our all-time favorite love quotes from love letters - from O magazine

All-time great love missives to inspire you on Valentine's Day.

Compiled by Dan Kellum
O, The Oprah Magazine  |  January 24, 2011 

 

 

 

 

Photo: iStockphoto.com  

♥ "Don't you think I was made for you? I feel like you had me ordered—and I was delivered to you—to be worn. I want you to wear me, like a watch-charm or a buttonhole bouquet." —Zelda Sayre to F. Scott Fitzgerald

♥ "I dust [your photo] carefully every morning, for to do so gives me the pleasant feeling that I'm caressing you as in the old days. I even touch your nose with mine to recapture the electric current that used to flush through my blood whenever I did so." —Nelson Mandela to his wife, Winnie

♥ "What cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they can speak; they have in them all that force which expresses the transports of the heart...."—Héloïse to Abelard

♥ "I want to do things so wild with you that I don't know how to say them." —Anaïs Nin to Henry Miller

♥ "Open your life wide, and take me in forever. I will never be tired—I will never be noisy when you want to be still...nobody else will see me, but you—but that is enough—I shall not want any more." —Emily Dickinson to an unknown recipient

♥ "Out of the depths of my happy heart wells a great tide of love and prayer for this priceless treasure that is confided to my lifelong keeping. You cannot see its waves as they flow toward you, darling, but in these lines you will hear...the distant beating of its surf." —Mark Twain to Olivia Langdon

nathan and caitlin

Caitlin and Nathan

October 16^th 2010

Wesley Uniting Church, Hamilton, NSW

Blacksmiths Surf Life Saving Club, Blacksmith Beach, NSW

Nathan and I were best buddies since early high school….Who would have guessed we would end up married! All those years as kids, enjoying water sports, motorbikes and the outdoors together blossomed into a beautiful romance and led to his proposal, my acceptance, and a joy-filled wedding in a historic church followed by a beachside reception. The wedding day was absolutely magical. Family and friends came from around the globe to celebrate our special day.

Nathan and I love the water so we definitely had to have that as part of our wedding! Our reception was right on the beach at Blacksmiths Surf Lifesaving Club. We had beautiful oceanfront views behind the head table.

My wedding dress was designed by me and created by Tracie McCook. Tracy created the natural, Egyptian goddess style I wanted. She makes every dress her artwork masterpiece. My beautifully flowing bridal gown with hand sewn Swarovski crystals was unique and stunning. She used the silk I bought on my trip to Vietnam in 2009 to make my 5 amazing bridesmaids dresses, and we completed the look with gold jewellery and glamorous gold Egyptian sandals, in keeping with our beachy theme.

 Photography by Luke Gow from Something Blue Photography, Newcastle.

say it like you mean it! - i like you by sandol stoddard

Looking for an unconventional reading for your ceremony? We came up with this great one for the whimsical couple while researching all things weddings. I (belle) love this because it brings through the joy and child-like nature of falling in love. I adore the lines " I like you because when I tell you something special you know it's special and you remember it a long long time.." These lines remind me of the scene in "The Mirror Has Two Faces" where Barbra Streisand's character says that she wants someone to really know her, down to knowing what kind of toothpaste she uses. I think when we think of soul mates or twin flames, or just great loves (which if you're reading this there is a high probability that you have found one of these) - I think it is this knowing that we all want. I heard one of my friends the other day say that he was obsessed with his wife, and how he stalks her (in a non-creepy way) in an effort to know all about her. I think this is the single greatest thing I have ever heard a man say! There is nothing greater than having someone bear witness to your life. The other lines that resonate with me are "If you go away then I go away too". I love these. One of the only memories I have of the TV show "Mad About You" was the lines something to the effect of - If you ever leave me, you better pack me a bag too. Oh, doesn't love just fill your heart with joy! Anyhow, have a read of the reading below from Sandol Stoddard's book "I like you" and see if it resonates with you and your One!














I like you
And I know why
I like you because
You are a good person
To like
I like you because
When I tell you something special
You know it's special
And you remember it
A long long time
You say
Remember when you told me
Something special
And both of us remember
When I think something is important
You think it's important too
When I say something funny
You laugh
I think I'm funny and
You think I'm funny too
I like you because
You know where I'm ticklish
And you don't tickle me there
except
Just a little tiny bit
sometimes
But if you do then I know where to tickle you too
You know how to be silly
That's why I like you
Boy are you ever silly
I never met anybody sillier than me
till I met you
I like you because
You know when it's time to stop being silly
Maybe day after tomorrow
Maybe never
Oops too late
It's quarter past silly
We fool around the same way all the time
Sometimes we don't say a word
We snurkle under fences
We spy secret places
If I am a goofus on the roofus
Hollering my head off
You are one too
If I pretend I am drowning
You pretend you are saving me
If I am getting ready to pop a paper bag
Then you are getting ready to jump
That's because
You really like me
You really like me
Don't you?
And I really like you back
And you like me back
And I like you back
And that's the way we keep on going
Every day
If you go away
then I go away too
Or if I stay home
You send me a postcard
You don't just say
Well see you around
Some time
Bye
I like you a lot
because of that
If I go away
I send you a postcard too
And I like you because
If we go away together
And if we are in Grand Central Station
And if I get lost
then you are the one that is yelling for me
Hey where are you?
Here I am
And I like you because
When I am feeling sad
You don't always cheer me up right away
Sometimes it is better to be sad
You can't stand the others being so googly and gaggly
every single minute
You want to think about things
It takes time
I like you because if I am mad at you
Then you are mad at me too
It's awful when the other person isn't
They are so nice and hoo-hoo you could just about
punch them in the nose
I like you because if I think I am going to
throw up then you are really sorry
You don't just pretend you are busy looking at
the birdies and all that
You say maybe it was something you ate
You say same thing happened to me one time
And the same thing did
If you find two four-leaf clovers
You give me one
If I find four
I give you two
If we only find three
We keep on looking
Sometimes we have good luck
And sometimes we don't
If I break my arm and
If you break your arm too
Then it is fun to have a broken arm
I tell you about mine
You tell me about yours
We are both sorry
We write our names and draw pictures
We show everybody and they wish they had a broken arm too
I like you because
I don't know why but
Everything that happens
Is nicer with you
I can't remember when I didn't like you
It must have been lonesome then
I like you because because
I forget why I like you
But I do
So many reasons
On the Fourth of July I like you because
It's the Fourth of July
On the Fifth of July
I like you too
If you and I had some drums
And some horns and some horses
If we had some hats and some
Flags and some fire-engines
We could be a HOLIDAY
We could be a CELEBRATION
We could be a WHOLE PARADE
See what I mean?
Even if it was the
nine-hundred-and-ninety-ninth of July
Even if it was August
Even if it was way down at the bottom of November
Even if it was no place particular in January
I would go on choosing you
And you would go on choosing me
Over and over again
That's how it would happen every time
I don't know why
I guess I don't know why I like you really
Why do I like you?
I guess I just like you
I guess I just like you
Because I like you

love quote

"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach..." -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

this just in - living social deal

Are you having a cupcake wedding cake and live in Sydney or can get there? If so, for today only from Living social you can get 24 cupcakes in delicious flavours (jaffa jive, choc mint, strawberry patch, tiramisu, carrot and Devil's chocolate) -- all baked fresh using absolutely no artificial flavors or preservatives for just $19. Need more than 24? Just buy multiple vouchers...so easy! Offer valid up to July 18, 2011. Just 17 hours left to take up the offer though, so hurry!

collective conscience! - tips for keeping down the wedding budget

Hey lala belle-ers! Hope you all are enjoying 2011 and getting into wedding mode for the brides and grooms getting married in the early parts of the year! Today we wanted to introduce a new interactive part of our blog - "collective conscience!". In these segments the aim is that we can all help each other out to share ideas and inspirations...there are so many creative and fantastic people on the planet that we can all learn from, so this is our way of putting that in motion! Lala belle weddings ultimate aim is to try and help you create a beautiful wedding that tells your personal story of the love you share with your One, while aiding you with all our know-how and internet research ability to do that on the cheap! 
This site isn't for the girl and/or guy who wants to brag about spending $50,000 on their wedding! Frankly, here that kind of talk is just plain dirty! Ha ha ha. This site is for those soon-to-be-weds (and newlyweds who can't let go of the wedding fever) who want their day to be a true reflection of their personalities and what they stand for as a couple, and want the focus of the day to be about the coming together of two people that believe they were destined for each other! That doesn't mean that you have to rock up to be married in a dress you bought at Portmans and feed your guests sausage sandwiches (because that's how much you are dedicated to keeping it real!), but it does mean you want the best wedding you can imagine...for the best price possible! That's where we come in! Over the next weeks, months, years, we hope to bring you the best bargains, diy dazzlers, and advice to make your wedding beautiful AND budget-savvy! We believe you will remember this day forever...you just shouldn't have to pay for it that long!

So let's get down to business. For those who have planned a wedding, or for those in planning mode.. WHAT ARE YOUR BEST TIPS FOR PLANNING A WEDDING ON A BUDGET? Please add your comments below...you never know who you might help with your wisdom! 

love quote

"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies" - Aristotle