Forever After Wedding

August 2021

Engagement Ring

Buyers Guide

and

Lifestyle Trends

Making a statement with your

wedding cake

FLIP THIS MAGAZINE THE JOURNEY OF LOVE MARRIAGE FAMILY

Engagement ring

buyer’s guide

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edding planning often begins moments after couples get engaged. Once a ring is presented, a new chapter in a relationship is born. While couples remember the sentiments and the style of their engagements forever, the engagement ring serves as the lasting symbol of that momentous occasion. Choosing the right engagement ring is complicated.

Listen carefully anytime jewelry is discussed.

Getting an idea of which style of jewelry the love of your life prefers requires keeping your eyes and ears open anytime jewelry is mentioned.

Have a good idea on the shape of the stone. All gemstones need to be cut in particular ways so that they reflect light and sparkle. Stones are also

cut in specific shapes that provide the overall form of the stone. These include round, princess, emerald, oval, marquise, and pear, among others.

Know all the specs. Buying an engagement ring means being armed with a lot of knowledge.

In addition to shape, there are the four Cs to consider. These refer to the stone’s cut, carat, clarity, and color, and will determine the financial value of the gemstone.

Shop around. Not all jewelers are the same, and you want to find one with whom you feel comfortable and believe you will get the best value for your money. Jewelers will often do whatever is necessary to make their customers happy, so don’t be afraid to ask for customization. When shoppers are prepared, the engagement ring-buying process is that much easier.

Female marriage and lifestyle trends

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arriage has evolved through the years and particularly in recent decades. From getting married later to cohabitating and even marrying themselves (yes, it’s a real thing), here are some interesting marriage and lifestyle trends affecting women.

Pushing off marriage The U.S. Census Bureau says in 2017 the median age for a first marriage for women reached 27.4 years. Many men are staying single longer than they did in the past, and women are following that trend. In the United States, marriage has declined the most for those with high school diplomas or less education.

Sharing a home The number of Americans living with an unmarried partner reached roughly 18 million in 2016, according to Pew Research. Although people who cohabitate are often younger than age 35 and not all such people are romantically involved. Cohabitation is also rising quickly among Americans age 50 and older.

Sologamy In recent years, sologamy, or the act of marrying oneself, has gone from being a clever party

idea to a bona fide trend, according to Brides magazine. Marrying oneself is a demonstration of pride in being an independent woman. Still, it’s not expected that sologamy will reach the popularity of traditional marriage.

Finding love online The growth in online dating continues to flourish. Mobile dating apps are driving increasing figures. Pew Research says that many women view online dating positively and find it is a good way to meet people.

First-time mothers The average age of first-time mothers is rising and the percentage of teenage mothers has dropped, at least in the United States. As of 2014, the average age for having a baby for the first time had risen to 26.3, according to NPR. Lifestyle and marriage trends continue to evolve, particularly in regard to women.

From precious stones to brilliant new creations, our exquisite jewelry collections are truly stunning.

JEWELRY

BartlettFineJewelry.com The Village Shopping Center 2002 Judson Road, Suite 101 Longview, Texas 75605 (903) 758 . 4367

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Wedding Business

wedding cake

Make a statement with your

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rides and grooms may pour over every detail of their weddings, but few components of the festivities may be as fun, especially for foodies, as deciding what the wedding cake will look like.

Couples who want to deliver show-stopping visuals often express some measure of their creativity and personalities through statement wedding cakes.

Apart from clever cake-toppers, here are ways to stand apart when dessert is served.

• According to the Perfect Wedding Guide, a rising trend in cakes is to cover a white or naked cake with translucent glaze tinted in the couple’s wedding colors. This artistic expression can be especially stunning in boho-chic weddings. ¥ Statement tiers also are popular. The cake may be traditional in nearly every way, but couples then set the cake apart by featuring an elaborate design or a different hue in one tier. ¥ Martha Stewart Weddings advises that more than just color can be used to make a statement. Lifelike sugar flowers can really set cakes apart.

• Hand-painted tiles on a cake are another way to add panache. A bride and groom may be inspired by a European vacation or the stained-glass effects of religious windows and want to add that feel to the tiers of the cake. ¥ Sometimes a statement comes by way of texture. Even an all-white cake can be dressed up with interesting textural effects. Ruffles, lace, embossing, and 3-D rosettes are different textural components that can be incorporated in cake designs. ¥ Couples also may want to tell their unique stories with cake. Individual tiers designed to reflect various milestone moments from the couple’s relationship can be quite engaging.

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• Capitalizing on the trend of edgier weddings, couples may opt for darker hues on their cakes even a black tier or nontraditional geometric shapes to the cake itself. Statement cakes can really say something about the couple getting married.

Much like other wedding elements, cakes provide a window into the minds of happy couples.

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I Do

Lovers share passion for each other and Longview

Not even the pandemic could keep them apart

By JOYCELYNE FADOJUTIMI

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an and Flecia Droege were already slightly acquainted because they lived in the same community but had never really met and gotten to know each other. After her marriage ended in front of a judge, she was rearranging her life, and he popped into the picture.

"Soon after my divorce, my friends were encouraging me to meet him because they said he is such a good person," she says. "At the same time his friends were encouraging him to ask me out, but honestly it was not the right time for either of us."

During a Christmastime ski trip to Winter Park, Colorado with her daughters she posted some photos on Facebook. Dan responded with a message telling her he had learned to ski at Winter Park, and in the ensuing exchange of texts he asked if she would like to go out to lunch with him in Longview. At the time she was living in Frisco but was coming to Longview to visit a friend. She and Dan met up on 29 December, intending to watch the Dallas

Dan and Flecia Droe

ge

Cowboys play. He picked her up, but they became so involved in getting to know each other that they forgot to watch the game.

They went on dates for the next eight days until she had to return to Frisco.

We began seeing each other each weekend, and then everything shut down for COVID," she says.

Not even the global pandemic could keep them apart. Their blended family includes four grown children who are as kind and loving as their parents, and whom their parents are unspeakably proud. Of course, this brood is happiest when it is together.

Dan earns his living by doing something he loves--helping others establish and expand their own businesses or getting the homes of their dreams. He has been doing this for thirty-seven years. He has been president of several banks. Currently, he is senior vice-president of Austin Bank. Flecia, meanwhile, has spent the last twenty-five years as a teacher, mostly with the Spring Hill Independent School District.

Dr. Shelby Droege, Dr. Dylan Droege, Dan and Flecia Droege; Elyse and Nicole Woods

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I Do

I Do

"I sat down one night and asked God to find me someone who has a kind and loving heart, and someone I could have fun with for the rest of my life. God gave me that and so much more in Dan." – Flecia Droege roege

Flecia and Dan D

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Dan and Flecia Droege

"I love teaching young people," she says. "Watching their minds grow and forming relationships that last forever is very special to me."

Their love of the Lord is the main driving force of their unselfish, serving lives. Their faith has served as a bridge over troubled waters for them and has impressed on them the total value of their relationships with God and with each other’s. Following her divorce, Flecia took a Christian-oriented

Divorce Care course at her church.

The preacher/instructor urged his students to be specific about their needs when they pray. She was.

"I sat down one night and asked God to find me someone who has a kind and loving heart, and someone I could have fun with for the rest of my life," she says.

"God gave me that and so much more in Dan." Dan and Flecia are passionate about serving their community

by working with various civic organizations aiming to make Longview a better place. They are highly active in the Great Texas Balloon Race and the One Hundred Acres of Heritage as it identifies and brings events to town.

"Dan and I are planning on having fun together, going on many adventures and laughing and smiling all the way," she says. "We are excited to spend the rest of our lives together."

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