Magical Day

Several days have passed since your wedding. It was a blessed and beautiful event. From your snazzy outfits, beautiful wedding arch, delicious cake, Daddy's awesome sermon, fun with guests, amazing music by Stephen, perfect cloud covered ceremony and superb sunset, musical dance, yummy appetizers, sweet donut bar, bubbles, glitter, flowers with Mommy's bouquet seed pearls, hilarious Selfie Station, fun thumbprint guest book and masterful DJing by your Uncle Greg, it was a magical day. We are happy for you, Mr. and Mrs. Goggin. And now we are excited and looking forward to Anton and Kayla getting married. We wanted to share a few pictures from your happy day. We love you and praise God for all the blessings He showered on you both and all who came. Glory to Him!

Discussion: What are your favorite memories of this day? Do you have God stories about your wedding day?

Prayer: Lord, we know you were present at this wedding. We know you blessed us all with safe travel, no hiccups and a perfectly beautiful day. We love you, Father God. May you forever be glorified in this marriage! In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

Wedding Ceremony Programs

With just 15 days to go, it's time to do some finalizing, and one of those bits is the creation of the wedding ceremony program. Is it necessary? No, but it's certainly helpful to the guests to know what's coming next, a great memento of the occasion and gives the couple a chance to give out a thank you to all those who came to the celebration. But what exactly should be included in the program?

1) The order of the ceremony: processional, Scripture readings, hominy, vows, rings, pronouncement of marriage, kiss and recessional.
2) Details: What is the music? What are the Scriptures? What is the title of the message? If there are specific religious traditions, it might help to explain these for guests of a different denomination or faith. Same goes for cultural traditions.
3) Wedding Party: Who are the maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, flower girl, ring bearer, master/mistress of ceremonies, officiant and ushers.
4) Personal thank you: This gives the couple a chance to thank their family, friends and co-workers for sharing in their day.
5) New address: Where will the couple be living?
6) Hashtag: To officially tell the guests how to tag all things wedding so the couple can see photos and posts on social media after the wedding.
7) Invitation to the Reception: Sometimes directions, a map and times are here.
8) Photos and bios: Sometimes couples will have information about how they met and their engagement photo.

Sometimes memoriams of deceased family members, poems, Bible verses, song lyrics and the like are also included in the program.

There are also clever presentations for programs. Some people turn their wedding programs into a fan. I even saw one with triangular pieces attached by a grommet at the point that spread into a fan. For outdoor and potentially warm weddings this is clever and helpful. Some are rolled like a scroll, trifold, several layers, or different shapes and colors. Mix fonts and colored printing. Just like the ceremony itself, you can make the program likewise.

As for the number, you can print out one for everyone, or one per family. The second is more cost efficient, of course.

So finalize those ceremony details and get ready to put it together. Make it uniquely you!

Discussion: What do you feel is necessary for the wedding program? What is unnecessary to you?

Prayer: Lord, you have told us to do things decently in and in order and the wedding program helps keep everyone on the same page, literally. We thank you, Father, that you are a God of order. May your presence be all over these programs. In Christ, Amen.

#WeddingBlogAboutHashtags

The other day I saw a post about a child's birthday. The post was punctuated with about 30 hashtags. It got to be comical because many were repetitious. I think I even commented "You need more hashtags" to which she responded, "I would have, but Instagram only allows 30." I am hoping she's joking, but I noticed on other recent posts, she's had an equally tremendous amount of hashtags.

A hashtag - for those uninformed - is a social media label that allows folks searching the internet to find information with a similar theme. A hashtag is preceded by the number symbol ( a tiny tic tac toe) that looks like this #. Thus a hashtag might be something like this: #weddingblog. Oftentimes people will use it to express their feelings or add context to something they have just posted, like #can'tbelievewehavetowrite42moreofthese, #willwerunoutofideas, #surelyourkidsarereadyformarriagebynow.

They are all the rage with regards to weddings now, because if guests at the wedding post a photo and include the specific wedding hashtag, the bride and groom can find those photos later by doing a search of the hashtag. The Knot wedding magazine says 55% of couples have a hashtag for their weddings and those who didn't, wish they did. Anton and Kayla have already selected their hashtag. It's #finaLeeZimanek. Now when they post anything that has to do with the wedding, that hashtag is attached.

The wedding hashtag is so popular, that there are even hashtag generators. If you go to Wedding Wire, you can plug in your names, wedding date, location, etc. and it will give you a slew of hashtags to choose from. Hashtags like #happilyeverafter, #trueloveforever or #newlyweds interspersed with the couple's info. After you select a hashtag you need to check if anyone else is using it for some other theme, so you aren't doubling on info. Ayla and Rob are in the process of trying to come up with a hashtag. They intend to use their hashtag specifically for their Selfie Station where people can get dressed up and take photos of themselves with their cellphones (like a photo booth). This way Ayla and Rob can see them all after the wedding when they are posted with the hashtag. We have several contenders including 

#LollyGoggin
#eatdrinkandZGoggin
#ZimazingGoggin
#webeGoggins
#ARforeverlove
#ZGogginblend
#ARrecipe4love
#SnogginGoggins
#toomanycooksinARkitchen
#Mr&MrsGoggin
#foodiesinlove
#ZGogginweddingfeast ... you get the idea.

So it's a fun process and helpful at the same time for the couple and the guests. Now if we could just settle on one for Ayla and Rob.

UPDATE: Right after this was posted, we got a text. Hashtag selected! #eatdrinkandbegoggin. :)

Discussion: When is a hashtag unnecessary? Do you see the value in a hashtag? Tell about some clever hashtags. When has a hashtag been helpful to you in a search?

Prayer: Lord Almighty, you are so wonderful and we love you. We thank you that you are so easy to reach out to and learn about. We pray for your blessing on every guest that comes to these weddings and the fun photos that will come from them. In Jesus, Amen.

Make A Memory

Today is Miss Kayla's 23rd birthday. We celebrated last night at Osaka (can I get a shout out for the Shaggy Dog?! Yum! Or should I say, Yum Yum!). She and Anton are celebrating today with a day at the zoo and the shooting range. I am thrilled that they are taking the time to make some memories on this day. I love making everyday a special memory, but especially celebratory occasions, like birthdays.

Daddy laughs at me for all the pictures I take but with my memory as bad as it is, having them as a memento of special occasions is necessary. And the more special occasions we celebrate the better! I'm not a YOLO (you only live once) person from a take risks standpoint, but I do believe in this short lifespan that it's important to make a bunch of memories and enjoy life to the fullest. We certainly did that last week between a bridal shower, graduation, race, baseball game and Mother's Day! I'm not sure we could have crammed in one more thing! But what wonderful memories we will have of that weekend!

So celebrate big. Go on adventures. Learn something new. Make a memory. We look forward to hearing about all the ways both couples embrace and find joy in this life.

Today is about Kayla Marie Lee completing another year on her life journey. And we thank God for her life and pray for many, many blessed years ahead! Have a wonderful celebration today and have fun making memories! Happy Birthday, Kayla!

Discussion: Do you like to make memories? How do you like to celebrate special occasions?

Prayer: Father, you give us 24 hours in each day. We pray we glorify You in them. We pray we enjoy Your beautiful world to the fullest and delight in the people you have had our lives intersect with. In Jesus name, Amen.

In A Flash

Recently a friend posted a picture of their daughter hamming it up in a photo while using the family's new Selfie Stick or the official title "Portable Handheld Selfie Stick Self Timer Monopod Extendible Stand Holder Mount For Camera." Yeah, I agree, Selfie Stick is enough. So instead of arm's length photos of yourself, you can extend your PHSSSTMESHMFC (yeah, Selfie Stick is still better), to the desired length away and get more than just your shoulders and head in a picture. It's a great new device.

While touring your reception venue, we saw a wedding planned there had a corner set up for a photo booth. A huge hit at weddings, people can dress up goofily for photos with props, signs, back drops and the like. We've decided to have a twist on it and instead have a Selfie Station. People will use their own cellphones and a selfie stick if necessary to take their picture, hashtag your wedding (#zgogginwedding or whatever you choose) then post it to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like. This way they get to keep the pictures and you get a sweet remembrance of your special day. It replaces the old "disposable cameras on everyone's table" thing for spur-of-the-moment photos. It's fun for everyone.

It will also be fun for you and I over the next few months as we find props, make signs and find frames to use for the Selfie Station. Knowing how much I love pictures (as expressed here a couple days ago), I can't wait to see what pictures people take at the wedding.

Scripture tells us 1 Corinthians 15:52 when Christ returns we will be changed " in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet..." In some versions, like the NIV, that first phrase says "in a flash," so capturing that period of time - in a moment, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye - is a sweet treasure to be sure. Think of them as capturing God's moments in time. Laughter, smiles and fun, framed forever, this will be a precious part of the celebration. Thankfully, when God does the changing on that last day captured in that moment of time, it's permanent and perfect.

Discussion: What are some props you would like as part of the Selfie Station? What should some signs say? What about frames?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for every split second of our lives. We thank you for the ability to capture those moments and remember the times. But we thank you most of all that one day, in that moment, in that twinkling of an eye, we will be changed forever and given heavenly bodies to dwell with you in Paradise. Thank you for Jesus. In His name, Amen.

Worth A Thousands Words

Your Dad laughs and shakes his head at my photo collection. I have taken pictures of every major event in our life together and my children's lives. I've been taking pictures since I won a camera in a contest when I was in grade school. I praise God for the photos I have, because I have a terrible memory. These photos help me remember where I've been, what I've done and when things happened. Of course, I also try to take good pictures from a artistic standpoint. I try to capture good light, interesting angles, precious moments in time and unique expressions. I remember on a trip to the Dells when I was 17, we watched as a dog jumped from a cliff to a rock tower. I was the only one of our party who caught the dog precisely between both in midair ... and that was not with a sequence camera. It was just one good shot. Photos are important to me and I have tons to prove it.

I know that you are in the middle of a hunt for a good photographer ... and on top of that, one who is affordable. There are so many to choose from, but it's the budget that narrows the field. Your Daddy and I were ever budget conscious and found our photographer in the Pennysaver, a tiny community newsprint magazine of classifieds. He was affordable, good and fun. He shot everything we asked of him and then some, caught some sweet moments and printed some beautiful portraits for us. The cost was $300. But here's the thing ... except for the main portrait of your Daddy and I and a couple of us alone before the wedding, I hardly ever look at them. Now don't get me wrong, they are great pictures and a lovely microcosm of our day, but they just sit in a leather photo album that we pull out probably once a year on our anniversary to go through. My favorite photos of our wedding are still the ones people shot with their own cameras and gave to us, because these people got everyone unposed: laughing, crying, cuddling, slipping, eating, dancing and likewise captured us that way.

So what is our advice for photographer shopping. Get the best one you can afford. Look for someone who captures unexpected moments, has perfect use of light, creates art, is flexible time wise, gives you the digital rights to it so you can make copies you want and will make affordable high quality portrait prints for the few you'll want. Ask for references from friends. Ask to see their portfolio. Be picky as these will be the only wedding photos you will have, but be smart with regards to their value. We will be praying you find the best person.

Discussion: What is important to you from a photography standpoint? What are the "must have" shots? What don't you really care about from a photography standpoint?

Prayer: Father, you have given us such beauty around us to capture! Thank you for the ability to do so. Lord, we pray Ayla and Rob find the best photographer for their needs to perfectly capture their special day. Thank you in advance for this person. In Jesus, Amen.

All About That Gaze

Last Friday, Daddy and I went to the Manure Bowl. It's a football game played between members of the Green, Hawthorne and Storey families on the Friday after Thanksgiving. They have been playing the game for the last 50 years in the same location. And they have upwards of 60 people at the event. They don't get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas... nope, just the Manure Bowl. It is a precious tradition this family has done. Daddy was covering the event for a front page story for the newspaper. We learned about it because we know several members of the family since they attend our church, including Dot Hawthorne and her daughter, Blair. It is at Dot's "Ponderosa" home that the game is played. So while Daddy was working, I was visiting with family members. After a yummy chili lunch, I noticed a bunch of family pictures on the wall in the living room.
You know how I love pictures, so I went over to look closer at them. Blair came over and told me who everyone was in the pictures, many of whom were at the game. But one picture in particular caught my eye. It was a family photo of Dot, her late husband John, and their four children. It looked like one of those portraits for a church directory. What captured my heart was the expression on John's face. Everyone was looking forward and smiling except for him. He was looking at his wife, Dot, with the most precious smile. I wondered if after they got the copy of that photo if everyone was all "Dad - you weren't even looking at the camera!" but honestly, because he didn't it gives that photo a sweet presence that I would have never noticed before. You can tell by looking at this man how much he loves his wife. Looking at the camera and smiling, anyone can do that, but looking as he did at his wife and smiling, that is a priceless, treasured moment.

You can tell by the way people look at each other and their body language how they feel about someone. You can tell if people are in love by the looks they share. It's like they've captured each other by their eyes. It's sweet and beautiful to see. Kinda like the picture I shot of the two of you at the beach around your birthday when you were walking hand in hand and didn't know I was taking it. Or the looks on your faces as I shot your engagement from a distance. The smiles and eyes speak volumes.  King Solomon wrote of his bride in the Song of Solomon 4:9 "You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride, you have ravished my heart with a glance of your eyes." 

It is our prayer that you will have that same look in your eyes every time you look at each other. We pray that love you feel now, at the beginning of your relationship, will grow exponentially every single day. So that years from now, when you get a family portrait, that you will have to be told, "Look here at the camera please!" because you're so busy gazing at each other. Or maybe the photographer will realize as you're looking at each other, that that's the picture he should take, so that you will have the same priceless moment Dot has hanging on your wall one day.

Discussion: Tell each other how you feel about the other? Do you see the love you have in each other's eyes?

Prayer: Father, may our smiles reflect the love we have for each other always. Help us to remember the early feelings and grow that love every day, closer and closer to each other as we grow closer to you. In Jesus, Amen.