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Soooooo….. yesterday we sat down to have our regular Wednesday afternoon staff meeting.   If you follow us on Twitter, you know a few these happen at these meetings.  First, we eat! Every week, we sample a different Southern specialty.

A few favorites from past meetings: sweet tea (naturally), Cheerwine, peach ice cream, fresh baked biscuits with peach jam, fresh local berries and honey, MoonPies, pecan pie, Krispy Kreme (born and raised in NC!) and, among many other favorites, cornbread muffins and Carolina blue cupcakes.   Yum!

Next, we dream up all sorts of goodness for y’all. This starts with everyone giving an update on what they are working on.

So, we start our meeting yesterday and everyone is a bit sleepy from the holiday weekend.   After asking for a volunteer to go first with updates and no takers, Emily gladly says “I have an update!”…. and PULLS HER HAND OUT FROM UNDER THE TABLE WITH AN ENGAGEMENT RING ON IT!!!!!! The room erupted in squealing, jumping (I must have touched the ceiling!) and a pile of hugs all at once!  I’ll let Emily tell you all the details, of course, but needless to say we had a hard time focusing on anything after that!   Emily, we love you and are so happy for you! Don’t get me started again. You’ll have to break out the tissues!  I am over-the-moon happy for Em + John!  Oh my stars! And hello… how cute is this!?

So, in honor of Emily’s engagement, today’s post is all about true love through the ages.  Emily and John have a love that will last and inspire so many, so I couldn’t think of a better occasion to start this feature!

I spent the holiday weekend in Florida with my family and got a chance to capture some of our family wedding pics of old. Every photograph you see here has a beautiful love story behind it.  Above is my great grandparent’s marriage certificate from their tiny 1909 Alabama wedding!  Wow, what a beautiful document!  My great grandparents were farmers and cared for 8 children, including my Grandpa Cecil.

Grandma Bunny + Grandpa Cecil’s wedding above.  They were married in the local church and then celebrated at the Austin family home in Monroeville, Alabama.  My Grandma’s secret to a happy marriage: “Be sweet to each other!  Do kind things, love each other tenderly every day and appreciate the little things.  Cecil used to bring me wildflowers with my coffee.”

My Grandma Betty’s wedding portraits above.  Hello gorgeous!  Who wouldn’t want stunning classic photographs like this!?  This truly takes my breath away.  Grandma Betty passed long before I was born, but I can only imagine what wonderful stories she would tell about this special day!

And finally, my parent’s sweet garden wedding above.  Their secret to a happy marriage as per my mom: “Laugh together, have adventures, love unconditionally and get out and dig in the garden together!”

GET FEATURED! We want to know your family love stories of old! We’ll be highlighting one special couple every week. So, send us your old family photos and a little bit about their love story or their Southern wedding. If you can, interview your parents, grandparents or great grandparents! Here are a few helpful questions to use:

Tell us about your Southern wedding. What was most memorable about it?

What was your favorite detail of the wedding?

What is your best marriage advice?

Send a pic and either this interview above or a little blip about their love story to Marissa with the subject line: VINTAGE LOVE. I can’t wait to see what y’all send in!

P.S. Congrats to the last post’s winners Natalie, Amanda R, Lori and LindenSend us your mailing address and we’ll get your cute heart and love sparklers right to you!

P.P.S. Congrats again to our very own Emily! My heart be still! I’m so excited!

lara Written with love by Lara Casey
9 Comments
  1. avatar Emily reply

    Yay!! Love these photos!

  2. avatar Marissa reply

    I LOVE these photos, but I just can’t get over the fact that EMILY IS ENGAGED! Yay!

  3. avatar Lisa Jeffries reply

    WOOHHHHooo! Congrats, Emily!!! :-*

  4. avatar Meredith reply

    YAY!! Congrats Emily!!!! I kind of knew this would be coming soon after the engagement ring post :) I hope we get to hear the proposal story and a lot of the planning details!!

    • avatar Emily reply

      Thank you, Meredith!! Rest assured, I will be sharing wedding details :)

  5. avatar Dana Laymon reply

    That was the cutest video ever! So excited for you, Emily!! Congratulations! I wish you 2 the best!

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There aren’t too many holidays that are as potentially romantic as the Fourth of July, y’all. Watching fireworks with your sweetie on a blanket in a field or out of the back of a pick-up or on a sandy Southern coastline – oh my! Take me there! I’m headed down to Florida this weekend with my hubs to be with the fam and soak up some pool time and BBQ… and fireworks of course. Growing up in the South, I remember so many brilliant sparkling nights with a sky full of bright colored explosions, sweet tea in hand. We all sit out by the pool and laugh as my mom gets a ridiculously big kick out of her once-a-year pyro fun! It all stems from a great old Southern tradition of lighting firecrackers on Christmas morning.  What can I say?  The woman loves her fireworks!  Photo below by Paul Johnson.

This week, I want to know about the moment you first felt those heart explosions with The One… the moment you just knew that this was going to be forever.  The kind of fireworks that take your breath away and sweep you off your feet.  You know what I mean, friends!   It’s a feeling inside our gut that says, “This is IT!” Maybe it was a first date when he opened all the doors for you and you locked eyes… fireworks!  Maybe it was having him meet your mom for the first time and hearing their laughter together… fireworks!  Maybe it was that time he cared for you when you were so sick you couldn’t get out of bed.  He tried to make you a comforting grilled cheese – just like your mom used to do – and he maaaaay have burned it.  But, somehow it was the greatest meal you’ve ever had… fireworks!  Perhaps it was that time he knew just what to say just when you needed it most… FIREWORKS!  Photo below by Caroline Ghetes.

For me, it was when Ari met my dad.  They were two peas in a pod.  I knew I found a keeper!  Just five months after meeting, we were married.  In Vegas, no less.  And here we are over five years later with a little Biscuit in my oven, happy as two bees in a honeysuckle field!  Whatever those fireworks were for you, fill us in, ladies!  How did you know? Spill the beans! Photo below by Benj Haisch.

GIVEAWAY: Four (yes, 4!) lucky winners will get one of our favorite Fab Finds from our last issue: heart or love sparklers from Tops MalibuJust leave a comment telling us about those heart explosions.

P.S. Congrats to last post’s winner, Amanda Noel.  Oh wow, all of the comments on that post were so inspiring!  I can’t wait for all of your weddings!  Amanda, email us your mailing address and we’ll get your gorgeous Paloma’s Nest Ring Bearer Bowl right to you.

Wishing you all a lifetime of fireworks ahead and a fantastic weekend under these gorgeous Southern skies!

lara Written with love by Lara Casey
33 Comments
  1. avatar Bethany Ann Stuart reply

    Love this post! My ‘heart explosions’ happened on the very first day I met my now-husband. He was a teacher’s assistant in my first college course. Don’t worry – he was a student too! Just an assistant for a scholarship. Well, he walked in the room that very first day and literally took my breath away! It was the weirdest feeling EVER. However, we didn’t start dating until that next semester – after the course ended. I never forgot that feeling and we married last fall. :) Thanks for letting me relive that moment!!! Happy 4th of July, y’all!!

  2. avatar Tiffany Whitsitt reply

    Oh my gosh!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE those sparklers! Too cute!

  3. avatar Kelly reply

    I knew he was the one on our first date…..we doubled with a good friend of mine and her boyfriend. We went to a fun local bar and and were hanging out, next thing I knew the bartender tapped me on the shoulder and said “We are closing up if y’all don’t want to spend the night, it is time to leave” What? Where did those 3 hours go….everyone had left the bar (including my friend) and there we were completely unaware of everything around us. As he was walking me to my car and gave my hand a squeeze, something inside me knew we would always be together. We were married 10 months later and have been madly in love for over 18 years….after all these years, he can look at me across a room and I still get butterflies in my stomach. I thank God for him every day!

    • avatar Lara reply

      I so know the feeling! Ari and I had the same thing happen on one of our first dates. Time flies when you are feeling those fireworks! Love it, Kelly.

  4. avatar Heather Gardner reply

    Great post Lara….

    Looking back, it’s hard to believe that the hubs and I have been married for 4 years. We met on a blind date courtesy of e-Harmony (yep!). Sitting next to him, hearing how he spoke, how his eyes lit up like a little kid on Christmas when he talked about his grandfather, and the *gut feeling* I had for him – at that moment, I knew I was going to marry him. I had never had that feeling before with any other…and 6 months later we were engaged!

    • avatar Lara reply

      Heather, I love your story! I hear so many great e-Harmony matches. So wonderful!

  5. avatar Linden reply

    It’s funny because the moment HE first knew was actually last year at the 4th of july… we were on my family’s boat watching fireworks and it was perfect… he even wrote me a poem about it (cheesy, i know!). the moment i first knew was way less romantic but just as special. he wrote me this letter that proved to me how empathetic he is and how he realized (very early on… I think we’d known each other 6 weeks at this point!) how much his words and actions affected me. he proved to me that he’d always be careful with my feelings.

    • avatar Lara reply

      Linden, I love this. I’m excited for you two to relive the fireworks this weekend!

  6. avatar allison reply

    When my now-fiance met my family!

  7. avatar madelynne miller reply

    The first time I ever felt fireworks for my fiance Corey was about a week after I met him. I asked to share head phones with him in the computer lab so I could listen to his music. He was playing “Italian Leather Sofa” by CAKE and I was quietly singing it to myself. He looked at me and said “You know CAKE and you know this SONG?!” And I said “Yes, of course, I grew up listening to CAKE.” And that was it. Indie music obsessed man and I fell in love.

  8. avatar Jennifer reply

    My fiance and I are getting married in exactly one month today! To celebrate we’re headed to our town’s beach to watch the Canada Day Fireworks over the lake! My hearts been doubling over itself all day I’m so excited!

    I knew my fiance was the one when he had my name tattooed across his chest…

    JUST KIDDING, Y’ALL!

    Really though…

    I tore my tutu during the dress rehearsal the night before the opening performance of a production of Swan Lake I was in, and my fiance stayed up past midnight to help me fix my tutu. I didn’t even know he could sew, but I’ll never forget the way he smiled at me and said ” I can’t stand it when something makes you sad… and I’m just happy that this is something I CAN fix for you. Pass me the kit and stand still!”

    I’ll love this man forever.

    • avatar Lara reply

      HAHA!!! Thanks for the good laugh, Jennifer! Your story wins bonus points. He fixed your tutu!? Amazing! Love it! And congrats on your upcoming wedding – YAY!!!!

  9. avatar Amanda Zerra reply

    Loving this post, just thinking back to all of the ‘fireworks’ we’ve shared over the years gives me butterflies! The first time I felt the sparks between my now husband and I was back in High School (8 years ago.. wow) we went to the beach on one of our first dates to check out the stars. Me, being the bad influence I was decided we should go past the locked gate and sit on the sand near the water. After about 20 minutes of kissing under the stars a policeman came shining his mag lite on us and yelled at us to leave. I kept my cool knowing we hadn’t done anything wrong and we’d simply be on our way. My now husband however, being the goody two shoes he was freaked out, ran to the cop to apologize. Needless to say this startled the police officer. All was fine, I just remember thinking back then how opposite we were and how much his cute innocence made me laugh, and still does! On the drive home we laughed over our evening and I told him I loved him. Neither of us has changed! :) Happy 4th everybody! God Bless America!

  10. avatar Mandy reply

    The first time I knew was way back when I was in high school after prom when he and a few others spent the night at my house. We weren’t dating at the time (my choice), but we managed to find some time away from the others spending the night and go sit out on my front porch swing. It was really late at night and slightly chilly outside. I’m stubborn as all get out, but I didn’t want to go in and I was cold. Since he didn’t have a jacket to offer me, he pulled me close and put his arm around me. We didn’t say much… just sat in the dark, looking up at the stars, but that’s when I knew. I didn’t know much about how it was going to work out, but I knew that if I were to marry it would be to him and that he would be the perfect one for me. It’s been 7 years since that night and now we are engaged. So much for not dating him!

  11. avatar Lori reply

    We’ve had many sparks and fireworks over the last year and a half, but I’d say the most memorable was on our 2nd date. Bobby had just finished law school at University of Tennessee and on a beautiful summer night, he took me around campus and downtown Knoxville. As we were walking past Market Square and through a small park and gardens, he led me to the old courthouse and explained to me its history and significance. We held eachother’s gaze for what seemed like forever and he leaned down and gave me the most powerful and electric kiss of my life! I have never been one for PDA, but I just couldn’t pull away! We still talk about that kiss and how that’s when we knew we had something very special.

    • avatar Lori reply

      Lori: I forgot to mention that while we were kissing, a car full of college guys drove past and hooped and hollered at us. Haha. Memories.

  12. avatar linda d reply

    It’s so crazy to look back and realize that fireworks happened the moment that we met. We met at a bar in the most lucky of coincidences in terms of time and place. He had just started living in the area and his sister had invited him out to happy hour. One of his sister’s friends had also invited me out. I walked in and sat next to him and so started our story. If for some reason either of us had not gone that night, it was pretty likely that we would have never met and our lives would never have changed. It was the weirdest feeling that we connected so well so quickly. Everyone else there tells me it was so obvious that we were in our own world at that point. Of course we’ve had other fireworks since then, including the surprise proposal! But I will never forget that feeling of the first time. :)

  13. avatar Taylor reply

    After my boyfriend and I had spent 2 moths apart doing mission work during our first year of dating, seeing him walk up the stairs in the airport made my heart EXPLODE! I was in the Dominican Republic, and he was in Jordan. The Lord’s will was our focus and we knew we’d make it through. After serving for so long, our hearts rejoiced together.

  14. avatar AshleyHH reply

    Being a Florida girl, born and raised…. the 4th of July is my favorite holiday (other than Christmas of course!) Fireworks are my absolute favorite and I am so excited to spend this 4th with my sweetie and his family down in the Keys… although I am gonna miss my family out at the lake! When my honey and I first started hanging out, I was very unsure of the whole thing, I knew I liked him, he was just so different than I had remembered him from high school 5 (now 6) years ago. Our first few dates were spent on the beach, swimming at sunset, wishing on stars, sharing life ambitions, and maybe even stealing a kiss or two. ;-) I had surgery on my foot 3 days after we started hanging out (we hung out every night) and he came to see me and take care of me right away. Met my parents right away and got along with them right away. But something inside me was still unsure. And then, when I told him of my insecurities, I felt those fireworks when he gave me his response. He told me, ” If I am not the last guy you date, I hope that I at least set the bar very high for anyone else who might come into your life.” And I melted and realized I didn’t want anyone else to come into my life. We have made it through almost a year of long distance, and now I get to move back to be closer to him tomorrow!!!! Yay!

    • avatar Maddison Lee reply

      AshleyHH: If she doesn’t win, then she better have set the standard! Haha! Love that! Happy moving! No, I don’t know this girl.

  15. avatar Erin B. reply

    My guy does “explosion stuff” all the time…..over the last year for a period of a least 6 months there he was bringing me fresh flowers at least once a week (and I am such a sucker for flowers!!). He loves me so much I can just look into his eyes and see it and THAT is what gives me the explosions!! Although, the flowers are nice too:)
    And I am ready for my firework exit at the wedding!!! These would be great!!

  16. avatar Rachael J reply

    I knew he was “the one” after dating for in high school for two years, I moved two hours south for college. He drove over 500 miles in one weekend because I was all alone my new apartment! It was something he did not have to do by any means but it meant the world to me. Three years later, we are getting married :)

  17. avatar Amanda Noel reply

    I am so excited about the Ring Bearer Bowl! Thank you!

  18. avatar Autumn Goehring reply

    Right from the beggining he was different. At first I didnt know that was a good thing. I was at a point in my life when for the first time, I wanted nothing to do with any “boyfriend”. I met Todd on his birthday. He was coming on WAY too strong. From that night on he did not give up. I pushed him away, and he pushed right back. He knew something I did not. I am so grateful that he did not give up on me, that he sucked up the humiliation of repeated rejection. One night I was alone and he crossed my mind, over and over, the pressure built until I finally let all my pride and emotion go. In one brilliant exlosion of love I realized he was the one. He didnt give up on me. We were together that night and have been ever since. I love my man for who he is and the lesson he taught me.

  19. avatar Brittany Mayer reply

    The first time I experienced fireworks with my fiance Adam, was a little unconventional as I was with another beau at the time, but you just can’t stop love I guess! There was a large group of us all on a camping trip at a lake in North Carolina. I had only met Adam a few times and didn’t know him all too well, but as I got to know him that day I realized what a great person he was. Well that night we all went down onto the beach at our camp site. There was the most amazing meteor shower I have ever seen! Thousands of shooting stars fell across the sky as I stood next to Adam. Of course being the romantic I am I made a wish to find that one person I was meant for, as I have always wished since I was a little girl. And all of a sudden watching those falling stars I just knew it was him. Talk about fireworks! Love is blind and unexpected that way I guess! I will always thank my lucky stars I found him

  20. avatar Amanda R reply

    The moment I knew my man was the one for me was while we weren’t even together or dating! We dated in college, but went separate ways to pursue careers and further education. Long story short, I got a phone call one Memorial Day weekend that he had broken his neck and could possibly be paralyzed. Upon hearing that news and thinking that I could have lost him forever, the heartbreak and feelings that immediately sprung inside of me were so strong that I knew I had more love for him than I ever realized was possible. We gave love a second chance and we are getting married next June!

  21. avatar Angela Alpaugh reply

    The moment I knew was when we saw each other for the first time across a room. It was a true Tony and Maria moment from “West Side Story” when they see each other across the room and everyone else in the room fades away. My New Yorker husband was working at a hospital in my home state of Oklahoma and visited my home church. We were married last month at that same church, Northside Southern Baptist Church. In keeping with true Southern tradition, it is where my parents were married in 1972 and my maternal grandparents began their married life together in 1948. To top it all off, he proposed last 4th of July and we are returning this 4th to the place he proposed: his family’s beach house on Long Beach Island, NJ.

  22. avatar Natalie reply

    My “Heart Explosions” are all the time my fiance goes above and beyond the call of duty just because he loves me so, so much. One of many examples is this past week. I was gone on a mission trip with the church I work for and he was a hero, getting things done for the wedding, trying to help arrange for my mom to visit me so I can finally pick out a wedding dress, and to top it all of cooking dinner for me on the evening I got back. He does so much to make my life easier and better. I love him so much and appreciate all the love he showers me with each and every day!

  23. avatar cleesmile reply

    the heart sparklers would make a beautiful lit-up addition to a bright wedding that we’re trying to have!

  24. avatar Kristyn M reply

    Part of me knew as soon as I met him that he was the one. But that was about 10 months before this moment. Jeff and I met at the dog park but started dating via facebook. I was working for the summer at a law firm in Florida and he was back in North Carolina when we started dating. I was driving the 2.5 hours to Seaside Beach, FL to spend a weekend with a dear friend and her family (now my maid of honor and her daughter is my flower girl.) I talked to Jeff the entire way there but didn’t want to be rude so we hung up once I arrived. I was sitting on the porch of this beautiful beachfront house telling my friend all about Jeff. During this time he sent me a text message saying something about what he was doing that day. Immediately following I got a picture message from him with a picture of fireworks and text that said “and this is how you make me feel :)” I immediately showed my friend and we both got tears in our eyes. I knew he was the one for me at that moment.

    It wasn’t until a few weeks later that we shared our first hug, first kiss and first date. Its proof that you can know before anything physical takes place. It was an emotional connection that I don’t share with anyone but him.

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  26. avatar bbc news reply

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NOTE: Some of you may have spotted this post on Lara’s personal blog a few days ago, but until we get our feeds figured out, we’re going to be posting “personal” content here, too!

Hi y’all! Welcome to the NEW It List – top wedding images that inspire the daylights out of me! No rules here; just what makes my heart go pitter patter. Enjoy!

I love images that tell a story… especially images that get me curious about that story. This series from Amelia Lyon makes me want to jump into these photographs and be a fly on the wall!

The instant I saw this succulent kiss from my dear friend Natalie Norton, I gasped. I love her hand in the air, as if she is just smitten with love and abandon!

Otto Schulze frequently gives me photographic goosebumps. I can just hear this moment with the boys.

Something about this turn to cool weather makes me crave wool and heather gray and my husband’s warm chest to rest my head on. Jonathan Canlas brought the warm fuzzies with these lovelies.

If you get too chilly in your neck of the woods, just stop by Paul Johnson’s blog. It’s summer all year round at one of my favorite places on earth, Allys Beach. Gorgeous couple and you know I love that bowtie! Paul also shot my family this summer and I just adore he and Mecheal.

Last but not least for today… I love you. I really do. Thanks, Image is Found. Wouldn’t you love to have a set of your man mouthing this to you for a rainy day?

Have an image you would like to submit? Tweet it to me @LaraCasey with the #ItList hashtag. I’d love to see what inspires you! So… which one above is your favorite?

lara Written with love by Lara Casey
4 Comments
  1. avatar Victoria Sharkey (@Carolinachic83) reply

    Love it all! Esp. the bottom pick, he could also be saying Elephant Shoe ;) …just a thought!

  2. avatar Jessica Lagomarcino reply

    I love the one with her hand in the air too! Great moment captured.

    But I also LOVE Jonathan Canlas’ work… looked into him for MY wedding!

  3. avatar Kristen Steele reply

    I absolutely ADORE Natalie’s photo!! The coloring, their joy, the gorgeous details… superb! I’ll be posting some of my photos for the #ItList soon so stay tuned! :)

  4. avatar Sydney Dawn reply

    I love the one of the group of guys. The contrast between the dark shadows and the white shirts is awesome. And every one of them has an awesome expression on their face, a lot of emotion. I’m also loving the denim shirt the guy has on in Paul Johnson’s photo.

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