Love Endures

It’s Valentine’s Day! dun dun dun… And we hate it, because it:

“has been shitted on all over by greedy restaurants, florists, and whoever else that think that they can jack up prices and stress people out. Not even a real ‘holiday.’” -Lisa H.

“is a basic ‘holiday’ that basic people like to celebrate.” -Jane K.

“sucks because restaurants are all booked and I can’t eat what I want >:[.” -Tracy C.

“Yo if the girl really mattered, every day should be like Valentine’s Day. #RealTalk” -Minsu C.

This vintage card now costs $10-$15.

We hate Valentine’s Day because it became a way for people to get sucked into the black hole of consumerism. Undoubtedly, businesses jump on any holidays and romanticize them for people to buy things. Romantic holidays include Valentine’s Day, Christmas, New Years— Holidays for couples to frolic in each other’s presence & “soak up each others’ awesomeness” (Thanks, Janice Ian!). Halloween is becoming romanticized also; couples get to match their costumes with each other. Before we know it, businesses will hop on Lincoln Day or Martin Luther King’s Day. I won’t predict how they will do it because it may be too inappropriate for me to share. You will have to use your own imagination for that.

So… why do we go gaga over Valentine’s Day? What is love, anyway? What is romance? What does it mean to “romance” someone?

It seems like Hollywood and Disney have a huge influence for defining romance and love.

Snow White’s “Happily Ever After.” To view more: http://www.demilked.com/fallen-princesses-dina-goldstein/

One day, I came home to my brother with the biggest worried face.

Me: What’s wrong?

Bryan: Auntie Esther said she wants to go on a date with me.

Me: Why don’t you look happy? You get to spend time with her.

Bryan: Because it’s a date. I have to pay for everything and think of something really fun to do but I only have a little big of money in my piggy bank. I’m a gentleman. I want to be a gentleman, but it’s so hard…

He’s 9 years old. Even my little brother has already grasped what society thinks is romantic. Disney and Hollywood was stressing the heebie jeebies out of my little baby brother.

Don’t pay too much attention to Hollywood and Disney. Pay attention to these love stories instead:

–The Love Abroad by Anonymous

“When I was in Prague I was with this girl who would always give me a kiss on the eyebrow. I would always feel more refreshed waking up to that no matter how sleepless the night before was. Really, it only lasted a few seconds but time kinda stopped for me. Call me simple but it’s shit like that that gets to me. Grand romantic gestures are great but they are few and far between, relatively impractical and rarely sustainable. I’ve always found good romance leads to love in its consistency.”

–Love is Choice by Jerry Wang & Wendy Lee

“Love is a choice. You wake up daily and choose to love somebody not based upon your feelings, but based upon your vow to try and love as unconditionally as possible. The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s only green where you water it because you have to choose to invest and love somebody first before you reap the fruits of it. You have to love even when it’s tough, even when you don’t see green as soon as you expect it to. It takes time and patience. I believe those efforts will allow somebody to look back and say, ‘it was all worth it.’”

For example, “God didn’t have to send his one and only son to Earth and die for us if He didn’t love us. He chose to love us thus he fought for us and didn’t give up on us.”

Where you invest love, you invest your life.

You shouldn’t love someone just because that someone makes you happy. You should love someone to make that person happy.

Whether it be grand or small gestures, it feels good to be reminded how much love is around us.

That’s why holidays exist. They’re reminders.

Couple of weeks ago, I did an inspiration shoot for my friend’s event planning service called #EventsByTiffie. Specifically weddings. It was always my dream to model wedding dresses. One time, I was so excited to model for this wedding boutique, but I was so young and flat-chested that the owner made me model bridesmaids dresses instead. The photo shoot was a success & it was such a blast working with talented individuals.

The theme, created by Tiffie Lee, is “Love Endures” to capture the timelessness of love and how it transcends both time and is not isolated between a bride and groom or any other romantic couple. Love, including the wedding day, is about much more — the love of parent and child, friends and family, etc.

Like weddings, Valentine’s Day celebrates love. Like weddings, love is not something that is not shared only between a man and woman for a set period of time— it is something that passes through generations and is shared between lovers, family, friends, and community. Like weddings, Valentine’s Day is a reminder to:

“have an excuse to do a little somethin’ extra for [the ones you love],” because “it’s always nice to be sweet to others and make those that you love happy.” -Claire J.

“hope that we will love to love one another.” -Clara H.

“appreciate and love who you have in your life.” -Alex H.

..and to simply love, “my mom sent me a wine picnic backpack. That’s love.” -Estrella M.

Take Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to say you love someone! That someone can be your significant other, mother, relative, friend, teacher, neighbor, or stranger ❤ xoxo

+Make sure to check out these sites as well:

Coordination & Design	Events by Tiffie	http://www.eventsbytiffie.com
Photography	Bryan Nabong Photography	http://www.bryannabong.com/
Floral Design	Fleurologie	http://fleurologie.blogspot.com/
Makeup & Hair	Grace Lin Professional Makeup	http://www.gracelinmakeup.com/
Bridal Boutique	BoLee Bridal Couture	http://www.boleebridal.com/
Paper Goods	With a Touch of Grace	http://withatouchofgrace.com/
Desserts	Font and Flour	http://todifor.tumblr.com
Rentals	Class Party Rentals	https://classicpartyrentals.com/
Couch + Accent Table	Blueprint Studios	http://www.blueprintstudios.com/