During this season of celebrating gratitude, I’d like to thank Carrie of sexandtheshires for awarding me with a Blogger Recognition Award!

The terms of the award ask me to reflect on why I started my blog, offer some blogging tips, and nominate some other bloggers whose work I find inspiring. So, here goes!

I started Forty-Something First-Time Bride for several reasons. When I got engaged in my mid-forties and began navigating my new identity as a bride, I was excited but also overwhelmed and occasionally flabbergasted at the weird world of 21st-century weddings. I’d been working on a creative nonfiction manuscript of my mid-life dating years, and mid-life marriage seemed equally rich with material. I thought of the blog as the sequel to the manuscript (or more accurately, the manuscript is now the backstory to the blog). As a writer, committing to making regular posts on a blog gave me a sense of accountability and deadlines. As a bride, blogging allowed me to document and share my engagement and wedding with far away friends and family as well as other women in love. I’ve also enjoyed the community aspect of blogging. Continue reading →