In honor of Valentine’s Day… a BeadforLife Love Story!

Andrew and Jillian met while Andrew was coaching a soccer camp at Jillian’s church.  They had heard about each other for years, but hadn’t actually met until Andrew stopped by Jillian’s office at the end of the summer two years ago.  That visit sparked six months of long distance communication, multiple cross continental visits and an engagement on August 8, 2009.

Andrew & Jillian

BeadforLife got involved when Andrew decided to ask Jillian to marry him with a bracelet made from BeadforLife beads instead of a diamond ring…

Andrew, why did you choose to incorporate BeadforLife beads into the design?

Having always expected to give a diamond ring to the woman I proposed to, it was a bit of a challenge to come up with an alternative “symbol”.  I thought about getting her a different kind of ring, but then figured if I was going to be non-traditional I might as well get creative with it!

I looked at some different kinds of bracelets and as I did, I started to imagine the bracelet I wanted for Jillian.  The three strands represent the way we believe our relationship has been formed and the way we want it to continue – the two of us, bound together by and with God.

When I came across BeadforLife, the bracelet of my imagination became a reality!  For a start, the beads are beautiful and the fact they are made of recycled paper gives them a really natural feel.  The main reason I was excited though is because Jillian has a real heart for impoverished women and children around the world, and so using BeadforLife beads gave me a chance to acknowledge this part of her and also express my commitment to that as well.  In a way, the bracelet represents not only our love and commitment to each other but also our desire that our marriage not be all about us.  Who knows if we’ll live up to that, or what that will mean for us practically as we start out the rest of our lives together, but The sooner we get our priorities in order, the more likely we are to see them through.

Jillian's Bracelet

Jillian, what inspired you to request a non traditional engagement gift and what do the beads symbolize for you?

As we go through the process of dating, engagement, and marriage, I think it’s important to determine what really has value and what is done merely as a result of social expectation.  For me, a diamond ring would be a great expense bore only out societal pressure.

The fact that Ugandan women made these beads adds a tremendous amount of value to the engagement!  I love that the symbol of our commitment to each other also represents something real and valuable to those Ugandan women and their families.  I don’t want our engagement to be all about us or about the excess so commonly associated with American weddings, so the bracelet was a nice way to show what we value.

Andrew and Jillian are getting married later this month!

Congratulations from all of us BeadforLife. We wish you peace, joy and love

in your marriage and hope that you will continue to work for good in the world.

Tags: BeadCircle, BeadforLife, paper jewelry, poverty, Poverty Eradication, Uganda, Women Making A Difference