Monday, July 26, 2010

Wed Recap: What are we really here for?

Okay, okay.  So the flowers were amazing (post to follow).


The favors were all a huge hit with the guests.  The video made everyone laugh and was executed just as I had hoped for. 

Photo by Yan Freedline

The food was good.  The guests kept the dance floor alive and we heard nothing but compliments and thank you's for how amazing the wedding was and how much fun everyone had.  But what was the real reason we were supposed to be there all about?  Wasn't this whole day, this whole event really about the 30 minutes that we spent standing on an altar holding hands with our closest family and friends flanked on either side of us or lovingly gazing upon us with their approval?




Ah yes, the ceremony is indeed what this day was about.  For it was Mr Fix It's desire to make me his wife and love me forever that brought us to this point.  It was the holy desire of our Creator that we live together under an eternal vow of monogamy and respect and hard work and commitment that brought us to this mutual decision to become husband and wife. 

Photo by Yan Freedline


And so the next several recaps I give you will be all about our ceremony.  I promise they won't be mundane...because our ceremony was pretty funny at some points.  I already shared about our ring bearer carrying the sign that said "Run, John, Run" last week.  And when I finally made it to the top of the stairs on the altar I was anything but timid and shy and 'proper.'  I interrupted our officiant, my old high school pastor, Lyle right before he could really even say anything.

And Lyle did a wonderful job of making our ceremony very personal and unique to us.  Unfortunately, I did not remember any of it!  I swear!  The next days and weeks on our honeymoon were a blur to me when I tried to remember what was said and done at our ceremony.  So thank goodness we have the video!  Because as fabulous as the photos are to look at, they don't remind you of what your first kiss was really like or how long it lasted.  They don't remind you of how you threatened the guests who RSVP'd and then didn't show up on the wedding day like I did :)  They certainly won't help translate how you tried to show your groom how to put together your unity cross when he couldn't make it work.  Oh yes, our ceremony was definitely us to a tee.  Right down to the random conversations we had with each other while the soloist was singing and the way we interacted as we walked out of the ceremony into our private room. 



So stay tuned because I have some of my favorite little posts this week filled with strange and fun videos and photos.  For today, I'll share the very beginning of our ceremony with a few pieced together clips of our first words to each other at the end of the aisle and our pastor's introduction:


Yes, I wanted to take it all in for sure.  So I tried to turn around and look out at everyone who was there...even if for just a brief moment.  I mean, all of my bridesmaids and family and friends had been mingling together before the ceremony began.  I was the only one who didn't get to greet them or say hi.  So I tried to scan their faces.  You can see here that I waved at a few of them.  I specifically remember my friend, Kristin waving back at me.



And I have to admit, I really didn't like how the bridesmaids were staggered on the altar stairs...I wish I would have looked at that better during our rehearsal and told my coordinator I wanted them in a straight line as I had originally intended.  But I just wasn't thinking straight.  I really was not myself for my own wedding day as you'll see.  You'll notice in this little video clip during our getting ready time that I had truly 'checked out' at different points during the day:



But oh well.  It is what it is.  And what it was, was a wonderful day and a great ceremony thanks to my hubby and our pastor, Lyle. 


Share time:  If you are already married, what do you remember (or not remember) about your ceremony?  If you are still engaged, what are you excited about for your ceremony?

TODAY'S WEDDING TIP:  You most likely won't see any of your guests before your wedding ceremony.  As you saw in the video clip, my pastor had already incorporated having us take a moment to turn and look out at our guests at the very beginning.  I had already planned on doing this well before our wedding day (great minds think alike).  I highly encourage you to ask your officiant to do the same...though I don't remember very much visually in my memory from our ceremony, the one thing I do remember is taking that brief moment to look out at the faces of our friends and family.  It's probably the only time you'll do it during the ceremony.  And it really was a good way to calm me down, too.  Seeing the faces of those I knew so well helped me realize I wasn't expected to put on a 'performance' for them while I was up there.

Unless otherwise indicated, all photos by Robert Mullins Photography
Raw video footage courtesy of Video Keepsakes of Beverly Hills

8 comments:

Nicole-Lynn said...

Great pics! Everyone looked great! I love that you were able to take a moment to look at your guests. I think that's a great suggestion! :)

Alicia said...

Beautiful post Stacey! I'm really looking forward to these re-caps as I'm at the point in my planning where I'm starting to work on the ceremony!

Kim said...

Great photos and clips! I'm glad you are going to devote a few posts to the ceremony, since it really is the reason why everyone is there :)

Shannon said...

A lot of the ceremony was a blur to me, I don't really remember much of what was said but I do distinctly remember Kristian saying his vows to me in this serious voice and me saying "I DOOOOO" just like that. I'm still waiting to get our video back from his cousins which I'm sure will help.

Heather said...

I truly know what you mean about feeling “checked out” and even dazed at certain points. I am known in my circle as the most organized and on-top-of-it person there is, but on the wedding day, I was forgetting things right and left. I forgot all about my special handkerchief when I walked down the aisle, and I also almost forgot I had our “love” parasol to use in photos. To this day, I can’t believe I didn’t raise an issue with the church about the errors they made. But thank goodness I had a fabulous team supporting me. I also agree that it’s a great idea to turn and look at everyone during the ceremony. Right after our priest introduced us as “the newest couple in the world,” which was not at the end of the ceremony, we turned around and took a good look at everyone there supporting us. It was a great moment.

EmilyB said...

Yay ceremony recaps! These are always my favorite part of wedding recaps.

I keep telling people that I completely blacked out during our ceremony. I was shaking so hard and basically cried or was on the verge of tears the entire time. To be honest, I thought I might throw up.

I like how your pastor had you turn to your guests. I wish ours had done that, although I kind of did it myself. Great tip!

Mrs T said...

We turned to look at our guests too - it was a great moment.

So glad we have a video - even if it's not the best - you really do forget things. It just flies by.

Love your video guy - he did a fabulous job.

Katie said...

You're right- you don't remember most of the ceremony. Things I do remember: 1) Seeing my grandmother's husband who was not going to come b/c my dad & his family are horrible to him- meant so much to me (2) Almost hyperventilating down the aisle (3) Wondering when our Pastor was going to end his sermon which included every wedding ceremony cliche ever (3) The best man saying "MY PRECIOUS" as he handed the Pastor our rings - and my cracking up at this (4) seeing my good friend who I hadn't seen in months as we walked out of the church. Everything else is a blur!

wedding tickers