Real People in Love: Jordan & Chris

Real People in Love is one of my favorite things about my blogs. The couples I am able to feature grow my faith in love every week. I love the diversity of couples I feature and their perspective on how to make a relationship work.
This week's couple is no exception, Jordan & Chris have just passed their first anniversary and share their story at Wide Open Spaces.

How old are you & Chris?

I am 25 and Chris is 31.

How long have you been together?

Believe it or not, we were married nine months to the day that we met, so we've been together a little over one year and nine months.

When's your anniversary?

We just celebrated one year on March 19!

What are your occupations?

I am an event coordinator and Chris works as a mortgage banker.

How did you meet?

We met at a bar through a mutual friend who I just so happened to run into. By the end of the night, we both knew we had met the person we were going to marry.

How did you get engaged?

It was on a Wednesday and I was coming home from work. I walked into my condo and there were rose petals down the hallway and Chris was sitting at my kitchen table with flowers and letters written to me. I read the letters and next thing I knew, he was down on one knee asking me to be his wife.

Tell us about your wedding day (not necessarily elements but feelings too):

We were married at a resort in Arizona on a gorgeous Spring day. Our ceremony was in a picturesque garden and could not have been more perfect. Just down the sidewalk was our reception in a gorgeous, rustic ballroom. I felt loved and special the entire day, and surprisingly, I was so calm!

Define Love:

For me, love is a commitment so embedded in your heartstrings that you feel each other's hardships and joys and want nothing more than to be everything to that person.

What is the toughest part of being in a committed relationship?

The toughest part is learning how to balance "me" time, friend time and husband time. I want to spend every waking moment with my husband, but then soon realize that I need to also make time for myself. I also want to make plans with friends, but now we have two people's schedules meshing together to think about. I'm still learning how to find that perfect balance.

What is the best part?

The best part is having a confidant that is there when I wake up and when I come home in the evening. Whether it's been a great day or a tough day, I know I can come home and share it with him.

What is the best day the two of you have had together?

One of my favorite days is the day after our wedding. We had the day to ourselves before we headed off to our honeymoon. It was so nice just to finally be married and have all of the planning and hustle and bustle behind us. We spent the day at lunch with family, running errands, opening our gifts, packing and resting. These days, I love the time that we can just spend together doing nothing but enjoying being around each other.

What makes you different from other couples?

I would have to say our speedy relationship. We met in June of 2009, knew that night (but didn't tell each other quite yet), went on our first date two nights after we met, were engaged in September of 2009 and were married in March of 2010. Just nine months! People though we were crazy, and I even thought we were crazy, but it was all just so right.

What is your favorite thing to do together?

Like I said earlier, we just like being in one another's company with no big plans. We love making breakfast on the weekends or treating ourselves to a breakfast date, running mundane errands that can be made into fun errands, and cuddling up on the couch for a movie on a Sunday afternoon.

Do you have a song?

"Then" by Brad Paisley

What is the most essential element of making it?

Just know that you are each other's biggest ally and fan. We always have to remember that we are on each other's side. Even in arguments, we're not there to take sides, but to come up with the best solution for us as a couple.

What are your hopes for the future?

We hope to settle into a more spacious house (we're in a townhouse now) and hopefully start a family of our own soon.

Anything else the world needs to know about love?

Love can find you anywhere at any time and especially when you least expect it. On the particular night I met Chris, the last thing I was expecting or even wanting was to meet my future husband. But now, I am so glad I did and know that there's a bigger plan in place for all of us.

*All photos taken from Jordan's blog and shot by Caroline Fontenot*

As always, if you'd like to participate in the Real People in Love series, just shoot me an email!