Our Wonderful Wedding

So I don't have pictures to share yet, but I want to share the details of our wedding day and everyone can look forward to pictures later!

Saturday morning I woke up and ate some delicious cinnamon rolls with my parents (my request for breakfast!). Family started arriving soon after that to help with the setup of the barn. We went down to the barn to start decorating and bringing in everything. We weren't there too long before Joy, Chad and Tal showed up to pitch in. Everyone worked on something - it was so great! My aunts worked together to make tulle bows for the posts and Paige helped me to wrap ribbon around the place. My uncles and my dad strategically placed all of our favors (which were tiny pots with potted flowers or seed packets for the out of town guests) on the railings. It was so great to have everyone there to help!

Jenny (Mat's sister) was going to be our onsite coordinator and she was a lifesaver! She showed up at noon to help get things going with the rental company and she took charge so we could go have some lunch and get cleaned up for the wedding. While I was at the barn, Mat was running around with Cory getting all of the beverages and ice for the reception. So I went to my parents house and had lunch with my bridesmaids - Turkey, Pesto and Anaheim Pepper sandwich. YUM. Mat was then on duty at the barn (we decided not to see each other at all until I was walking down the aisle) and he stayed for all the other people to drop things off - the cake, flowers, etc. They did such an awesome job and it was so nice to know everything was taken care of and I could get ready without worrying.

Renee showed up to do my hair and of course, it turned out perfect! We were glad we did a practice run, but I think we really felt like it turned out better this time around. Our photographer, Cristi Dame, showed up and started taking pictures as I put on my makeup. I hadn't felt nervous all day, but it was time to put on my makeup and I'm not the best at makeup, so I was nervous about that and that I was running out of time. I didn't want to be late. I kept calling Mat to make sure he was going to come take a shower and get ready on time! So I got my makeup on and it looked pretty good! So I put on my dress and shoes and I was ready to go! By then, I was getting totally nervous!

We drove down to the barn and I got safely inside before Mat showed up. I ended up standing in a storage room that was pretty hot (no a/c) and there was really no place to stand, so we all just kind of huddled in one spot of the room! It was funny to see us all in there. All of the guests were standing in the shade until the last possible minute since we didn't have any shade over the chairs. Jenny was helping to coordinate everyone and got everyone seated and then the moms were seated. I think it was then I realized that I forgot my "something borrowed, something blue, something old and something new". So my mom gave me her ring with a blue stone that was borrowed and my dress was new and I think we decided the ring was old too.

Then it was time for the bridesmaids and then me to walk down the aisle. My dad and I started down the ramp and I looked up and saw Mat and started crying! So my dad said he was going to tell me a joke. I'll never forget it! He said, "Why did the coyote cross the road?" and then I said, "Yes." He started laughing and said it wasn't really a joke. It was good enough to get me to stop crying. As I got closer, I saw Mat and he looked amazing. So we started the ceremony and I am so glad it was not very long because it was hot! Someone said it ended up being over 100 that day! It was perfect and I know it really meant a lot to both of us since we worked on everything that was said together.

After that, the reception started and Mat and I went to take some pictures. Little did we know that we were going to spend the majority of our evening taking pictures together! I wish we would have done some before, but at the same time, I am happy we didn't see each other before and I know neither of us will forget that moment when we saw each other! The reception was so perfect! We had the best food and cake there ever was! And we actually got to eat. We did the garter toss and the bouquet toss. We cut cake and didn't shove it in each other's mouths! Mat and I had our first dance to Marc Broussard's The Beauty of Who You Are. My Dad and I danced to Sarah McLachlan's Rainbow Connection. Both seemed really long! It was so fun though. Cory (Best Man) gave a sweet toast and my sister (Matron of Honor) gave a toast that I struggled to not cry through! I loved the entire night. I wouldn't change it for the world. And I wouldn't change my wonderful husband for anything. I'm really the luckiest woman in the entire world!