Just the Beginning

I want to extend thanks and gratitude to all of my faithful readers. You have all had a hand in making this blog a success. As the school year draws to a close, I will be done with my class, from whence I started this blog and I will move on to bigger and better things. But this does not mean the end of Something Blue!

On the bright side, now that classes are finished I will give full attention to wedding planning! I look forward to posting my progress on a weekly basis and provide helpful wedding tips along the way. If you know someone, or you yourself are a wedding fanatic, please remember to frequent the blog and post often.

I look forward to future blogging but most importantly, I look forward to marrying Joel Joseph on January 5, 2013! Please pray for us over the next seven months. I am so excited to see what God has in store for us!

Wedding Day Décor

As with all DIY brides, creativity is key. It is fun and challenging to find new ways to incorporate everyday items into your wedding. Going this route will also save you A LOT of money and hassle!  Here are a few items that I have on hand for the big day.

I just bought this beautiful antique fan a few weeks ago. I love the nostalgia and rustiness of this classic piece. Being that my wedding theme is somewhat "vintage", this little guy will fit in quite nicely on the guest book table, or among the old wedding photos I plan on having at the reception.








Just had to throw in this lovely vintage picture of me and my boy

  


Let me just pause to say that weddings are a huge day in your life! Two families are coming together as one and therefore, you should pay homage to the fact that they are important to you and your future spouse. With this in mind, I plan on having old wedding pictures of my parents and soon to be in-laws, as well as various wedding pictures of our grandparents and family who have passed. This is a symbol of the love and commitment of those who have gone before us.

I absolutely love my precious suitcases. They will be just perfect to hold cards at the wedding and reception!

It wouldn’t be a winter wedding without a little snow. I am not big into the whole Christmas themed weddings thing but I am allowing a little wintery whiteness on my big day. I found these snow covered branches at a Farmer’s Market near my house. They will be great décor to make the room feel a little bit more seasonal.

This is one piece I have yet to find. I really want an oversized glass door or window to make into our seating chart list. This will be at the reception to help the guests find their table number. These unique pieces of furniture are very hard to come by and often quite expensive but I will not give up until I have found the perfect one!

And now to the best accessory I could ever find my fiancé! Even though this wedding planning process is not a walk in the park, Joel has been by my side to help me every step of the way.

It’s easy to get sidetracked and lose sight of the goal that you are trying to accomplish but you must always remember the most important detail of any wedding is the person meeting you at the end of the aisle.

Please take time to check out http://www.facebook.com/#!/ElleMeredithPhotography 



A Biblical Interview With A Godly Woman

The following is an interview with a Godly woman who is an inspiration in my life. Kal Otis is a child of God, wife, mother, grandmother, pastor, counselor, and a great friend to my fiance and I. I asked Kal a couple of questions on weddings, marriage, and life in general to get perspective from a much wiser woman than myself! 

1. What is the hardest thing about being a wife, mother and pastor?  

Juggling all the roles. Scripture is clear about the order of these roles and yet life happens, I get busy and the order changes. Above all I am God's daughter - so my relationship with Him comes first, followed by my role as a wife, followed by that of being a mother and then ministry. When the orders gets mixed up, scripture says there is disharmony in our lives. Also, being a 'pastor' is who you are - it is not a job. At any given time do you stop being a daughter or mom? No...The same thing is true of being a pastor. It is a 24/7 role and it takes a lot of emotional as well as spiritual energy which impacts family life. Having said all this, let me make it clear that there is no greater joy than being a daughter to the King, a wife, a mom and a pastor! It is very rewarding. I get to invest in others and see their live change for eternity! 

2. How long have you been a Pastor? 26 years

3. How long have you been married? 6 years

4. What is the biggest thing God has taught you in the past year?

The biggest thing I have learned this year is that parenting means learning to let go! From the moment children are born, parents need to recognize that they are a gift from God and that we have temporary stewardship of our children. Our job is to raise them to love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind. Another thing I have learned is that if you parent from fear rather than faith you will fail. God's plan is bigger than ours. He has a defined purpose for His children and it requires me to walk by faith as I parent. Imposing my will on my children is wrong! 

5. What has been your greatest joy as a marriage counselor?

I love counseling those that are eager to invest in their relationship with God and each other. When couples learn to stretch themselves to see things from the other person's view - they win and I get to see this in action! There is no greater joy than watching couples stayed married through good and bad times and rely on the Lord for strength. 

6. What is the most common question you encounter in marriage counseling?

This is a hard one! Wish everyone would ask questions! Most of the time couples go to marriage counseling either because they are about to get married or because it is the LAST resort and their marriage is failing. I wish couples would pair up with mentors who would counsel them throughout their marriage. We would have healthier marriages! I guess, what I am trying to say is that there really isn't a common question because every marriage is different! 

7. What is the greatest joy, when it comes to marrying a couple?

I love marrying couples I know. The more I know them, the better! I get great joy in making the wedding ceremony personal! It creates memories that last a lifetime! 

8. What is the best advice you could give to an engaged couple?

Rely on God, stay humble, guard your heart and learn to love/respect each other unconditionally. Learn skills to help you fight for your marriage! Guess what...they do not come naturally! 

9. What is the hardest thing about planning a wedding/ being a wedding coordinating?

Unrealistic expectations and interference from others that are closely associated with the bride or groom. Not sure why everyone tries to make it about themselves rather than about the couple getting married! It robs the couple of joy! 

10. What's some advice for a newly engaged girl, planning her own wedding?

Girls dream about their wedding day from childhood. Plan a wedding that fulfills your dreams. Anything is possible! Also, enjoy the process and don't try to please everyone. 

11. What is the most challenging thing about marriage?

  Broken expectations! Couples assume their spouse is a mind reader! Really? Time and time again I see couples that cannot recover from broken expectations! Too many broken expectations leads to un-forgiveness and a harden heart which builds walls. I have seen people walk away from their marriages because of this. Not sure how or why this happens but we all know that life is tough! So why do people think marriage is easy! Marriage brings great joy and enriches our lives but it is tough too! In summary, most issues stem from miscommunication as well as unspoken and misaligned expectations! 

12. What is the best thing about being married?

I believe there is no greater gift from God than that of a marriage! You can enjoy true friendship, love, respect, sex and partnership to its fullest only in a marriage! Two shall become one is the truest sense!

Pastor Kal & Her Beautiful Family 

Wedding Projects

Wedding Projects Can Either be Fun or Stressful!

This all depends on what kind of bride you are. The beauty of wedding projects is that they can be easily accomplished well before the big day. I myself have 270 days left until I get married. This may sound like a lot but I’m not naive in thinking I have all the time in the world. I have started on a few minor projects to get the ball rolling.

The first thing I suggest to any bride is start collecting! Granted some girls may have been saving things for their wedding since junior high, but most are not that crazy. As soon as you get engaged, zero in on what your wedding colors will be and what kind of theme you’re thinking of for the day of your wedding. From there you can start brainstorming on Pinterest and blogs to get ideas of décor, dresses, cakes, etc.  Once you have these ideas firmly nailed down, the hunt begins! Start collecting things you know you may need. Rummage Sales are a great place to start if you’re looking for simple things like mason jars or vases. 

Goodwill is also a treasure trove for common items that you may need for your wedding. Don’t waste money on things you know you could find for less. Frames can be painted to match your wedding colors. 

These frames will be turned into the chalkboard frames I made in an earlier post!

Antique stores are my guilty pleasure. I could spend hours just searching through all the wonderful things they have to offer. Whats great about antiques is that you can use a classic item and turn it into something useful and inventive for your wedding. 

Flour Sifters become Flower Girl Baskets

Antique Tin becomes Pen Holder for the Guest Book

Starting on small projects now will leave much time later for the bigger details of the wedding. You can save time and money by being organized and prepared to tackle the small things first.

Something Brown...

If my dear readers haven’t noticed by now, I am in fact engaged and on my way to being married! It truly is a wonderful feeling but as the old adage goes, with greater ability comes more responsibility. I realize that marriage will be no easy task. It will take a lot of hard work and commitment on both our parts, but I couldn’t be more excited to marry my best friend. 

 Along with marrying Joel, I also find myself in a new and challenging situation. Not only will I be marrying into a new family, but a completely new culture. Joel is 100% Indian. Originally, his family is from South India, Kerala to be exact. They speak Malayalam and English fluently. They still hold some traditions and customs in high respect and of course stick to cooking mostly delicious Indian cuisine. His family is first generation Americans. They have been strong and resilient to establish a new life for themselves here in the States.

athirapilly waterfalls, kerala, 


I was naive to think that cultural differences would never hinder us, but by the first few months of dating, I was proved wrong. In the Indian culture, parents are not likely to meet a potential girlfriend or even fiancé until after the engagement period has happened. Because of this, I was not allowed to come over to their house or spend a lot of time with the family; this was just an uncommon practice for their generation. I also had to get used to a completely new take on flavor. I was probably one of the pickiest eaters until I met Joel. I would’ve been content with PBJ and macaroni cheese everyday for the rest of my life, if Joel hadn’t saved me from my tasteless ways. I began to eat A LOT more Chinese and Indian and realized the world of flavor and deliciousness I was missing out on. Our dating period was all around new and exciting. I experienced many novel and informative things about his culture and the people of India; while I taught him to play Rummy and board games, along with introducing him to apple pie for the first time.

 Sadly, with change come new hurdles. It didn’t take long for me to realize that not everyone in our society is as accepting of interracial couples as you might think. People would stare at us when we would go out to eat. Others in my church I once considered friends, began to ignore me. Gossip and hateful comments would come and go by various people but none of that could change what I felt for Joel. I knew that racism was alive and well but I never realized it would hit so close to home.

At the end of the day, I have come to realize that what others think and say does not hold much weight when it comes to the love that I have for Joel and his family. God is so gracious and loving and He has shown me through this last year that He will vindicate. Only through Him can I find peace and comfort. I never in a million years thought that I would be marrying into such a unique family, but God has truly changed my heart. I won’t pretend to say that it will be easy. In fact, it may get harder as the years go by, but by God’s grace we can make it through anything. He has opened my eyes to a whole new culture and way of life. I am proud to be marrying Joel John Joseph and I am even more excited to become part of his loving family. This is what God has planned for my life and this is what He intended all along.

        http://www.ellemeredithphotography.com/