We each spent Christmas with our own family. It was nice to have time to celebrate without constantly thinking about the wedding, but it was hard to be apart, especially since we hadn't seen each other since Thanksgiving.
My family and I made the final preparations for the wedding: collecting RSVPs, putting the flowers together, and taking my bridals. I think I missed Jon the most the day I went through the temple for the first time. It was a wonderful experience and I had a huge group of family members who came with me, but I missed him.
He flew in the day after Christmas and spent some time hanging out with me and my family. I wasn't stressed at all about the wedding, but I was stressed about meeting his parents for the first time. That's right--I met my in-laws the day before we got married.
December 27, 2005
Despite my worries, we ended up having a really good time. My parents drove Jon & me down to Salt Lake where we met up with Jon's parents, plus his siblings Daniel, Mary & Elizabeth and their spouses/fiance, Wendy, Scott & Kade (Elizabeth & Kade had just gotten engaged and Mom Blood spent the first few minutes after I met her telling me over and over again how big Elizabeth's diamond was). We all had lunch together in Salt Lake. It was nice--we spent a lot of the time laughing. I really love Jon's family.
To make things easier the next morning, we rented some hotel rooms in Salt Lake. My sisters and I, plus our cousin Amber (our official hairdresser) were all in one room. The girls thought it was great--they were having all kinds of fun for my 'bachelorette party'. I wasn't even there for most of it. I wasn't in the mood for too much craziness. I spent the evening with my parents and Jon.
After we took Jon back to his aunt's house, I came back to my parent's room. My dad gave me a beautiful blessing assuring me that everything would be okay. It's one of my favorite memories of our wedding.
December 28, 2005: Wedding Day
Contrary to all my expectations, I did manage to get a decent amount of sleep. We purposely chose an afternoon appointment (12:20pm) so that we wouldn't have to feel stressed trying to get everyone up and ready. Amber did a wonderful job on my hair and had enough time remaining to do Marah & Bethany's hair (and her own, of course).
My parents and I headed to the temple where we met up with Jon & Dad Blood. It was kind of awkward for both of us--that weird "not quite married, but really, really close" stage. We got all the paperwork settled and then went our separate directions to get ready.
Being with my mom in the Bride's Room was another of my favorite parts of the day. We had to be careful not to catch each others eyes in the mirror or we'd both tear up. Even though there were lots of other brides getting ready, too, I felt like it was a special time just for me and my mom.
It didn't take long to get ready. My dress fit just like it was supposed to, meaning that it was incredibly tight. I spent most of my time in a state of overheated asphyxiation. And my bustle broke, but it didn't bother me too much. I just had to carry my train the rest of the day.
My very favorite part of our wedding day was waiting with Jon in the Celestial Room while our friends and family were gathering in the sealing room. It was so nice to have a quiet moment to enjoy being together and think about what was about to happen. I never felt nervous--just very calm and happy.
I wish I could remember everything more clearly, but the day was a blur. I loved kneeling across the alter from Jon and knowing that I would get to be with my best friend forever. The ceremony was simple, but powerful and beautiful. I'm so glad so many of our friends and family could be there with us.
From the time we walked out of the temple together until our reception ended that night, we were constantly doing something. Pictures, then our luncheon, then a brief break before the reception. We barely had time to eat, and I have absolutely no memory of what our cake tasted like (but it looked amazing). It was crazy, but in a good way. Neither of us had anything to stress about--we just got to enjoy our day and visit with our friends and family.
It was an exhausting, but wonderful day. There's nothing I would have changed--everything was perfect.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Final Installation: The Wedding
at 7:19 AM
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4 comments:
Oh MAN! That cake looks good! I wish I would've been at the reception just to eat a piece (or two) of that cake. YUMMY! And.....you were such a beautiful bride! GORGEOUS!
It sounds like you had the perfect day. What good memories you have and I second Caitlin's comment.
I feel like I should congratulate you on getting married after reading that even though it was nearly four years ago! Sounds like it worked beautifully! I still can't believe how much time you guys spent apart through the engagement, that must have been so hard for you! You made a beautiful bride!
I loved reading your "journey to love." Thanks for sharing. You inspired me to write down Roland and my story. I still have not written about our dating years, engagement, or wedding. It has bothered me for a while so after reading yours, I sat down, opened Word, and started writing. It has been fun reliving all of those memories. So, thanks!
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