Togetherness - Nine Years Ago Today...

I married the Guy I Dig!

Here is the bridal party. I couldn't ask for a better group of women to surround me that special day. We chose not to see each other before the wedding. Yeah, it changes up the picture taking - but well worth the wait. He really wanted the first moment when I walked down the isle.
(Back in 1999 we weren't using a lot of digital quite yet. I had to scan all there pictures. Photos by Shawn Jolicoeur)

The Groom's party, the best man would be the tall gorgeous blonde to the right of my hubby (her husband is flanking my husband's left side). I love this picture.

 

This adorable flower girl is now 16 and GORGEOUS!! [She is also God-sister to Harrison. See her all grown up at Harrison's 3rd birthday.] How about that breeze, I couldn't keep that veil down to save my life.

Check out handsome nine-year-old Big Brother! Not so big there. (hey is that hair on hubby's head?)

The music I chose still to this day moves me to tears. I found that out as I listened to it last night as I was putting this post together. Then the internet went down for 24 hours and all was lost. I'm starting all over tonight - before we retire after a yummy dinner at our favorite Japanese restaurant sans children.

Anyway, most of the music came from the movie soundtrack Much Ado About Nothing by Patrick Doyle. If you haven't heard Patrick Doyle, check him out. You won't be disappointed.

 

The runner above got messed up when the flower girl stopped to turn around and spread out some of the rose pedals she had dropped.  I love it. Those are the moments most remembered.

Seriously I never thought I would get married. Never. Nine years later, well let's just say it still feels like yesterday sometimes and I still pinch myself that he married me.

My favorite photo of our rings. Back then I hadn't looked at a lot of the wedding photography I've seen in recent months. If I had I would have requested more of the small details. I'm a details girl.

It was supposed to be a 3-tier round cake. Made for us by a friend. A little accident happened on the way to the reception hall and the bottom tier (my favorite part - chocolate with raspberry filling) bit the dust. The cake maker was devastated. I made a couple of calls to friends with Costco cards and one rushed a cake over to the hall. The caterer had extra frosting from another event and my florist decorated it with the fresh flowers we had planed on using in the first place, so all was good. No one knew the difference. (No I didn't care that much. I was getting married and I just wanted to celebrate - that we did.)

Our program, I was going for an old fashioned theater feel with a twist. Sort of.

Our "cast" in order of appearance.

 

The lyrics from our special song sung by Harrison's God-father, musician Jerry Lansdowne.

My parents each passed away before they could see this special day; but my brother walked me down the isle and my Godparents stood in my parents place along with my brother to give me away.

Nine years ago today my life changed for the better becuase I met the love of my life, the man who loves me unconditionally, the man who supports me and my dreams. The man who would lasso the moon and give it to me if he could.

And I wouldn't change a moment of it.

Our first dance was to At Last by Etta James. (yeah, everyone uses that song -blah, blah, blah) because the lyrics rang so true for me. I waited for a long time. When my mom was ill with cancer I longed for someone to hold me in his arms and comfort me. I leaned into God and I waited. As I watched and celebrated with each of my friends as they got married - I waited.

Until ~
At last, my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh, yeah, at last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clovers
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to rest my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh, yeah when you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine
At last

And then we realized that WE were the ones who were supposed to kiss when the spoons clinked against the glasses at the reception. 

At last.