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When I think back to the weddings I've attended over the years, a few things come to mind: the joy of the couple, the energy of the reception, and a blend of
old and new rituals that always seem to anchor the day.
There's usually a first dance, followed by a toast that leaves half the room laughing and the other half reaching for a tissue. More often than not, a family tradition
makes an appearance, carried on by people who may not know where it started but know it belongs.
While the couple is naturally at the center of the occasion, every wedding creates a larger circle around them. People arrive from different parts of the couple’s life and, for a few hours, become part of the same celebration.
As summer wedding season gets underway, I've been thinking about why these occasions hold such a special place in our lives. They remind us of the importance of ritual and the joy that comes from gathering and creating memories with other people.
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A reason to come together
In a world where getting everyone in the same place isn't easy, weddings still manage to make it happen. People clear their schedules and travel long distances because they understand the significance of the occasion.
The ceremony may bring everyone into the room, but the reception is often where much of the magic happens. That's the beauty of a wedding: it celebrates one relationship while strengthening many others.
For a few hours, everyday routines give way to unhurried time together. People reminisce, celebrate, dance, and reconnect. Family bonds deepen, and friendships are created or renewed. Every now and then, a new romance blossoms.
Roughly 2.2 million weddings take place in the United States each year, with nearly three-quarters occurring between June and early October, making summer and early fall the heart of wedding season.
That means there's a good chance you've got an invitation sitting on your counter right now. If you're debating whether to go, I'd encourage you to do what the bride and groom did and say yes. Few occasions offer so many opportunities to use your power of connection in a single day.
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Rooted in rituals
The relationships celebrated at a wedding may be new, though much of the day is rooted in something old.
Every wedding carries a blend of familiar customs and family-specific traditions. The first dance, the wedding cake, the walk down the aisle, the bouquet
toss, and the story someone always tells all give the occasion a personal and timeless rhythm.
Most of us don't stop to think about where these traditions began. Their origins matter less than the meaning they acquire over time. A simple ritual becomes powerful because it links one generation to the next and reminds everyone in the room that this new chapter is part of a much longer story.
That continuity is part of what makes weddings so moving and helps explain why they're remembered long after the day is over. They give us a chance to celebrate a new beginning while taking part in traditions that will continue long after we're gone.
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An invitation
What makes weddings so special isn’t the venue or the menu, but the people who clear their schedules and choose to show up for a milestone in someone else's journey.
As many of us feel stretched thin and pulled in countless directions, these gatherings serve as a reminder of what matters. They prove that despite our busy lives, relationships flourish only when we make time for each other.
If there’s a wedding on your calendar this summer, I hope you’ll go and even stay a little longer than you planned to have that extra conversation and immerse yourself in the day.
You never truly know which of those passing moments will become the memories you cherish years from now.
All the best,
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What happens when the one thing that defines your identity suddenly disappears?
In this week's episode of Celebrate Your Story, I speak with Jake Moscato, whose life changed in an instant when a football injury brought to an end the identity he had spent more than two decades building.
For years, Jake knew exactly who he was: a Division I athlete. When that chapter closed, he found himself facing something many people experience after a major loss, career change, illness, or life transition: the unsettling question of who we are when the role we've relied on for so long.
Jake shares his journey through severe anxiety and panic attacks, the books and mentors that helped him find his footing, and the lessons he learned about faith, purpose, and personal growth along the way. His experience shows that we don't have to see the entire path before we begin moving forward. Sometimes healing starts with one small step, followed by another.
This episode is about resilience and the possibility of rebuilding a life that looks very different from the one you originally imagined.
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Most of us step into an elevator without giving it a second thought. That’s exactly how Judy Marks likes it.
In this week’s episode of Power & Impact, I speak with the CEO of Otis Worldwide Corp. about the invention that helped make modern cities possible — and what it can teach us about another technology now reshaping daily life. Otis moves 2.5 billion people every day, and Judy sees firsthand how trust, safety, engineering, and human judgment all have to work together before people will fully embrace a new way of moving through the world.
Judy believes AI will transform nearly every industry, though she sees the future as “human-led and AI-enabled.” Her advice for graduates and business leaders alike centers on lifelong learning, communication, judgment, and adaptability.
She also offers a fascinating perspective on an important question: What can a 173-year-old elevator company teach us about navigating one of the biggest technological shifts in history? As you'll see in this week's podcast, the answer is: a lot.
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50 Years In: Learning the wedding business
As 1-800-Flowers.com marks its 50th anniversary, I’ve been thinking less about milestones and more about the moments that have helped shape our story. This week, I'd like to share a story about some of my first weddings as a florist.
Over the past 50 years, wedding fashions have changed, venues have come and gone, and traditions have evolved. Yet the importance of the day has remained remarkably constant.
People still gather to celebrate a commitment, share a meal, tell stories, and create memories with the people they love. Helping them do that has always been one of the great privileges of being in the relationship business.
I remember one wedding in the early days of the flower shop that took place in an apartment overlooking the East River. The bride's parents were involved in every detail. At one point, we tucked tiny pink roses and baby's breath into a large conch shell displayed in a bathroom. It was a small touch, and the family loved it.
Other times, the job wasn’t so easy.
One of the first Jewish weddings we worked on required us to build a chuppah for the ceremony. We spent hours creating it, only to discover it had been assembled in the wrong location. We carefully took it apart, moved it across the venue, and rebuilt it from scratch.
Then, just before the ceremony, a ceiling panel above the chuppah was opened to reveal the sky. Unfortunately, it also released water that had been trapped in the ceiling. It poured down onto the structure we had spent the day rebuilding.
Looking back, I don't remember the frustration nearly as much as I remember what those weddings taught me. On a day that means so much to a family, every detail matters. It might be an elaborate floral installation or a few roses tucked into a conch shell.
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Share your Amazing Dad story
With Father’s Day coming up on June 21, I’d love your help celebrating the amazing dads, grandfathers, father figures, mentors, and everyday role models who have made an impact in your life.
Maybe it’s your own dad. Maybe it’s someone who stepped in when you needed guidance. Maybe it’s a father in your community whose kindness, strength, humor, patience, or example deserves to be recognized.
I’d love to hear what makes him amazing. I’ll be selecting a few stories to feature in an upcoming edition of Celebrations Pulse. As a small thank-you, five submissions selected at random will receive a surprise from the 1-800-Flowers.com family of brands.
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Written by our Founder and Chairman, our Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. From sharing stories to welcoming your ideas, we want to help you to express, connect, and celebrate the important people in your life.
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