lauren&jared {happily ever after}
Lauren & Jared celebrated their first anniversary this weekend, & I am happy they took a few minutes to answer some questions for me! Their wedding is one I will never ever forget. Yes, it rained terribly, but what I won't ever forget is how they handled it. Smiles never left their faces, & their feet wouldn't stop dancing. It was a great night indeed.
Tell me about your wedding:
1. What was your most memorable moment?
Lauren: Probably the rain! But not in a bad way... I love thunderstorms & MAN did we get one that night! I actually think the rain made it unforgettable & almost magical.
Jared: When she said "yes." Hah I guess I was still a little nervous that she wouldn't!
2. What were the inspirations for your wedding? themes? Why did you pick this time of year?
Our wedding inspiration stemmed from our love of the outdoors. Rock Lake Ranch was such a picturesque location & was large enough to accommodate Jared's big family! We incorporated deer antlers along with deep burgundy, white, & champagne colors for a rustic, unique, & elegant look. Maybe I am biased, but I thought Tricia, from Tricia Barksdale Designs, made the most beautiful flower arrangements I have ever seen! She definitely captured everything we were looking for.
3. Was there anything that was not worth fussing over? In other words, did you have a bridezilla/groomzilla moment over something that was insignificant?
Lauren: I have to say that Jared was pretty great through the whole process & let me do my own thing, but he took care of the live band (The Sophisticates) & drinks. That took a lot off of my plate. My advise would be, don't sweat the small stuff.
Jared: The music choices were not worth fighting over, because after it was all said & done, we had to cut some of it out anyway due to the weather.
4. Any advice for those planning now?
Lauren: Just have fun! Remember each moment & don't forget to laugh. Wedding planning is very stressful so keeping a positive attitude will go a long way. Oh, & have a backup plan in case it decides to monsoon at your outdoor wedding!
Jared: Music & food can make or break the wedding, so make sure you have great food & a great band/dj.
Tell me about married life!
1. What has been the easiest & hardest parts about adjusting to married life?
Lauren: The easiest part is getting to see each other every day. We had to do long distance for the better part of 3 years, so finally getting to be "together" makes a huge difference. The hardest part would be the stupid fights & learning that it's not worth the fight.
Jared: Easiest part is just having fun together. Hardest part is her job. She works nights so we don't get to see each other as much as I would like.
2. What's been the most surprising thing you've learned about each other?
Lauren: How much he really likes to play golf!*
Jared: How much she really likes to shop!
* Oh, & how much we actually have in common. I don't know if that has to do with spending more time together, but we have starting thinking & talking alike...scary!
3. What do you guys do to spend time together? Do you have weekly dates? something nightly? monthly?
We do our best to have weekly dates together. Usually just dinner or a movie, but we also make sure to take small trips every 3-4 months to get away & forget about the real world for a little while.
4. What did you do, or will you do, to celebrate your one year anniversary?
We are going to spend the weekend at a quaint little B&B in downtown Fredericksburg! We plan on hiking Enchanted Rock, going on as many wine tours as they will let us, & trying great food! Can't wait!
5. Any plans for the future? Or, rather, what would you like to have done/seen/experience in the next five years?
In the next 5 years we hope to travel to New Zealand & Australia. We are passionate travelers & hope to see as much of God's great earth as we can. It is our dream vacation & we would love to do that before we start a family. Which is also in our 5 year plan. We are hoping for three, but we will see how we feel after 2.
