The number 7 seems pretty big. Tamir and I dated for 7 years before getting married (we also had 7 bridesmaids and 7 groomsmen!). Now it’s been 7 years of marriage filled with countless job changes, 2 homes, 2 babies, and a whole bunch of failures and successes in between. We’ve traveled together, learned how to become parents together, and have had to evolve with each new phase of life. Below is a combination of questions I’ve gotten and some fun facts about our wedding!
Side note: Tamir is pronounced like “hammer” with a T :)
(Photos by Andrew Morrell Photography)
1) “Tell me how much you love your spouse. Hear he’s lovely!”
Obviously this comment was from Tamir, and he’s right! I keep reflecting on the idea that my life would be so different if I hadn’t met him when I did. He has been a constant in my life and while we had ups and downs early on, he has been my anchor and my catapult. He balances me out and helps me to feel safe and stable, yet he pushes me and gives me the encouragement to pursue my dreams. He makes me laugh with his dad jokes and I am often in awe of his parenting skills and the endless games he comes up with for the kids.
2) If you could see your life now, what would your 2012 self say?
I think my 24 year-old self would be proud of all I’ve accomplished in these last 7 years. I had no idea back then what my life would look like now. There always seemed to be some big hurdle in our way that we wanted to get through before life could really begin (like renovating our house, getting through grad school, etc). But what I know now is, THAT IS LIFE. It’s such a lame saying but it really is more about the journey than the destination.
3) Did you have a first look?
We did a “no peeking” first look! Tamir was (and still is) adamant about seeing me for the first time walking down the aisle. And to be honest, first looks weren’t as much of a thing back then. Overall I think it was perfect, because emotion ran over both of us like a freight train the moment we saw each other. The memories of that will forever stick in my mind. I just wish my crying/sniffling face was cuter :)
4) I was a DIY bride.
From the beginning, we were on a budget. I’ve always been crafty so I immediately starting envisioning ways to DIY invitations, favors, flowers (yes, I did all the flowers which I am both proud of and embarrassed by now that I know more about floral design!!). The table numbers were based on numbers that were meaningful to us in some way. Like “410” was the area code where we both lived, met, and dated. And “6.95” was the price of our very favorite cup of cream of crab soup (Federal House in Annapolis - the best). And “9090” was the street number of the house we bought and renovated together. Each table number had a story, and it allowed guests to move around to different tables to read about the significance of those numbers.
5) We were engaged for 18 months & set a date 6 months before our wedding.
When we got engaged, we wanted to enjoy that phase without jumping right into wedding planning. We took a whole year to live life and when the anniversary of our engagement rolled around, we settled on a date and venue! I know most people plan things out further in advance, but it was perfect for us.
6) Something old, something new…
I stuck with tradition here. Something old was my late grandfather’s monogrammed tie bar that I incorporated in the ribbon on my bouquet. Something new was easy - my dress! Earrings were my something borrowed and I put stickers on the bottom of my shoes that said “I do” as my something blue.
7) I still (kinda) fit in my wedding dress!
Okay so this is really silly, but after I had both my kids and lost some of that weight, I squeezed myself into my dress one day just to see if it fit. I didn’t really care if it did or not. My body had been through a lot since I wore the dress on my wedding day and it was kind of amazing to think about! I doubt I’ll ever wear it again, but I think I’ve convinced Tamir to dress up and have photos taken when we make it to our 10 year anniversary!
Now, what you are probably here for…. thanks for indulging my trip down memory lane!
Happy 7 years, Tamir! <3