Show Us Your Life: Bridal Party/Flowers/Ceremony

I've been waiting for this all week! Seriously! Now that "Show Us Where You Live" has changed to "Show Us Your Life" so I feel I can participate, I wait for this all week! Especially these wedding themed weeks! I loved my wedding colors and dresses and flowers, and honestly wouldn't change any of it now. Of course it was only a little over 3 years ago, but still, I'm still in love with everything I chose then.

Me and my girls in the little nursery we got ready in.
Bethany, Me, Allie (my sister), and Sara

Bethany and I were friends way back in kindergarten and first grade in the kids class during our moms CBS program, and then got back together as highschoolers attending the TeenCBS program.

My sister kind of goes without saying. :) She was my Maid of Honor. We're 21 1/2 months apart and have had our ups and downs. But we're good now, and she's married now, and I was her Matron of Honor (that makes me sound old!) in April.

Sara and I have been best friends since we were in diapers, literally. We moved in across the street from Sara's family about 6 weeks after I turned 2 and 2 weeks before Sara turned 2. And seriously, I have very few memories before highshool that don't involve her in some way or another. If I had a non-blood sister it would be her.

Excited to go!

After the Ceremony

My INCREDIBLE Flower Arranger!

Instead of hiring florists, I saved a ton of money by buying large quantities of flowers from a wholesaler and getting a friends mom to arrange them for me. Literally, saved a TON! I had over 250 roses, 50 hydrangas and all the filler and greenery, for $400. Yeah, serious savings!

Mrs Beck was amazing though, seriously, look!



We had two pastors marry us, which was a very good thing when I started butting heads with one of them the week before the wedding. Eric (on the left) is the Pastor my husband interned under in college during the summers. He's been a good friend to him since highschool, so it only made sense. Problem was, Eric had some very strict ideas on how a wedding should go. Ideas I did not agree with, and as the bride, if there's nothing scripturely unsound with what I want done, you do it. He didn't agree with that, but couldn't give me a reason other than, I don't think it should be done that way, so Nelson (on the right) did everything I wanted, and made my wedding the way I'd always planned. Eric ended up doing the vows only. Nelson is the Youth Pastor at the church I grew up at. He was actually never my Youth Pastor, but he started the summer I graduated and then I worked under him as a volunteer for 2 years after graduating. He and his wife Susie have been huge mentors to me over the years my husband and I have been together, as we're working our way into going into youth ministry full time, they've already done that and have a done of great advice.

Susie, made the ceremony run smoothly, on no prep, literally, she came to the rehearsal with Nelson and saw my frustration in people not being ready and jumped in as day of coordinator. She was amazing!

We got married at Gates Wesleyan, a church we had no affiliation with prior to our wedding, and no affiliation with since. I just wanted a pretty church with a good piano that didn't clash with my colors :)

Last but not least, the music. Being a pianist myself, this was a big deal for me. I would have played my own prelude and special music if I could ahve to make sure it was done right. Thankfully, my Father-in-Law has 30 years more experience in piano than I do, and he took care of all that. As much as I can't stand the man sometimes, he does play circles around me.