Our wedding was incredible.
I've taken a while to post my thoughts because I still can't quite wrap my head around it - and the fact that it's done. The weather was beautiful. A perfect, clear day bookended by monsoon rains (for our rehearsal) and a blizzard (the night after the wedding). Mother Nature was good to us.
Booking a suite at the hotel to get ready proved to be a very smart idea. We needed the room with 3 photographers, 1 videographer (can you say paparazzi???), 1 make-up artist, myself, my mom, 4 bridesmaids and the 3 kids in the wedding - plus various family and guests coming in and out. In one room. Thankfully, with space to spare! A complete whirlwind and so much fun!
Just before I needed to get dressed, my sister delivered two wrapped packages and an envelope from my husband-to-be. While I love the gorgeous diamond earrings and pendant he chose, the real gift was a beautifully written letter. It was a love letter like none I had ever read before and I couldn't hold back the tears. I have that letter in a very special place and it's something I'll keep and treasure always.
I was calm all morning. Every moment until the highway exit sign for the church was in sight. Then came the butterflies. Sitting there surrounded by my favorite women and my Dad, I don't know why that particular moment made it so real. Walking into the church went smoothly. FI was in a room at the back of the altar, and I was to wait in a room at the back of the church. That wait was endless. Being so ready to walk down the aisle and then having to wait was close to torture. But the moment I saw him walk out on the altar (through the one-way mirror), that was the defining moment of the day. I've never felt luckier or more sure of anything as I was at that second.
The church service was as touching as had been described to me. Steeped in long-standing tradition and delivered in both English and Greek, I felt blessed to be a part of such a ritual. I arrived at the church right on time. Our guests however, did not, so the service started 25 minutes late. Still, we managed to stay right on schedule the rest of the day.
Arriving at our reception site, we were greeted in the parking lot by our own personal entourage. They congratulated, welcomed and ushered us right up to the bridal suite. DH and I didn't want for a thing all night. When we surprised our guests by showing up for the last half of the cocktail hour, we were greeted with a round of warm applause and tried to grab a few bites of the food we had been planning for so long (all fabulous!!!).
On a piece of advice from a fellow knottie, DH and I took a few moments to go into the reception room to see it fully set-up and untouched. That first moment of seeing our vision and hard work all put together was indescribeable. We walked around that room, holding on to each other looking at the menus, the centerpieces, the cake and cardbox...all those little things that made that ballroom ours for just a few amazing hours.
Then, we were announced in and we danced, and danced, and danced some more. I doubt anyone would have guessed that we were the couple who had never danced together in their relationship until the night, one month before the wedding, when we chose our first dance song. We remembered the practiced steps to our first dance to "When You Say Nothing At All." I led the first Greek circle dance, he led the second. We soaked up every. single. moment. We visited with everyone, laughed and cried and ate (a little).
If I could do it over the exact same way, I would do it 100 times over.
It was perfect.
He is wonderful.
We are married!
(my favorite non-pro pic)
My sister brought in gifts and an amazing letter from my wonderfully romantic groom. I think this was her first glimpse of me with my make-up finished and looking much more like a bride:
After the tears of joy over his love letter, I opened some sparkles...
Getting zipped into a 20 pound dress is NOT a one person job:
My two oldest godchildren (twins) were flower girl and junior usher. They were SO excited to be a part of the wedding and did incredibly well the whole day:
My garter, earrings and bracelet were all afterthoughts - half of my bridals were taken without them! Luckily, I remembered just before we had to walk out the door to get to the church on time...
Grandma - I was so thrilled that she could be with me:
The beautiful ladies...
Dad, Sister (and 
Top of the box:
Cocktail menu for the bar - thanks to 
Our dinner menus, one per place setting. Our venue does table side ordering with a choice of three entrees. To help our guests make their meal choices I thought these would be a nice touch. They were printed on our home 
Flower girl's pomander. 3" 
CHECKS: 
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