LOTS of wedding detail

The Guest Book {Table}

no book, just two paddles.

I wanted something that I would always see & have visible in our home.

I plan to hang these in above a doorway in our home {and homes to come}

let me take you back to day 115, me talking about how to make your wedding day unique, well this was the perfect idea for us & everything else in this post are more of our "unique" ways.

Also, to the left you see a bowl & pink feather {which is a pen I made}... okay well that is our 10 year time capsule. It had random questions for people to fill out {if that wanted to}.  Throughout our wedding planning & all the festivities I collected certain things that I wanted to be brought back to in 10 years I'll write a post to capture all the details of the capsule later. It's interesting.

The grooms cake, not really. 

Aaron did not want a grooms cake, he stated "I don't want one. I've never seen anything eat the grooms cake, so it'll be a waste." which is not true & this floored me because I just knew he would want something extravagant. Thanks to Pinterest, I saw this idea about a month before the wedding. I already had these old fashion milk jars, so I added some touch & then our engagement party cake had the cake toppers, which is a groom holding a fishing pole with a ring on the hook and his bride reaching up for it.

This idea was p.e.r.f.e.c.t because if I haven't shared it before... here it is.

My husband eat FOUR oreos {double stuffed} with milk every.single.night before we hit the sack. Everyone loved it.. however nobody ate it.

The bags to the right of the cake were the same "favor bags" for our guest which had a picture of us behind a parasol kissing. Awe! How sweet, right? However these bags had goodies inside and a thank you note that was handed out to each of our vendors. :)

Gift Table

Just a small touch of wedding decor that sat on the gift table.

Our Dinner Table Setting
... my favorite thing. We worked very hard on these. At the very beginning of our wedding planning, I said I wanted my tables to be very detailed. I am a detailed kind of gal and I wanted them to show who I was. Pearls, Lace, & Vintage - Those were my main must haves. Being we started from the day I got engaged, we were able to really focus on these.I work next to hobby lobby, enough said. After designing the table, that's when Mom hosted My Bridal Bash so we could all put these together and into boxes, ready to go!One of the Bridal Shows I attended is where my piece of glass raised up on the table was inspired. You should go look. However, I changed it a bit and threw in a twist. :) This made it where I could design decor to fit under the glass without wasting space. The fans were brought in for the vintage look. My hubby's idea! :) I chose 'sticks' instead of flowers to bring in the rustic/outdoors look for Aaron. I was completely in love with my table settings. Our Table Numbersthese were our table numbers, not really but really.I didn't want to just do a number, I wanted to incorporate 'our story', therefore I came up with the idea of pictures... figures? Each table had a different photo with... wellit started out at 'signs' of locations around our hometown; the road of our high school "Camilla drive", the road where it really started, which were the tennis courts {where we played for high school} Courthouse Road, & so forth. Eventually our story got boring and I ran out of COOL roads so for the last like... three tables were just random roads or places in our hometown. On the backside of these pictures were the stories behind the road signs.That too, got boring so to finish up the {30} tables I started to write facts about us or I took things from our table capsule questionnaire. :) This is one of the small things that nobody notices... but mean a lot to me. This picture above is 'Welcome to Pembroke' which was table #1 - the caption on the back shared the year when I moved to this small town & basically how we met. In the picture below is another very special piece of  'us' that means a lot, however nobody really knew. See the music paper? Okay, well I spent countless hours dying 'love songs' with music notes with tea. I bought old music books and made copies of them & crumbled them up and hand dipped these pieces of paper for the vintage look but most of all it was a symbol of the way Aaron and I connect. Remember this post about how important music was to us? If not, take a look. You'll understand it a bit more. The napkin holders holding the napkin together were also handmade. Out of what? Toilet & paper towel rollers.Yes, all 300 were cut & wrapped in the material perfect for our day... it was a lot of work however it was another special touch of our wedding day.  Look of the tables BEFORE anyone got a hold of them The Bride & Groom dinner setting  Favors:Remember April 22, 2011 when I wrote a post about 80's candy? Okay, well thank you for your help because everyone loved our 'Candy Bar' favor table.   

I really didn't like that framed {thank you note} to my guests there... but come the night before, I did not want to have to worry about anything. So I didn't. I also made a {Just Married} pendant banner to hang on this table... didn't make it up there.

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We were also supposed to have koozies...

Well that was our very first 'Oppsie'

Our Koozies were supposed to look JUST.LIKE.THIS

but with our names & our wedding date.

We kept a handle for shizz & giggles.

 

That's all folks...{for now}

Sure hope you are having fun, I am! Day 129 will take you back and make you see all the things in the making...we handmade SO many things. It's crazy... but worth it.

The BEST day EVER! {Special Dances + some}

As soon as our parents, bridal party, and WE were announced into

the reception Aaron and I went straight into our first dance -

Heaven - Jason Aldean version

As sweet as we look, it started out a bit... overwhelming.

Our DJ didn't line us up for the entrance so that was a mess. I was panicking a bit. I had all this organized many weeks before and spoke with our DJ to make sure everything was perfect. My entire bridal party learned a dance to the song we walked into

'Step in the Name of Love - by R. Kelly {the song has history}

by the time we hit the center of the dance floor was when everyone was supposed to break it down, however... the DJ cut it off and announced our FIRST DANCE {which was supposed to happen after the entrance dance.} Not a huge deal, but still irriated me.

... he was so happy.

Also, after leaving my dress at the bridal shop for 2.5 weeks more than it should to have a total of SEVEN hooks to bustle the train.. the hooks were there but the loops were not.

Therefore, I had to tug this train {so heavy} around. It was a bit 'overwhelming' to dance in.

{picture of my Mom,  several Aunt's & a few cousins saftey pinning my dress up

so I could enjoy the night. That should NOT have to happen}

... i'm hugging Aarons little cousins. They called me 'Cinderella'.

it was so sweet the way they looked at me all.night.long

After a minute of our dance & high blood pressure, Aaron just looked at me and said...

"Breath. Live in this moment you've been waiting for. It's okay babe."

So I did, and it turned out to be a special moment.

It was so sweet & the song is more than perfect for us.

It decribes us from 11 years ago, when we first started dating... to now.

We had a time choosing the song. He wouldn't let up on this one.

"This song is perfect, J." - my groom

Funny Fact: In order to keep my dress from getting all bundled up we had to turn and then get half around around... and turn and go the other way. We felt as if we were in middle school. It was hilarious.. {not really} but it's funny now.

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Immeditately after our first dance, was Daddy Daughter Dance.

Daddy chose this song & got a little emotional during it.

It was so sweet.

& immediately after the Daddy Daughter...

came the Mother Son Dance.

This song is completely perfect for Aaron & his Mom.

favorite picture of mine

Will post two other special dances

later down the road....

Stay Tuned.

Ceremony Re-CAP {Vows & such}

The wedding re-CAPS are back! Whoo-hoo!

If you've missed anything you can go to my left sidebar and catch up.

You haven't missed a whole lot.

Today I'm sharing the rest of my ceremony + some.

If you missed my first post {the brides walk} Go back and read this before reading any further. The other ceremony post is so touching... or at least I think it is.

{In order to get the whole feel of things...

you have to listen to the music this song was actually played

during our sand ceremony}

After leaving the salon where all 10 of us {Maids & Me} got our hair done

we ventured back to our venue. This is when things got a little crazy.

What we thought we had a lot of time... went from a lot to NONE.

I handmade made their earrings and due to picking out their necklaces months after making their earrings & them all being different from each other, there were some earrings that I needed to change. Due to this situation... I never got to finish them. Which led me to finishing them in the bridal room with the wrong glue. Therefore I was put behind a little... a lot.

My photographer was there 30 mintues early to look at everything and prepare..

when they were ready for me, my dress wasn't even on. It takes a whole 15 minutes just to

lace me up. It was a little overwhelming.

First time seeing myself as a completed bride.

.....

The Ceremony

As our guests walked up to the venue they were directed to the back.

As soon as they reached the walk way my oldest nephew, Austin & oldest niece

Chloe were there serving lemonade

Aren't they adorable???

Reaching my groom...

I have two sets of parents. So this was tough.

My {step} Dad walked me down the aisle. I did not want the words "who gives this bride"

therefore, I had my Mom, Daddy, Step Mom Diane waiting for me before I got to Aaron.

When we reached all my parents, I kissed each one of them as Aaron can down and grabbed my hand. My Dad handed me to him... instead of who gives this bride.

The ceremony was one of my favorite parts of the day.

It was so special and a lot of fun.

Although... there were mistakes and uh ohs'..

I rented a sound system from our DJ in order for everything to be heard.

Well, he worn his mic... but nothing was heard.

Our Vows... were written by us.

...to be my wedded wife/husband, my lifetime partner, to have and to hold

from this day forwrd. Through our greatest days & our weakest days, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, til' death do us part. 

I promise to love you when we are together, and for when we are apart. I promise to love you when I am proud of you, and when I am disappointed in you. I will honor your goals and dreams and help you fulfill them. For the depth of my being, I will seek to be open and honey with you. I say these things believing that God is in midst of them all. I love you, as I love no other.

After our vows came our sand ceremony.

Aarons cousin sang the song {playing now}. It was so beautiful.

Instead of going back to the preacher and standing there while the song finished out

we took the left over time and give hugs and kisses to our mothers as they accepted both of us as their child. It was special.

Our ceremony was short & sweet.

It was so memorable. I loved every second of it.

The last thing {I had} my preacher say was

"What the caterpillar perceives is the end; to the butterfly is just the beginning."

Then to tell Aaron to kiss his Bride.

At this moment, my maid of honor was supposed to release the butterflies.

1. they were supposed to be behind us. they werent.

2. She could not get the box opened. hilarious.

3. look at my face = PRICELESS.

Then he pronouced us as

Mr & Mrs Aaron ..... Drew

and the party began

Selected song choice to walk BACK down the aisle:

This Will Be {and Everlasting Love}

by Natalie Cole

... and we danced.



FUNNY FACTS:
During our ceremony, I looked at Aaron and realized he hadn't shanved.
I asked him about it and his response was "They were rushing me. I didn't have time."

Also, in the middle of our ceremony, his shirt came completely unbuttoned.
All of a sudden his entire chest was showing... hilarious.
This is him buttoning it back up. Our preacher was about to crack.

Here are a few random ceremony pictures:

{random selection...}

above: Dani getting ready to release the butterflies.

above: ashley singing so beautiful.

above: love this picture. this is my brother holding my bouquet &

my sisters parasol while she fluffs my dress as we pour the sand.

Dani & Kristie

 Jon

Heather

excuse the blury photo of the butterfly, but this was actually taken with a phone.

this also was taken with someones phone

one of my FAVORITE pictures captured.

... I'll post more {random} pictures
of everthing once I'm finished posting all the re-CAPS!

Wedding Photography

Mr & Mrs

... we finally got our professional pictures back!

Totally in LOVE!

Rehearsal {Re-Cap}

September 2, 2011

Originally this was a day I was super excited about. Things were changed around for some of my maids {why things changed} but It didn't stop Aaron and myself from living happiness!
It ended up really being an awesome day!
9:00am - Our Couples Massage!
{True Story - Aaron was frightened to death. Seriously. He was.
But together we went to Serenity Day Spa located in the town we were married in, where my mother had it set up for us to enjoy peace and quite together. It was so.much.fun! Yes, he ended up enjoying it. So much that I could hear him snoring. It took everything I had to not die laughing, but I knew he was okay once sound effects started. ha!}

{camera phone picture}
We later had lunch together & then he dropped me off to meet with a few of my bridesmaids for more spa treatment: Mani's & Pedi's!

Rehearsal - 6:00pm. 
This wasn't as "graceful" as I thought it would be.
As you can tell I used parasols instead of bouquets. Why stay inside of the box?
I never do.  All along I pictured this look... well come rehearsal practice I was panicking because the parasols weren't blending. I had to tell myself "everyone isn't in their attire..."

Rehearsal Practice

Arranging the bridal party was tough. I had no order in which I wanted everyone to stand.

In the beginning of planning, I knew I wanted both guys and gals on each side which worked best with the parasols. From our very first trip to see our venue, I knew I wanted to use the slight hill to stagger my bridal party. This helped the rather tall people not look to monstrous on us shorter people {me & my groom}.  

I

"This side is struggling... It needs more" -me

My groom husband looking so handsome!

The ushers waiting patiently

Being I forgot to the equipment to play the music, I had to use our truck.

Which sucked, but it worked.

This is me discussing how things will play out with my {uncle} our pianist!

Listening to the music play out and the bridal party walk out...

was a huge moment for me. It gave me a feeling I will never forget!

Waiting to walk down.

Our preacher wasn't able to be there the night of rehearsal, therefore we had a small rehearsal with him the night before. Buddah {Brandon} was our Usher but also our fill in

Preacher!  Isn't my arch beautiful? This was exactly how I wanted it & drew it out.

It's completely hand made.

Aaron's daddy made the posts & with help of my Aunt & cousins they worked extremely hard starting days before the wedding, putting the final touch together!

It couldn't have been any prettier!

My Dad & our fill in bride, Julie {a cousin}.

  

Justin & my step mom, Diane!

Mama & Buddha getting instructions.

Buddha really had no clue how to play the preacher part.

So, I just briefly went over it. Of course, we did not read it out or say our vows.

Aaron looks thrilled, doesn't he?

Rounding things up to leave for dinner!

At the end of the practice, I felt good. I was just ready for everything to start and come together. I will say, it was the perfect look I wanted. Everyone looked right on the money.

And I had NO fear of the parasol whatsoever when I saw my ladies in their gowns.

Rehearsal Dinner...

Part 2

{to be continued}

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