wedding

Happy 5 Years Mi Amor!

July 2, 2020 By Joceline Raad

*July 3rd, 2015 – The best day of our lives!*

Dear Juan Felipe Raad,

It’s our 5 year wedding anniversary! A 5 year anniversary is traditionally symbolized by wood, which represents long-lasting strength, wisdom and forgiveness. Throughout these past 5 years, we have experienced that and more. It is said that by the 5th year of marriage, the couple has begun to develop strong, deep roots, like that of a tree, preparing them for a long-lasting relationship. So in other words, we are just getting started mi amor!

I don’t think neither of us ever imagined this beautiful life we built in such a short time span. When we said I do, we simply did it knowing that God will guide us the entire way and it has been so. We’ve realized that marriage takes work from both of us and a willingness to concede regardless of whether we want to win an argument. It’s about being selfless while making sure we are mutually giving our best to one another with love & respect. Disagreements have taught us to communicate more effectively and forgive. Most importantly, understanding that Christ must remain our rock and the Holy Spirit our guide. Our goal to have a happy and healthy marriage is not just priority to us but for the sake of our children and their children after them. I wanted to write 5 things that have made me crazy in love with you but I couldn’t just write 5, so here are 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU!

You seek to always be guided by God in every decision. We have made numerous decisions these past 5 years and in each one of them I have been a witness of you seeking God’s guidance. Thank you for being a man of God.
You make me feel gorgeous! Even now with my big ol’ belly! Through your words and actions I feel loved, wanted, and cared for. Thank you for making me feel like the most beautiful woman.
You dream big! You set the bar high in our goals and lead me to dream bigger. Thank you for being a man of faith.
There’s nothing too difficult for you. You never say no to a challenge. Thank you for being a conqueror.
Easy to forgive. And may I add, easy to forget. Thank you for easily forgetting every time I’ve offended you with my words and actions.
You never bring up the past. This is such an admirable quality that I believe women in general need to work on. Thank you for not looking back at our past mistakes.
You never raise your voice. Something you taught me. I came from a big family so being loud (especially when we were upset) was in my nature, but you taught me that it’s disrespectful and unnecessary in order to get a point across. Thank you for speaking polite & respectful words to me.
You are an amazing daddy to our babies. Thank you for giving your best and being their hero!
You always look and smell your best for me. I know that made you blush LOL but it’s true. Thank you for that!
You live up to your nickname: SUPERMAN which is why you seek to be the best in everything. Thank you for being competitive because it takes us to win, win, win!

I’d be lying if I said you are perfect but throughout the years your imperfections are being perfected and that continues to make us perfect for each other. How many times did I say “perfect”? Haha! Anyhow, these past 5 years have flown by! I know I constantly remind you of how blessed we are and how much I LOVE the stage we are in now as young parents of 4 little ones but it’s because I’m grateful to God for giving us this bigger-than-fairytale life. Our life wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t for you and me becoming one. I love you with all that I am and I live to serve you & make you the happiest, most blessed man on planet earth! Happy 5 years superman.

A Raad Story Wedding

July 3, 2019 By Joceline Raad

Today is our 4 year anniversary! I stayed up last night watching our wedding ceremony and couldn’t hold back the tears after listening to my husband’s breathtaking vows and also as I realized how we are currently living (still unfolding) every blessing that was declared upon us by our pastors, parents, loved ones, and friends 4 years ago today! These prophetic words continue to resonate over our marriage. Thank you everyone who was present to witness our union before God. Special thanks to our parents, our siblings, Caro, Roy, Williz, Ashley L. and our beloved pastors Cesar and Claudia Castellanos for their powerful words of love.

P.S. It’s split in 2 parts because it’s a tad long. Part 1: Processional, our Pastor’s welcome message, JuanPe’s vows, and Joceline’s surprise song (All of Me). Part 2: Joceline’s vows, parents’ blessing, our siblings’ blessing, Pastor Claudia Castellanos’ prophetic word for our marriage, Pastor Cesar’s closing remarks, and the recessional. Comment below or DM and let me know your thoughts!

Part of My Wedding Vows – All of Me by John Legend

January 19, 2017 By Joceline Raad

First 3 Steps to Planning the Big Day

January 6, 2015 By Joceline Raad

There are too many things that come to mind right after an engagement. I must admit, the week after we returned from NY, there were a million thoughts running through my mind and suddenly the excitement and bliss were overcome by overwhelming feelings. I found myself a tad stressed. We’ve been engaged for TWO weeks and being the perfectionist that I am, a hundred ideas took a toll on my mind and planning a “perfect” wedding became the goal. The problem is, I’m not like other girls; I’ve never dreamed of my ideal wedding day nor have I ever planned the perfect wedding mentally like most (if not all) women do! So I finally narrowed it down to three important first steps everyone should consider when planning a wedding.

Determine the size of wedding – After watching the movie, “The Vow,” I thought Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum’s small wedding with only their closest friends was incredibly romantic. So I originally wanted a small, intimate wedding. However, my fiancé and I have a huge family, making that idea impossible. So for a moment, I closed my eyes and thought about the kind of wedding I would love to have. Who would I love to have present on my big day? Who would my fiancé love to have also? Who knows both of us and have stood by our side through our journey as a couple? If your family’s input is as important to you as it is to me, you should definitely consider their thoughts on the size of your wedding prior to making your final decision.
Evaluate your budget – I am American and like most couples in America, we will both contribute in our wedding as well as both of our parents. First, we sat down and looked at our income to determine how much we can bring to the table. We also spoke to our parents and they will be helping us as much as they can. Yes, I know, we are very blessed to have parents that are willing to help us not just financially, but with every detail of our wedding. If you have a limited budget, stay within your means. Do not look for venues that cost an arm and a leg if you’re unable to afford it. I highly recommend not to get into debt booking a dream venue. Instead, opt for a less expensive wedding where you are able to DIY. Thank God for Pinterest where we can find hundreds of DIY wedding ideas that will efficiently save us money. Which means, more money for our honeymoon! However, if you have an unlimited budget, more power to you! If you do have a limited budget, be determined not to get into debt.
Begin your search for a venue – Finding a venue is probably the most difficult part thus far. We’re searching for an all-inclusive place with capacity of at least 125 guests. Why all-inclusive? Primarily because we’re not hiring a wedding planner. Most all-inclusive venues include a coordinator that will be there on your wedding day making sure everything goes according to plan. All-inclusive is our best option, so we will not have to worry about a long list of outside vendors. Since we are in South Florida and are planning a summer wedding, a beach wedding is highly not recommended thanks to high temperatures and humidity. It will definitely be an air-conditioned indoor venue, hopefully with an ocean view!

Our goal is to decide on our wedding venue by the end of this week! And we are sure we will find the perfect place for our magical day.