Let's Hear It For The Bride: Guam Based Lifestyle Blogger

I'm so excited to write about this previous client, Abby Himes.  One of the best parts of my job is creating friendships with my couples and then staying in touch after the wedding.  I've actually know Abby since high school and she hired me to help plan her stateside wedding while she was living in Guam with her Navy husband Chris after they were married in a 2009 civil ceremony.  Their vow renewal/ "family & friends" wedding was held on October 3, 2010 and she has contributed to some guest posts (here and here) on her experience.  While moving half the way across the world might seem impossible to some people, Abby has taken on the challenge head on and has inspired me along the way.

Abby started a blog to log all of her adventures when she first moved to Guam after Chris' initial deployment in May 2009.  Just in the past few months she has moved/ updated to a new blog, Seaweed & Sassafras.  I subscribe to S&S on my Google Reader and it has become one of my favorite lifestyle blogs!  It is a fun and info packed blog with great posts on shopping, healthy recipes, travel and eco friendly issues close to Abby's heart.  I have to admit that posting is a huge task to keep up with and Abby's posts always make me want to make time right then & there to work on the FCW blog.  This post showcases her love of running (she ran a half marathon last year!) and has great ideas for gear including a super useful water bottle that I'm pretty in love with.  Oh and she posted this week that she is offering a Cuisinart Giveaway, you know, just because she is awesome.

And in case you needed more evidence of awesome, Abby is featured in Fitness Magazine's 12 Healthy Success Stories!  While she has always been fit, in the article Abby discusses how moving to Guam inspired her to try different fitness activities outside her comfort zone.  She went from the elliptical machine to zip lining, hiking and running lots of races like that half marathon.  Trying new fitness activities sure beats a treadmill slump!  Be sure to check her blog out and I know you won't be disappointed. 

Guest Post: Military Bride Part 2

Welcome back to the second post telling the story of one military bride's journey.  Here is the link to the first post in case you missed it.  This post is about the civil ceremony Abby & her husband planned before they were stationed in Guam and her introduction to being a military wife.  To keep up with her fascinating life, check her personal blog.  Enjoy!

THE CIVIL CEREMONY

We chose to have it in Maryland because it was faster than Virginia, and the courthouse was a stone building with a lot of character in a Historic District. My mom and I shopped for a white dress, my wedding dress. At the time the only wedding dress I was sure I would be wearing. I wanted something not too formal (there was still hope for a wedding gown later) but serious enough for the occasion. As soon as I put it on I knew. It was fitted, with ruching, knee length and a cute little criss-cross in the back. Nicole Miller had hit the mark. I came out to oohs and ahhs, I gave my mom the look that this was it. I double checked that it wasn’t too sexy and given the okay we bought it. The love for this dress is equal to that of my Wedding Gown. But I can wear this one all the time! This was shortly after the first Sex and the City movie had released and it just so happened that I had a pair of hot pink Manolo Blahnik shoes which I had purchased (on sale) with my first Big Girl Job paycheck. Oh yes, I wore them. My mom gave me her diamond necklace as something borrowed and my best friend gave me sapphire earrings as something blue. I was set! The groom’s outfit was probably picked out in less than an hour, but he looked incredible in sand colored slacks and vest, with a baby blue shirt and tie. I was impressed. And let the flip flops slide.

We decided to have a few wedding like elements. We went cake tasting and ordered a small cake decorated with a beach scene to represent Guam. We picked the Chart House in Annapolis for dinner after; his father had attended the Naval Academy so it was a nice touch as well. The staff there was fantastic and had menus printed with Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. H. They even ushered the family to a small corner of the lounge/bar when we first arrived as a make shift cocktail hour. Growing up, my mom and I would go to a florist every Wednesday to get flowers for the house, so the ladies there were more than happy to help us pick out some flowers for me to put together in small vases. They also surprised me with my Yellow Calla Lily bouquet wrapped with ribbon and pinned with pearls. How could you not feel like a bride? We also put together little favors of snack-sized bags of chips to represent where we first met and a few other favorites. We used my mom’s rice basket from my parent’s wedding as part of the decor which was a beautiful finishing touch.

Guest Post: The Military Bride Part 1

Military couples have the 'normal' stress of weddings plus a whole 'nother level- civil ceremony only? ceremony and reception for friends & family? when? where? before deployment or after?  My first military bride in particular is unforgettable- we planned together for a year and a half... while she & her Navy husband were stationed in Guam!  Throw in the fact that planning with my Guam bride included a 14 hour time difference, her husband was deployed for part of her stay and she conquered a few tsunamis just to name a few reasons why this is one planning process I will always remember. I've asked her to share her amazing story and she happily obliged.  You can follow her adventures on her own blog and on here as this is the first in three posts on her wedding story.  Enjoy!     

“Do you see him?” I whispered to my best friend, trying to discreetly point out the cute boy on the chip aisle of the grocery store. Casually leaning against the shopping cart talking to his two friends, his hoodie, with “Surf Rescue” printed on the back, caught my attention. And when I saw him turn a corner riding the cart, you know how we all used to -- both feet on the bar in the back, enough weight in the basket to counterbalance you -- I knew I had to meet him. Fortunately, one of his friends noticed my sideways glances and made sure they got behind us at the checkout line. My girlfriend and I giggled and glanced, but I wasn’t sure what to do. Would he be turned off if I approached? The cashier handed us our receipt; it was do or die. My friend nudged me, handing me a pen, and said “Just go!” Scrawling my name and number on the back of the receipt, I walked the long 3 feet closer to him and found myself frozen by the deepest brown eyes I’ve ever seen. I have no idea what I said or what he said to me, but he had my number and, embarrassed, I walked away certain I’d never hear from him again.

My phone rang late Saturday night and the next morning I listened to a voicemail fueled by liquid courage and decided he sounded normal nice enough. Sunday afternoon, after flopping on all of my roommates beds and debating every detail, I called him back. Pacing around my room on my cell, we talked for about an hour. He was part of the Corps of Cadets which didn’t phase me, my dad was a Colonel in the Army. My dad had also been in the Corps of Cadets at Virginia Tech, and met my mom there. I knew what the military was about. Chris was a Navy brat and was hoping to be a pilot. Our first date led to a second, a third and soon we were officially a couple. My first experience with how the military would play into our relationship was his summer cruise. He was sent to San Diego for a month to learn about life on a carrier. I stayed in Blacksburg taking summer classes. It was only a few months into the relationship so I honestly wasn’t too affected by it. He came back to Blacksburg for the rest of the summer and our relationship grew. A year older than him, I graduated in December of 2005. This began our long distance relationship. He graduated in May 2006 and was accepted into Flight School. In the following 3 years, he would move every 6 months, to Florida, Oklahoma and back to Florida. I stayed in Maryland working and going to visit every 4-6 months. He asked me to move in with him when he moved from Oklahoma back to Florida, but the timing for me was off and I had to say no. I wondered if I had missed my chance. He became a helicopter pilot and got orders to Guam. I was crushed. No that doesn’t do it justice. I curled into a ball and sobbed thinking I was losing my best friend. He was going to be training in San Diego for 6 months before going to Guam and I decided to go with him. I figured the time together would help me decide whether to wait for him or call it off when he moved to halfway around the world. We packed as much as we could into his Camry, I sold my beloved 1994 Honda Civic and we drove across the country to North Island Coronado Navy Base.

Hitched!!! Himes Wedding 10.3.10

There are certain times when all the stars align and everything comes together beautifully for a wonderful couple with amazing families.  The Himes wedding was exactly this.  Abby found me on Facebook (we had known each other since high school) and contacted me in July 2009 after seeing me post a lot about starting Felicity C Weddings.  Abby & Chris were college sweethearts at Virginia Tech and after graduation, Chris joined the Navy.  From there it was a bit of a whirlwind.  He proposed to Abby in December 2008, in May of 2009 he received orders to Guam, and they had a wedding ceremony at a courthouse with just immediate family before leaving for Guam that same month.  Abby & Chris had wanted a wedding reception stateside with all their friends and family and contacted me to help plan their big day.  I worked very closely with Abby's parents and Abby (a 14 hour time difference!) and I could not be more happy with the whole process and the wedding.

Abby had such a strong vision that it made my job very easy- Abby is a girl who loves being outdoors and loves everything that nature offers so it was a no-brainer that nature and being eco-friendly was the theme of the wedding.  After looking at a few venues online, Abby fell in love with Swan Harbor Farm in Havre de Grace, MD and after visiting the site with Abby's mother, we both knew it was the perfect place.  The venue is actually operated by  Harford county state park and offers 531 acres of beautiful scenery, a farmhouse, landscaped gardens, tented area, and gazebo overlooking the Bay.  I'm so lucky that Abby had such great instincts and was able to choose her vendors online from Guam since she only made one visit to the US during the planning process!  They both arrived about a month before the wedding to go over final details and it was fantastic being able to show her the almost finished product.  The ceremony was officiated by a family friend and neighbor of Abby's parents which made it that much more special.  The amazing venue along with the bridal party and guests were captured by Jacqueline Schlossman Photodocumentary who I cannot say enough good things about.  This wedding was full of great vendors which really makes my job easier.

The wedding was catered by Gourmet By The Bay who did a magnificent job of the setup and the presentation and of course the food & drink were amazing as were their entire staff.  The decor was complemented by the florists of Wicked Willow LLC, who worked a lot with Abby to get the details perfected from the centerpieces to the bridal party flowers, and the lanterns with white candles as guests entered the reception tent.  The ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception music was done by Frank of Friendly Entertainment LLC who was key in helping me to make the whole wedding be such a success.  Last but not least, the surprise groom's cake (a VA Tech lunchbox paying homage to their college days) and the beautiful wedding cake were crafted by Baltimore's own talented SugarBakers Cakes.  The happy couple left their reception in style thanks to A Platinum Plus Limousines Inc.