Time for one of my favorite monthly rituals. I’m so excited to catch up with you!

What I’ve Been Up To

March seems to be the month that 2026 brides decided to wake up and get stuff done. And I’m absolutely loving it! Consultation calls are one of my favorite moments in the wedding experience.

Hearing about why two people fell in love and decided on forever? That’s where it’s at! I love hearing about their personal story, their wedding plans so far, and offering a few pieces of advice while we determine if we’re the right match.

I joked with one of my couples that after you find the one you have to start all over again with your vendors. While that may not be true for all of your vendors, it is certainly true for the ones that are by your side throughout planning and the entire wedding day: your planner, your photographer, and videography. You have to love us, or it leads to awkward moments down the line!

I’m also wrapping up business coaching. Our final call happens shortly after this journal entry goes live. This is a bittersweet moment for sure! I’ve come to love my little mastermind group, and I know not logging on to do the work with them is going to feel so weird.

The sweet part comes from the wins I’ve already experienced thanks to Shaun and his expertise. And, I know that there will be more wins down the road. I’m so excited to see what happens next!

In March we also celebrated Redlen’s fourth birthday! I love seeing his personality grow and develop, and I’m so grateful for the community we have surrounding us, loving us, and cheering us on.

Finally, Dillon and I are prepping in earnest for our marriage retreat next month. We attend Breakthrough, hosted by our amazing coach, Julia Woods. This year, we have the honor of serving as small group leaders! We get to walk side by side with three other couples as they try to work through a major tension in their marriage. And we’ll be doing the same! We’re there mostly to be cheerleaders. And honestly, to go and say, “let’s ask Julia!” when things get tough! 😂

What I’ve Been Reading

I just started Suzanne Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping, and I’m so excited!

I was lucky enough to get on the waitlist pretty early, and yet I still yelped with excitement when the notification came through on my phone.

I’m only a few chapters in, but seeing the connections from Haymitch to Katniss and Peeta is already so exciting. The Hunger Games series will always have an extra special place in my heart. I always devoured books growing up, but I could never understand why people re-read anything. With so many books out there, it seemed like a waste of time to me.

And then I read The Hunger Games. I’ve read the first one more than 10 times because I finally understood falling in love with characters, wanting to escape from reality into a story I knew I could get lost in, and having favorite lines. After I fell in love with the first story, I became hooked. I’ve read each of the original three multiple times, but the first one the most. It was so fun to read them real time as they were published.

I’m not trying to argue that The Hunger Games is the best book out there. It’s not. But after being an English major and an English teacher, working my way through many classics (but of course not all), my favorite definition of literature still comes from my high school English teacher, Mr. Doherty. It’s a story that you want to read again.

Because the truth is, there are definitely classics out there that are epic works. The prose, plot dynamics, world building, and character depth truly standout. And then there are classics that survive the times because they were written by powerful white men that could afford to make their voices heard, even when they shouldn’t be the ones to be remembered or share certain stories.

I’m about to hop off my soap box, but I seriously want to encourage you to read what you want. Read stories you love that you want to read again. Find people to talk about those stories with. It’s one of the best ways to build empathy, learn about the world around you, and simply have fun. Just because something is a “classic” doesn’t mean it’s actually good.

Life is too short to waste on books you can’t stand.

Speech officially over. 😂

What I’ve Been Watching

I’m nearing the end of season 3 of Gossip Girl. Man, do I wish that more shows took a page out of the Gossip Girl book. So much happens in every single episode!

They don’t mind killing off a character in the middle of a season, adding in 7 major conflicts in 40 minutes, and yet building on stories for years. It’s petty and crazy all of the time. I’m thoroughly entertained.

I still love Chuck Bass. Right now I’m currently disappointed in him, but still rooting for him.

Together, Dillon and I started The Residence. I’m equally obsessed with this one, but for different reasons. It’s spunky, witty, constantly smacking misogyny in the face, and Agatha Christie-esque; the social commentary is scathing. I want to be Cordelia Cupp when I grow up.

I’m going to need at least 8 more seasons. I could watch her all day long!

What I’m Excited For:

Welcome to my own personal hype list for the month, haha!

-My brother is getting married! We’ll all be driving down to Washington D.C. to celebrate. Redlen and Esmie are in the wedding, and I promise you’ll pass out from the cuteness. Their outfits are so. stinking. cute. And I’m photographing the day, so you’ll get to see it! The trip will be a whirlwind, but it will be worth it!

-Breakthrough Clarity calls. We’re meeting our couples this month, and we can’t wait!!

-We’re attending another wedding for our family friends. This wedding is 6 days after my brothers…and we still have to travel back home in that time 🤪 This is why we have caffeine, right?! But seriously, we’re looking forward to this day, and we can’t wait to cheer them on!

-A family portrait session with one of my first ever wedding clients! I haven’t seen them since 2020, so it will be a great chance to catch up!

-Easter. I can’t help but feel the magnitude of what Jesus did to save all of us during this season. Of course, I’m grateful year round, but the Easter season is extra special.

-Breakthrough!! I keep bringing this up, so I don’t need to tell you how excited I am! Last year was the first time we left the kids for a few days, so all I felt was the stress beforehand. But we all survived, and I think the kids actually had loads of fun without us. So this time I’m just allowing myself to focus on the excitement and spending a few nights away with just Dillon!

Until next time,

Christine