Tag: life

A Tale as Old as Time: Our Beauty and the Beast Inspired Wedding

It’s been exactly two months since our big day, so I figured it was time to share some magical moments from our Beauty and the Beast inspired wedding. Before we get to all the beautiful details from our special day, let me give you a little background on Derek and I’s relationship.

Derek and I have been together for four years. We met on an online dating website in spring 2014, dated for a little over two years and then we got engaged in October 2016 in Disney World. Since we got engaged in Disney World and since I have literally been obsessed with all things Disney for my entire life, it only made sense for us to have a Disney themed wedding. Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite Disney movie. When I was little, I used to walk down the stairs of my grandparents’ house, toting a basket and a book while singing “Belle” from the movie. I would play Belle and my grandfather would pretend to be the Beast. I have such fond memories of this movie, the characters, the beautiful imagery and of course the beautiful love story between Belle and the Beast.

When I started planning my wedding, I knew I wanted it to have all the Beauty and the Beast vibes, but I didn’t want it to be over the top Disney. I instead went for a more subtle and elegant Disney theme, using the 2017 Beauty and the Beast movie starting Emma Watson as my inspiration. For our wedding décor, I collected vintage clocks, candelabras, books and created my own version of the enchanted rose that I placed under a beautiful glass dome. Our colors were light pink with gold accents.

The wedding ceremony and reception was held at the historic Mount Airy Mansion in Upper Marlboro, Maryland on June 3, 2018 and it was the perfect backdrop for our Beauty and the Beast styled affair. It was a beautiful day, filled with memories that Derek and I will cherish for a lifetime. So here are all the fun wedding day details!

The morning of the wedding, my bridesmaids, mom and I headed over to the mansion where we got our hair and make-up done upstairs in one of the mansion’s suites. The boys arrived around 2 p.m. and they got ready downstairs in one of the mansion’s suites. As we were getting ready in our own rooms, a gift was delivered to me. Derek gifted me a surprise award, highlighting all my accomplishments in 2018! It was a bit of an inside joke, since over the course of the year I kept giving him a hard time about how I wanted an achievement award for juggling buying a new house, getting a new job, completing graduate school and planning a wedding all at the same time. Derek did not disappoint. I laughed, as well as shed a couple tears as I opened the gift and read his very sweet card.

Our ceremony was scheduled to take place outside on the mansion grounds at 4 p.m. but was moved inside due to the rain. They say rain on your wedding day is good luck and it poured, so I would say our marriage is off to a good start! Despite the rain, our wedding ceremony was perfect. The ceremony took place inside the mansion in a room with large windows that brought in lots of natural light. Guests enjoyed a scenic backdrop of the lush greenery on the mansion’s grounds.

My favorite moment from the wedding was walking down the aisle to see Derek waiting for me at the altar. As I walked down the aisle, my youngest brother played “Beauty and the Beast” on the steel drum.

I shed a few happy tears as I approached Derek, who was beaming ear to ear. He kindly wiped my tears away with his pocket square.

My brother Dylan was our officiant and we all enjoyed a few laughs throughout the course of the ceremony. After we exchanged rings and were pronounced husband and wife, our guests enjoyed cocktail hour while we took pictures with our wedding party.

Once cocktail hour ended, we all entered for the reception. We entered the reception, along with our wedding party to the song “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis. Following our entrance, we had our first dance to “Beauty and the Beast” sung by Celine Dion. Isn’t it amazing that I got Derek to dance to a Disney song at our wedding? I would say he is a keeper!

We then enjoyed a dinner catered by Mission BBQ and listened to some beautiful heartfelt speeches from our friends and family. After visiting with all our guests, we snuck outside for some private photos with our amazing photographer Ashton Kelley. Keep in mind it had been raining all day and the grounds were really wet. I knew that my heels would sink in the wet ground. Ashton literally threw off her flats, gave them to me and ran around barefoot outside so she could capture our gorgeous wedding shots. Ashton, you are my hero! Taking pictures outside was another one of my favorite moments from the day. It was so nice to sneak away and share some intimate moments with one another. We are so thankful that these moments were captured in photos that we will cherish forever.

After returning to the mansion, we cut our wedding cake.

We then changed into some more comfortable clothes and joined our guests on the dance floor. At the end of the night, we shared one last slow dance before saying goodnight to our guests.

I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding day. The beautiful venue, delicious food, great music and dancing were all amazing. Beyond that, the most special part of day was getting to marry the love of my life and share this special milestone that we will look back on for years to come. It was a day that I will never forget and it was truly a fairytale.

For more special moments from our wedding day, you can view our wedding highlight video here!

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage

OH, MY GOODNESS! It’s been over a month since I last blogged, which is way too long! I guess that is a reflection as to how crazy things have been! The month of May has flown by! It’s been such a fun month, filled with milestones and major accomplishments.

Cinco de Mayo Bridal Shower Festivities

On May 5, my family and friends threw me an awesome Cinco de Mayo themed bridal shower, filled with lots of yummy Mexican food and sangria. It was such a fun time to get together with family, friends and celebrate Derek and I’s upcoming nuptials. That same night, my closest friends and I went out to Annapolis for my local bachelorette party. We did a paint night, which was super fun, low key and a perfect ending to a very exciting day!

Paint Night Bachelorette Party

On May 19, I graduated with my master’s degree from Loyola University Maryland. After three years of working full-time and pursuing my graduate degree, I was so relieved to walk across that stage and receive my degree.

On May 25, Derek and I went to the courthouse to get our marriage license. It’s so surreal that in just four days we will be married! Amidst all the craziness and excitement in May, I’ve also taken some time to reflect on my life as a “Miss.”

I’ve been very fortunate over the last 27 years. I come from a very loving and supporting family. They have supported me in all my endeavors and continue to do so every day. As I grew up, they have been there along the way as I discovered my passions, dancing, performing, writing, cooking, baking and education. Their unwavering love and support has been a constant force in motivating me to continue to grow each day of my life.

As a “Miss”, I’ve had the opportunity to receive a wonderful education. I attended college and discovered my love for marketing and communications. I joined Tri Delta, where I met some of my best friends and was able to grow as a leader. I also had the opportunity to intern for The Walt Disney Company and participated in the Disney College Program, which had been a dream of mine forever.

My best friend, sorority sister and maid of honor. Sarah and I met at Towson University and she was my little sister in Tri Delta.

After college, I met my best friend and almost husband Derek. Shortly after, I got my first “Big Girl Job” in marketing at a major healthcare institution. And in the last four years of our relationship, I feel like I’ve done it all! I successfully completed my master’s degree, we bought a house, started new business ventures and got new jobs. I continued to do the things that I love most, dancing, performing, cooking and I launched Stress Less, Cook More.

And of course, life is not perfect and it’s not sunshine and rainbows all the time. In my lifetime, I’ve had my fair share of challenges, faced heart break, hardships and individuals who have hurt me, treated me unfairly or hurt other’s that I love. But without those challenges, I wouldn’t be who I am today. They have made me stronger and I am so thankful for every experience, whether good or bad.

Most importantly, in the last 27 years I’ve come to love myself. I am proud of who I am today and all that I have accomplished. I’m a true believer that you must love yourself first, before you can truly and deeply love someone else. I am beyond grateful for my friends, family and Derek, the people that I get to walk through life with, who have helped to shape who I am. Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Because of you, I’ve grown to love myself and because of that I know that I’m ready for my next big adventure, marriage!

I am confident that Derek and I’s marriage will be successful, one filled with lots of laughter, accomplishments and lots of love. As I transition from “Miss” to “Mrs.”, I am very hopeful for the future and all that it will bring. Here’s to happily ever after and all of our dreams coming true! See ya at the alter Derek! Cheers!

 

Seized

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“I feel dizzy. I feel like I’m going to have a seizure. Oh my god.” These were the last words I uttered as I faded away, transitioning into a foggy state of consciousness and eventually slipping into total unconsciousness. It was a feeling that was all to familiar, a feeling that I never imagined I would experience again.

On March 2, 2018. I departed for my bachelorette party at Walt Disney World. I was beyond excited for a trip that had been planned for almost a year. Who wouldn’t be excited for a girl’s trip to the most magical place on earth?! It had been a super busy week and I was so anxious for a much-needed break.

At the airport heading to Orlando, FL.

We arrived in Orlando around 1:30 p.m., headed to the resort, checked in and got settled in our room. We decided to spend a couple hours at the pool before our dinner reservation. Upon arriving, I didn’t feel quite right, but I figured I just needed a bite to eat and some water. I hadn’t slept well the past couple of nights and I had attributed my weird feeling to tiredness. We ordered some food at the pool. My friend offered to buy me a drink and I declined. I just wasn’t feeling totally right and was more focused on eating and lying down to relax. I ate my lunch, drank some water and went to lie down on a pool chair. As soon as I sat down, I became disoriented, got a weird taste in my mouth and I had a scary realization as to what was about to happen. I was going to have a seizure.

As my mind slowly slipped away, I could hear my friends scream “Brittany! What is the passcode to your phone?”, but I couldn’t respond. In that moment, I was totally aware, but I knew that I was losing control. My body wouldn’t allow me to respond. I was quickly whisked away to the hospital by ambulance. When I came to, I was being admitted to the hospital. My perfectly planned bachelorette weekend was quickly becoming my worst nightmare.

My friends keeping me company in the hospital.

As a child, I was diagnosed with epilepsy and would have Focal Onset Impaired Awareness Seizures, more commonly referred to as Complex Partial Seizures. Epilepsy is a disease in which a person has repeated seizures. It is the fourth most common neurological disease and 1 in 26 people in the United States will develop epilepsy at some point in their life. Up until my most recent seizure, the last seizure that I had was in elementary school and I was on medication to prevent me from having seizures all throughout high school. My pediatric neurologist slowly weaned me off my medication leading up to college, after consecutive years of not having a seizure. At that point, my family and I believed that I had outgrown it and seizures would just be a distant chapter of my childhood.

To say that I was shocked that I had not one, but two seizures 17 years later is an understatement. I was distraught. I stayed overnight in the hospital for tests and saw a neurologist the next morning. Luckily, my MRI and EEG were normal, but the doctor felt strongly that I needed to be put on an ongoing regiment of medications to prevent future seizures and follow up with a neurologist when I returned home.

When I returned home, reality sunk in that I was now an adult living with epilepsy. I was filled with great sadness and guilt. I felt like it was my fault that my epilepsy had resurfaced. Epilepsy was always something that for me was historically triggered by me being run down, sick or stressed. It’s no secret that this year has been extremely busy and hard for me. It’s been a year of change and with that comes inevitable stress. My stress level is something that I’ve been trying to work on, but obviously that is something that is difficult to manage when you are juggling working a full-time job, grad school, managing a blog and planning a wedding. I’ve always believed that I can do anything that I set my mind to and strive for perfection. The fact of the matter is that our bodies do have limits and I’ve hit mine. Although I’m still following up with doctors at home and trying to pin point the exact cause of my seizures, it is very possible that the seizures were my body finally telling me that it’s time to slow down.

My life has changed drastically in the last couple of weeks. I’ve lost part of my independence. I can no longer drive. According to my state laws, I am required to report my seizures to the Motor Vehicle Administration. My license will be suspended for 90 days and may be renewed at the discretion of a Medical Advisory Board if I am seizure free for 90 days.

I’m also now taking a new medication to prevent me from having seizures. Unfortunately, this medication has caused many undesirable side effects. It gives me headaches, makes me tired and makes me feel extremely moody. For me, the biggest change is the newfound uncertainty and anxiety that I’m experiencing, knowing that I am an adult living with epilepsy. Questions and thoughts flood my mind. What if I have a seizure at work? What will people think? What if I have a seizure while driving? I’m slowly, but surely adjusting to my new reality. Although it’s a tough pill to swallow, I’m aware that this could have been a lot worst. I’m very thankful that my seizures occurred in a safe space and I wasn’t driving. I’m also blessed to have amazing friends who took care of me and tried to make my bachelorette party special, despite the circumstances. I am also so thankful for my family and my fiancée who have given me the upmost support upon returning home. They have become my personal chauffeurs, driving me to work, to run errands and to doctor’s appointments. I could not get through this without them.

Post hospital stay and enjoying Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival at Walt Disney World.

My epilepsy does not define me, but it is a part of me. I know that this is just another obstacle that I will have to overcome and will make me stronger. I hope that sharing my story will help raise awareness about epilepsy and some of the struggles that individuals living with epilepsy experience. Beyond that, I hope that I can prompt others to reevaluate their work load. In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the craziness and pressure of everyday life, but we all need to learn to let go and relax. Stress does take a toll on your body and will catch up you.

I’m very hopeful that through raising awareness and continued medical research, we will be able to take strides in helping individuals like me to become seizure free and bring peace of mind, so that we can all live our lives to the fullest. For more information on epilepsy and how to become involved visit https://www.epilepsy.com.

 

 

New Year, New Me

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Happy New Year! It’s 2018 and I have no doubt that this is going to be my year. The year 2017, was most definitely a year of reflection, self-realization and growth. I made the decision to change my diet, embrace healthy eating and I lost a total of 25 lbs. I spent time doing things I love, such as dancing, cooking, working out and spending time with friends and family. In 2017, I also brought to life Stress Less, Cook More and maintained a 4.0 GPA in grad school.

But amid my accomplishments, I also lost control of my life and let stress consume me. I continued to work a job that made me unhappy and I began taking it out on the people I love most. For me and many others, it’s second nature to just accept stress as the norm. I had gotten to a point where I had just accepted it, but then the pressure, stress and unhappiness started to take a toll on my body. My hair started falling out in clumps. I started having chest pains and was feeling exhausted all the time. After many doctor’s appointments, and tests upon tests, the diagnosis was…stress. I am only 27, so if I were to continue down this path at such a young age, just imagine what the consequences would be down the road. That’s when I had a major wake up call, a revelation. It was time to make a change and take back control of my life.

The scariest thing about change is that it is something different and new. It’s natural to feel uneasy about change, but if you are already unhappy and stressed, what do you really have to lose? That’s what I told myself.  After three years at my job, it was time to take a leap of faith and embrace what I had been so afraid of. I applied for a new job opportunity and with guidance from God, the support of my family and my friends, all my hard work paid off and I landed an amazing new career advancement opportunity in the healthcare insurance industry. As I read my job offer letter, I literally cried tears of joy and immediately felt relief. I start my new career adventure on Jan. 22, 2018 and I am so excited to continue my marketing career in the field of healthcare! I’m so hopeful about this new opportunity and I’m confident that it will bring me peace of mind, happiness, joy and will allow me to be more present in my family’s life.

In 2017, I’ve learned a lot about myself and the direction I want to go. In 2018, I will start a new job, graduate from grad school and marry my best friend. The year 2018 will be a year of change and it is going to be my year! I’m so ready for all that 2018 will bring. My biggest lesson learned is to not sweat the small stuff. Don’t let stress consume you. Never settle for anything less than what you are worth. If you are unhappy, it’s time to make a change. Find your passion, make a difference and love your life. Happy New Year and I hope that this year is filled with inspiration, joy and peace. And last, but not least, don’t forget to savor the moments in life that matter most.