“seeing every moment as an opportunity to learn more about each other, learn from your mistakes, and live in the moment makes every moment one worth living.”
Names: Josh and Danielle Miller
Current city of residence: Columbus, Ohio
Wedding date: May 5, 2012
What did you enjoy most about being engaged?
We got engaged right after celebrating our son’s first birthday, so you could say we had already been living the “married life.” Aside from being parents, the most enjoyable thing was planning the wedding!
What event do you remember best from your engagement? Any particular moments or events that stick in your memory?
Josh: The proposal was the most memorable. I was so young and had no idea what I was doing. I remember having this ridiculous photo that I took with some dumb meaning that I thought was super cute and I knocked on the door with the photo in one hand and Gavin – our son – in the other. She answered with a huge smile on her face, and we had this moment where I didn’t know what to say, she didn’t know what to say, so we just quietly laughed, hugged, and shed a tear of joy. That proposal was like, 7 years in the making, and even though it wasn’t the most romantic thing I could’ve done, it was definitely one to remember.
When you were engaged, what were you most looking forward to on the wedding day/weekend?
I think we were really just looking forward to the entire day. We went super DIY with our wedding and didn’t have any kind of honeymoon or huge party planned. So, for us, it was getting to see all our hard work come together for a day that would be the first of many as husband and wife.
What traditions did you carry through to your wedding, or what traditions did you start yourselves?
Danielle: Our wedding was pretty straight-forward, but we wanted it to be 100% ours. Josh’s grandma and aunts all made a bunch of Italian cookies for our dessert table, and we put together the best playlist ever that had all of our favorite songs to provide the soundtrack for the ceremony and reception. Since then, we’ve come up with all sorts of traditions — from Steak ‘n Shake on Valentine’s Day to a big Italian dinner at Christmas. We’re always looking for new traditions to add.
Describe one or two memories or individual moments that you remember most from your wedding celebration.
D: The most memorable has to be our officiant showing up 2 hours late due to President Obama being in town. I was locked in the bridal suite and had my mom and Josh’s mom giving me updates every 5 minutes. Coming in a close second to that memory was when I started laughing to avoid crying while Josh was saying his vows.
What is one way you made your wedding “your own”?
We made our wedding exactly the way we wanted it and we did it all together. From picking out the food and the songs on the playlist to making our own center pieces and wedding favors.
What is one thing you learned about one other during your marriage thus far?
After 9 years of marriage and almost 19 years since we first started dating, we are still learning new things about each other. Only now, instead of it being what our favorite color is or what foods we like most, it’s things like how we are motivated in life and how we can help each other continue to grow in this journey together.
D: I have learned that Josh is the most encouraging and positive person I’ve met. Anytime Gavin or I talk about wanting to do something, Josh is quick to jump at the opportunity to make it happen, pushing and supporting us along the way.
J: I learned that Danielle can do anything she puts her mind to. Go back to school years after graduating from high school? No sweat! Encourage the family to start eating healthier and being mindful of our physical well-being? Let’s go! She’s the strongest and most determined person that I know.
What is one thing that has been a constant in your marriage thus far?
Our life together has been full of ups and downs. I like to say that we’ve been to hell and back more than once throughout this journey. But the one thing that’s been constant is that we’ve always had each other’s back. We really are partners in crime. No matter what life has thrown at us, we’re always there to pick the other up when they’re the one who gets hit.
What is one piece of advice you have for couples who are just starting their engagement or marriage journey?
The biggest thing for us was learning to appreciate each other and to appreciate the time we have with each other. It isn’t always going to be Kinder Bueno’s and beaches (a couple of our favorite things in life), but seeing every moment as an opportunity to learn more about each other, learn from your mistakes, and live in the moment makes every moment one worth living.
Leave a comment