When is it enough?

“He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”
                                                            ― Lao Tzu

  This will be an unusual blog post, especially coming from a woman who has built a career in the wedding industry. I've seen the most lavish weddings, and I've seen the most humble; and I've designed them both. Being a creative person driven by a love of beauty in all things, I can see the miracles in the natural world that play about before us. I see the symmetry of an orchid, the majesty of a peony in full bloom, and the perfection of a poppy growing in a field. 

   In my daily life, I stop to acknowledge these things. I let them wash over me and replenish my spirit. I am reminded of the oneness of this world, and of the greatness and the smallness of all things. I do this because I am no stranger to becoming overwhelmed with modern society. Televisions, phones, traffic, the internet..even pop-up ads are draining to me. So much of day-to-day living has become so complicated that it seems like it takes an entire staff to manage it all. But where I see it the most is in the eyes of some of my clients. 

  The wedding industry has always been known for opulence in all things, but recently it's taken a turn down an even darker path. Weddings have now become a theatrical event, complete with overarching themes (as if marriage itself wasn't enough...) and sometimes captive audiences. Magazines, TV shows, and social media sites have really put the pressure on brides to go above and beyond what weddings even 10 years ago would have ever done.

   Ladies, let me just say this one thing to you: You are already perfect. Just the way you are, no matching napkins to aisle runners necessary. Your wedding is a celebration of a commitment to a life partner that will walk with you through the rest of your lives together. That's it. It's not about throwing a 300 person party. It's not about emulating the latest trendy thing going on right now. It's about you making a public pledge to love your spouse through the best of times, and through the worst.

  So when you're planning your wedding and you start to feel frazzled and hassled, take a step back and breathe. Remember what brought you to this point and don't be afraid to keep the word "enough" at the top of your mind. What makes the most beautiful weddings are the ones where love takes center stage. Love in it's purest, simple form. And that is enough. The rest will fall perfectly into place.