Forever stories ... brides and grooms tell their courtship stories in keepsake

No?

Ellen Braunstein of Redlands is out to change that with her business Courtship Stories.

Instead of flowers that fade or trinkets that break, Braunstein prepares keepsake booklets that tell the story of each couple's courtship and love.

"I wish I had a hand-out at my wedding (in 2000 to Mark, a Redlands violin and viola teacher) for every time I had to compress our story into a single sentence: We met on the Internet,'" Braunstein says.

"There was so much more to tell."

It was the events surrounding her engagement including 800 responses to an Internet posting that led her to create Courtship Stories.

Figuring that's true of most couples, the former journalist put her people and writing skills to work, developing the 8- or 12-page booklets customized for each couple.

The path to an unforgettable wedding memento begins with a call or e-mail to Braunstein.

She interviews the man and woman separately to get more spontaneous information.

Then the couple's photos are selected. More than the words, the happy photos of the couple skiing, playing with their pets whatever best tells their story.

Some might include a photo of a parent who is no longer able to share in the wedding festivities, Braunstein said. It's all up to the couple.

Then Braunstein works with professional illustrators to add images to the booklet, based on the couple's interests and style.

The result is a booklet measuring 8 by 5 1/2 inches, digitally produced in full color, and in an envelope in a color to match the colors of the wedding itself.

The "stories end with the marriage proposal, not with what the bride wore," Braunstein says.

"And for some couples, it's a real cliff hanger. There's fear, bumbling. Nothing goes according to plan," she said. "It all makes for great reading at a wedding."

Braunstein was a journalist covering a variety of events and stories, before starting Courtship Stories.

She said she invested time and effort to develop the idea, line up the best color printing, find illustrators suitable for the variety of styles needed and market the product.