It’s Monday and let’s take a little break from our fun programming of wedding inspiration awesomeness and crazy cool giveaways. Sometimes when we’re in the middle of wedding planning, it’s easy to have tunnel vision and be oblivious to other things going on outside of our own wedding checklists and appointments.
If you’ve been our reader for a while, you know how much we love wedding professionals who are giving back to the community. You might have also come across this article about Wish Upon A Wedding. Based on the concept that two people in love should never be denied the chance to marry their soul mate, Wish Upon a Wedding has helped dozens of couples say “I DO” since its launch in January 2010. The organization was born to celebrate the courage, determination and spirit of couples in love during their most challenging times. So today, I want to bring your attention to a couple named Douglas and Lisa.
Wish Upon a Wedding - Lisa & Doug - Love Story from New Classic Films on Vimeo.
In the fall of 1991, when Douglas and Lisa were first introduced through Lisa’s sister, his high school classmate, neither of them had any idea that their paths would cross again eight years later and they would discover a love beyond their wildest dreams.
Inseparable from that second meeting; Douglas and Lisa found themselves exploring the world as though it held only the two of them. Impromptu vacations and trips to Hearst Castle that once found them continuing on a whim to San Francisco. Theirs was a love full of adventure on, what Douglas likes to call, a “journey without a map.” In December 2001, that journey found Douglas diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a diagnosis that they accepted thinking that life would continue as normal until he reached his 60’s. Nine short months later, he suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed on his entire right side at the age of 28. It wasn’t long after the stroke that Douglas was diagnosed with a rare brain disorder called Moyamoya that constricts blood flow to the brain. In a moment their lives gone from impromptu trips and planning their future, to one of relearning the basics. As time passed, they talked about getting married but found themselves faced with setbacks each time and so Douglas and Lisa decided to begin a family first. They have been blessed with a beautiful daughter and son that have provided them with a growing sense of joy, commitment and love.
Douglas and Lisa’s love and family have flourished in circumstances that would mean the end of others and thanks to Wish Upon A Wedding, they were able to have their perfect wedding day.
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This Wednesday, September 21, we will be attending the Blissful Wishes Ball: a Black-Tie Royal Affaire benefiting Wish Upon a Wedding LA/OC at the Richard Nixon Library. It’s a high-profile event of dinner, dancing, entertainment and silent auctions. And this year, they are also having a Special Design Challenge of Royal-Inspired Vignettes from around the world, so there will be plenty of awesome eye candy for brides and wedding pros.
This event will also be very personal to us because Lucia and I will be awarded the 2011 Shining Star Award. The award recognizes and honors the most inspirational, motivational, and giving wedding & hospitality industry professionals in each chapter’s local area, and the valuable contributions these individuals are making in our community and hopes to encourage more people to get involved in their own communities. It is a huge honor to both Lucia and I and words cannot express how grateful we are to be in this industry of making dreams come true. We would love for you to come join us and help raise money for this extraordinary organization and help other couples make their dream day a reality. There’s still time to RSVP but don’t wait too long! It’s going to be an event packed with super star sponsors. And hey, it’s a great excuse to get all dressed up with your date ; ).
xoxo, Henny V.
