Wedding Recap

It is hard to believe that Mike and I have been married for a year already.  It is amazing how fast time flies when so many wonderful things are happening.

The wedding day came and went but it is one of the happiest memories I have! 

Since I just started this blog I thought I would recap our wedding day here.  Its such a hard post to write because it is hard to write about all of the emotions and feelings that went on… but I will try my best.

Our rehearsal dinner was the night before in the hotel we were getting married at.  We had a family style dinner at SecondHome, which was fun and memorable.  The food was great and the company and atmosphere better!  The families decided to stay the night at the hotel for the simplicity of it.  Mike and I parted right before midnight.

I couldn’t sleep a wink that night.  I kept going over my vows over and over again. I finally got out of bed and went to the coffee bar only to be surprised by my mom already in there.  It was nice having that quiet morning with her before all of the chaos of the day happened.  After awhile we went back to the room and found my sisters and niece up.  We all sat at the dining table drinking more coffee and talking. 

All of the “getting ready” wasn’t going to start happening until 11 so I decided to go out for a run.  It helped keep my nerves at bay.  When I got back, brunch was set out for us.  All of my family was there and it was something I always had dreamt of.   The day was starting to drag though and all I wanted to do was marry Mike.  But, finally things started happening.  The weather forecasted for a very gusty day.  I kept checking my weather app and the wind speeds kept getting higher and higher.  I was nervous about it but I knew there wasn’t anything I could do about it.  I kept saying, “at least it isn’t rainy.” 

My mom and I decided to have hair and makeup stylists come to the suite so that we weren’t rushing around town.  It was a lot of fun and I felt like a celebrity getting ready for a movie role. 

Our fantastic photographer, Michele Hart, arrived just in time for hair and makeup.  She is seriously the best photographer we could have asked for. 

Cynthia, was our makeup person and she did a great job.  I hate wearing makeup and usually don’t but she had a light touch and made my eyes pop!  She made everyone look their best!

Audrey did everyone’s hair.  She had told me at our consultation that she doesn't usually do weddings anymore because of the criticism… but not from the bride, it’s usually the mother of the bride.  This mother of the bride did not disappoint.  Audrey was great though and listened to my mom’s concerns and fixed it right up.  I loved my hair.

I had joked with Mike that I was going to forget our marriage license when we were packing… as I was getting my hair done I remembered that I had actually forgotten it!  My sister volunteered to fetch it from our house!  I thanked her a hundred times.

When it was finally time to put my dress on… I couldn’t find my family.  My parents were downstairs trying to get everything situated for the ceremony and my sisters were in their room still getting dressed.  I finally found one of my moms and had her bring up the other one and had my niece hurry my sisters up.  

It zipped right up but I wasn’t done yet.   It took another 20 or so minutes to fasten all the buttons.  It allowed for some amazing photos though.

After the dress was all zipped and buttoned, my moms flew downstairs again, Michele left to take pictures of Mike, and my sisters finished getting ready.  And I was left to a moment to myself.  Reflecting on how our life was going to change forever.  I was going to be a wife in less than 45 minutes. 

Michele and my sisters came back to the room and we got to take some really great photos.  I love them so much! 

I finally got to pose with my mom in a photo when she came upstairs to wait with me until I was set to go downstairs.

My sister put my veil on; my jewels were set, and shoes on…. I was just waiting for a phone call from downstairs to let me know they were ready for me.  RING…RING.  We headed downstairs.

This is when my heart started to thump HARD.  Waiting in the room downstairs, was a glass of champagne and I gulped it when I saw it.  The wedding coordinator at the hotel came in and asked me if I was ready and I said “Yes”

It was extremely windy and my veil was flying everywhere!... At least it wasn’t raining.

I started walking down to the ceremony tent and I stood in the entry way.  No one was standing up, my song wasn’t playing, and even though my eyesight is not the greatest… I could tell Mike was not up on the stage.  I kept thinking there was a joke going around but I looked behind me at the coordinator and asked where Mike was.  She said, “Oh, Shit” (sorry for the language) and told us to run back inside.  I had no idea what was happening until she came back to the room and apologized profusely saying that she had forgotten to walk the flower girls, ring bearer, and MIKE into the ceremony.  She said everyone was in place now and told me they were really ready this time.  I wish I didn’t have to write about this part, as I really want to forget about it.  But it wouldn’t be the true day and I want to share the best and worst parts of everything here.  This was by far the worst part of the wedding day… the only bad part.

Second time around… I walked to the ceremony entrance and finally everyone stood up and my song… “Such Great Heights” was being played by the string quartet.  There isn’t anything much like it… walking down and seeing all the people you love at your sides and seeing the man you’re going to marry steps away.  It’s pretty spectacular and something you should only experience once in life.

Once at the stage, Nancy, Mike’s Aunt, asked who is giving this woman and both of my moms said, “we do.”  Mike walked down the three steps that separated us and together we walked up to get married.

The wind was whipping the tent around but at that point I didn’t care, I don’t think I would have cared if it were down pouring rain.  I was only focused on Mike.

Nancy did a fantastic job of officiating our marriage.  She gave us a great ceremony with so many thoughtful and inspiring words.  I am not going to share our whole ceremony here as I want a part of our wedding day to be only for ourselves and those who were there but here is a small excerpt from our wedding.  This reading is my favorite of the wedding (besides our vows) because it suited Mike and I so well. 

“You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks — all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” — those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” — and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed — well, I meant it all, every word.”

 

"Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another  — acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this is my husband, this is my wife."

In Colorado, only a priest, minister, army general, or self can proclaim marriage.  Our last words at the ceremony… I’ll admit jittery words… were “We now pronounce ourselves Husband and Wife” We kissed and walked away as Mr. and Mrs. Robertson.

We signed our marriage license that my sister so kindly fetched for us.  And we were off to take our wedding pictures with family and then with just the two of us.  Here are some of my favorites.

We got to get a glimpse of our reception before anybody arrived and it was my dream of the perfect wedding.  I couldn’t have asked for anything more amazing… from the flowers, to the cake, to the linens.  It was breathtaking. 

After we were announced at the reception, we sat down to a toast my mom had prepared which was the poem… “I keep your heart, in my heart” by  e.e. Cummings.  A poem that is special to the both of us. 

Afterwards, dinner was served.  Mike and I actually got to eat.  It was delicious and tasted just the way it did at the tasting!

After eating, Mike and I went around to each individual person and thanked him or her for coming.  We got some advice, some kisses, and a lot of love. 

We then had our first dance.  About six months into our relationship, Mike played a song for me and told me that he was waiting a long time to be able to that song for someone and really mean it.  The song was  “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds. 

We then cut the cake, threw the bouquet (which my friend Renee caught… and her time should be coming up pretty soon!), and did the garter toss.  All of the girls wanted to catch the bouquet, but none of the guys even flinched for the garter. 

Then more toasts… My sisters, Mike’s best friend, Mike’s mom and dad, and my other mom.  They were great toasts.  My sisters’ made me cry, Mike’s mom’s toast won the show with laughs, our best man poked fun at Mike and made me look like a princess, and my mom’s was the kind that could melt your heart. 

Then it was dancing time.  The night slowly came to an end and we said goodnight and thanked everyone again for coming.

After all the months of planning songs, invitations, cake designs, flowers, and dress fittings… We were finally married and off to our happily ever after!

Happy One Year to the man of my dreams.  You make me feel safe and more content than I ever have been.  I love you and thank you for all that you do for our up and coming family!

Cheers to us!

Photos courtesy of Michele Hart Photography

Hair done by Audrey Gerhardt

Makeup done by Cynthia Goodberry (the Makeup Guru)

Dress from D’Anelli Bridal