Couples From the Past

4.13.2015

Hey friends!  Hope you all had a lovely weekend!  Mine was filled with a trip to the zoo, going to my Xtend Barre classes, attending my cousin's baptism, hitting the town for a fun date night with Dave, and of course...going to church.  Phew!  This weekend was definitely busy; a good busy.  But, luckily the next few weekends will be pretty relaxed before my husband spend the first weekend in May celebrating our 8 year anniversary.  Holy smokes!  Guys!  I seriously can't believe my husband and I have been married for 8 years!  So obviously one of the main things I've been think a lot about recently, is marriage; which is exactly what inspired me to get some of my favorite blogging world chicas together to work on this fun collaborative project that I am featuring today.

For me, history is a huge driving force in my life.  Mostly being, the people that have lived before me.  I really think there is a lot we can learn from the people who came before us.  Especially, when it comes to love. 

Because of this deep seeded personal belief, I wanted to bring together 6 amazing, yet very different couples and have them each talk about a couple from the past that inspires their own marriages.  And, being a girl that constantly lives by the motto, "Go big or go home" I thought to myself, "What the heck.  I may as well turn this into photo shoot too!"  So, I asked each couple involved in this project to choose a picture of their favorite couple from the past and then asked the incredibly talented photographer Christine Barlow, vintage clothing mecca Maeberry Vintage and beauty team of Pureza Spa to help us recreate the images we had each selected.  

As always, the final product super exceeded every single one of my wildest dreams and I simply can't wait for you dive head first into this project; and hopefully, fall in love with it as much as I did.  So, without further delay...here's my most recent obsession...haha!

Couples From the Past

Jessi la Rue

We chose Jim Morrison and Pamela Courson mostly because we're fans of the Doors as well as a lot of other music from that era. I also love the styles from the late 60's and early 70's! They had a very easy boho vibe going on in the photo we chose which was fun to channel. They seemed to have a very passionate relationship and plenty of romantic photos to imitate. And most importantly, Ethan happens to have an amazing head of hair like Jim!

Bridgette Nicole

Besides the fashion aspect of The Great Gatsby. I truly love the book. Maybe it's the decade or it's the extravagance of everything. In this fun project I chose to represent Daisy and Gatsby in my picture with my husband. Though I am not particularly fond of Gatsby or Daisy as a character, I have learned something from their relationship to apply to my own.

Something I have taken away from this book is that you cannot change yourself for the love of someone else. That is what Gatsby did and he failed. Changing yourself for the attention of anyone is never a good thing. If you ever "change" it should be for you. I have seen it time and time again people who think they have to be someone else so that others will like them. I have to admit I am the true me with my husband. I am very independent and like to do my own thing a have a million things going on. My husband has accepted that and in turn I have accepted the things he does. We have not had to change for each other and we still love and accept each other and grow every day in our marriage. 

Jessica Rawlins

As a child, my imagination was supplemented with the bizarre imagery and colorful words of Dr. Seuss. My favorites included “In a People House”, which was the first book I ever read, “Go Dog Go” and “Oh the Places You’ll Go”. However, it was another Seuss book that bled determination into my heart and thoughtfulness into my young, impressionable mind: "The Lorax."

Ansel Adams was a real-life Lorax, and with that in mind, we chose to recreate a photo of Ansel and Virginia Adams. The Lorax spoke for the trees, and Ansel Adams spoke for the national parks by capturing their beauty in his photography and spreading these heart-stopping images across the world. I got my first taste of Adams’ photography gazing up at the large black and white prints that my father had framed and placed with pain-staking perfection upon my childhood living room walls. I got lost in those photos as a child. It wasn't until I was an adult that I understood it wasn't perfect lighting or inhuman patience that produced the wonder in those photos. It was love. Ansel Adams was a hero in his advocacy for wilderness preservation. My husband, who majored in geography and environmental science, has always held a deep respect for Adams. As a frequenter of national parks and of natural wonders across the globe, he knows the fragility of preserving the wilderness. Ansel Adams believed that it was possible for humankind to live in the balance of its environment, rather than conquering it. 

He met Virginia Rose Best by frequenting Best Studio in Yosemite Valley. They say that he visited to practice on the piano in the studio, but I think his inclination to visit often was a lovely face rather than a set of ivory keys. They wed and she took the name of Virginia Adams in 1928. Virginia’s father was an artist and she inherited the studio from him when he passed in 1935. The studio was eventually renamed “The Ansel Adams Studio” and remains in the hands of the Adams family to this day.

Kaylie Hooser

The reason we've picked the Stewarts is because they were very family oriented, kind, respectful people. The Stewarts are one of the only classic hollywood couples who had several children (two adopted and a set of twins of their own) and remained married their entire lives. Preston and I are both huge fans of humor, and we find it an important aspect of a happy marriage. This is the way Jimmy describes proposing to Gloria, and by simply hearing it, you can't help but fall in love with them: 

"I, I, I pitched the big question to her last night and to my surprise she, she, she said yes!"  

Is that not the sweetest thing? 

Jimmy was also very involved in in philanthropic affairs over the years. His signature charity event, "The Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon Race," held each year since 1982, has raised millions of dollars for the Child and Family Development Center at St. John's Health Center. 

We've always believed in giving of ourselves to others, and service is one of the most important aspects of a successful, happy marriage. The more Preston and I serve each other and forget about our own needs, the happier we are, and the more we want to do for one another. 

Every day, we try to be able to laugh about life, forgive the small things, and serve one another in order to keep our marriage happy and our lives full.  

Me-Michelle Petersen

When I was young, I spent every Saturday morning watching "Julia Child & Jacques Pépin Cooking at Home".  There was just something I found so fascinating about this woman.  Maybe it was her incredible height, the unique way in which she talked, or the whimsical way in which she carried herself about in the kitchen.  Whatever it was, I found myself completely smitten by this incredible woman.  Years later, the movie "Julie and Julia" was released.  And of course, I simply had to go and see it opening weekend.  Once again, I found myself completely enamored with Julia.  Especially when it came to her marriage with her incredible husband Paul Cushing Child.
During World War II Julia enlisted into the Office of Strategic Services.  While based in Ceylon, Sri Lanka the two met and were married on September 1, 1946.  From that day on, Julia and Paul were a team.  Equally supporting each other in their passions and never forgetting to laugh, have fun, and most of all...love each other.  
Dave and I have definitely had our ups and downs in the near 8 years that we have been married.  But, after looking more into the love life of Julia and Paul, I have learned that if you selflessly love the person your have chosen to stand by in life, marriage can be a very beautiful and joyous journey.  

Natashia McLean

Hi there! We loved being a part of this famous couples collab. We chose Lucy and Desi Arnaz for lots of different reasons. First of all they are nostalgic to both my husband and I. We both grew up watching reruns of I love Lucy and had lots of memories of laughing with Lucy and Desi! All the drama, "Luuucccyyy!!"'s, and humor has been a part of our childhood and culture. All through our marriage my hubby and I have loved watching " I Love Lucy" reruns. So in a way this couple has contributed to our smiles and joy in our marriage. Haha! I personally have always loved watching this show and thought Lucille Ball was extremely talented and frankly hilarious!

Amazing!  Right?!

Marriage, and relationships in general are hard.  Heck, I would definitely be lying if I didn't say there were a few times in my own marriage when calling it quits seemed much easier and more enticing than doing the work that was required to fix the problems we were experiencing.  However, after deeply contemplating that idea each time it presented itself, I knew in my soul it wasn't the right choice for me.  Though I do believe that there are definitely some instances when it is better for two individuals to go their separate ways, I truly believe that with the proper guidance, help, and patience, broken relationships can be made whole and the love you always dreamed of having in your life can beautifully flourish beyond anything you had ever hoped for or imagined.

Much love,