The mission of Southern Weddings is to inspire brides to cultivate a life full of love — celebrating their families, the culture of the South, and what matters most to them — and then to draw from that rich well to create a meaningful beginning to married life. Last week our team was inspired to share on instagram exactly what our mission means to each of us and why it is so important. It was a great day, and we loved hearing your thoughts! We noticed in the comments that our mission was new to many of you – which makes us so glad we posted it, and also made us want to share it here on the blog, just in case someone will be hearing it for the first time. Without further ado…
From our Art Director, @NicoleAYang: The other day, I struck up a great conversation with an urban planner who was sitting across from me and a friend at a restaurant. We talked about everything from good food to technology, our outlooks on the next 20 years, economics, politics and the clean water crisis. At the end, after finding out that I worked at a wedding magazine, he said he was surprised to have such a thorough conversation with me, given my field of work. It occurred to me that many of my friends may not know exactly what I do WITH my work. I feel compelled to clarify it now and say that there is NOTHING frivolous about celebrating weddings and focusing on marriage. And that inherent in that passion comes a concern for our families, the world around us, and the sustainability of our habits. I am proud that I work with a group of women who are yes, stylish, peppy and kind, but are incredibly intelligent, creative and FIERCE business women. I hope that no one assumes that our place in the wedding world is marked by an obsession with pretty things, but rather with a heart for relationships in general, whether it be to others or to our surroundings.
From our #BlueRibbonVendor Director, @KN_Winchester: I believe that life – the big and small moments – is meant to be celebrated in a way that is deeply meaningful and rooted in what matters most. I believe that relationships matter and that creating and cultivating meaningful relationships is the secret sauce to a life well-lived. I also believe that strong marriages can change the world, which I find to be both powerful and empowering. At its core, I find the SW mission statement a simple, yet sturdy recipe that empowers brides and grooms (and their families) to dig deep, focus on what matters, celebrate their wedding, and establish a meaningful beginning to married life. I am driven by a love of the South, a love of marriage and a belief that true love always, always wins.
From our Creative Director, @EmilyAyerThomas: To me, marriage is the gift that keeps on giving. The everyday things of life — from grocery shopping, to after-dinner walks around our neighborhood, to kisses on the way out the door in the morning — are so precious to me because I get to do them alongside my best friend. I LOVE that I get to be a part of a publication that celebrates that, and encourages couples in their everyday together lives. As much as I love weddings, after five years at SW, I believe working at any other wedding magazine would feel hollow, because a wedding means nothing without a marriage. We believe marriage is doable, and joyful, and worth it, and if you do, too, that’s what will build a generation of strong marriages… and that’s what will change the world.
From our editor, @Lisa_Janel: I believe that a wedding–a marriage–means the beginning of a family, and that there is nothing more important, dignified, or beautiful than that. Strong marriages are the very core of society, and I have been learning daily as I plan my own wedding that one tangible way a couple can show their appreciation and understanding of what a big deal marriage is is by planning an intentional, deeply meaningful wedding. That doesn’t mean a wedding filled with perfect details, as wonderful as those things can be–it means planning a wedding that points people’s minds and hearts straight to what is really happening on that day, and what really matters. I am grateful that at Southern Weddings, we help equip couples to do just that.
From our Shop Manager and Junior Designer, @MorganEMoore: Inspiring love is the heartbeat of Southern Weddings. Providing our readers with stories, ideas, and shop products work to welcome y’all into a community where you can be inspired to cultivate meaning in your lives and marriages. I am so passionate about living a life focused on loving others and making them feel taken care of. Whether packaging Southern Weddings shop orders as sweet gifts or designing engaging brand materials that draw our readers to our mission of meaningful celebrations, I’m overjoyed to be a part of such an intentional, mission-focused team.
From our Advertising Director, @MarissaKloess: To me, our mission means truly believing that love never fails, that what matters most should not be at the mercy of what matters least, and that there is always a happily ever after (whatever that may be, or even if it involves hard work!). It means that chivalry is not dead, that a little grace for your significant other (and for yourself!) can go a long way, and that holding hands with your beau should always make your heart skip a beat! With a young baby, and having been married for almost six (!) years, our mission holds a special place in my heart and reminds me daily to not only fight for my marriage, but also to build a strong foundation for our girl to learn from and build upon with her relationships in the future. Our mission doesn’t mean that things are perfect–it means that there is purpose. Living out the importance of our mission and refocusing on our core and the values that deeply matter melts away the laundry, makes me savor those 3 a.m. cuddles that won’t last forever, and helps me remember to never be afraid to be the one who loves the most.
From our Editor-in-Chief @LaraaCasey: I believe in the impossible. I believe that a marriage built on a solid foundation — or one that is rebuilt on new ground — can change the world. I don’t say that lightly. Our world is heavy with despair and people are hungry for love. Real love. The kind of love that changes things, brings people together, and heals what feels impossible. A revolution of love starts with just one action, friends. And you can help us make that happen. Because, we are stronger together than we are apart. I believe that we — and YOU — are a part of something bigger than us. My own marriage was a mess and I felt like it would never change. I felt completely alone and lost. But. But! God changed it all. That’s why I do what I do at Southern Weddings and why I wake up every day fired up about encouraging marriages, because I once was lost but now I’m found. I once was hopeless and now I know for sure that the best is yet to come. It’s not about having a perfect marriage, it’s about living and breathing a purposeful marriage where you keep. choosing. love.
All photos except Morgan’s by our talented Blue Ribbon Vendor Landon Jacob Photography!
Love you ladies. Your hearts are beautiful. Thank you for not only believing in such a powerful mission, but living it as well. xoxo
This is so sweet! With my own wedding approaching in just a handful of weeks, I have to say how much I’ve loved reading Southern Weddings (even though I live in southern Missouri!), not just because of the stunning wedding features, but because I love the mission behind it all! Y’all have truly helped inspire me to create and build a marriage more beautiful than my wedding, so thank you!
Erin!! Oh my gracious. Sending you biggest hugs! Enjoy these last few weeks before your wedding. Excited for your new adventure into married life! xo.
I LOVE this….sharing the “inside” helps us appreciate the “outside” so much more.
You ladies are for real bringing happy tears to my eyes again with this one! As a relative newbie to the wedding field (and a NYer but don’t judge me), I just recently discovered Southern Weddings and I am just smitten with what you do and how you do it. My husband and I just crossed over our two year anniversary, and marriage is not easy, but I truly believe that God gives us the grace to keep going and that every good marriage is a win for the kingdom and for our communities. Loved reading this!
Absolutely adore this post and your sweet, kind hearts! Thank you for being so authentic!
[…] The mission of Southern Weddings drives all that we do–read about what it means to each of us here. […]
[…] 3:17: Like Marissa, most of my day is spent on the business side of Southern Weddings. I take a few minutes to call a client to discuss their questions about the Blue Ribbon Vendor directory. Getting a chance to speak about the Southern Weddings mission statement in addition to answering BRV-specific questions is always a great way to remind me why I do what I do. […]