Happy New Year!

 

 

We hope your 2016 is a wonderful year filled with love, health & happiness! 

 

Cheers to a New Year!

 

Kelly & Susan

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays, we wish you a very happy and  enjoyable time with family and friends! During your celebrations, don't forget to capture the moments by taking pictures and even video...you will appreciate having them in the following years!

Cheers!

Kelly & Susan

A Newylwed's Gride to the Holidays and the In-laws

With Christmas around the corner, many newlyweds are faced with “how do we spend the Holidays now that we have three families (or more!) to consider?” Which route will you take? A calendar only has so many available slots.

 

Figuring out how to successfully “leave and cleave” to make a new family with one’s spouse while simultaneously making sure you that you are both still honoring your parents as God asks us to do (even as adults) is a challenge which leaves many of us perplexed. Especially over the Holidays.
As you and your new spouse face the Holiday season, here are a few things to keep in mind in this great article we found on Start Marriage Right.com.

Assume the best
If there is one thing I find again and again amongst people my parent’s generation, it is that “they don’t want to be a burden”. Your in-laws are probably not trying to be controlling or demanding – even though it may feel that way. More likely: they care about you and want to see you and are concerned about losing touch with you: factors which can easily make invitations seem like guilt-trips. When talking with them about the Holidays: try to remember that the important thing is that they want to spend time with you and stay in relationships with you (rather than that they are trying to control you or exhaust you). Focus on the positive.

Remember that honor doesn’t mean “your wish is my command”
Honoring our parents as adults means we need to show respect and concern for them: acknowledging that they have placed invaluable roles in our lives, and making an effort to listen to them and stay in touch. It does not, however, mean you can never disappoint them by saying no. Parents are free to invite their adult children to spend the holidays with them (and vice versa), but there should be the freedom to say no, without having a Giant Dump Truck of Guilt poured on them. If you say a polite ‘no, not this year,” – your parents may be disappointed, but they have not been dishonored.

Say your Yesses: figure out what you want
In the midst of the tousled conversations of whose family is doing what and where and when for the holidays, one question young couples often forget to ask is simply: “What do we want for the holidays?” Assuming that you have a desire to stay connected to both your families of origin and express your love to them over the holidays, decide together how you would like that to look. Would you like to spend Christmas Eve with the extended family? Do you want to go to midnight carol service? Say yes to the things you really want to say yes to: both invitations from others and your own desires to create new family traditions. Say yes out of choice, not out of guilt.
Also, decide how you would like to express your love to your parents and in-laws: you may not want to attend their evening service, but would you like to invite them for breakfast instead? Or is there a special gift you’d like to give them over a cup of hot cocoa a few days before, if you’ve decided to spend your Christmas together alone somewhere in the snow? As Boundaries authors Cloud and Townsend wisely say: if you don’t know what you want to say ‘yes’ to, it becomes nearly impossible to say the ‘no’s’ you need to.

Say your ‘No’s’: briefly and politely
Very few people like to hear the word ‘no’, but that doesn’t mean it should never be said. If you have decided how you would like to spend the holidays and have determined how you, as a new family, are showing your affection to your families of origin – it might be time to say some no’s. These are hard to say, but here are some suggestions: Be firm. Don’t be apologetic: you don’t have to give reason (these often come across as excuses. Express that you love them and say something positive to affirm that this is not a personal rejection of them (“I’m so glad we will still get to talk on Facetime”, or “I’m sad to miss out on the pecan-eating contest. Send me a picture, won’t you?”)

Remember Romans 15:12
Some couples are tremendously blessed to have two sets of happily married and completely supportive families with healthy boundaries, all living close by, and all with very flexible schedules. I daresay that for most of us, things are not that simple. Distance, divorced relatives, crazy uncles, crazy costs involved in travel and more all serve to complicate situations which are already frought with tension over the holidays. Sadly, many couples are dealing with at least one very damaged and hurtful relationship with their in-laws. Sometimes, the holidays hurt no matter what you do. In these situations, I am helped by the all-season wisdom of Romans 15:12, “if it is possible, and as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” It may not always be possible, but with healthy boundaries and kindness, we are to try to negotiate the holidays peacefully. As far as it depends on us.

The weeks and months of planning and decision-making about the holidays can be a time of great stress, but also a time of great blessing. May you carve out new patterns of togetherness as a couple, and choose healthy habits of how you will relate lovingly to your families in a busy season.

We would love to hear what new traditions you are starting as a couple and how you are incorporating your old ones into your marriage!
 

Bridal Shows & Events in Nashville, TN

Congratulations, You're Engaged! Now the planning begins! Chances are you, your mom, your girlfriends and maybe even your groom will want to attend a couple of Bridal Shows as part of your wedding planning process. Bridal Shows are fun and a great way to talk with many vendors in a short amount of time. In fact we, will be participating in the Perfect Wedding Guide show on March 6, 2016 and would like to offer you two "Free" General Admission Tickets to the show! Please see below for the code and stop by and see us!



 

Here's a list of shows and events which are taking place in Nashville in the next few months!  

December 10, 2015

Sip & Shop
Thursday
4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Ultimate Girls' Night Out in Murfreesboro
Street Tuxedo Murfreesboro
536 North Thompson Lane
Murfreesboro , TN 37129
www.streettuxedo.com

January 2-3, 2016

Saturday & Sunday

Brides Against Breast Cancer Nashville Bridal Show
Sheraton Music City Hotel
777 McGavock Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
VIP Event
Saturday, January 2, 2016
6:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Cost:  $20 Each
GENERAL ADMISSION
Sunday, January 3, 2016
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $5
http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org

January 10, 2016

Bridal Show
Sunday
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Enchanted Brides Bridal Show 
The Hutton Hotel |
1808 West end Ave.
Nashville, TN 37203
Price: $10.00
http://www.enchantedbrides.com/
 

January 17, 2016

Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Nashville Pink Bridal Show 
Music City Center
201 5th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
Price: $10 online; $12 at the door
http://www.thepinkbride.com/
 

January 24, 2016

Sunday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
The Sumner County Bridal Show 
EPIC Event Centre
392 West Main St
Gallatin, TN 37066
Price: $5
http://www.sumnerbridalshow.com/
 

February 14, 2016

Sunday
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Here Come The Brides Bridal Show at Embassy Suites Franklin TN 
Embassy Suites
820 Crescent Centre Drive
Franklin, TN 37179
Price: Register on our website at herecomethebridesbridalshow.com for two free tickets. If you need more than two, you can purchase them on our website or at the door the day of the show for $8.00. If you bring a canned good for the needy, than your price is only $5.00
http://www.herecomethebridesbridalshow.com/

 

March 6, 2016

Sunday
12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
The Ultimate Wedding Planning Experience
Music City Center
201 Fifth Avenue South
Nashville , TN 37203
VIP TICKETS
Bride or Groom: $30.00 Online
Guest or Fiancé:  $15.00 Online
GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS
$10.00 Online; $15.00 At the door
http://www.perfectweddingguide.com/

April 10, 2016

Sunday
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Murfreesboro Pink Bridal Show
Embassy Suites
1200 Conference Center Blvd
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Price: $10 online; $12 at the door
http://www.thepinkbride.com/
 

 

 

 

Jocelyn + Ted's Wedding at Keller's Country Weddings

In May, we had the pleasure of getting to be a part of Jocelyn & Ted's wedding day! Even the threat of rain throughout the day couldn't dampen the joy and love surrounding this couple. Family and friends gathered at Keller's Country Weddings to witness Ted and Jocelyn exchange their vows. Thank you to Caley Newberry Photography for capturing their beautiful day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Clean Plate Club put together this beautiful spread. The food was as delicious as it looked!

 



 

 

 

 

Mr. & Mrs. Ted Limmer

 

These goats were too funny! They could actually make the merry-go-round go 'round'!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations Ted & Jocelyn!

 

Special thanks to these vendors who made Jocelyn & Ted's wedding so wonderful!

 

 

 Vendor Spotlight

 

• Event Planning & Coordination: Decadent Details Events
• Ceremony & Reception: Keller's Country Weddings
• Photograper: Caley Newberry Photography
• DJ: Adam Warfield of Premier DJs of Nashville
• Cake: Clean Plate Club
• Catering: Clean Plate Club
• Bridal Boutique: Arzelle's
• Rentals: Liberty Party Rental
• Hair & Make-Up Artist: Theresa Little