Now It's Time To Say Goodbye...

Hive, I'm going to be honest with you. I finished writing my recaps a few weeks ago. I've been sitting on them editing them over and over again to "make sure they were perfect," but in reality, I was just putting this post off. For the last 15 months, you've let me share my wedding with you. That fantastic day took place eight months ago, and I suppose it's now time to quit dragging my feet and face the inevitable farewell. After all, a lot has happened since our wedding day. Mr. Lion left his job with family law and now works in insurance defense. I left my large trauma hospital, and I now work in a more specialized neurorehab setting. Most importantly (at least it's what we're most excited about), we bought a house! We've had a lot of change in the past eight months, but all of it has been good change. Best of all, we've had each other to rely on.

Mr. Lion and I have been friends since 2003, we've been together since 2005, and we've lived together since 2007. I really didn't think being married would feel that different. I suppose in most ways, life still feels the same. We still enjoy the same things, and every interaction between us still reveals the goofy dorks that we both are. Our relationship is the same for the most part, but our plans feel different. Every time we talk about the future, something about it just feels so much more significant. It truly feels like we've united. We're still two people, but we're also one family. It's an indescribable feeling to know that I have his support in everything I do, and I feel a sense of purpose in knowing that I'll always support him. Our relationship has new depth, and I love that.

Our wedding was everything I wanted it to be. Every planning stressor disappeared when I saw him at the altar waiting for me. Every tiny piece of drama vanished when I looked out and saw all of my loved ones watching us, waiting to witness something magical. As I look back on our wedding photos (and through these recaps), I'm in awe of the love I see around us, and I smile when I notice another detail that I worked so hard on. Every single one of those projects was worth it because each one provided the whimsical setting in which we would create such significant memories. I loved everything about our wedding, and I know it wouldn't have been exactly the same without you, Hive.

I can't even begin to express how important this community has been to me since I first discovered it years ago. You complimented every DIY project, supported me through the rough patches, and shared both your triumphs and your struggles. I think wedding planning is an experience of character building. If you can come out of it on top, I think that says a lot about you. If we can support each other along the way, I think that says a lot about this sisterhood.

As a small token of my infinite gratitude, I'd like to leave you with one last recap. You may recall that we chose our videographers because they included a "love story" in their final wedding video. They interviewed us in an effort to truly grasp what we were all about as a couple. Then, they mashed up this interview with footage of our wedding. I posted the trailer at the beginning of my recaps, so I think it's only fitting to share the entire film with you now.




David & Julia's Love Story from Three Ring Media on Vimeo.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for sharing this journey with me. I hope you'll come visit me at my personal blog, Dr. Princess. In the meantime, I wish each of you the best of luck through your planning process and on your wedding day, and I wish you and your significant other a lifetime of happiness together. It only gets better from here.

Love,
Mrs. Lioness