 13. Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone -- we find it in another. The meaning of our life is a secret that has to be revealed to us in love, by the one we love. The one who loves is more alive and more real than when they did not love. Thomas Merton • What has your partner helped you discover about yourself that you had not known before? • What have you helped your partner discover about himself, herself, that they did not know before? 14. When we talked, I felt brilliant, fascinating; she brought out the version of myself I like most. Nadir Alsadir • How does your partner make you feel "brilliant" and "fascinating"? • What version of yourself does your partner help to bring out of you? 15. The best way to know life is to love many things. Van Gogh • What things do you love now that you didn't when your partner was not in your life? • What is the greatest thing about love that your partner has helped you learn? JP Reynolds, M.Div. has officiated more than one thousand weddings and has coached hundreds of people in how to create and deliver heartfelt, personalized ceremonies. If you've been invited by a friend or relative to celebrate their wedding ceremony and are wondering what to do, visit: http://ceremonymadesimple.com Follow JP Reynolds on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@jprweddings |
AuthorBe Inspired. Be Bold. Just Be Archives
May 2018
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