Tell Me Something Good – Marriage Your Way

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this week has flown by for me, i honestly feel like it’s wednesday today but the calendar says friday so i’ll take it! i have something so good to share with you today that i had to keep under wraps for the past few months. let the record show i am an excellent secret keeper, which i attribute to the intensity of confidentiality pounded into our heads in the field of social work.

some of our very best friends got married in a secret ceremony in portland, which was the main reason we ventured there! may i present to you alison and matt or ‘malison’ as we like to affectionately call them:

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when we first moved to portland, we definitely felt the ‘seattle freeze‘ even down in portland, which basically means it’s hard to make genuine friends. we had a few friends in common so we all spent new year’s eve together in 2011 and have spent each new year’s eve together since (don’t bring up the fact that this one will be the first one we are apart)!

we can all agree that it’s extraordinarily hard to find “couple friends” where you all like each other the same amount. usually either you or your spouse is close friends with one of them but then aren’t so into the partner of the other. right? you have felt this?

i can say without a doubt we all equally find one another’s company and friendship equally valuable and fun – something i do not take for granted. they were the first people we told we were leaving portland last year and i blubbered all over their kitchen table. alison was one of the first people to find out i was pregnant with a ‘chocolate morsel’ – named after baking chocolate chip cookies together.

IMG_9968 friends!

there are very few people that we can feel totally at ease with while being completely ourselves. if we haven’t hung out in person, the averys can be known as a sort of ‘weird and intense couple’ (always said with love, i’m sure). we tend not to hold back and my husband is known for his cringe-worthy ‘would you rathers‘ so it’s a big deal that they love us back!

moments after this first photo was taken, alison calmy remarked “ryan – you are totally groping me!” to which we all lost it and found it absolutely hilarious.

IMG_9972 friends!

i’m pretty sure he gave another squeeze before moving his hand. this is the type of relationship we have and i love it. way to maintain composure, matt!

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we were the sole friends in attendance because they are having a bigger party to celebrate their marriage come september. some people may find this odd but i love it. i love it because when two people join together and make a life commitment, it is about them and no one else. sure, the common thing is to have a big fancy wedding and invite everyone to celebrate along with you but if that isn’t sitting right for the two of you for whatever reason, do what does feel right because it’s your love and your commitment.

malison did that exact thing and it was beautiful!

IMG_9943 malison

these two have been together for 7.5 years and have spent the last few deeply talking about commitment and marriage. i truly believe that if more couples spent the time and energy having the harder conversations and backing it up with action and dedication, divorce rates would drop significantly.

a coin toss was originally written into the ceremony to determine if it would be me or my husband to say the few legally binding words as the officiant. turns out when you carry my husband’s baby, he eventually let’s you do it. score!

IMG_9847 officiating

it was also really fun to have this little one that’s brewing in me be so excited any time she was around them! that’s what my eyes look like after 4 hours of sleep and crying a lot during their sweet ceremony.

IMG_0035 alison and chelsea

even though i am half-smiling and half-talking in this photo, it makes me happy!IMG_0040 alison and chelsea

it was such a fun weekend celebrating the life commitment our friends made to one another. we feel so honored and grateful to be included in this portion of the celebration because chances are i will have literally just popped out a newborn during their september celebration!

congratulations alison and matt! i already know your marriage will simply be an extension of the already solid, fun, real and beautiful relationship you have had all these years!

now i want to hear about the goodness in your world right now! big or small, tell me something good!

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9 Comments

  1. Elyse

    June 3, 2016 at 6:37 am

    What an honour for you two! I’m sure it meant everything to you to be sole witnesses to their union – because you’re so right, it’s not about anyone else but Matt and Alison!

    • chelsea

      June 6, 2016 at 9:44 am

      it was really grand! they did have a few members of family there as well but it was ultra special to be involved in such an intimate ceremony!

  2. Nina @ Hugs and Lattes

    June 3, 2016 at 7:24 am

    Wow this is so special!! We considered doing something similar, except keeping it SUPER secret so no one would know until actually after the traditional ceremony. I don’t think we’re going through with that though. . .
    Nina @ Hugs and Lattes recently posted…Stress Dreams [Vol. 1]

    • chelsea

      June 6, 2016 at 9:45 am

      ohhhh fun that you both considered it nina! the choice is yours 🙂 my husband and i had a private (not legal) ceremony just the two of us before our wedding and it felt super right!

  3. Audrey

    June 3, 2016 at 7:34 am

    That’s such an awesome experience! I’m glad they asked you and Mr. WS to be a part of it!! Sometimes I wonder if we might’ve liked a small ceremony, but I think we did everything just perfect for us 🙂

    How fun to be a part of something so secretive!! Having “couples friends” is awesome (and rare)! I’m glad you were able to go back and spend some time with them!
    Audrey recently posted…Books, Books, & More Books

    • chelsea

      June 6, 2016 at 9:47 am

      oh my goodness – couple friends are SO good and quite rare so they make me super appreciate it! it was really amazing to get to be a part of it all – we felt so honored and of course – loved showering them with love!

  4. jenniferhastonsays

    June 3, 2016 at 12:26 pm

    Hey Chelsea!! I just love this post!!
    My tell you something good is-
    Today I am leaving work early to go to a speaking seminar AND I have a coaching client this Sunday!! I have been very focused on our “production” so this client literally fell in my lap! I am grateful!

    • chelsea

      June 6, 2016 at 9:48 am

      hi jennifer! i hope you had a fantastic time at the speaking seminar and that your coaching client went well on sunday! heck yes production and gratitude! thanks for sharing jennifer 🙂

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