#HappilyEverMasters
That was the catch phrase for a beautiful day in September.
On September 30, 2017 McKenzie and Harlie were married at the Thornton Rodeo Grounds in Thornton, Texas. Everything about their wedding was GORGEOUS! I heard SO many guests compliment her dress, which was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
Harlie received so many compliments on her stunning wedding dress!
When I meet engaged couples I like to hear "THEIR" story - how did they meet, what was the first date, how did he propose, etc. I first met Harlie and McKenzie at their engagement session in February of 2017. At that moment I just knew their wedding was going to be spectacular! They just had a chemistry together that others can see and feel. It's difficult to explain, but can definitely be experienced.
Engagement Session - February 2017
At their engagement session I learned that they were high school sweethearts and both attended Groesbeck High School. McKenzie was one grade above Harlie, but they were both in the same Spanish class while she was a freshman and he was a sophomore. While they knew each other at this time, they weren't dating. However, just as the summer began they did start dating. One of their most memorable early dates was after Harlie's sister's softball game. McKenzie picked Harlie up so they could hang out. McKenzie was driving his 1992 Ford single cab pickup with a standard transmission. While they were on the way back to Harlie's house, McKenzie said he wanted her to try to drive his truck. Harlie, being the go-getter she is, jumped at the chance. She stalled the truck about four times and blinded herself when she accidentally turned on the bright LED lights on the gear shifter! She jumped out of the pickup and said she would never drive that truck again and they laughed the rest of the way to her house!
Nearly six years later, McKenzie proposed to Harlie in their living room just a few days before Christmas in 2016. It was a quiet proposal with just the two of them in the living room. Harlie said is was sweet and romantic. Just the two of them. In their living room. With their ugly oversized Christmas tree they chopped down a few days earlier. It was definitely not the envisioned proposal (public with someone photographing the event), but it was definitely the perfect proposal!
This Christmas tree was the perfect backdrop for the proposal!
Harlie and McKenzie informed me that it was great being high school sweethearts for a lot of reasons, but mainly because they learned so much about each other through those high school years. They never had to introduce those awkward puberty days to each other because they were experiencing them together! They went on to say that it makes them feel accomplished in their relationship when they look back and see how far they've come in relation to all their friends' relationships that have ended. They've made it this far because they communicate with each other. COMMUNICATION IS KEY! Harlie explained that McKenzie is terrible at communicating at times so she has to make sure she is asking questions and updating him throughout the day to keep the line of communication open.
As I write this at the age of 39, Harlie's words are running through my mind, "Communication is key." When McKenize is not communicating as well as she'd like, she picks up the slack and makes sure she takes the active role of initiating the conversation. This is so important! It's so easy to sit back when your partner is sitting back. But we all know when both people in a relationship sit back and no one takes the wheel, a wreck is inevitable.
So today I challenge you to take the active role in your relationship and COMMUNICATE!
Special thanks to Angela Bailey with Angela Bailey Photography for assisting with capturing the memories from this special day.