So I finally found time to sit down and watch Nick and Vanessa's wedding special on TLC off my TiVo. I think they are totally adorable and watching them plan made me want to plan a wedding again. It especially made me want to try on wedding dresses. But when I voiced this, Preston gave me a very stern "no!" lol So I don't think a one-year vow renewal is up for discussion :)
It made me think of some of my favorite moments of our wedding and I thought I would write them down so I wouldn't forget them. So here are my top 10 in random order....
1. Wedding dress shopping! I am probably the only girl who is obsessed with fashion and yet picked her dress in an hour and a half. Found, bought and sent to the alterations department within an hour and a half. I had tried on a few dresses in Seattle with my beautiful bridesmaid Megan. And then when I got to Utah my Mom and bridesmaid Rachel flew in to do the serious dress shopping. I almost felt bad it didn't last very long! I never once thought I made the wrong choice. And the people around me made it so fun.
2. Taking our engagements in NYC was amazing. My photographer Shannon (
http://www.shannonelizabethphoto.com) flew with us back to the city where we fell in love. It was FREEZING. In between shots I was in Uggs and a huge coat. At the end of each day I was a frozen ice block. People ran into poles, garbage cans and each other because they were walking and watching us, which caused a lot of photos with genuine laughter. And my sweet husband was a trooper for taking pictures for two days straight. We ran on no sleep because we went out both nights seeing friends, but it was worth it.
3. SOoooo let's talk labels. All of our tables were named after NY landmarks. So each table had a black and white 5x7 shot of a landmark accompanied by a place card label so people knew what the landmark's name was. Two days before the wedding I still needed to print out these labels. I had gotten pretty place cards that were print-ready and ASSUMED it would be easy... well you know what they say about assuming something. Rachel and I spent about two hours in the Hilton Office Center trying to get these printed right. Which doesn't speak well for two past administrative assistants. The printer broke, then went crazy and used a different paper tray every time it printed. THEN people came into the office center and their print jobs printed on my paper. It was a mess. And we were laughing so hard the whole time we nearly peed our pants. But as I live and breath they ended up coming out perfect!
4. The taste test was one of the most fun moments of planning. My Mom was still in town from dress shopping so she was coming with us to the Hilton to taste the Lebanese menu I had given them to prepare. Sadly, Preston had a very important meeting run overtime so he had to call me last minute and tell me he wouldn't make it. I was so sad! But the tasting went amazing. The chef had gone to a few Lebanese restaurants to research the cooking style. And they served us like we were royalty. When they heard Preston wasn't going to make it they packed up a taste of everything for me to take home to him. I was so glad because I wanted him to be able to be a part of it. And my sweet Lebanese Mom was hysterical telling an award winning chef that his parsley to romaine lettuce ratio was off. But I'm glad she did because it came out phenomenal on the big day.
5. Preston and I met with our DJ a month before our wedding to go over song lists and styles. I think we cracked him up. On our request list was a compilation of Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, 80's hair rock and Black Eyed Peas. I also told him that if he played any song that had an organized dance attached to it he would immediately be asked to leave the premises. He did an amazing job. And he helped with the transition from him to our Mariachi band so that it went smoothly. If anyone needs a fantastic DJ recommendation I have one!
6. I was in love with registering. Preston and I have very similar taste and when it came to the kitchen he smiled and agreed with me on appliance choices. We registered at both Pottery Barn and Bed, Bath & Beyond before 1:00 on a Saturday. Which I think is another record. He was such a stud about it. Although my favorite part was watching Preston realize how much a nice, big pan costs :) It also made for good amusement for several shoppers around us.
7. Getting ready the morning of our wedding was fantastic. I had my bridesmaids and Mom around me while my BFF/hair stylist Whitney did my hair. The women who mean the most to me were all in the same room. It was filled with sleepy laughter and lots of love. And I remember being so excited to see Preston and filled with anticipation. I could not wait to get to the Temple.
8. Everyone told me that the 2 most forgotten things on a wedding day were the rings and passports. So I spent a lot of energy reminding patient Preston NOT TO FORGET THE RINGS OR HIS PASSPORT! As I'm getting ready to go to bed the night before (it's 12:30am) I realize I forgot MY passport at our new apartment. We were all staying at the Hilton so we were downtown. I get my Dad and Brother back up from the hotel gym and say "WELL.... the good news is I remembered now and not as I was leaving for the airport.... BUT the bad news is my passport is at our apartment" Bless my Dad's heart he drove me right down to find it among the unpacked boxes. So we didn't end up going to bed until 2:30am!
9. At our rehearsal dinner Preston's Dad unexpectedly called Preston and I up to say a few words after the toasts. I was up first and I was totally unprepared. If I know I am going to do something like this I prepare myself and I DO NOT CRY. But I was filled with so much love I totally lost it. I have cried like 2x in front of people since high school and so I was MORTIFIED. I didn't say what I wanted to about how much I loved Preston. And then broke down when I spoke about my bridesmaids. Most of them flew from several different states and I love them as though they were my flesh and blood sisters. I would have preferred to have planned out my words and not have cried like an idiot. But overall the night was beautiful.
10. Last but certainly not least was when Preston saw me in my dress for the first time. I turned a corner in the Temple and actually didn't know he was around the other side. So I knew his face was genuine. I said something very romantic like "Oh hi, you're here!" and he just looked so happy. I felt so beautiful. He told me my dress was the most beautiful dress every made and he loved it. He was such a sweet heart and commented on my jewelry, veil and shoes as well. And made me spin around a couple times. So much of what you plan has to do with your own appearance. And I felt like I did good! Plus he looked so handsome in his tux. I was totally proud of my trophy husband :)
xoxo
