Love Stories: Found in NYC

I decided, on a whim, to move to NYC one spring. Everyone asked me if I thought I'd meet someone, fall in love, and never come back to Austin. I doubted it.

Two years later, I was sitting on a picnic blanket in Central Park with friends. I was almost done with grad school, had a job waiting for me back in Texas, and was absolutely single. It seemed my fate was sealed, as far as that falling in love in NYC scenario was concerned. And then a guy, a mutual friend of the picnic organizer, came walking towards our blankets. I think a part of me recognized him right away: this is the man I will marry. But that is crazy, right? How could that possibly work?

We talked all afternoon and all night. He walked me home. I might have immediately made some phone calls announcing that I'd found The One. I couldn't explain the details. Like how this would possibly work. But it just had to.

After our first date, I spent the whole night staring at the bedroom ceiling trying to imagine how this could possibly work. By that point I was certain. It absolutely had to.

When I flew back to Texas by myself at the end of the summer, I cried. But he whispered in my ear: don't worry. I'll be there soon. And he was.

A few months later he left the big city to start a new life with me in Austin. A year later we were married. Almost five years and two kids later, I'm just as certain as I was sitting in Central Park, standing in front of my Upper East Side apartment, and staring at the bedroom ceiling: he is the one.

I wasn't expecting to fall in love in NYC. I wasn't sure how on earth it would work. But I did. And it did. And I couldn't be happier.

-- Laura, from Dirty Diaper Chic

♥
See the previous Love Stories here! If you would like to submit your story, please see our Ruche Blogger Family page for details.

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Wedding Wednesday: A Beautiful Location

We're always on the lookout for wedding ideas and we fell in love with this beautiful location. Rachel, the stunning blogger from Pink Peonies, took her wedding photos in a horse pasture and her special day effortlessly shines through the images.

What is the prettiest wedding location you have ever seen?

xo,

Ruche

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Love Stories: 10th Wedding Anniversary

The day I met my husband was not love at first site, it wasn't sparks flying, or amazing chemistry.  At least for me.  We attended the same church, that moonlighted as a music venue and coffee shop.  He was a jokester always looking for laughs, and I just didn't think we had anything in common.  Little did I know, he was slowly working his way into my heart.

Our first date was a trip to Kansas City, Missouri to see Waterdeep, and after that trip I knew he was going to take care of me for the rest of my life.  This year, on March 23rd, we will celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary.  We have made it through job loss, moving hours away from friends and family, deaths, two major surgeries, working severe amounts of overtime, celebrating big occasions and big birthdays.  I am proud to know my husband still is the jokester that I met 11 years ago.  We make each other laugh every day.

If I had a secret to share for how to have a successful marriage, it would be this: never let the laughter go out of your relationship.  Even if I have the worst day, I know when I get home, he will make me smile somehow.  Even when I don't want to.  I hope he knows that I will always be willing to do the same for him.

Happy Anniversary, T.  I love you.

-- Kem Elliott, from Chronicles of a Sweet Tooth

♥
See the previous Love Stories here! If you would like to submit your story, please see our Ruche Blogger Family page for details.

P.S. Have you seen our wedding collection yet? We hope you can find something special for your special day!

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Love Stories: Racing Hearts

There we were, in the middle of a lonely camp site in the midst of waterfalls, streams, hump-backed bridges, and vintage camper vans. Everything was so beautiful. There has always been something about camping that makes my heart race. This particular camping trip wasn't the only thing that made my heart race.

My close-knit family and a handful of old timers... and a few 'newbies' too. Chris so happened to be one of those 'newbies.' In the midst of a foresty walk I watched him. I watched how he walked, how he talked, and how he enjoyed the beauty around him. Little did I know Chris was dong the same, he was watching me. I was also oblivious to him falling just as in love with me that I was with him.

Seeing Chris became a regular thing. Every time I saw him I couldn't help but swoon. He is perfect for me! A short time passed and I found myself in his arms with a ring around my finger.

He had caught me by surprise. We were in his attic sorting things out. He looked at me, got down on one knee, and asked the question! I was filled with happiness (and still am) I laughed, smiled, and laughed. I felt as though I was going to cry but no tears came, I was way passed the 'tears for joy stage!'

I am going to be Chloe Jane Schofield. Chris is going to be mine forever. I am going to be his forever. ♥

--Chloe

See the previous Love Stories here! If you would like to submit your story, please see our Ruche Blogger Family page for details.

P.S. Have you seen our wedding annoucement? Our vintage-inspired bridal collection launches on Monday!

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Wedding Wednesday: Pink and Grey

Imagine this: a wedding in a beautiful little stone chapel on the top of a mountain, surrounded by peonies, hydrangeas, and carnations. This Guest Blogger, Elizabeth, created just that with touches of pink, grey, and textural elements to compliment her dress. ♥

Photo Credit: Getzcreative Photography

--Elizabeth, from Yellow Elm

♥

See more Wedding Wednesday posts here. If you would like to submit your own post, please visit our Ruche Blogger Family for details. We're also looking for sumbissions for our Spring & Summer Guide!

P.S. Have you seen our wedding annoucement yet? Our affordable bridal collection launches on Monday!

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Love Stories: Long Distance Romance

I met Kurt on March 12, 2009.

The weekend we met was also the weekend of our first date, that Kurt met my entire family and that we decided to embark on the crazy up and down journey of long-distance dating.

But to start at the true beginning of the story, we have to go back another five years. Kurt and I were in highschool, he living in Chicago and me in Tallahasse, and we came across each other on Myspace. We became “friends” for the trivial reason of liking the same musical artist, and as Kurt always adds, because he thought I was cute. And that’s where it all began.

For a few years we were simply "friends" and interacted very little. Eventually I deleted my Myspace and moved on to bigger and better things, a.k.a Facebook. Kurt followed suit later and decided to search for a girl who he vaguely remembered was cute and went by Michaela Rae. He found me and sent a short message, something along the lines of, “I think I remember you from Myspace. If not, then no worries.” I remembered him, and although I thought it a bit strange, added him anyway. Again, for a long time we interacted very little.

But in 2008, politics sparked more conversation. We love our politics and enjoyed commenting on each other’s links and statuses. We began talking even more in early 2009 - a couple Facebook chats, a few messages. Then phone calls. Then I freaked out. I’d never met this guy! And what scared me more was that I actually really enjoyed our talks. After telling him we shouldn’t talk as much he asked if we could write. I agreed, and a few days later I received a package in the mail. It was a diary, and on the first page Kurt had written a letter. He explained that we could send the diary back and forth, filling it with letters our letters. Talk about bold! And romantic! Long story short, we didn’t stop talking. I told my parents about him and they calmly suggested we meet (what??). So a month and a half after we began talking, Kurt boarded a redeye flight from Los Angeles (where he was attending college) to Jacksonville.

Neither of us got much sleep that night.

When I walked into the airport he was there waiting for me. We hugged and said a couple awkward things and then I quickly blurted that I needed to pee and ran to the restroom (attractive right?). I did need to, but I was also so overwhelmed that I needed to breath. But our first few hours together eating lunch and sitting on the beach went surprisingly well. He was just how I had imagined him to be.

That night, Kurt met my entire family. And they liked him! The next day we went on our first date to an Italian restaurant, and by candlelight, while holding hands across the table, we talked about everything imaginable. Looking back it’s all a bit of a blur, but I know those couple days were easy. I felt like we were friends. We enjoyed each other just as much as we’d anticipated.

At the weekend’s end, we decided to continue dating, even though it meant long distance. And for 15 months, while finishing our undergraduate degrees, we did. We found ways to visit nearly every month. The saying, "where there’s a will there’s a way," became very true for us. California, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, DC, and Kansas – all of these and more were the places we managed to visit one another.

After graduating, I packed my little car and moved cross-country so we could live in the same city. It was a big adjustment but definitely worth it. We loved living a couple blocks from each other and being able to build mutual friendships, go to church together and do all of the other things we couldn’t before.

Five months after moving, while visiting the beautiful city of San Francisco, Kurt asked me to be his wife. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. And on May 29th, 2011 we married in Florida. Another day we look back on and can hardly find a thing that we didn’t love about it.

Our entire relationship has been one big adventure and I know there’s still so much more ahead.

Michaela Rae, from www.michaelaraej.blogspot.com

♥

See the previous Love Stories here! If you would like to submit your story, please see our Ruche Blogger Family page for details.

P.S. Have you seen our wedding annoucement yet?

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Project DIY: Mason Jar Pin Cushion

How To Make a Mason Jar Pin Cushion
Guest post by Angelina

Supplies

Mason jar and lid

Heavy Cardstock

Scissors

Fabric

Batting

Instructions

Separate the mason jar lid from the ring. Trace around the lid on your cardstock and cut it out.

Take the cardstock circle and place it on the fabric of your choice. Cut a square around it and leave extra room to work with later.

Push the fabric square through the lid's ring from underneath. Stuff it with batting.

Place the lid inside the ring to secure the cushion.  Adjust the fabric to remove wrinkles and then trim off the excess fabric. (Note: Trim it as close to the edge as possible. The mason jar lid won't seal if the fabric is too bulky.) Pull the fabric tightly and glue the edges down with hot glue. Glue the cardstock circle in place for a clean finish.

And there you have it, folks! A sweet little mason jar pin cushion that is ready to be filled with pretty little things.

-- Anjelina, from Ruby Jean

♥

See more DIY projects here! If you would like to join our Ruche Blogger Family, please send an e-mail to blog@shopruche.com and attach photos. You will receive an e-mail if your post is selected. Thank you!

P.S. Do you have any spring projects and recipes that you'd like to share? Here is your chance to be featured on Ruche! See the details for our spring/summer guide here.

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Style File: Polka Dots

Polka dots? Yes, please! Here are some lovely Ruche customers wearing their favorite polka dotted pieces.

 "I just recently discovered Ruche (and have quickly become obsessed with it). It has all the charm of a fancy pants vintage inspired boutique but at a fraction of the cost. Seen here is quite possibly the cutest dress ever made."
-- Erin, from Currently Coveting, in our emerald dress.

"Feeling a little romantic today... Which is why I paired the Metropolitan Affection Sheer Blouse with dark jeans and simple earrings. I've been looking for an outfit to wear at my Husbands Deployment Homecoming event, and I think this is it."

-- Aly, from Aly + Ellie Take the North, in our ruffled blouse.

"I received this shirt for christmas and I can't get enough of it! I think it can be paired perfectly with so many different items!"

-- Megan, from The Happy Hour, in our polka dot top.

Which polka dotted items do you adore? Browse our current collections for more of our favorite trends too. ♥

xo,

Ruche

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Love Stories: Extraordinary

Our story isn't ordinary.

After an especially rough first year of college, making my way through all sorts of heartache, I moved the 4 hours from my apartment in St. George, UT, back home, and started attending the local University. I reacquainted myself with a few old friends, and spent the entire summer with them.

One friend in particular, was engaged after just 30 days of dating her boyfriend, and they were to be married in October of 2010. We were all ecstatic for her.

She enlisted her good family friend as her photographer, and when she showed us all her engagements and bridal photos, I was impressed with the photographer's work, but didn't give it another thought, though she, and another friend gushed about how handsome and wonderful he was.

A few short weeks later, I found myself walking into their beautiful backyard reception. I was probably fidgeting with my [slightly too fancy] dress, or stumbling over my [slightly too big] heels, but that didn't stop him from noticing. I had just made my entrance, unaware that I had caught the eye of the photographer, who thought to himself in that very moment, "I have got to get to know that girl..." 

So he did. Although I was oblivious. That night, my friend pointed him out saying "that's Devin. the photographer. He is cute, huh?" I failed to respond, in fear of offending my date (Though I did agree. Whole-heartedly.) Later, Devin came over and took a picture of us, and that was it. He was attractive, but I didn't let my imagination get away from me. After all, I didn't even know him. What were the chances, anyway? Considering him as someone I could date seemed silly. So I didn't.

A few weeks later, after a little bit of snooping, and inquiring of me from my friends, he contacted me. I had complimented his photography, and he was very humbled by my remarks. We talked endlessly, having conversations that lasted days, only pausing briefly for sleep, work, and classes. We became best friends in an instant, and often commented on how natural our friendship felt. Like it had always been this way. Shortly after, we knew a date was in order. Luckily, we had a math course in common at school, and had been assigned similar homework. The perfect excuse. As he finished up his classes, I spent 4 hours (literally) getting ready, checking myself in the mirror multiple times, wringing my hands, and tugging on my outfit.

We met in the campus library and pretended to do homework while making small talk. He was beyond excited. I was beyond nervous. It didn't take long for us to realize we were kidding ourselves and not long after, were eating grilled cheese sandwiches and playing games at a small diner with his closest friends. 

We have seen each other every single day since. 

He proposed 4 months later in February of 2011, on a cold night.

We were married in May 2011.

It's extraordinary.

Devin and Katie Ashby

devinandkatieashby.blogspot.com

♥

See the previous Love Stories here! If you would like to submit your story, please see our Ruche Blogger Family page for details.

P.S. Have you seen our wedding annoucement yet?

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Wedding Wednesday: A Picnic Engagement

A little story of how this Engagement Session shoot unfolded:

 

Back in May 2011 I sent an email to Tabitha congratulating her on her engagement and little it be known that she was actually interested in booking me for her wedding. It was not long after this that I became deeply influenced by my new discovery of Kinfolk Magazine. The magazine itself is a reflection of this unpretentious celebration of simple things in life. Where finding simple beauty in small gatherings, stripping away the unnecessary trappings to get a true warmth and love we feel when celebrating with our closest and dearest. It immediately occurred to me that this style was a perfect fit for Tabitha and Dan's engagement session photoshoot. When we were planning the concept for this shoot, we have thought we would really like the styling to revolve around food and celebration, to let the day unfold as Tabitha and Dan set their picnic table and enjoy each other's company.

Credits:

Engaged Couple: Tabitha Emma Patterson & Daniel Bray

Photography: Serendipity Corner

Cinematography: Amy Nelson-Blain of Wedding Cinematography

Make-up Artist: Megan Vaughan

Hair Stylist: Melissa Cauchi

Concept & Styling: Rebecca Isgrove Reah

2nd Shooter: Anneliese Christensen

Flowers: Clementine Posy

Picnic Hamper by: Sydney Picnic Co.

--Luisa Brimble, of Serendipity Corner Photography

♥

See more Wedding Wednesday posts here! If you would like to submit your own post, please visit our Ruche Blogger Family for details. We're also looking for sumbissions for our Spring & Summer Guide!

P.S. Have you seen our wedding annoucement yet?

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Style File: ModaMama Style

Take a peek at how Joanna (an aspiring actress, loving mother, and charming Ruche customer!) styles her Ruche wardrobe. ♥

Guest Post by Joanna, of ModaMama

I first ran across Ruche a year ago, and have been smitten since.  I loved the ease of their clothes and the very feminine style.  As a new mom, I felt like I had lost my womanhood, because I was in sweatpants and with hair in a ponytail all the time.  But I decided to reaffirm myself by putting together outfits and expressing my personality even if I was just playing around the house with my baby.  And in order to share my experiences and give myself a daily nudge, I started my blog. Now, my readers keep me accountable! Ruche style was a great inspiration for focusing on my femininity. Many an item has made it's home in my now bursting closet. And I'm the luckier for it!

-- Joanna, of ModaMama

♥

If you would like to submit a Style File post and join our Ruche Blogger Family, please send an e-mail to blog@shopruche.com. You will receive an e-mail if your post is selected.

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Love Stories: The Perfect Match

I met my husband at the lunch table in our high school cafeteria. Immediately after we were introduced, we didn’t stop talking or laughing the rest of the class period. Turns out we went to the same Elementary, Junior High, and High School and never met. (We would attend the same college, as well.)

When that school bell rang at the end of lunch, the friend who had introduced us an hour earlier said finally got a chance to cut in and say, “Why don’t you two just get married?”

We should have listened! It didn’t take long before we were dating.

I was the goody two shoes Christian girl, and he was the tattooed, long-haired, Robert Plant look alike that my parents were not to excited about their daughter dating. They let us have our fun, though, and it didn’t take long though for him to win them over!

When I went away to college, he waited oh so patiently until he could join me a year later.

When I headed off to Greece for the semester to study art, he sent me on my way with a box of letters he had sealed and dated for every day that I would be gone, 99 letters total. (I still have each and every one!)

When he wanted to propose, he drove 8 hours to ask my fathers permission before doing so.

We dated for over 4yrs. before he popped the question with a stone that had belonged to his mother and the same box his father had used.

We got married 6 months and 1 day later.

It’s no surprise when I say I’ve been dreaming of my future husband since I was a little girl. I spent one night before I met David writing down a list of everything I wanted in a boy. My dream boy was to be a musician, a skateboarder didn’t hurt, either, (oh come on, we’ve all been through that phase!), he’d have long blonde hair, green eyes, and be completely hilarious, among other things. David was every single thing on that list, down to his blonde curly hair and big green eyes! He blesses my heart every single day. (I know God had a hand in this match!)

--Mckenzie, from Basil

♥

See the previous Love Stories here! If you would like to submit your story and join our Ruche Blogger Family, please email it to blog@shopruche.com. You may attach up to 5 photos and you will receive an email if your story is selected.

P.S. Have you seen our wedding annoucement yet?

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