The Ceremony

The Ceremony.

Getting married was the 3rd most defining moment of my life. (following birthing a child and the death of those closest to me)
I did not imagine that it would be as life altering as it was. First because there are so many divorces in our society that marriage seems to have lost it's meaning. Second, is that society (read: TV) makes a wedding to be all about the Bride and the party and the flowers and the blah, blah. Third, gonna be honest here: D and I have both been in failed marriages that meant nothing to either of us so we just didn't go into this with a great deal of faith in "happily ever after".
Funny thing?
It was the most perfect day of my life.
I still tear up thinking about the ceremony.
I was soooo nervous and for those of you that know me, I am never nervous on stage. I am nervous one-on-one...but never in front of crowd.
The ceremony was a handful of people, very small, but attended by those that love, trust, and care for the love between D and I (and yes, I am officially crying right now). I couldn't have asked for a better crowd of witnesses (unless, of course, Grammie got to watch her son walk her Granddaughter down the aisle on her birthday. She would have been so proud.)

This is my "I'm getting MARRIED TODAY!!!!!" face.
Pretty sure I said that about 600 million times.

The readings were simple and sincere.
The only hitch was that I was shaking so much that I think people were worried about my sanity.

My make-up artist, friend, fellow blogger, moral support, decorator, and all time best wedding day support system....and her WONDERFUL husband who was the silent, behind the scenes Monster controller....

Waiting for the "ok" to head down the aisle...

I have literally been dreaming of this moment since I was about 4yo.
I've never been a "daddy's girl" but I've always looked up to my Father and even as a child I knew that I would have this moment someday.
And I did.
It was everything I imagined.

My family is the most important part of my life.
without question.
(and that includes family that isn't actually family)

At the moment this picture was snapped all I could think about was "wow, I am happy and thank goodness Dad is here to hold me up because I think my toes are broken from these shoes".

Dad's are always there to hold up their daughters.

My relationship with my parents is interesting.
Mom is the stage manager.
She's the one I call, the one I run to, and the one I am closest to.
Dad is the guy in the rafters, quiet, but monitoring all that is going on around him.
He is the calm in the sea of my family.
Max is like him.

I remember this moment so clearly (unlike the whirl wind of the week and the reception). I remember thinking so very clearly that this single moment makes up for all the suffering I've ever experienced.

Unity Candle.
Grammie's table.
My almost husband.
My awesome brother.

My brother's reading.
I still cannot believe I didn't cry.

Rings.
'nough said.

"I do"

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day!

A picture is worth a thousand words.
If I try and explain how happy I was and how much my heels were killing me I'd be at a loss for words. This may be the moment when I whispered " I love you but you have to hold me up as my ankles are failing me and I think I no longer have toes".

Also,
I think my favorite part was the real flowers.
I'm not a typlical stereotype tree huggin hippie (I mean, come on, I drink more diet coke than is physically ok and I let my Monster eat massive amounts of chicken nuggets) but I am an underpaid social worker rather than a lawyer and I take my own bags to the grocery and I haven't been to a McDonalds in years. So, I thought using the leaves was super cute.

My papparazzi photo.

Guess what?
We're Just Married!!!!!

And for all of you that saw the first sign I made with the bad grammar....shush and never tell that I couldn't spell married.
I'll hunt you down and destroy you.

And they lived happily ever after...
THE END.