Brad and Emily: Lipdub Proposal

Brad and Emily

I subscribe to a website called, Wimp.com, and I found this amazing video. It's a marriage proposal that had me teared up.  It is so sweet.  I am a sucker for romance!

Please click on the following link to go to the website, and enjoy Brad and Emily's wonderful moment (8 minutes):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz_s8ThT6oc

Have a great day!

Angela G. Gentile

I Think I Wanna Marry You

I've heard and seen a lot of wedding proposals on the internet, and if you're the romantic type, here's one that will bring happiness to your heart and tears to your eyes.  It's very creatively done and it is made to a very catchy tune by Bruno Mars, "Marry You".

Watch Isaac's Live Lip-Dub Proposal that involves 60+ of his family and friends.  Well done!



Click on the above arrow, or go to this YouTube link:  http://youtu.be/5_v7QrIW0zY

Have an awesome day!

Angela Gentile

Living Large

     I recently heard and read about an older Canadian couple who won a lottery, and decided to give away 98% of it.  It is a wonderful feel-good kind of story that I love to hear.  This couple, Allen and Violet Large, live in Lower Truro, Nova Scotia.  The Larges' won a large lottery this past summer and have been very generous in giving away most of their millions to family, and other companies and organizations that request money.  So far they have given away more than $11 million.  Their generosity and charitable acts have touched the hearts of people all over the world.  This older couple state that they don't need the money, that they'd rather give it to those who need it. They are most happy to have each other (he's 75).

     Cemeteries, hospitals, fire departments and churches have all benefitted from the Large's generosity.

     Imagine winning millions, and then decided a week before you pick up your winnings that you are going to give most of it away.  That must be a great feeling.  If only there were more people like this in the world.

     I hope that more people in the world can "Live Large" and start being more generous with their winnings.  The Larges' certainly make the world a better place.

     To see the full article, go to this link: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/885762--lotto-winners-generosity-touches-hearts-at-home-and-abroad

Have a happy day!

~ Angela Gentile

The Italian Way

Blame it all on Vinnie Barbarino (Welcome Back Kotter) or Danny Zuko (Grease). 

I have been happily married to an Italian man for the last 20 years.  When I met him, I was quite impressed by his family and their strong cultural beliefs and values.  My familiarity with Italians started when I was younger.  I grew up in an area in Ontario that had a lot of Italians, and I found myself gravitating to their ways of life and I became good friends with some of my Italian classmates and neighbours.  As I grew up, I knew there were things about this Italian Way of life that I really liked (including John Travolta!). There are many things that this Canadian-born female has learned from her Italian friends and relatives over the years.  I want to talk about three areas that are most outstanding in my opinion:  Food, Family and Affection.

I have learned that Food is a very important part of life for Italians.  The passion that goes into planning, purchasing, planting, picking, preparing and putting it on the table is so evident and strong, that you can't help but love the food.  The pastas, sauces, meats and vegetables are mouthwatering.  Don't forget the vino (wine)!   Food is always present at any social gathering - be it a quick visit in the afternoon, or a Sunday afternoon visit for lunch or supper.  Italian food is one of my favourites.  Rarely does my mother-in-law come empty handed to our house for a meal!

Family values are very strong in the Italian culture.  The love that is shown towards children in the family is very evident.  Harmony among family members is always the desirable outcome of any disagreements. Respect for the grandparents is expected and taught to the young.  Birthdays, Anniversaries, and other important holidays and events are always acknowledged and celebrated among caring family members.

Hugs and kisses are given very liberally by most of the Italians I have ever known. Their abundance of affection makes one feel loved and included very early on in the relationship.  I've never been kissed and hugged so much in my life until I met my husband and his family.  What a beautiful way to feel accepted and loved by others.  I have to admit, it did take some getting used to! 

It's true what they say about Italians.  When you marry an Italian, you marry their family.  My mother thinks I have become "more Italian" over the years.  I guess some of those good things have rubbed off on me.  I have been to Italy, and I can truly say that Food, Family and Affection build the very foundation of what Italians stand for.  I like the Italian Way and I have learned a lot of good things from my Italian friends and family.

Ciao!

~Angela

A Great Wedding Entrance

Here is my favourite wedding entrance of all time.  I can watch this over and over again.  Great job!




Check out On the Bright Side Vlog YouTube Channel for more of my favourites.

Have a fantastic day!

~Angela

Wedding Anniversaries - A Time to Celebrate

"For two people in a marriage to live together day after day is unquestionably the one miracle the Vatican has overlooked." - Bill Cosby

Today my husband and I celebrate 20 years of marriage. We have actually been celebrating since February of this year, when we went on a Caribbean Cruise with a large group - including all of his family!  This past weekend, we went to a dinner theatre, and we spent the evening with another couple.  We went to Celebrations, and we saw the production called, "Greased".  It was a lot of fun, and it included songs from the movie Grease, plus a lot of other oldies.  There was humour, fun, and romance.  My husband and I were up on stage, with a number of other couples, celebrating their anniversaries that night as well.  There was a couple who were married for 45 years (that's more than twice as long as us!).  Another man got on his hands and knees and bowed to the husband.  The Celebrations staff asked the husband, "What is the secret to staying together so long?", and he said, "Just don't say too much".  The audience roared with laugher.  The wife was asked the same question, and she said the key to a long marriage is to "Love and forgive".  These were wise words coming from people who had been together a long time.

I am blessed with a happy marriage, and I am fortunate to be where I am today.  I think it's important to celebrate marriage more often than once a year.  Take the time to be thankful for what you have together.  I am in the process of planning a 50th Wedding Anniversary party for my in-laws. I told them that I want to organize a party for them that will include dancing and celebrations.  I told them that they deserve it.  They are hoping to have about 70 people there to share their Golden Anniversary with. 

As you look at your own life, and those around you that are celebrating milestones in their relationships and marriages, be thankful for those loving relationships.  They are the foundations of families, and they are the models for our children and grandchildren.

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years."  - Simone Signoret


Have a fantastic day!
~Angela

Marriage is a Choice - Celebrating Love

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending my brother's wedding to his long-time lover and friend.  They had known each other for a very long time (she said she wanted to marry him when she was 12 years old!), and had been living together for a number of years.  The excitement I felt at Christmas time when I heard they were engaged was over-the-top. I think that the decision to marry someone is one of the most powerful ways to show your committment to the one you love.

My husband and I have been married (officially, on paper!) for 20 years this May.  As I reflect on my own marriage and committment and the step that my brother and now "official" sister-in-law have taken, I realize that for some, a loving union isn't really "complete" until those official vows are taken and witnessed in front of family and friends that care about us. For those who do decide to "get married", there is always a time between finding each other, falling in love, and setting the date.  For some, that time period may be 1 or 2 months, for others it could be 15 years.  The reasons and timing for marriage vary and in the end it doesn't really matter.  What does matter is that the two people getting married want to share their lives together.

This weekend we witnessed two people committing themselves to each other in the wonderful union of marriage.  We celebrated, danced, laughed and had a wonderful time connecting with family and friends.  It was a great time and I was happy to be part of this special occasion.  As the designated photographer, I had a front-row seat to all the excitement and joy and I am very thankful for that. It was a great time. 

"Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry."
-Tom Mullen


Have a wonderful day!

~Angela