Love. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. It’s a word that is deeply grounded by intense and rare emotions. For me, love has gained even more intensity in this era where we ‘like’ and ‘heart’ a picture or status update in a fleeting moment. Sometimes not even pausing to properly process what we’re assigning our ‘like’ to (guilty as charged!). Yet, I think of love as a word, a feeling, or rather, an emotion, that I wouldn’t assign or associate to something without proper consideration. But how do you know when you love someone or something?
Just last week my heartmate and I were having a pendant light fitted in our apartment by an electrician we hired via an app. The project ended up being more complex than we first thought and it took all three of us around four hours of joint troubleshooting and work to get the light hung. Conversation between the three of us ebbed and flowed with ease and we eventually managed to complete the project.
As the electrician was clearing away his tools and we were putting our apartment back together (you shoulda seen the chaos we created getting the light hung!), he stopped and asked us: “What’s your secret to finding the right one?” At first I thought he meant how did we choose him from the plethora of other electricians on the app, so I started explaining before he cut me off, laughing, saying that he meant us: Toby and I. “No, no, I meant you guys,” he said. “I know we’ve just met, and I don’t properly know you, but I’ve been here half the day you seem so compatible with one another; everything between you both is easy, natural and happy – how did you know each other was The One?”
Toby and I looked at each other and paused. His surprisingly deep and personal question took us both by surprise. I guess we hadn’t really thought about it that explicitly. Why? Well there was no ah-ha moment. No movie-like moment where we suddenly gazed into one another’s eyes and decided there and then each of us were The One. It was because of this we struggled for an answer. Eventually, we agreed that he had answered his question to us in the question itself. He said he saw our partnership as being “easy, natural and happy” and in that he had explained how we knew we wished to get married.
That’s not to say that love is a rose tinted world. Far from it. Love is ever changing, ever-growing. From those early days when everything is glossy and magical – when you are presenting the very best possible version of yourself to your new partner – through to the love that digs deeper than you thought possible to get you through darker days, weeks, heck – even months. Each of us leaning on one another for support to keep moving ahead. Sometimes in unison, sometimes one more than the other. Either way, always there to navigate life together.
This April Toby and I will celebrate a decade together. Our lives have shifted in more ways than we could have imagined during the past ten years, but one thing for us both has been a constant: our love for one another. We’ve enjoyed incredible experiences and faced huge hurdles – all of this has built what love means to us. Moet’s vision to #OPENTHENOW sees every moment of one’s life as a new flavor to try. We see these moments of life – the good, the bad and the downright ugly – as being the sum of the love we share.
Of course, the unbridled joy of a vacation or seeing a concert together is wonderful. However, it’s the quieter moments when I feel our love most strongly; the times when it’s almost tangible. When we catch one another’s eye across a crowded party, or feeling his arm next to mine during a rough patch of turbulence on a darkened plane. The quiet walks we take around our neighborhood. The laughter of games we play on long car journeys. Making dinner together. It’s these simple, everyday moments that that are elevated and special simply because we share them together. Sometimes we’re laughing, sometimes we’re bickering, but we’re always in love.
You can follow Moet and their #OPENTHENOW vision via their new video, MOETUSA & MoetChandon.
// Photographed on location at Industry City, Brooklyn by Jean-Laurent Gaudy | Posted in partnership with Moet. Thanks for supporting the brands that help keep Bright.Bazaar going!
47 Comments
My God, what a gorgeous post Will…I love everything, your words, the photos, the location…I’m so happy for you and Toby
Cheers to the next 10 years! 🙂
It’s 18 for Steve and I :-))
@Karine – Thank you so much! And congratulations to you and Steve! 🙂
What a lovely post. All of it so true and absolutely relatable to my relationship – coincidentally, my wife and I will have been together 10 years in October (6 years married in August). We don’t normally pay attention to numbers but ten seems like it’s worth marking! Congratulations to you two, I always really love these personal posts from you – you can just sense what a wonderful partnership you two are, and the love that’s between you. Have a great April when it comes!
@Rebecca – Congratulations to you both! Here’s to many more happy years together! 🙂
Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary! You and your heart mate look so great together, and I wish you many more years of happiness. And I hope your electrician finds his ‘one’!
@Kat – Thank you! Yes, I hope he does as well, he was so sweet.
Beautiful ode to love. Happy (coming) Anniversary!
@Karolina – Thanks!
Beautifully written, I’ve just celebrated 10 years with my husband too! I love looking back on how our relationship has evolved., if only I knew back then the life we’d create for ourselves! Congratulations to you both!
@Hannah – Congratultions! Isn’t it crazy how much life evolves over the years!
This is such a lovely post!! gorgeous photos and wonderful message. Congrats to you both. xxx
@Xanthe – Thank you so much! x
Will! This is such a beautiful post! It really makes my heart so happy. I hope one day this kind of love touches me! Also so many thank yous for being so kind to me and constantly making me smile! You and Toby are so sweet! <3
@Brian – Thank you for sharing such lovely words, and for all your support of my work, too. Sending hugs your way!
Wow, how cute! love your story, guys! Thanks for sharing <3
Beautiful! My partner Juan always corrects me when I say “I am lucky” and immediately changes it to “we.” That’s the secret. It’s always “we.”
@Darryl – Ha! We do the same thing! Hugs to you both.
Such really LOVE! Love everything you share.
@Sel – Oh, thank you so much!
What a beautiful post in every way possible! Here’s to another 10 years of love to you both xxx
@Kimberly – So kind of you to say, thanks!
Awwww what a lovely, heart warming post. A wonderful love story 🙂
@Emma – Thanks!
Wow you manage to say so much in so few words Will. I wish I could experience even a half of what you and Toby have. Love all the beautiful photos and the story of you guys and the electrician is one to keep safe in a memory box and bring out when you forget just how much you love each other or just want to remind yourselves of just how lucky you are to have found each other.
Have a wonderful 10 year anniversary and celebrate in style
Jo xxxx
@Jo – Lovely of you to stop by and leave such kind and thoughtful words, thank you.
What a well articulated and beautifully written post! As I was reading I realised how much I related to what you had written. My husband and I will complete 13 years together on 14 Feb. How true that it is the everyday togetherness that makes a relationship truly special. Wish you guys many many more years of togetherness 🙂
@Pratima – I’m so pleased it evoked some memories of your own. Congratulations on your 13 years together and here’s to many more! 🙂
Beautiful read and photography Will! Wish you both the very best in life:)
@Jacob – Thanks so much. Same to you!
Oh I read this when I woke up this morning and it started my day with a big smile. Gorgeous words and happy pictures.
Congratulations on ten years. The best is yet to come! xoxo
@Emily – Thank you so much for the lovely words! Big hugs xx
beautifully written and photos in the same vain
congratulations and good wishes to all the happy years to come 🙂
@Fiona – Thank you! Same to you!
This is how love should be: easy, wholeheartedly, unapologetic-ally, unconditionally and beautifully in utmost respect and support of each other. All in, all the time. May everyone find a love like you and Toby share. <3
@Gabby – Agreed! Thank you!
This is the sweetest post Will! And the images of you and Toby are wonderful. Love is a very special thing that I wish everyone had the opportunity to have in their lives. It keeps the world ticking on. So happy for you two, life is certainly treating you well. Big hugs! Mel xx
@Mel – Love is one of life’s great gifts and I feel incredibly fortunate to have found it. Thanks for your kind words. Love and hugs to NZ! xx
This is the cutest post! Congratulations to you both on the decade! PS. How great is a silver metallic foil balloon? I feel like going to the store for them now to fill my apartment! Really beautiful shoot. x
@Mark – Thank you so much! Yes, I love those metallic balloons as well! 🙂
Such a beautiful post – not something you think about in the day to day with your partner, but definitely a warm feeling when you realize you found The One 🙂 Happy for you!!
@Sierra – I completely agree! Thank you 🙂
Congrats on your decade (closely approaching)! And wishing you both, many more years of happiness!
@Roger – Thank you very much! 🙂
Lovely, lovely post. But can I ask – where are those beautiful champagne glasses from?!
@Robert – Of course! They are from World Market.
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this window into your private life. You made me want to drink champagne rosé. 🙂
I am surprised, thought, not to see more color in your new apartment. 😉
All the best for your next ten years together, and beyond.
@Monica – Yay, thanks! Just to note: this isn’t our apartment! 😉