Final Wedding Re-cap: The ceremony and reception!

I know you're feeling spoiled - two blogs in just a few days of each other! This is how it used to be! Well, I am doing laundry at home rather than at work due to the fact that I have no socks to wear. And I feel zero guilt since I have promised to stay at work until later tonight to help out one of my TAs. So let's have some fun talking about the ceremony and reception!

The pictures that are included in this blog are a mix of pictures from our photographers, One Six Photography, and pictures that our family and friends took. I have to give a special thank you to the Melissa Zaccarelli and Nicole McMullin for the pictures they put on Facebook. They left virtually NO detail unphotographed!! There will be some things I'll have to describe and then once I get all of the pictures from One Six I'll finish up on the details.

Here is the calm before the storm. In this first picture, the string quartet is ready to go, my Aunt Barbara is going over her reading, and the gazebo is lit up!

Next, you can see the fluted vases that lined the aisles with floating candles. I wanted a soft, elegant look to the wedding and that for me included candle light. You can also see there are pearls at the bottom of this vase! A girl can never have enough pearls. While I loved how these looked, I had this horrible fear of catching on fire. Or knocking over one of these and setting the entire lawn on fire (I know it's illogical, but I was worried, I'm sorry!). Regardless, I LOVED the way this looked!!

Below is our unity candle. It was ivory with gold trim and had a Claddagh on it with our names and wedding date. When I saw the Claddagh candle, I knew it was perfect for Bryan and I because it's the symbol for friendship, love, and loyalty. Bryan's first Christmas present to me 3 years ago was a decorative ivory plate with a Claddagh on it (I collect plates - best Christmas gift EVER!). So the Claddagh became a major symbol of our relationship.

To the left, my father and I approaching the aisle. All was well at this point. We were talking and pretty relaxed. Although my Dad kept saying to himself, "Her mother and I...my mother and I? No, her mother and I." Because he wanted to remember the response to the "Who gives this woman?" question. Then he was humming which, although is something my Dad's done forever and I love, was making me really emotional. I thought I could keep the emotions in check but I ultimately failed at this once I rounded the corner and saw Bryan.

Here are the ladies waiting. I love this picture, I think they look amazing, the dresses, the flowers...I love it!!!

My Dad and I approaching the gazebo. You can tell I'm starting to lose it a little. And I did NOT want to turn into a sobbing mess. I was horrified of that because I'm NOT dainty when I cry. It's not cute. I don't cry often, but when I do, I can not stop. And no one needs to see that. There were some tears and then I started laughing? Yes, it was bizarre. But I thought it was so ridiculous and embarrassing that I was crying. Once we got to Bryan, I pulled it together. I was also trying to listen to and appreciate the string quartet, but it was like I couldn't even focus. How odd. But it was a lovely walk down the aisle. I tried to look at as many of our friends and family as I could because I hate when brides don't even acknowledge the people that have come to celebrate with them as they walk by them. Luckily, I haven't seen that much - but it has happened before. And you get a pass on your wedding day because when people do ignore everyone around them, it's because they're staring at their soon-to-be husband. But not me, I wanted to look at everyone and take in who was there.

This next picture was taken by our friend Holly Reynolds. It was the first picture that made it up on Facebook and I saw it the day after the wedding. I love the lighting of it! It looks exactly like I pictured!!! This looks like when Bryan and I read our vows to each other. We wrote our own vows. I had written mine months prior to the wedding and Bryan...well, there's a picture of him writing his vows in the groom's house. He had stayed up all night a few nights prior to the wedding trying to write his vows. He told me he was having the hardest time. "How long should they be? What should I say?" He wanted to know.

My answers: However long it is when you write it, shorten it 5 paragraphs (Bryan tends to be endearingly long-winded). But say what you want to say. What do you promise to do in our marriage?

The verdict? Although apparently no one heard these vows, Bryan did an incredible job. He titled the vows, "From this day forward" and he touched on us building our lives together and raising a family as well as all of the things he promised to continue to bring to our relationship as a partner. As he read (he went first), I thought, "Geez, my vows stink compared to this." But onwards I went with my vows. I went a little lighter at the beginning and touched on how we met (Bryan wearing a Brett Favre jersey because he's a Packers fan. Brett Favre is no longer in Bryan's good graces.), I brought up some of the many things I love about him, and then I talked about his good qualities and the things I admire about him and what I promised to bring to our marriage. Although my vows were shorter, I think they took me longer because in between I had to will myself not to start sobbing. The ceremony would've had to have taken a recess if the sobbing began, so I took it slow and caught my breath where I needed to.

Bryan and I exchanging our rings. Is there anything that makes a girl happier than getting the diamond-and-sapphire wedding band she's been waiting for???

Yes, there is - kissing her husband for the first time!!!!

Here is our amazing string quartet, the Poulenc String Quartet. The info for them will be in my vendor review next time.

To the left and above with each of my parents afterwards.

Dear Cake, I love you!!! The hunter green ribbon, the Lenox cake topper, the pearl accents, the pine cones!!! The...hearts on the top tier?? If you read the blog I posted months ago about selecting the design of our cake, Bryan was having a fixation with "two hearts coming together as one". He wanted two linked hearts everywhere. To appease him, the baker agreed to put hearts on the top tier of the cake. Our cake serving set also has the emblem. engraved.

One of the many centerpieces...we had three vases at each table with calla lilies, hydrangeas, and other flowers I'd probably have to look up. The vases had pearls in the base with a "votive" (one of the battery-operated ones you can switch on so it can sit in the vase with the flowers). I wanted that extra glow. We also had votives on the tables and pearl and baby pine cone accents. Abby rocks!

After Bryan and I were introduced, we went right into our first dance. Bryan and I had taken a dance class the week before the wedding and I couldn't remember a THING! Our first song is a song I've loved for about 10 years called "Thin Air" by Pearl Jam. I know everyone was absolutely shocked that our first dance was a Pearl Jam song. The selections that rounded out our top three songs in addition to "Thin Air" were "Everlong" by the Foo Fighters (Bryan's pick) and "Only a Fool" by The Black Crowes.

I had agreed to dance to an acoustic version of "Everlong" (Fun fact: That was Monica and Chandler's song on "Friends"!). But our instructor thought it was too hard to dance to and that "Thin Air" was a much more romantic song (He's right on both counts in my humble opinion).

But Bryan and I ended up swaying back and forth like everyone else does - sorry, there was no fancy stuff to our dance at all. But it was fun and it was still the perfect wedding song. "How to be happy and true is the quest we're taking on together"...so perfect!

Then it was time for the Father-Daughter Dance. I was shaking in my boots about this. Here is the history: My father wanted to dance to a song he used to play me when I was a kid (he plays the viola). The song is called 'Estrellita' (I think I spelled that right?). This song was particularly special to my father as the larger meaning of the song is about the love between parent and child.

In September, when I was home for my final fitting, we took a dance class with the instructor my parents see once a week. The instructor wasn't into the song and tried to convince my Dad to pick something else. My Dad wouldn't hear of it. As a result, the instructor gave us (what I'd call) a 'mediocre' routine. It didn't really go with the music in my opinion and it didn't capture what my Dad was thinking at all.

Fast-forward to Wednesday night before the wedding, my Dad and I went to see Atlanta-based dance instructor, Wayne Abbey for a crash course in trying to make this routine a little snazzier. Wayne LOVED the song and immediately injected some life and emotion into our dance.

The problem for me was there was no routine to it anymore and anything I had learned went out the window. But my Dad was pumped about this dance now. He knew exactly how he wanted to lead me around the dance floor.

Overall, I think it went really well. I had not a darn clue what I was doing, but I was told it looked ok. The crowd went wild for us as we spun around and did grapevines across the floor. My Dad was FOCUSED and really had fun with the performance aspect. We even had a cute little ending where my Dad rolled me out, rolled me in - at which point I gave him a kiss, then he pulled me across his body, rolled me back out, then gently kissed my hand.

Once this dance was over though, I relaxed (I was terrified of disappointing my Dad on this with all of his excitement about it).

One other cool thing? He framed the music of the song and even wrote up a paragraph about the story of the song and what it means to him. Both were displayed on the table in the foyer where our Wishing Tree was displayed.

Bryan and his Mom danced to "A Song for My Son on His Wedding Day". He told me afterwards that she didn't want to follow my Dad and I, but they looked great!!!

One of the most special parts of the night - Aunt Nonie giving the blessing before dinner with a prayer she prepared especially for the wedding.

The food was spectacular! I've heard that the bacon-wrapped scallops were otherworldly - those were served during cocktail hour. Or for me, "picture hour". We also had chicken satay and goat-cheese profiterole served for hors d'oeuvres as well. There was a Fruit and cheese display by the bar. Bryan told me later the goat cheese was fantastic. Why didn't he get me any??

When I did sit down to eat, we started with a beautiful salad. Then the main courses: to the left, pecan-crused chicken and below, roasted salmon.

I had the salmon and Bryan had the chicken. As much as I LOVE that chicken, I actually enjoyed the salmon even more!!! But both were outstanding. We did have a vegetable strudel served for our vegetarians, but I have not gotten a review on that dish. If everything else was an indicator, it was superb.

To the left, further evidence that my brother and Bridesmaid Melissa never take a bad picture.

Below, Mom and Aunt Claire. (Ooh, and another centerpiece!!!)

To the left, Aunt Barbara and Aunt Nonie

And below, my Dad and Aunt Nonie dancing. I love this picture - she looks SO happy!

Above and to the left is me and Mrs. Zaccarelli. Note that I'm also holding one of our signature cocktails - Captain Morgan and Apple Cider. Bryan originally called the drink a "Be Hoey" (also as in, B. Hoey). But now he calls it a "B.S. Hoey"! Directly above is my Mom with my cousin Damien and his son (my cousin) D.J.

To the left is my brother and Aunt Barbara dancing. And Sonia might be dancing or not, but either way she just looks like she's having a great time!

Below, the Zaccarelli girls and I. We are always happy when they don't have to Photoshop me into a picture! And to the right of that is my Mom, Damien, and cousin (Damien's wife) Cathleen.

This cake definitely tasted as good as it looked! The compliments I received all night on the food were: "Best salad EVER" "The salmon is amazing" "The chicken is amazing" "Can we find the dude with the scallops?" and "Best wedding cake EVER"

The cake flavors were: on the bottom and top tiers, a vanilla cake with Bailey's Irish Cream and in the middle tier, chocolate cake with Grand Marnier.

For the record, Bailey's is one of Bryan's favorite things ever. So that one was a no-brainer. Grand Mariner on the other hand induce memories of getting kicked out of the Pink Pony years ago (don't ask - and no I wasn't doing anything inappropriate! I was just passed out on one of my friends. The Eagles had just beaten the Vikings in a divisional playoff game and were headed to the NFC Championship against the Falcons. See, I remember!). My only experience with Grand Marnier ended with me needing to wash my car the next day after I was driven home by my friend Heather. Not good times.

Fast forward to the present day and this cake was just delightful! I was stunned at how subtle the GrandMa flavor was, but how much depth it added to the cake!

And that, my friends, is how we got our cake flavors. Probably more about me than you ever wanted to know. But the cake was AWESOME! Thanks, Celso's!

Yes, I have to brag about my hair a little more. This is a really good side view. You can see the rhinestones that Mary Beth flat-ironed into my hair on the side. And then, there is that gorgeous pearl accessory that I showed a close-up of in the last blog. I LOVE that thing. If I have a daughter, I'd love for her to wear it in her hair on her wedding day.

From the back, you can really see my hair and the rhinestone pins that Mary Beth added to give a little extra "wow". Seriously, the woman's a genius.

Some of the last pictures of the night. Bryan and I dancing surrounded by friends and family. And finally, making our grand exit through sparklers. Again - fire hazard, people! I'm just happy my fear isn't apparent on my face and I instead look elated.

The morning after: I call this picture "A Tale of Two Families".

We are missing the large majority of both families, but I love that the family members from both sides that were in the lobby all got together in one big picture!

Overall, the wedding was everything I dreamed it would be. I was so happy to be surrounded by so many people that we love and care about so much. It truly was awesome. From what I've heard everyone had a good time (I know no one would tell me even if they didn't...) but my ultimate goal in planning this celebration was that every single person would feel appreciated, acknowledged and would just have fun!

The ceremony will forever be etched in my mind. I don't know if it's like that for everyone. I felt like it was the perfect length for us, I thought the readings were perfect for us, the vows were just SO us, the setting was perfect for us. And that's just it: everything was so US.

I'm going to close out the blog over the next week with a vendor review (I was always happening upon wedding blogs during my crazy internet searches). And then finally, my final blog will include some thoughts of Thanksgiving with respect to this past year.