December 15, 2007

This is the big day! This morning I will become one with the man I know God has created for me.

11 months ago, I started dating what was a new friend from our bible study group. And 6 months later, we were engaged. It seems so quick, but it was also so right. And now, 5 months later, I was waking up, excited to squeeze into a beautiful white gown and celebrate with my friends and family.

Planning this wedding was very much bitter sweet for me. What I wanted originally was to get married outside on a beautiful Fall day, most perfectly in the hills or mountains. However, Cary was in school and wasn't set to be out for the semester until mid December. So, of course, I changed the plans. And looking back now (nearly 1 year later), I am glad that the events happened the way they did. I had the most perfect wedding day!

The day started out when I woke up at 6:00 and Beth, Katie and I walked downstairs to enjoy a complimentary breakfast served by the hotel. Mine consisted of pancakes. While looking for syrup, I found Cary's brand syrup (the sugar free kind that you can find in restaurants and stores).

Of course I couldn't resist and had the bottle sitting with us on the table, me talking to it like it really was Cary...I know. I'm weird. But my friends knew that before they agreed to be my friends! And more importantly, Cary knew that before asking me to marry him.

Once we got upstairs, it was time to start getting ready for the big event at 11:00. Mom and Kim came to the hotel room to help with hair and make-up (I wanted to be as simple as possible, considering I'm not a dressy person in true form).

It didn't take us long to get ready, and when I was put into my dress, we headed downstairs for pictures. We hired Whitney, a good friend, Lewisville Reserve, and photographer. She was geat to work with our request: while most brides want extravagent wedding photos, I wanted mine (again) to be casual, and not too formal. It was fun, and Whitney did a great job. I have seen her site, and she does beautiful photos of everything. Good eye, Whitney!

After we finished taking the photos, (a few which consisted of the fancy looking luggage rollers you find at hotels) we got a call from Cary saying he was on his way. It was time for us to go back upstairs and wait until time for the ceremony. As we waited (and watched a little tv) we received a lot of visitors: Brenda, Faith, Helen (my little flower girl), Mema, Grandma Wilson, and Barbara Jarvis. I got a few pictures with all of them of course.

Just before the ceremony was to begin, mom came up to retrieve us. Of course we took a moment to have a last mother/daughter time. Of course the tears started appearing, and we heard through the door both Katie and Beth telling us not to cry and ruin the makeup--leave it to them to make us laugh again!

The last song that was played before starting the ceremony was Chris Tomlin's Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone). I wanted to play Christian music before the ceremony as everyone arrived. This was the cue for Cary, Pastor Brad, and Brad to start going in.

Was I nervous? Not really. I think the only thing I feared the most was 1) exchanging vows in front of 80 people, and 2) Cary would change his mind and decide not to spend the rest of his life with me. Option 2 was not very likely, so #1 was my biggest fear. But we got through it smoothly.

As dad and I walked down the aisle, I was smiling at the attendants, and didn't notice that Cary's brother decided to put on a big red clown nose. But dad saw it! And Brad's story is that he got a look from him and it freaked him out. He thought that my dad was going to be upset for goofing off at his daughter's wedding! But I know as soon as dad comprehended what he was doing, he was laughing...very appropriate for my wedding!

The ceremony was sweet and simple. No extras for us! Pastor Brad did tell a story about the days when I used to babysit his kids and some of the fun events that happened back then. It made a lot of people laugh.

Once the "I Do's" were said and we pronounced husband and wife, we started the reception off with Christmas music as we walked back down the aisle (which consisted of making a sharp left and heading out the first available door!)

The hotel provided a buffet for us. We had a huge variety of meats and sides to choose from, and we decided on NY Strip Steak, Chicken Courdon Bleu, Potatoes, Vegetable Medley....and there were rolls and some cookies, too I think. In truth, I don't remember much about the menu, as I only really had a bite because I was too distracted by everything else to eat. But my Maid Of Honor(s) made sure I ate!

I guess I want to add, I had Katie as my official Maid Of Honor. To me, Beth was as well, but she didn't get to walk down the aisle for a couple of reasons: she was getting ready to get married herself and I didn't want to add extra stress on her for planning 2 weddings, but also because I didn't really know that I could have 'uneven' sides: I thought for every Groomsman there should have been a Bridesmaid.

Cary had one Best Man, his brother, so I had one Maid Of Honor, and then a Flowergirl. But it makes since to me now, that I could have 2 Maid of Honors, and the Flowergirl could stand next to her daddy up front and even out the sides! (2 bridesmaids on one side and a groomsman and flowergirl on the other!) ...Did any of that make sense? If not, forget that I said it! :o)

Alright, back to the reception. It was held in the same room as the ceremony, and I loved the idea because we had a lot of people travel far, so instead of making them drive to another location (and possibly get lost) we had round tables set around the room so that they could sit and watch the ceremony, drink their water or tea, and not have to worry about much else (except when it was time to eat!).

We weren't really expecting a receiving line (where the bride and groom greet everyone in a line, but again, it was convienent because people were walking over to the buffet and just happen to pass us by at the same time!

I really loved seeing so many of my friends and family there. Some of my family weren't able to make it because of last minute things or because of illness, and not all of my/our friends were there because it would have made the guest list far too big, but they were with me in spirit that day. While music played in the background (not too loud that people at the same table couldn't hold a conversation--thank you Jeff!!!) kids played, we took pictures (Whitney took professional pictures and we had disposables on the table) and ate.

The cakes were beautiful, the brides cake being 3-tiered white with snowflake and snow decorations on it. The flavors were strawberry swirl, chocolate, and white (each layer a different flavor with their own icing/filler). Of course the top tier was saved for Cary and I when we celebrate our 1st anniversary. The toppers were a snowcouple, which Cary and his parents found at a Christmas Store in New England while on vacation earlier that year.

The groom's cake, through, was my favorite: we (being Brenda, my mom, and me) tried to surprise him with an airplane shaped cake. From the time that the 3 of us discussed it and actually sat down with Traci (thank you Traci's Cakes!!!! You did an amazing job!) I was so excited about seeing it actually produced and Cary's reaction to it.

The party wound down around 1:30 with us running out the door admist a line of bubbles. It was chilly outside, but wow! it felt good to me! I was married!!!!

Once we got to the apartment, we showered and relaxed on the couch until Brenda and Gary came to pick us up to go to the airport. We were flying out that evening to go to Woodstock, VT for a week long honeymoon!