I've got it good
When Alex and I got married, we had a small city hall ceremony followed by a cocktail reception at a local restaurant- nothing fancy really. I ended up make my own bouquet however- out of brooches and jewelry. It was gorgeous and unique and added a special touch to a day where there were not a lot of those signature wedding type things (decor, flowers, table settings- you know what I mean).
Not long after we got married, I started up a small side gig making these bouquets for other brides. Overall it was a horrific failure- but it was a labour of love. It's nice to be part of someone's big day and to see the smile on another woman's face when I present to her a one of a kind piece that will ultimately be something she keeps forever (or until they divorce?).
A couple weeks ago my very first bride reached out me. One of her best friends was getting married THE NEXT DAY, and could I work a miracle and get her a bouquet? It didn't need to be big, and there was no special colors required- but she wanted her friend to have a keepsake of her special day. She would pay anything if I could make this happen.
You see- her friend was marrying her long time love at the hospital; he is dying.
As fate would have it, I had a fully made bouquet sitting and ready. I donated this bouquet without hesitation, because- how could I not? In the moment - this tragedy seemed so much bigger than I am and all I could think about was how I could help? Donating a bouquet seemed trivial and I wished I could do more. My brain was frantic when she came to my house to pick up the bouquet- all I could do was try to keep it together.
After she left I cried at the thought of losing my partner, I cried at the thought of never having what we have, of saying vows knowing that our forever would be short lived, of never seeing the look on his face when we welcomed our child. I'm crying now just typing about it because I just can't imagine my wedding day, one of the happiest days of my life being what it was for that woman - for that couple.
But - as sad as it is - what an inspiration. Look that those two love birds living in the moment and celebrating their love despite their circumstances. I'm happy I could contribute to that beautiful commitment. It gave me a fresh perspective on how good I've got it and a fresh appreciation of all the little things I often take for granted in my life. I'm working on embracing everyday with my love and our son - in the home we are building as a family. Each new milestone, birthday, anniversary, and hilarious one-liner...I'll hold onto those a little tighter. It's easy to forget how lucky I am to have all this love.
xo Guest blogger Steph
