As you may have seen on Instagram, yesterday marked our three-year anniversary! Sharing a few thoughts about marriage on this day has become a bit of a tradition on Something Pretty, and this year, we decided to come up with a few questions about marriage, our relationship, and each other. After separately typing up our answers, we ended up discussing the questions in person over dinner last night too. Along with sharing our answers with each other for the first time, we also dove into more detail, saying “hey remember this…” about our wedding and sharing some of our hopes for the next three years we hadn’t spoken much about yet. It made for such a sweet anniversary evening and an incredibly memorable dinner. I hope you enjoy reading this little Q&A as much as we enjoyed coming up with it!

What is your most vivid memory from our wedding day?
Dave: My most vivid memory is still our last dance alone before our sparkler exit. Hearing “La Vie en Rose” still brings me back to those last few moments of our wedding day.
Lisa: Being in the vintage car right after our ceremony. My dress took up practically the whole backseat and the smell of the peonies in my bouquet and the perfume I had picked out just for that day filled the car. The breeze wafted through the windows because there was no AC in such an old car, and it was such a beautiful day outside. We just laughed and kissed and shared stories from the morning, and seeing my best friend next to me with a wedding ring on his hand was the most peaceful, joyful feeling.

What is your favorite thing about your spouse?
Dave: This may surprise Lisa, but my favorite thing is seeing her be a mom to Charlie. It is my favorite thing in the world.
Lisa: Dave is my rock. I’m never afraid to go to him with a problem or a hurt or a confession because I know that even if he’s upset, he’ll love me and be kind to me. I knew he would be an amazing husband and an amazing father, and I was right–he is truly the core of our family.

What is something that most people don’t know about your spouse?
Dave: Lisa was kind of a punk rocker in high school, checkered Vans and all. I was as shocked as you are. To this day, she still says Something Corporate is her all-time favorite band.
Lisa: I don’t want to say Dave “peaked” in high school because I think he’s pretty amazing right now, but back in the day, he was prom king, soccer captain, and student council president. His crown is still in his old closet at his parents’ house, but we got rid of his poster-sized soccer photo a few years ago, sadly! ;)

What has been the most challenging season of marriage that we have worked through so far?
Dave: Well, I don’t want to say we’re “through” the challenge yet, but having Charlie and figuring out how to be parents has definitely been difficult. We couldn’t have gotten this far without consistently practicing patience with each other and relying on prayer and the sacraments. But I’m confident that challenges placed in Christ’s arms always lead you to better fulfill your vocation.
Lisa: I was an emotional wreck during the first three months of Charlie’s life. On top of adjusting to the demands of a newborn and the changes in our marriage, I was constantly convinced by the lie that I was a terrible mother. I cried inconsolably to Dave almost every night for weeks. It was my own spiritual battle so there was little he could do but pray for me, but not once did he turn me away, tell me to “get over it,” or downplay my pain. He listened, comforted me, and encouraged me every single time. It is the absolute best thing he has ever done for me.

What is one hope or dream you have for our next three years of marriage?
Dave: My hope is to grow our family and to grow in faith as a family. And my dream is to not have to study for the CPA anymore :)
Lisa: I would love to have another baby and to travel back to Austria, where we met, for our fifth anniversary in 2020!

What is your favorite thing about marriage?
Dave: I love being a package deal. Even when I’m out drinking with the guys, I always love thinking about coming home to her.
Lisa: Knowing that through our marriage, we are living our vocations and walking in the calling God specifically placed on our lives. The fact that we were made to do life and grow in holiness together, not apart, is breathtaking.

What is your top piece of marriage advice?
Dave: Winning an argument in marriage is like punching yourself in the face with a fist pump. You feel good for a second, then you remember that you just beat your other half. Humility goes a long way. Also, BUDGET.
Lisa: The priest who officiated our wedding shared this truth with us that has impacted our marriage from literally day one: human love runs out, but divine love never does. If we ask God for a portion of His divine love for our spouse, He will not refuse us. That’s how a marriage can last forever.

All photos by the inimitable Ryan Ray. See all our wedding recaps here!