Anthony and I affectionately refer to this amazing couple as “Camper Kelly” (sorry Brian, it just goes together better!) after I photographed their Christmas Cards from 2013 (it involved plastic flamingos and Christmas lights on their camper) and they brought the camper to our driveway for a holiday dinner complete with kids and dogs, plastic plates for our steak and mason-jar wine glasses. Basically, it was perfect.
Kelly and Brian recently moved to the Midwest (so we haven’t gotten another chance for a Camper Kelly dinner)- over 1300 miles away from their immediate family and hometowns. Over the past year, they learned to depend on each other and trust each other in a way that likely wouldn’t have been possible had they not moved, said Kelly. “We gained confidence in ourselves as individuals, as well as together.”
Let’s get some great advice from Kelly and Brian about their first year of marriage, their new expectations and see some of their favorite photos from their wedding day!
Right now their Friday nights consist of going out on a date. “We take one night a week to reconnect with each other. What we do depends on what is going on around town. We may choose to do dinner and a movie, attend a local concert or art festival, or order in and play a board game. It really just depends on how we feel that day. No matter what we’re doing, we make sure that we take time to enjoy each other’s company and recognize why we feel in love in the first place.”
They spent their first wedding anniversary exploring some of the geographic wonders of Kansas. “We packed up our camper and two dogs and left town! We enjoyed a couple days of hiking and climbing, and checking out what a few local towns have to offer in way of adventure and local cuisine.”
Like our other brides, there are just some things they cannot agree on after living together. For Kelly and Brian, here are the three things they can’t agree on and three things they can:
Cannot agree on
- the usefulness of cilantro as an ingredient (Brian loves it, I do not),
- when our first date actually occurred,
- whether or not we should adopt another dog.
Can agree on
- our love for adventure
- we enjoy cooking meals together
- learning new hobbies
They also plan on having two little ones join their family – with one on the way due in March 2015! What makes their marriage so successful in Kelly’s opinion is keeping open lines of communication no matter what the subject is.
Sometimes this means keeping their love alive and remembering the special moments on their wedding day!
“Our favorite moment was the end of our wedding. While everyone was outside preparing for the exit, Brian and I had the DJ play one of our favorite songs and we enjoyed a moment alone. It was the perfect way to end our day- just the two of us dancing to our favorite song and reflecting on all of the wonderful moments we shared that day with each other and our loved ones.”
This even includes dancing to their first dance song when it comes on the radio!
“We just bought our first home together and were working on it in preparation for moving in the following day. While we were knee deep in cleaning supplies, the song came on. We stopped what we were doing and enjoyed a dance together. It was a wonderful reminder of our wedding day and a great way to start our life together in our new home.”
Nothing is more important than seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day. Some couples do first looks but Kelly and Brian went down the traditional route to build up the suspense for seeing each other during the ceremony.
“It’s important to decide what is best for you and your groom. A first look provides a great opportunity for you and your groom to share a private moment prior to the wedding, not to mention great photos of the two of you. However, Brian and I chose not to do a first look. We chose a more traditional route of waiting until the ceremony to see each other for the first time that day. For us, it made the build up and anticipation worth it and the walk down the aisle more exciting.”
Take a look back:
Kelly and Brian’s Engagement Session
Kelly and Brian’s Lake Lucerne Wedding
Kelly and Brian’s Holiday Camper Photoshoot
