How to Thank Your Parents After Your Wedding

Did your parents play a big part in your wedding? Whether they paid for all or part of the wedding, or just offered unconditional support and advice during the time you were engaged, I find many brides and grooms yearn to get their parents a sincere thank you gift after the wedding day. 

The trouble is, mom and dad are probably at a point in life that if they really want something, they’re going to buy it. “Stuff” just doesn’t mean a lot. Something that DOES mean a lot? The happiness of their kids. (It’s why they give so much when it comes to your wedding planning!). 

After years of watching couples search to find the perfect gift of gratitude, I’m sharing the three I’ve seen to be the most impactful:

1) A parent album

There’s truly no better way to thank mom and dad than a luxury book filled with images of friends and family on such an important day. Parent albums aren’t an inexpensive gift (although a fraction of what they paid if they funded the wedding!), but they’re truly an heirloom quality product that will bring your parents joy for many years to come. I know my mom proudly displays her album on the coffee table and is thrilled to re-live the day again and again, especially when guests come over!

From Molly who ordered parent albums: “Just talked to my mom and dad and they LOVE the album!!  My mom said the cover is beautiful and the pages are so sharp! She said every time she looks at the album makes her feel like she’s right there, again and again.” 

2) A wine subscription

This is honestly one of the better gifts I’ve seen a bride give her parents! Because, let’s be honest, they’re going to need some wine after that year of helping you plan and writing checks ;) I’ve heard great things about the Biltmore Wine Club, but if your parents have a specific place or brand they like, it’s definitely worth exploring a subscription service more tailored to them. 

3) A side by side print

I heard about this gift once from a past groom, and apparently his mom was a puddle when she unwrapped it! He printed a photo directly from the wedding gallery we sent, and put it in a side by side with a photo of his parents from their own wedding day. I thought this was such a cute memento to display on a shelf! There are a lot of two photo frame options to choose from, like this one. 

There you have it- my three best wedding thank you gifts for your parents! If you’re considering the album, be sure to see a few more images of our wedding albums on our Instagram highlight. 

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out our Valentine’s day gift idea blog!

Ashley 

The 5th Year of Marriage: Our Best 3 Wedding Planning Tips

If you are reading this right now, particularly if you’re engaged- can you imagine your life in 5 years? What you two will look like, where you’ll live, how you’ll feel about each other? 

I certainly couldn’t have dreamed up where Justin and I would be in our 5th year of marriage. I love him so much more than I did on our wedding day (people kept saying that was a thing- it didn’t really make sense to me until now) we WORK together full time(!), we’ve purchased our first home, and it seems like life just keeps getting better. 

As we’ve reflected back on our wedding planning, we wanted to share three pieces of advice. Our hope is that these will change how you think about wedding planning, and get you excited and ready for the adventure of marriage ahead. 

1) Do the first look

I did NOT want to do a first look, y’all! Since I was younger, I always loved that quintessential “aisle moment”, and couldn’t imagine anything else. While planning, Justin told me he was particularly passionate about the first look and asked if I’d reconsider. (Especially when I said I wanted a lot of time with him and to enjoy cocktail hour with our guests) Marriage is about compromise, so I went on with it. Looking back- I can’t imagine how little we would have seen each other that day if we didn’t do that first look! Our first look allowed us to spend the day together starting at 1:30 pm as opposed to 5:00. 3 extra hours of quality time with my husband on our wedding day is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. 

To read more about why I loved my 180 on this choice, see my blog “5 reasons to consider a first look” here. 

2) Plan out a ceremony that is meaningful

Don’t believe the lie that you have to “get through the ceremony” to get to the fun part of the day (the reception). Nothing breaks my heart more than when I hear this sentiment! 

Our wedding ceremony was sacred, and we look back on it still in awe at the sense of emotion that came along with the commitments we made that day. I love that we took the time to incorporate readings, a song our friend sang, communion, a ring warming ceremony, and writing our own vows. We had a friend officiate for us, and meticulously thought about each detail of this special time. It’s worth so much more to us than flowers, food, music, etc. It’s the reason we were all there that day and we wanted it to feel that way! Would highly recommend everyone take the time to create a ceremony that is meaningful. 

3) Hire the amazing photographer (and videographer)

Honestly, I’m not saying this because I’m a photographer. This isn’t a sales pitch. This is just me, a former bride, understanding ONLY post-wedding just how much our wedding photos and video mean to me. Many people assume Justin and I hired a friend, or got a discount on photography because he was a photographer too. NOPE! Justin and I hired our amazing wedding photographer Brett Heidebrecht (@brettheidbrecht) simply because we loved the quality of his work and felt connected to him after talking. In full transparency, he was more expensive than Justin’s wedding collections at the time. We happily paid every penny, and now looking back, my only regret is not paying for MORE time and another photographer on the team to have even more of his amazing images! Truly some of the best money we’ve spent in our life together has been on quality photography- we look at our images all the time and can’t wait to share these heirlooms with our kids someday. 

There you have it: our three best pieces of wedding planning advice as we look back on our day 5 years later. We hope these tips will be useful to you as you’re walking your own wedding planning journey. Congratulations- the best is yet to come!

If you want even more wedding planning advice, check out this blog on organizing your family photos! 

XO

Ashley 

Erin + Jack Oxford Exchange Wedding Day

How did you two meet?

Haha! Online....super romantic, right?! It took us a while to finally admit we liked each other enough to give the relationship a real "go" - Jack refuses to believe that I didn't like him all that much at first. LOL! We tell people we aren't super close to that we met at a bar though...which is *technically* true. The first time we ever saw each other in person was at the rooftop bar at Del Friscos.

Bride: What is the most important thing to you on your wedding day?

I'm really really really looking forward to the first look!! I think for both of us, having our closest friends and family there to share in one big party is what we're looking forward to most! also really love beautiful wedding details, so can't wait to see it all come together.

Groom: What is the most important thing to you on your wedding day?

Everyone celebrating our love and having a great time together.

It was so special witnessing these two families come together as one!

Tell us about the proposal!

Jack once told me while we were vacation in Italy (and I was getting mass amounts of texts from friends asking if he'd proposed yet), "Italy isn't our life...why would I propose here? I'm more likely to propose on a random Tuesday in the kitchen."

So imagine my surprise when he proposed on a random WEDNESDAY in the kitchen! He had gone to get the kids from a play date down the street and they all came back in carrying baby carrots and in unison, they said "how does a carrot ask a question?" Jack is notorious for his dad jokes, but I was so confused. Then my son walked to me with his carrot, which had the ring on it. The kids screamed "we have carrots and he has a question!" :) He then smacked my behind and said "Let's get married!"

We are so happy that we got to be a part of Erin and Jack’s special day, it was truly a wedding we will never forget! To check out more weddings head to our instagram (@justindemutiis) or take a look at some more of our blogs!

5 Reasons You Need a Wedding Album

“Wedding albums are so expensive, and I really don’t see the point of spending all of that money when we have our pictures online to look at whatever we want.”- Me.

Yep, I said that exact sentence, years ago, right after Justin and I got our wedding images and he wanted to order an album. I’m the Sally saver in our relationship, and to be honest I had a little bit of sticker shock when I looked into purchasing a wedding album; I quickly decided it wasn’t worth it. 

Well, marriage is about compromise, so eventually Justin convinced me, and he did everything on his own when it came to ordering our wedding album and getting it on the way. When it came in, it sat in the box for days because I really didn’t care that much about looking at it. Fast forward to the night Justin and I finally sat down on the sofa to flip through it- and cue the waterworks. It was the first time I actually cried looking at our wedding images! Since then, I’ve reflected a lot on why the album made me feel the way it did, because let me tell you, I went from album scrooge to album believer in about 5 seconds.

Knowing what I know now, I truly feel it’s my responsibility to share with you the 5 reasons I firmly believe every person should own a high quality wedding album- scroll on! 

1) Re-visit your wedding day cuddled up in bed, not huddled behind a computer screen

Recently, I polled our followers on instagram about wedding albums… Did you know that 75% of people who don’t have a wedding album have to pull out their computer every single time they want to look at the images from their big day? This honestly and truly broke my heart. One of my all time favorite moments on Justin and I’s anniversary is when we crack open a bottle of wine, get in bed or sit on the sofa, and slowly reminisce on our wedding day as we flip through the pages of our album. I don’t know about you, but enough of my day is spent behind a glowing screen- I love having something I can physically hold and touch anytime I want to look back on our wedding day, and I know you will too.

2) Create a family heirloom

Ok- this was the cry moment for me. When we opened our album for the first time and I burst into tears, I immediately told Justin “Oh my gosh- Our grandkids are going to hold this someday”. That really hit me hard. Maybe I’m an old soul, but in today’s world of fast fashion and disposable everything, it seems like no one thinks about the future or invests in quality anymore! Sure, you can make a shutterfly book of your wedding images…. but I promise you it’ll be faded and ripped and thrown away someday. I didn’t realize until I held our album in my hands how sturdy and luxurious it felt, and I can honestly say I have confidence that this book will outlive us. I’m so excited we had the opportunity to create an heirloom that our kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids can enjoy. 

3) Don’t rely on technology alone

Social media apps come and go, and yet the other 20% of people (that I polled online that don’t have a wedding album) said that that’s how they re-visit their wedding day. I have a hard time believing that at 75 years old, when you want to take a look at your wedding pictures, you’ll whip out your iPhone and scroll back on your instagram by 50 years. 

Computers fail, hard drives fail, the ‘it’ social media app is ever changing…. but a tangible wedding album is truly timeless and outlasts technology trends. 

4) Design a beautiful statement piece for your home

If nothing else- wedding albums are beautiful! Justin spent years sourcing the absolute best album company in the country, because we believe our clients are deserving of the best. Each album is designed from scratch, and made completely custom for each couple we work with. From the fabric and color, to what’s printed or debossed on the cover, you can choose something that fits your personal style so that you can proudly display your wedding album on a coffee table, bookshelf, or bedroom accent table. 

Our albums are all crafted by hand right here in the united states and truly have an un-matched quality and luxurious feel. You’ll be proud for any guest in your home to flip through it’s pages as they’re transported back to your special day! 

5) Tell the story of your wedding instead of combing through 1000+ images

Did you know that 50 years ago, most people typically only received a small handful of images from their wedding day? I’m talking… for sure less than 100. Goodness, how times have changed! Depending on the number of hours booked, most of our clients receive close to 1000 or more images from their wedding day! As great as it is to have all of those pictures, you don’t exactly have an hour or two to spare every time you want to look at your wedding photos. I love wedding albums because we design a concise story that showcases the wedding from start to finish- no overwhelm involved. 

That’s all I have for you today, friend. I’ll leave you with a quote I love: “Sometimes you never really know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory”. And I sincerely hope you’ll invest in a way to re-visit your wedding memories. I can promise you’ll never regret it <3 

Bridget + Will Engagement Session

Tropical palm trees, beautiful beach front sunsets, the iconic Gasparilla Inn…. what more could you want in an engagement session? Bridget and will are getting married in Boca Grande this December because it’s meaningful to them. They have so many special memories as a couple in this Florida paradise, so it was only natural that we captured their engagement session in Boca Grande doing all their favorite things: bike riding around the island, playing backgammon at the Gasparilla Inn, taking a cruise on Bridget’s boat, and watching sunset together on the beach. This session was too good not to blog- scroll below to see some of our favorite images, and read a little more about this couple and their story. 

How did you two meet?

“Bridget's family has been coming down to Boca Grande since 2005, and Will's family bought a home there in 2015.  We ran into each other on Christmas Eve in 2015 at The Pink Elephant, and Bridget decided to set up the parents because she thought they'd make good friends.  Bridget invited the Morrison family over for a boat ride (or what she calls the "parent date") and Will quickly developed a crush.  Flash forward to Christmas 2016, where we spent more time together in Boca Grande.  After flirting at the Boca Bande Bash (a party that a group of families organized), we shared our first kiss at midnight on New Year's Eve at Miller's Dockside.  And the rest.........is history.”

Tell us about the proposal!

“Will proposed on the first night of summer in 2020 in Cotuit, MA (where Bridget's family spends their summer).  Will was "going up to New Hampshire" to golf with his dad for Father's Day, when in reality he picked out the ring in Boston.  He then picked up Bridget's older sister, Lizzie, from the airport (she had just flown in from San Francisco) and drove back to Cotuit.  We grabbed a drink and went out to the patio overlooking Cotuit Bay, and Will got down on one knee and popped the question.  Bridget (obviously) said yes, and then they celebrated with Bridget's family afterwards! “

What is one thing that gets you excited about your wedding weekend?

“The weekend will kick off with our rehearsal dinner for the wedding party and immediate families at The Gasparilla Inn Beach Club, followed by a welcome party for the rest of the guests.  We're so excited to welcome everyone to the island, especially first timers!”

We’re counting down to be back with these two for their wedding in beautiful Boca Grande. In the meantime… follow us on instagram to see our day to day adventures (@justindemutiis) or take a peek at another favorite blog, BLANK.  

4 reasons to book an engagement session

“We had an engagement session with Justin 13 years ago and it was the best shoot we ever did- we had so much fun! They are our favorite pictures to date. Especially after getting married and becoming parents, and not having time for take pictures together during this season, it’s so great to have pictures of just us together and in love”. 

I think I’ll end the blog right here, actually. 

Kidding! But I did think that review from Elizabeth really gets to the heart of this topic: “Why do I need an engagement session with my wedding photographer?” DeMutiis Photography couples are people who really value photography, so about 75% of our clients book an engagement session with us from the start! But whether you’re our client or you just happened to stumble upon this blog- today I’m talking to that bride who is on the fence….

 And girl… I feel you in your doubt! Maybe your fiancé doesn’t like pictures, or you don’t want the extra expense, or maybe you already had one because your fiancé hired a photographer when he proposed! And if any of those reasons eventually wins out and you decide not to have an engagement session in your wedding package, I won’t blame you- but before you finalize that decision, you owe it to yourself to be fully informed! After you read this blog, I promise you’ll have all the best reasons in hand to book an engagement session with your wedding photographer so that you can truly make an informed decision as you’re finalizing your wedding collection. 

1) It’s a lot of fun

Though I’m about to give you four more reasons, if nothing else- book an engagement session because it’s FUN! While wedding planning, there’s a lot coming your way- constantly. Venues to select, vendors to choose, and hundreds of other choices to make. I remember well when Justin and I were engaged, sometimes weeks went by without having time for a date night or any fun beyond work and wedding planning. Our engagement pictures were a welcome break from the countless invitation choices and first dance song selections, and it truly felt like a date night. In fact, this is the most common response we hear from our couples after every. single. session. : “Wow! That was WAY more fun than I thought- it was really nice getting to just kiss, hug, cozy up, and spend time together.” 

2) You can get comfortable behind the camera and figure out what you like

Because lets face it- unless you’re an IG influencer, you’re probably not looking at yourself on camera every day. The first few minutes getting behind the camera can feel a little nerve wracking (although I promise we help to take that away quickly) so why not give yourself a chance to be comfortable with it prior to your wedding day? Not only that, but you can figure out what you like in terms of photos of yourself. Before a wedding day, Justin and I always go through the engagement session galleries of our couples to see which images they favorited, and we make ourselves a note to do a similar pose on the wedding day. 

3) You’re capturing a special season

How do you feel when you look back on photos of yourself as a kid or from high school? My guess is, you feel pretty nostalgic. To this same point, when it comes to ALL photos, we’ve found that they increase in value so much more over time. Someday, maybe 10, 20, or even 50 years from now, I can promise you 100% that you won’t remember the time, expense, or stress of choosing the perfect outfit for your engagement session. You WILL remember that special season when you were young and in love, and cherish these images of a once in a lifetime season. The special year or so that you’re engaged is a time that I guarantee you won’t ever want to forget. 

4) You can get to know your photographer better

One of the biggest factors in getting comfortable behind the camera, is getting comfortable with the PERSON behind the camera. The engagement session is 2 hours of hanging out at a beautiful location taking some epic images with Justin. There’s lots of time to chat as you move through the session, and by the end, everyone feels like they’ve made new friends. When it gets to the wedding day, you already know the guy behind the camera and that comfort most definitely translates in the final images! 

So my friend, if after reading these four reasons you still aren’t feeling it when it comes to an engagement session, go with your gut! BUT, if Ive changed you mind (and I hope I have!), be sure to contact us, or read another one of our favorite blogs: “Three engagement session tips”. 

Fall 2024 mini session locations

Scroll on to see a few samples of our mini session locations for fall of 2024!

Lettuce Lake Park

Lettuce Lake park is about a 15 minute drive from downtown/south Tampa. We love it because it has a very old Florida feel with gorgeous oak trees and areas with open grass for kiddos to run. It’s an expansive park, so you don’t have to worry about overcrowding or lots of distractions for your littles!

This year our Lettuce Lake Park sessions will take place in the afternoon of Saturday, October 5th. The address is 6920 E Fletcher Ave, Tampa, FL 33637. Keep in mind there will be a $2 entry fee- CASH ONLY.

Bright Indoor Studio

An indoor studio is a new addition for this year! We’re renting the space for the afternoon to add some variety- especially for those of you who have been with us for many years! Because it’s new we don’t have a ton of photos to show you the exact space, but picture all white, lots of light and a few neutral pieces of furniture to do some seated shots as well as standing combos. I love this idea as well because it’ll look great on just about any Christmas card design, and if it’s a rainy day it won’t mean a re-schedule. It’s super conveniently located in Ybor city.

(This year our Indoor studio sessions will take place mid-day on Sunday, October 6th. The address is 1718 E 7th Ave Tampa, FL 33604)

University of Tampa

University of Tampa is a great place for mini sessions because it’s located right in downtown Tampa, and offers a plethroa of greenery and grass, as well as a covered area with bricks and stairs if we need to add in some variety.

(This year our University of Tampa sessions will take place in the late afternoon on Sunday, October 6th. The address is 401 W Kennedy Blvd Tampa FL)

Marjorie Park

Marjorie Park is a green space located right on Davis Island. Kiddos love running around, and looking at the boats on the water after the session!

Our Marjorie Park sessions will take place in the later afternoon on Thursday, October 10th. The address is 115 Columbia Dr, Tampa, FL 33606.

Pic Nic Island

Pic Nic Island is convenient for those who live in Tampa. It has a more beachy feel with sea grapes and water views, but also offers wide open spaces with grass and trees. The playground is a great incentive for kiddos to run to right after the session ends!

This year our Pic Nic Island sessions will take place on the afternoon of Sunday, October 20th. The address is 7409 Picnic Island Blvd Tampa, FL.

There you have it- you can’t go wrong with any of this years mini session locations! Can’t wait to document your family this fall.

You're engaged! 3 next steps to prevent overwhelm

“When is the date?” “Where is the venue?” “Who are your vendors?” “What does your dress look like?”  Ah, I can almost hear them now- the millions of questions that get thrown your way the moment you have some new bling on that ring finger! 

When Justin and I got engaged, I remember feeling really overwhelmed with all of the choices to make and decisions to think over… and it didn’t help to get asked about it immediately upon our engagement (Like, same day!). I don’t know about you, but when I’m overwhelmed, I just want to close the book on the task at hand because I’m not sure where to start! If this is you- you’ve come to the right place. I promise after reading this blog with tips on the three first things to do post-engagement, you’ll walk away EXCITED to start wedding planning- not feeling overwhelmed!  

Though I know quite a bit about weddings myself, I couldn’t think of anyone who could give better advice than the ever-important wedding planner, so I asked three of my favorites to share their tips- keep on readin’!

1) Pick a date

According to Nicole from NK productions, “ After you get engaged, one of the big steps is choosing a date for your wedding (and picking a backup, too!) The date you choose can hold special significance to you and your fiancé, or you may want to consider the weather, especially in Florida. 2021 and 2022 are gearing up to be especially busy years, so confirming your date/venue is going to be key! Having a planner from the beginning will help you with the dates and venues pros and cons so you are able to make an educated decision from the start.”

2) Choose some general ideas like location

On that same note Ashley from Love Lee Lane tells us: “Have a conversation right away with your partner about ideal time of year, possible date, and general location you would like to have your wedding.  The details can always change as you encounter the planning process, but it is a great staring point to have decided some of the basics together. 

Hiring a wedding planner shortly after engagement can give a couple valuable insight to venue locations, vendor suggestions, and general overall knowledge about where to begin in the planning process. “

I can’t tell you how true this is- once you have a general season and location in mind, the planner should be next on your list- they’re worth their weight in gold! 

3) Set a budget

The third tip, and one of equal importance is told to us by Lindsay Jimison from Burlap to Lace: “The biggest most important first step to do for your wedding planning after you say “yes”  is deciding on a price range! I can’t tell you how many brides call me and have no idea of a budget for their big day. You can’t buy a car without a price range and you certainly can’t plan a wedding without one either. When working on your budget, take a look at websites like Zola or Wedding Wire for budget planners. Also make sure to have an idea of guest count along with your budget since they affect each other. Happy planning!”

There you have it- pick a general season and location, then pick a date, set your price range, and finally (and most importantly, in our opinion) hire a planner!!! You’ll thank yourself later and actually enjoy your engagement, rather than starting it off feeling overwhelmed!

For more planning inspiration and ideas and advice, give us a follow on instagram (@justindemutiis) or keep perusing the blog- a personal fave of mine for the wedding planning groom can be found here.

Goal setting with your spouse

I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret that has set us up to be successful in our communication with each other since day one: GOAL SETTING IN MARRIAGE.

Some of you are reading what I just said and thinking- "What in the world? I have enough on my plate just trying to set my personal goals, why would I want to add a totally different list specific to my marriage?”. Or maybe you are thinking “I don’t even set goals for myself! That sounds so overwhelming!” But I’m here to tell you WHY I wholeheartedly believe in sitting down with your spouse to make goals, HOW I believe it can change your communication, your marriage, and your life this year, and WHAT you need to do to get started!

A few years ago, we decided to purchase the goal setting guide for couples from our friends at Cultivate What Matters. Lara Casey says this best, so I am going to quote her directly here! :

“Why set goals as a couple? Three of the biggest complaints couples have about their relationships are poor communication, not being understood, and not feeling like they’re on the same page. That’s where good goal setting comes in! Setting goals together will help you work as  team, improve communication by expressing your dreams and challenges, provide accountability, and deliver a great sense of unity and connectedness when you make progress together. Good goals can change everything”. 

BOOM- Lara Casey for the win! This statement embodies exactly how we feel about goal setting in our marriage- and we encourage you to give it a go! Below, I’m going to share some of the basic framework we use in our goal setting, and tell you real-life examples from our own marriage. 

1) Celebrate

Each year for our marriage goal setting, we know a little getaway is just what we need to feel refreshed and inspired while planning our year. For us, goal setting is done ideally over three days (but one of those days is definitely dedicated to our business, so many couples may be able to do two days!). While you can totally set aside time to set goals at home, we personally feel too distracted (especially because we work from home all week, too!) We’ve gone as far as snowy vermont, and also done little staycations in Mount Dora and Anna Maria! No matter where it is, we invest in a sweet little room or air bnb’s with views, grab some wine on night one, and celebrate! We believe the goal setting process should ALWAYS begin with celebrating where you’ve been and what you’ve accomplished. I repeat- step one should ALWAYS BE to celebrate!!! As human beings we are so quick to think of the bad things that have happened- so this exercise will really help you cultivate gratitude (you already know we’re big on this if you read our blog about tips we use to be grateful every day!), and celebrate all the past year has brought to you as opposed to thinking “Oh- it’s new years and I have a LOT of improving to do…”. Starting out any exercise feeling overwhelmed with changes you want or need isn’t going to lead you in the right direction.

Some things we do while celebrating:

1. Read the blessings out loud from our blessings jar we keep all year

2. Make a list of “what worked” in the past twelve months and talk about it

3. Put in place a “no negativity” rule. No piggybacking off anything we talk about with improvements needed or complaints.

2) Ask important questions

After our night of celebration, we wake up early to dig into the goals right away. For us, we have to start with coffee and some prayers :) So I encourage you to do whatever it is in the morning that helps you feel pumped and ready before you dive in!

We always begin marriage goal setting by sharing our personal goals first. This way we can use those as a guide to keep us focused on what matters to us both individually, and then we move onto the big questions for marriage. When I say big questions, I’m talking plans for big purchases, kids, travel plans, yearly budget… we get into it ALL on goal setting! Don’t be afraid to bring up those big, sometimes uncomfortable questions and dreams. The discomfort is really where the magic happens and you can dig deeper with your spouse. Some of the most important questions we ask ourselves-

1. Do we feel like our marriage is still on an upward slope?

2. Where do we see ourselves one year from now? How about 5? 

3. How can we encourage one another in our personal goals for this year?

4. What habits do we want to develop as a couple this year? 

5. How do we feel about our current budget? Do we need to make changes?

These are just a starting point- but I encourage you to come up with questions that relate to your life specifically. We break it down into the following categories: Spiritual, Personal, Financial, Health, Family, Home life (this is where we talk about our marriage itself, plans for kids, and our actual house!)

3) Create baby steps

After we work through all the biggest questions, the final step is writing out baby steps we can take to accomplish each goal. An example of baby steps from one of our own goals two years ago looks like this:

Goal:

Keep our marriage a top priority in both of our lives all year long. 

Steps:

1. Going on a date every single Monday! From going on a long walk to a full day at the beach or a garden, we commit to doing something each and every week to focus on us as a couple. 

2. Putting phones on airplane mode between 10PM and 9AM. This time should be for us as a couple each and every day to talk, pray together, laugh… We don’t want anyone or anything competing for that time and attention!

3. Work through the “You and Me” app . (An app suggested by a friend that has you read a book and answer questions together that strengthen your relationship)

We created these steps for each and every goal, and it makes a big difference breaking things down into something manageable!

After all was said and done we finish the trip by doing something fun! From snowmobiling to beach sunset bike rides, we try to pick something to unwind. Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate.

We are so thankful for this goal setting retreat each year to work through celebrating where we’ve come from, sharing personal goals, asking each other the big questions for the next year, and breaking goals into baby steps. We hope this blog has given you some inspiration for goal setting in your own marriage to improve your communication all year round. We promise you won’t regret setting aside this time to fully commit to one another through the next year and beyond- The best is yet to come, you can do it!

Xo,

Justin and Ashley

P.S- if you need some tips for starting your personal goal setting, check out these three tips for setting goals. It’s never too late to begin!