Braden and I met back in 2015. We knew we both knew we were each others “the one” from our first time meeting. We dated a few months and actually got married on a whim at the courthouse. We were young and still had so much growing to do as individuals. Things went awry and we ended up divorcing in 2016. We didn’t speak or even see each other for 6.5 years. We both remarried, but were never happy. We both thought of each other often and always wondered “what might have been” - True term for the one who got away, for the both of us.
One random day in May 2023, close to Mother’s Day, we both ran into each other in the grocery store. Said our hellos and how it’s good to see you, and then went on separately.
Once that day happened, he was in my dreams. Literally. I would dream of him almost daily for months. It was uncontrollable. But I was still married to my ex husband.
Once I separated and started my divorce journey from him, Braden and I reconnected.
Once we reconnected, it was as if we just picked where we left off. Fell in love from the first day all over again. We both knew we were never letting each other go this time. We believe in destiny, soul mates and that goes with it. We knew it was destiny that led us to see each other that day in the grocery store. We both knew we never wanted to be apart from the moment we were started talking and spending time with each other again. Destiny put us back together. He is my person and I am his. We never want to be apart. It was like our love never went away. It only grew stronger than ever. But, with that time apart, we learned how to truly value each other in a way you are suppose to. We needed that time apart to grow as individuals. When it was time, destiny let us know when it was our time again.
He proposed January 13, 2024, and I couldn’t say yes fast enough. It was in a small chocolate shop and at a complete surprise. It was so special. January 13 was the day we actually got married back in 2016 the first time. Neither of us knew that date was so significant, until I got my hands on a copy of our first marriage license.
We both knew we wanted a real, true wedding, since neither of us had one previously. With that, the wedding planning started immediately. We set a few different dates, based off of availability at venues, but settled on August 17, 2024 for the perfect Venue- Magnolia Plantation in Ravenden Springs, AR.
I did not know what I was doing with any of the planning, but knew I wanted to do all of it.
I started with my dress. I had a vision of the dress I wanted. Tried one maybe 3, then I saw a pink dress on display and knew that was the one. It was nothing like I had planned on wearing, but I knew before I put it on, that it was the one. I tried it on and did not want to take it off. The color was perfect. I wanted different and that dress was different-not your typical wedding dress and that made it mine, oh, so perfect. Purchased it that day.
Next, came the shoes. I looked at hundreds, or so it seemed. Never found any that I liked good enough to wear. Then, I stumbled upon your site and found blue lace shoes. I fell in love with them. They were everything I had been looking for. Purchased them as fast as I could. They were my “something blue”. Beautiful and blue.
Style: Faith in Light Blue
The wedding day finally came and the moment we had both been waiting for. Our time to become one, once again. Finally.
It was full of love and comedy and nothing traditional, which is what we wanted. Seeing each other at the alter is a moment that will forever be instilled in my memories. Forever in love, through this life and the next. Again.
Finally.
Credits
Bride: @thekaraproject
Photographer: @haileyhallphoto