Instead of giving a play-by-play description of the day, I've decided to just share my favorite memories of the day and some of my favorite pictures. I will not bother myself with trying to put my memories in chronological order.
My wedding day was perfect. Just what I wanted, only somehow even better. Just perfect.
(like this picture. isn't this picture perfect?)I remember waking up in the morning in my bed with my mom and it was the perfect morning and the sun was shining right on my face and I could not believe it was actually my wedding day. And everyone all day was so wonderful and supportive. My mom and Aunt Kathleen (who had come from Eastern Colorado) and friends Jamie (who came all the way from St. Louis) and Kate (who came all the way from Washington DC) went to the reception center first thing in the morning and worked to make things perfect.
(My totally awesome friends)Since the reception decorators had my car, Corina drove me to get my hair done. It was awesome transforming myself into the pretty pretty princess. And I really did feel very beautiful all day, which I consider a tender mercy from the Lord because I had been feeling very unattractive leading up to the big day. But my prayers were answered and I felt very beautiful all day long.
(so glad I decided to go with a professional. my hair turned out perfect!!)I remember showing up at the reception and my family and friends had taken care of everything and it was perfect. (My wonderful sister Heather, to whom I will be eternally indebted, had taken over all wedding planning several days before the big day when I became overwhelmed. I hadn't had to think about it for all that time and it still turned out perfect.) (Favorite engagement advice from Heather, "You spend all this time and energy getting everything perfect for your wedding day, but when the smoke clears and the guests leave, you realize that BEING married is easy compared to GETTING married." Very true.)
So many people love us!!!
My incredible sisters!!!When I walked into the sealing room and all my family and friends were there and I was GETTING MARRIED, I was so overwhelmed that I just started crying and crying and crying. I just couldn't believe that I was actually GETTING MARRIED. (Matt told me several months later that he thought I was freaking out and wanted to change my mind, but he figured it was too late for me to get out of it. But he was wrong. I was just overwhelmed with the overwhelming wonderfulness of it.) When I didn't get my crying under control right away, my mom told me to take a deep breath to calm down. I thought to myself, "Yeah right, like that actually helps," but I did it and -- lo and behold!-- it helped! I calmed down and was able to enjoy the ceremony. (Did I mention that Matt's grandpa performed the ceremony?)
During the ceremony, at one point I noticed that my cheeks starting aching (like a lot) because I was smiling so big for so long, but I couldn't (and didn't want to) stop.
My nieces were SOOOO excited all day. All three all ran right up to me when Matt and I walked out of the temple (you can totally see them in most of the right-outside-the-temple pictures).
An especially favorite niece moment was when we were doing the garter-- I sat down and Matt went to the DJ stand and gave a nice speech about how he had caught the garter I was wearing at a wedding during the time we weren't date because I'd turned him down for another man. When he caught it, he just thought of me and was sad that he couldn't be winning me over. (isn't that super sweet?). While he was making his heartwarming speech, my niece Ashley (probably seeing me alone for the first time all day), ran up to me and yelled, "Aunt Holly! I found a snail yesterday!!!" I said, "Now's not a good time, I'll talk to you later," but she just kept yelling over and over again (as if I did not understand the importance and significance of the event) "BUT I FOUND A SNAIL YESTERDAY!!! I FOUND A SNAIL YESTERDAY!!!" So cute.
One of my favorite memories during the day was slow dancing with Matt during the reception. It wasn't our "first dance" but an impromptu dance later to the song "Giving Up" which sounds like it would be a depressing song, but it actually really touchingly wonderful about finding someone and deciding you love them so much you want to stop looking for someone better and stop worrying that things might not be perfect. It was a song that I thought of a lot when I first starting date Matt, so it had emotional meaning, but mostly the moment was so perfect because it was a lovely few moments with Matt with no one watching (or at least it seemed that way) at the reception when it seemed like it was just us and it was romantic and perfect.
I'd always thought that receptions were sort of a drag and something you just had to do (which, coincidentally is what I'd always thought about marriage too before Matt), but ours was SO MUCH FUN. Even for us! It was totally a party! I think everyone had a good time. We had hot dogs, baked beans, pasta salad, chips, and watermelon. There were mocktails (non-alcoholic cocktails, for those of you not "in the know"). The centerpieces were colorful mini-beach buckets of Skittles and Starbursts with balloons tied to them. Bubble machines were going full-blast at the entrance. There was sidewalk art everywhere. We had a make-your-own-s'more station with a real fire pit. It was perfect! One fella I didn't know said to me that the hot dogs were better than steak. And my mission trainer said it was the best day of her three-year old daughter's life. A preschool student at my school who was there (I'm friends with his parents) still talks about it almost every day, four months later. It was fun! I was actually a little sad to leave. In fact, after we left and Matt had to sneak back in to get his shoes, I was telling his sister Meredith a super funny story, and Matt had to actually lift one of my feet into the car so we could leave. THAT's how much fun I was having (especially impressive considering how excited I was to start the honeymoon).
Smores!!!
my nieces enjoying the reception. also, a good view of the inside decorations
Thanks to Cousin Brian and Brother-in-law Jason for manning the grills!!!
Isn't our cake awesome! I totally stole the design and flavor from the reception where we met. It was partially a tribute, and largely because it was SUCH A GOOD CAKE. Matt's parents bought it for us. It was SOOOOO tasty.
Mocktails!!I love the Martinelli's dressed like a bride and groom that was a gift from my boss Cindee. We still have them in our kitchen.
FAVORITE STORY ALERT!!!!
Okay, here's the funny story from above. The day before the wedding, we had a casual get-t0-know you dinner with family and close friends while we worked on decorating the reception venue. Matt's sister Missy was busy making a tree outside totally glamorous and beautiful, which required the use of a ladder.
I was inside sitting at a table with some friends when Matt's 10-year old nephew Mitchell ran up to and yelled, "Where's the pinata?!!!!" I said there wasn't a pinata. His confusion and disgust were obvious in his voice when he replied, "No pinata?!!!! Then WHAT is the point of having a ladder?!!!" Of course, we all thought this was hilarious. The best part is that the next morning, Jamie and Kate actually went and bought one. It was awesome. And it totally made the party. My only regret is that I hadn't thought of it myself. Good job Mitchell!
Kate with pinata
Corina helping with the incredibly awesome pinata celebrationSecond favorite Mitchell quote of the day: "You said there would be two bubble machines, but there is only ONE bubble machine!!!" (I checked, there were, in fact, two.)
After the family photos right after the ceremony, I was starting to get a little overwhelmed with everything and everyone. Our wise and talented photographer Candice Andrus sent us off to be alone and recharge for awhile. It was so wonderful to have those few moments alone with Matt and just bask in our wedded-ness. Also, Candice got some really beautiful candid shots of us during that time.
Also, my sister Ann, knowing how I get when I haven't eaten in too long (although I DID try to plan well and avoid this) sent my brothers to bring me back a hamburger, which helped A LOT. Also, she had the foresight to tell them to order one without ketchup or mustard (because I can be a messy eater).
I wanted something fun for when Matt and I left the reception, but I thought bubbles were a bit overdone. Sparkler's were my next thought, but in addition to being a logistical nightmare, it wasn't dark when we left at 9pm. Eventually, the perfect answer struck me: pom poms. People doubted me (including Matt, but he was wise enough not to say anything until he simultaneously admitted he was wrong). Just because they'd never seen it done before. But it was perfect! Totally perfect. I don't know why more people don't do that.
You want to hear something weird? I didn't feel any different after the wedding. I thought I'd experience some sort of "twinkle" or something, but I didn't. It wasn't a disappointing feeling, I was just surprised. After a few weeks of being married to Matt though, I figured it out. It's because being married to Matt is the most normal, natural thing ever. We didn't have a transitional or readjusting period. Right away we both just felt like we'd been married forever and couldn't remember what it was like to not be married. I think I didn't feel different after getting married because it wasn't a "new" thing to me, it was like finally being what I had always been meant to be.
I am so so so glad I married this man!
