I’m excited, and honestly a little nervous, to begin my new blog series today! As I mentioned last week, I want to begin sharing more my world with you this year. My hopes, dreams, fears, and advice – every Monday in a little snippet that I’ve named - Monday Musings.
Every Monday, I will be kick-starting the week with a few words, a quote, maybe even an image. Every Monday Musings post will be different and I am genuinely excited to share more of my heart on my blog… Opening up a little, offering you a small glimpse into my world, each and every week.
Last month, I had the pleasure of tuning in to Showit Live for Justin and Mary‘s workshop and Mary recalled a Pinterest quote that truly struck a cord in my heart. I want a marriage more beautiful than my wedding. Nine words that describe not only how I feel about my own wedding day, but how I want every one of my brides to feel about theirs as well.
For months I have been thinking more about ‘The Natalie Franke Bride‘ – Her personality, her wedding style, her outlook on life and love. And something in this quote reflected the exact way that I imagined my ideal couple would feel.
My couples want a beautiful wedding, gorgeous details and a breathtaking venue where they exchange the promises that seal their destiny forever. But they also want something more. They want a marriage; strong and resilient, compassionate and unconditionally loving. My couples can’t wait to spend forever with their best friend.
So much of my brand is a reflection of the couples that inspire me and the love stories that maintain my self-proclaimed status as a hopeless romantic! My goal each year isn’t to shoot more weddings than the year before, but rather to continue to shoot the right weddings… The weddings that bring tears to my eyes, for the couples who love one another with their entire hearts, who couldn’t imagine having any other photographer to document their special day.
I believe that one of the reasons I have become so close with so many of my brides is that we share a similar outlook on life and love. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ll listen to a bride talk about her future husband and I think… “That’s exactly how I feel about Huey”.
In this first Monday Musings post, I want introduce you to ‘The Natalie Franke Bride‘ -
My dream bride wants a marriage more beautiful than her wedding.
She dreamed of her husband as a little girl and found a man who surpasses him in every way. A man who isn’t perfect, but is perfect for her. A future husband who encourages her to follow her dreams, to be a better person, who inspires her to perservere through all of life’s challenges. He carries her heart, always.
My dream bride will never forget the look in his eyes, the tremble of his hands, when he proposed. She imagines her wedding day with tear-stained cheeks, as she says ‘I do’, surrounded by the ones that she loves the most.
She doesn’t fear the future because she knows that she has a foundation to build her life around. Her best friend, her soul mate, is the puzzle piece that was missing all along. She loves the way he treats her, the way he holds her hand, how their fingers so perfectly intertwine. She adores his silly antics, his softer side that he shares with no one in the world… except for her.
When life hands her challenges, she knows that he will be there with open arms and encouraging words. And in his moments of weakness, she too will remind him of the strength that has held them together over the years.
As her hair turns grey, she will look back together on the life that they have created. She will flip through the images of their wedding album, smiling as she remembers her flowing gown, her tear-stained cheeks, the day that she became his wife. And in this moment she will realize that her wedding day was only the beginning.
She has a marriage, a life, that is far more beautiful than any single day could ever be. And the beauty lies not only in the accomplishments that they share, but in the challenges and struggles that they have overcome together.
My dream bride is unbelievably excited for her wedding.
What excites her even more, however, is the promise of spending forever with her best friend.
This is so well written! Love, love, love it, Natalie!
Wowza! What a way to kick off this new series. This post is amazing! So well written, and I really feel like I got a small glimpse of YOU!
Well done…
Oh Natalie, I love this. I 100% agree that brides who plan for their marriage as well as their wedding really do make my heart skip a beat! One of my favorite things to hear a bride say is something like “I just can’t wait to be married to him!” Love that you shared your ideal bride
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I just cried in my cubicle (not the first time) – thank you for sharing.
sometimes i feel like the ‘wedding’ world is losing site of what weddings are truly about – thank you for bringing it back to square one. this is beautiful!
I love this. It puts marriage back into perspective. I think today so many couples get caught up in making their wedding blog worthy that they forget it’s about one simple thing: love. Great post!
Oh my gosh, Natalie!! My heart be still. This is one of the most beautiful posts I have ever read. Absolute perfection. A perfect start to a truly heartfelt and wonderful series. I’m so excited to follow this!! xoxoxo
This is so sweet!!! And I love that quote too!!!
Well said, Natalie. I feel the same way about my clients, and I think it’s one of the reasons I decided to focus on elopements. The wedding is one day. The important part is everything that comes after.
So beautiful! I love that this is your bride. Makes me teary!!
Yes yes and YES!!!
Natalie- What an amazing and heartfelt first Musing, that is one of my favorite quotes. Its amazing how as time slips by for the wedding we become less excited about the wedding and more for just starting our lives together. This servers as a great reminder of what the wedding is meant to be. Looking forward to following the series! Great job!
Beautifully said! Well done, Natalie! Thank you for putting yourself out there and sharing this. It’s a great reminder to all what the word ‘soulmate’ is all about.
I love, love, love this quote. It is so perfect and I relate to it so well. I hope my clients do too!!!
Dying! This is so beautiful, Natalie! A year and a half after my wedding, I’m still so honored that you were there to capture my humble little wedding and to witness the start of our life together. Thank you!
perfect sentiments so perfectly expressed!!
Perfect in every way! A perfect way to start the week! I’m so excited to follow! I am so happy to learn a little more about you
Natalie… I’ve known for a while how beautiful your words are but I didn’t expect the tears to start falling this morning! You are such an inspiration and I am so excited to see where this blog series goes!!!!
Natalie, this is amazing and you are such a talented photographer + beautiful writer. Can’t wait to read more Monday Musings posts! <3
Natalie, that was an amazing and breathtaking first post. I am sitting home crying and nodding to every word that was written! This is beyond truthful and so inspiring. We are so lucky to have you be apart of our special beginning and to call you a friend. Can’t wait to read more!
Natalie! That was perfect! Thank you! (…and I may steal this for my vows
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Natalie, thank you for writing this post! It brought tears to my eyes as I read it because it is the exactly the way I feel about Matt. I frequently look through our wedding pictures that you took for us just over 7 months ago and the images still make my eyes well up and my heart flutter. You are truly a unique and incredible person and photographer and we are so happy to know you! I look forward to more Monday Musings!!
That’s really what it’s all about! And I know you’ll not only have a beautiful wedding, but an incredible life together with your love because you’re all about cherishing moments!