Valentine's Day and Black Southern Belle - My Personal Story

Valentine’s Day is a special for me. Not only is a day to celebrate, which is one of my favorite topics one earth, especially Black Southern Belle love, but it is also the day I got married! This year will be my one year anniversary and my poor husband is still alive to celebrate it with me. This day also represents the birth of Black Southern Belle, I started the idea of this brand while planning my wedding decorating my home and searching for southern inspired, African American lifestyle inspiration. Not only am I thankful for another year of my marriage but also for another year to pursue my 2nd love, Black Southern Belle.

I wanted to share my love story with all of my readers and also inspire you to #shareyourlove with #blacksouthernbelle and The Knot, which has launcheda #ShareYourLove campaign captures that couples’ heartfelt love stories and shares their sage advice for long-lasting love at TheKnot.com/ShareYourLove.

The Knot #ShareYourLove movement includes a couple of things but my favorite part of it is their marriage advice, this advice is also great advice for any relationship you have with the people you love and cherish the most. I wanted to share these tips with you all because family and relationships are tantamount to the South and the Black Southern Belle. Hopefully these tips can help you improve yourself and your relationships and allow you to #shareyourlove even better.

Here are a couple of their top tips for making a relationship last through the years and I will give my spin on it as well.

- The best love Rx is laughter: Find new ways to make each other laugh and it will help you through life’s ups and downs.

Michiel-Fred-366 — This is the best one for sure. Life will be rough but through it all you can always find a reason to laugh together. I am a pretty serious person and my husband is a goof ball so I thank him for always making me laugh, even when he has to carry my 20 lb wedding dress which he begged me to not get a huge dress. BUT I am Southern so it was go big or go home for me and this picture tells it all.

Reaffirm your love: You know you love each other, but it is important to say it. Saying “I love you” reinforces the love—for both of you.

Michiel-Fred-192 — This one can be tough when you are going through trying times but that is when it is most important. Remember why you are here and not why you shouldn’t be.

Give each other a chance to screw up: It’s easy to hold your significant other to a higher standard, but remember no one’s perfect. Let them screw up and then be kind and forgiving.

Michiel-Fred-291 — Anyone who knows me and any Southern Belle knows we have high standards. And I am a type A, remember everything , spoiled Daddy’s girl but this year I am learning to be more forgiving. My husband has that trait mastered a lot more than me so thankfully he is quite patient, especially when I remind him he did not get the right type of hydrangea for my flower vase.

Don’t jump to conclusions: Always hear your partner out and give them the room to communicate before assuming you know what he or she is thinking and feeling.

Michiel-Fred-160 — This one is hard not to do as a hot-tempered Steele Magnolia but is so important. Remind yourself that this person loves and has the best intentions so try to give them the benefit of the doubt. And if you are like me, just jump to conclusions in your head and not out loud first 🙂 i am a work in progress and luckily my husband loves me being a little feisty.

I want to wish everyone a happy Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day. This day is about not just romantic love but being around the ones you love. Not to mention is another great excuse to find a Southern dessert recipe on Pinterest because calories don’t count on Valentine’s Day.

****And on my walk down memory lane I wanted to share a few of my favorite wedding pictures courtesy of the fabulous Sean Money and Elizabeth Faye who also wound up carrying my dress at some point as well :)***

Michiel-Fred-174 Michiel-Fred-235 Michiel-Fred-282 Michiel-Fred-294 Michiel-Fred-295