A couple years ago I was on the plane coming home from Scotland (put it on your bucket list, it’s a magical place) and digging deep into the depths of what I was doing with my life. I was secretly hoping it would be the last independent flight I would take before we started a family (it was) and soaking in every moment of the trans-Atlantic flight home. I am usually the most inspired on flights. I’m not sure if it’s because I can’t go any where or be distracted by obligation, if it’s the white noise, or the promise of adventure. Probably all of the above. I had spent my quiet moments on the flight to Scotland and the time there jounalling and absorbing Lara Casey’s book Make It Happen. I wanted desperately to make the plans I had on my heart happen, but 2015 hadn’t started too successfully when it comes to plans. I had failed in my endeavors to do planning workshops for couples (don’t worry, I hope to try again), design and produce a planning workbook (that too will have new life soon), on a personal note I had lost my Uncle to COPD and my family was shifting again in its dynamics. So many countless things were going well, but the tough stuff was beginning to wear on me. An adventure abroad with my mom and her husband in a new (and like I said, magical) land was just what I needed to reset. I dreamed big dreams, the scary, talk-your-self-out-of-them-fast kind. I dreamed farther into the dreams Ty and I had only kidded about in conversation, ones that included Ty and I doing life, business, babies, art, worship, seeing the world together dreams. But this dream wasn’t one of them…yet.

Recently we were cozied up in a cabin on the St. Lawrence, one of our favorite getaway spots, for a whole week with our puppy and our then-6-month old. (Heaven.) We knew we needed to do something about the dreams we had been talking about/around/at for years and either pursue them with renewed fervor, or let them fall away like the last of the autumn leaves. We talked realistically about how difficult the wedding industry is, (it is, I can tell you that straight), how I’ve not felt like I’ve been able to “break through” even after 6 1/2 years in business, and with Ty keeping a full-time job, would we ever see his budding business flourish? In black and white it all seemed pretty bleak. But there was a pressing in about the reality of our talents, our experience, our gifts, our passion for encouraging solid marriages… a pressing that made the sunsets seem like they were speaking to us, calling us to dream big again.

Out walking again among the electric autumn colors, it seemed our conversations had been describing a life that wasn’t out of reach, although our business efforts had been valiant, it became obvious they were pointed in different directions, when all they needed to do to succeed was to point in the same direction. What if that was  all that was missing? To align our businesses with our purpose? To become one in business as we’ve become one in marriage? If we live in a way that is exemplified in our personal lives, why should it be any different for our businesses? It began to lock into place. All the black and white failures turned to a rainbow of opportunity as we explored the possibility of marrying our businesses. As the rays of sun streamed through the brilliant trees, God’s grace and purposed shone in on our dreaming… and LoveWell Weddings was born.

Since returning from our respite it has been all but rainbows and butterflies trying to transform our business, our branding and our online presence. It’s been a mess trying to get together something that speaks our language and hopefully the language of our clients. Surrendering to the imperfect, but done-in-love, made us all but smother this project in hopes that would resonate as a brand. It’s been a trying time of really flipping’ hard work smashed between holidays, deadlines, failed attempts and delays. Yet, the golden rays of hope keep shining on.

If you’re reading this today, we’ve tackled our fears, our perfectionism, our failures and our own worst enemies to launch LoveWell Weddings! Hooray! We have officially taken an “Indiana Jones” size step into the chasm before us, praying the bridge appears before us. We know there’s an adventure ahead, but for today, we celebrate the adventures that have shaped us (like the peaceful majestic isles of Scotland, as well as the tough conversations on our living room couch…) and the new-focused purpose that has inspired us. We celebrate the little victories. We even celebrate the messes. We celebrate the growing pains and elbow grease, as much as the tingling thrill pumping through our veins. Together, hand in hand, we leap! Here we come world!