The Marriage Project | Bryce & Georgia

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When they first met, Georgia dared herself (no one else was willing) to eat a bug. Bryce danced lewdly in her tiny jean shorts. The attraction was not immediate.

Usually there's a crazy one in the marriage--well, they're both the crazy one. They had an unconventional, beautiful wedding surrounded by the realest of friends, slow-motion Chariots of Fire dancing down the aisle, cake in each others' eyes, and a slip-n-slide. 

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They're both paramedics, hikers, runners, skiers, kayakers, campers, footie-pajama-wearers.

They are both fiercely brave, tough, independent, real people, who somehow found each other to create one of the most dynamite-crazy marriages ever. They're absolutely hilarious, continually.

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THEIR MARRIAGE DESCRIBED IN ONE WORD

Adventurous.

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NEW THINGS LEARNED ABOUT EACH OTHER

Despite the hard candy shell, she's super sensitive and even cries at movies.

He's essentially Anne of Green Gables, because he "soars on the wings of anticipation, and then crashes into the depths of despair." He gets completely invested and excited things, but then is devastated if things don't work out. 

Also, his dedication to interpretive dance--he once danced vigorously for a full fifteen minutes. 

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UNEXPECTEDLY AWESOME THINGS ABOUT MARRIAGE

Having such a supportive person to motivate and encourage in your goals.

Someone to go home to is more comforting than she thought it'd be.

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WHO IS MORE ROMANTIC?

Him.

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WHO IS MORE GRUMPY IN THE MORNING?

Him (but he claims it's only because she tickles him).

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WHO PAYS THE BILLS

Her. He hates finances.

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HE LOVES

That she leaves him notes.

That she loves him even when he's mean.

That she works super hard in the kitchen to make healthy meals. (Even when the gluten-free cookies don't turn out, resulting in crisis). 

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SHE LOVES

That he texts her throughout the day. If she hasn't heard from him for four hours, it can safely be assumed he's dead (it's actually one hour, but she covered for him so he doesn't seem psycho). 

All of his surprises. Flowers, a toilet plunger, videos of all the kitchen utensils he bought or the massive heart he spent hours shoveling in the snow on their deck.

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HOW HE DESCRIBES HER

Cares about people. Selectively sensitive. Carefree and wild, never has safety in mind. 

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HOW SHE DESCRIBES HIM

Very thoughtful--he's helped her become a better friend. Sensitive, in tune with what people feel or need. Passionate (again, Anne of Green Gables..), pours himself into whatever he's doing.

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DREAMS AND GOALS TOGETHER

Kids, eventually. Traveling, doing mission work. Maybe retire in a different country. She's doing wilderness training and they'd love to run a wilderness therapy program. 

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FAVORITE MEMORIES TOGETHER

Their crazy wedding. Their honeymoon in the Caribbean. The first night in THEIR house. Dancing to "Marry Me" in the middle of the chaos of the house. Camping in the pouring rain (he was still able to make a fire! however, he was unable to light a damp match... (see above)). 

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DATE NIGHTS

They tend to do outdoor, hiking-type things. Her ideal is laser tag, paintball, Bullwinkles, or Chuck-E-Cheese.

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FAVORITE THINGS TO DO TOGETHER

Laughing. Running.

His day-off desires involve more movies , and hers involve more morning-to-night jam-packed activities. She concedes with the movies and TV shows provided there is cuddling, and (much like a puppy), she's fed and taken for a run.

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FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT BEING MARRIED

Sex.

Having a committed best friend around to do whatever you want with--sex. hiking, eating.

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OBSTACLES

They bought a house not long before they got married, and they've been remodeling, which has been a huge headache.

Crazy and incompatible work schedules.

Learning not to be as stubborn and independent. (Sometimes this means working things out until 4am). 

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MARRIAGE ADVICE

Put the other person first. 

Be honest to a ridiculous degree.

Be more stubborn than your fight.

Keep God as the foundation of your marriage.

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EVERYDAY

Do devotions together.

Listen to your spouse--actually care. Make sure not to just problem-solve.

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HARDEST PART OF MARRIAGE

Being away from each other so much.

Not getting to be selfish. It's a complete reorientation in your mindset.

(pictured above) Their famous "corncob". He husks, butters, and salts her arm, and then proceeds to eat it.

 

HIS ADVICE FOR WIVES

Put aside stereotypes. Listen to your husband instead of assuming you know what he's like.

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HER ADVICE FOR HUSBANDS

Listen, no matter how much you want to fix it. Hear her, and make sure she knows you care about what she's saying.

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THINGS THAT HAVE STRENGTHENED THEIR MARRIAGE THE MOST

Huge, tough conversations where you start to learn more things about each other. The premarital counseling they did beforehand.

Being vulnerable and accountable to other people.

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The Marriage Project | Benjamin & Rebekah

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Benjamin is my (Susannah's) older brother, and Peter first got to know them when they were engaged, while they were all on a mission trip in Poland together. 

They got married a little over two years ago, and it was the first wedding Peter shot after moving back from Florida, and I was a bridesmaid and remember laughing enormously at all the crazy things he said to make us laugh.

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Anyways, fast forward a couple years--Benjamin and Peter became best friends, Benjamin was instrumental in our relationship, Peter asked him to be his best man the day we got engaged which made me more weepy than anything else, and now they're our bestest "couple-friends". We've learned so much from them, and some of our favorite things are hanging out with them and eating omelets, drinking wine/mimosas, watching guy movies (or Despicable Me 2), and playing games (until all of our overly-competative spirits makes things end in a bloodbath). 

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Benjamin and Rebekah really love God and people, and have served so much and invested in so many people since they got married. They're the going-to-the-gym-together type, and they make glorious and healthy food. They're both adventurous, but his thirst for extreme adventure knows no bounds. 

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They're so completely different that they make an awesome team--when they figure out to leverage their (completely opposite) strengths. What's important to him is not at all what's important to her. He values reliability, dependability, keeping commitments, being on time, acts of service, and following the Google calendar. She values compassion, tenderness, flexibility, and spontaneity. 

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MARRIAGE DESCRIBED IN ONE WORD

impossible? effortless? (bipolar)

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NEW THINGS LEARNED

That she CAN get up early in the morning. Before the last few months, she'd only gotten up before him maybe 3 times in their whole marriage.

She's good at rocking out in the kitchen.

He's a badass.

That his dream is to climb Mt. Everest. 

His biceps are nice to hold.

Temple run is the key to successful haircuts.

He cuts his obscenely-fast-growing-fingernails once a week. 

He loves documentaries.

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UNEXPECTEDLY AWESOME THINGS ABOUT MARRIAGE

How comfortable it is to be around each other.

How awesome sex is.

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HE LOVES

When she makes him breakfast. Especially bacon and coffee that he can smell as he's waking up. 

When she works hard to do things for him that don't come naturally to her--following through, ironing, being on time.

 

SHE LOVES

That he works so hard--he has an abnormally good work ethic, even though his job isn't his favorite.

That he's so reliable (the most reliable person she knows), and so adventurous (outrageously so).

That he buys her flowers.

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HOW HE DESCRIBES HER

Kind, generous (to a frightening degree), funny in a weird way, empathetic. Sometimes just plain nuts--especially after working out (think: hopping around making weird noises/songs). Physically attractive.  

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HOW SHE DESCRIBES HIM

Super sexy. Reliable, wise, funny, a seemingly tough cookie, but actually very squishy and gooey on the inside.

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WHO IS THE MESSIEST?

Her. No question.


WHO KILLS THE SPIDERS?

Both, but he's more scared of them.


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WHO IS THE GRUMPIEST IN THE MORNING?

She's the grumpiest in the morning, but he's the grumpiest at most every other time of day.

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DREAMS & GOALS TOGETHER

Climb Mt. Hood (they've already climbed Mt. St. Helen's three times, and he's already climbed Mt. Hood, collecting a hearty sun and windburn that included his eyes). Doing the Spartan race this year. A Mediterranean cruise.  Adopt or support adoptions. Visiting every continent. (Essentially, going everywhere and experiencing everything). Taking their kids to India.

His dream is to be sitting in a sunny house somewhere like Buenos Aires, maybe, drinking coffee, with no reminders on his phone and nothing on his list, with no feeling of needing to be doing something else.

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DATE NIGHTS

They're very fond of pizza and movies.

Some of their favorites were looking at stuff under a microscope and taking a bottle of wine to the Rose Gardens and getting home so late they fell asleep in the hallway.

One of their date ideas (of the twenty-two in his iPhone) is having a night where they pick a certain ethnic food, learn how to make it on Youtube, and turn on the appropriate music.

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WAYS THEY'VE BOTH CHANGED

He's become nicer, she's become more disciplined.

They're beginning to reach more of an equilibrium--although, their worst habits rubbed off on each other first (he's less on time now, and she's grumpier). 


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FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT BEING MARRIED

Being loved in spite of your spouse knowing everything bad about you.

Getting to laugh every day.

Sex.

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OBSTACLES THEY'VE HAD TO OVERCOME

He's had to work on his control-freakness.

Gluten.

Learning to be honest, and communicate tough things without tearing each other down.

Her learning how to deal with his lust for adventure.


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FAVORITE MEMORIES TOGETHER

Their cruise to Mexico for their honeymoon. (Especially jet skiing).

Their spontaneous roadtrip to San Francisco last summer. It started out as--let's find somewhere a few hours away to camp! and turned into sleeping in their car all the way in San Francisco.

Going on a mission trip to India.


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THINGS THAT HAVE STRENGTHENED THEIR MARRIAGE THE MOST

Having weekly dates consistently. Planning things and surprising each other. Coming up with good things to talk about.


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MARRIAGE ADVICE

Don't be a jerk.

When stuff goes down, resolve it all the way, even if it means you have to stay in the car for an extra hour. 

Never complain about each other to other people.

Don't just say "sorry"--admit that you were wrong.

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HIS ADVICE TO WIVES

Understand what's important to your husband and love him in those ways. It's easy to assume that your spouse is the same as you. They aren't, at all. Get to know your husband, not what the books say men are like. He's a person, not a stereotype.


HER ADVICE TO HUSBANDS

Remember that she sometimes does want things fixed, and sometimes she just wants you to be there--clarify which one she's needing at the moment! Ask questions. Tell her she's beautiful and show her she's beautiful. Have input about her appearance.


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COMMUNICATION

Don't assign motives. Assume the best.

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ALWAYS

Be able to laugh in the middle of a fight.

Pray together and thank God for each other.

Have a lot of sex.

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