August 3, 2013-The ceremony

(now that we've been married for almost a year it seems fitting I should blog about that amazing day. It's going to be long, sappy, and picture overloaded...)

 

The morning of Saturday August 3, 2013  I awoke in a Hilton suite with my sisters. After some complimental breakfast we packed up to get ready for the days events. Channy went to meet up with Russ to give him his clothes I had ironed at the hotel, Ash and I stopped by to get my ring cleaned on the way to my parents.

 

My parents house was in total wedding preparation! My dad had been down at the Barn all morning long making sure everything was set up perfectly, and even that the oil that was spilled from the motorcycles that are stored in the barn was cleaned up! I found my mom in the kitchen of course finalizing the luncheon and other wedding details. I helped cut up fruit for the luncheon and then found myself on the phone planning with Russ how we could hide our trucks for the day/night so his friends didn't trash them at the reception.

 

Lynette, my dad's cousin, lives in Springville and conveniently in the same neighborhood as The Big Red Barn. She had agreed to let the girls come get ready at her house before the ceremony. Channy, Shay (her hairstylist), Brynn (my hairstylist), and myself met at Lynette's around 1pm. Looking back now we should have started earlier...

 

Brynn was so awesome to do my hair and make-up, and Channy and Shay helped me get into my dress. The ceremony was supposed to start at 3 so when I was still getting my corset laced up at 2:50 we were making phone calls letting my dad know we were running late :) Once dressed Shay loaded Channy and I into her car and drove us to the meeting place. As we got close to the barn I recognized vehicles of our guests. I pretty much started getting emotional from there, and I was so excited to have everyone there to celebrate with and support us.

 

The Barn was in the "back yard" of The Stansbury Homes family mansion. It had a driveway that went back to a cement walkway that lead to the barn-we hid me in the front of the mansion and channy ran down to alert the wedding party the bride was finally there and we were ready! I heard my dad's voice come over the microphone to welcome everyone and soon the music to cue the wedding party began. Next thing I know I heard my dad's voice coming around the side of the house looking for me. I took his arm and we began our walk down to the barn.

 

Flower Girl Aeris (needing a little coercing down the aisle)

Flower Girl Keznee

Ring Bearer Jaxon

With my dad being a bishop I knew right away that I wanted him to marry us, since we were out of his ward he had to ask special permission from his stake president as well as the first presidency to marry us. Luckily they approved! So my dad was a one man show at first-welcoming everyone, going to get the bride, walking me down the aisle, then marrying us! I had initially joked asking him if he could throw a dance number in there too :) He did an amazing job with the ceremony and it was so special to have him marry us!

 

FIRST KISS AS MR. & MRS.!!

My mom has some amazing people in her family ward that had volunteered to help with the luncheon and as the ceremony finished and we waited outside the barn greeting guests, they transformed the inside of the barn into luncheon central!

 

My amazing friend Daphnee got us pulled pork from Texas Roadhouse, which was delicious as pulled pork sandwiches. My parent's relief society made about every kind of salad I can think of, and we had fresh fruit and chips. Stoney McCoard made multiple kinds of dutch oven desserts, it was perfect! While we ate our lunch we enjoyed a movie my aunt nancy had put together, my favorite kind where it started with sappy baby pictures and evolves into how we came into each others lives. Nancy is very creative and computer savvy to create something I wouldn't have been able to do.

I'm so grateful for everyone who helped make the ceremony and luncheon not only go smoothly, but special! For someone who worries 10 x more than the average person, I didn't have a care or concern in the world. Thank you to all who came and celebrated with us for our special day!