Chance: February 2014

kittywolf13 (message) February 1, 2014 Naples, FL(sorry if the pics are big!)
So i just got my PC installed and the very first thing ive been dieing to do was to write up my recap because i figured it would be a lengthy one! So here goes nothing ladies! I'm going to start with the day before!
So before i begin i just want to tell any would be /soon to be brides that they shouldnt worry so much! we had tons of things go wrong, like going through 3 churches, 3 ministers, almost forgetting our favors for the day of, me almost chopping my fingers off a few days before the wedding, running late with hair and makeup and im sure their are a slew of other things that i cant remember! so i saw this sign at the botanical gardens during our mini moon and thought it was a fitting "theme" to our wedding:

So the day before the wedding, (jan 31st also chinese new years) i had off from work so i went with my mother early in the morning to have our nails done. I also got my very first pedicure! that was a lot of fun. After that was done, my matron of honor arrived with her hubby and they helped us finish the last minute details that still werent done. As they put the finishing touches i hopped in the shower and got ready for the rehersal! I bought a cute dress for the rehersal the week before

(sorry if the pic is huge... straight off the phone)
So the rehersal was at 5pm and it was simple sweet and my pastor was amazing and super sweet and funny! Every one was super helpful, the best man and ring bearer were unable to attend but everything went perfectly the day of so it was not a big deal in the end.

Afterwards my MIL arranged the rehersal dinner in the same venue as the wedding reception. at first i was a little sceptical but they hosted in a small initimate room that was seperate for the ball room, so it was super nice. The food was fantastic and the company was even better! My mother in law made a wonderful toast in liu of the best mans absance. it was very touching!

So after the rehersal dinner, we brought in all the decor for the wedding and then our friends got together and decided to head to a friends house to play some games! Since the best man never made it into town for the bachleor party we had kind of a small bachleor/bachlorette party thing. it was fun, but we wraped it up early but we got one last pic of the night... our last kiss as a single couple!

I headed home after that, and hopped into bed. I made my signing off post and tried to go to sleep. I slept intermitingly, and kept waking up through out the night. guess i was more excited then i thought. Luckily for me 7:30 am rolled around sooner then i thought and I was up and hopped into the shower to get ready for my day! For the curious here was my day of time line!
(mind the timing errors, but it got us by!)
9am-12pm Hair with Marlene ( Hair Masters)
12:00pm – 2pm Make up with Karla at Brides house
2pm – Depart home for church
3:00pm/3:15pm –Ceremony starts
3:30pm/3:45pm Ceremony ends (guests other then immediate family are asked to leave for the cocktail hour.)
4:00pm Cocktail hour at Windstar
3:30pm – 5pm Photos with photographer (Celine Michelle)
5:00pm-5:15pm – Guests sit for dinner and Introductions begin
5:20pm First dance
Toast
5:45pm-6:00pm Dinner
After dinner Parents dance (father/daughter then mother/son)
Cake cutting approximately 1 hour after dinner (perhaps mock cake cutting for photographer/videographer?)
9:00pm Reception ends
So my mother and i got to the beauty parlor late, and the rest of the crew met us there. i was the last to have my hair done, but i snapped a pic of the flower girl having some finishing touches done to her hair.

So once hair was done we raced out the door, because everyone else was already waiting at the house including the make-up artist! So make up was going, and i did a few things (including eat lunch) and then i got my make up done last again! After the make up was done we raced to get me in my dress. Which was fun! We all had some laughs but i was a little nervous about the time. Meanwhile my photographer was roaming about my house snapping pictures of things here and there including my dress before i put it on. The limo was also waiting for us, so once the girls helped me into my dress everyone raced off except for me, my father and the photographer who rode with us.

The limo drive seemed to take ages, but we kept pleasent chatter in the car with the photographer! She was amazing might i add! Super helpful and got some amazing shots as you can see from some of her preview shots that i get to share with everyone!! We told her the story behind my ring, and my bouquet since it was wrapped in the sleeve of my mothers dress and veil headpeice! it all came out so beautifully!
We got to church a little late, but most of the guests had already arrived to the church. by the time i got out of the limo, our mothers were lighting the Christ candle for the candle unity. Before i knew it the music was playing and the Matron of honor was walking down the isle, then the children, then us. My father lovingly walked me down the isle and was smiles, but i could tell he was choked up... especially when we got down to the end and the reverend asked who gives this bride away? and he kept saying her father and the priest would say AND? lol it was funny. He placed my hand gingerly in my GROOMS hand (EEEEEEEEE!!!!) and the priest countinued the ceremony! We did our own vows and they were beautiful! he always has the nicest things to say! The ceremony was beautiful, and he did such a good job! For never having heard him speak before... it was simply perfect. Our first kiss was so sweet and lovely and everyone cheering and clapping was wonderful!
We didnt have a receiving line, so we walked down the isle then turned around and ran outside so we couldnt be stopped by anyone! (can i mention our ushers were also amazing! We picked well! LOL) We took our formals and then took a few more pics in the garden. After the garden shots, we hopped into the limo, with the photographer and went on our way. It was so nice to have some alone time to ourselves in the limo, i mean our photographer was there but shes invisable some times, so it was great! We took lots of photos around the grounds before entering! My one beef with the day was that it was soooo hot! But it was a beautiful clear day so im sure the photos will be amazing none the less!
We made it inside and were met with the rest of our family in a holding area and were greeted with water, and chesse and crackers and stuff. It was so exciting! they lined us up for our introductions and soon we were being introduced as the new Mr. and Mrs.!!! We went straight into our first dance, which was the same song he used when he proposed. After the dance we sat down for dinner. We had a funny moment because i kept getting stuck in the chair! (my dress kept getting stuck underneath the chair) The best man had a wonderful speach for us. very touching. Then we ate! Yaaaaay! Yum! it was great! After dinner, we decided to do a mock cake cutting which turned into the real cutting because everyone didnt miss the video camera (by the way, even though i havent seen the video, im so happy i decided at the last minute to hire the videographer!) so we cut the cake and then we did the parent dances! Dancing with my father was so sweet! its totally one of the moments i treasured during the day. After that was the mother groom dance... i took the oppertunity to greet some of the guests... that took most of the night, we took more photos and then we danced. the DJ was fantastic! and everyone looked like they had so much fun!
We didnt do a fancy get away, so we stayed until all the guests were gone. it was nice to do that because we had a small opertunity to say thank you to everyone we saw leaving. The evening past without a hitch and it went so fast! its true they say that it passes so quickly! i miss it so already!
We got in the car and ran off to Marco Island, were my now husband had reserved a beach front hotel room with balcony for the night. we were going to stay for two nights but the hotel messed up our reservations. but its ok. we watched the sunrise, shared breakfast, then packed up and left. we had an early lunch, and went to the botanical gardens... it was a super sweet and happy day. we ended up coming home because naples isnt too exciting! Hopefully we can plan a real honey moon soon! The past week has been so wonderful and blissful! We've had such a wonderful time together and things have fallen in place perfectly! I couldnt ask for anything better! So hope you enjoyed this lengthy message and now more pics!

Thanks for looking!!!

Jan 22, 2014, 10 days out -

So today marks ten days till our wedding day. It's so crazy that our engagement came and went so fast and that our wedding day is fast approaching. It feels like just yesterday the wedding was over a 100 days away! There's so much to do and so little time but I'm at ease with the thought that everything will be ok.

Today I made arrangements for the rehearsal and finished about 95% of the name tags. We also received our first wedding registry gifts in the mail! That was very exciting!!

One of the packages was addressed to my new name. It was both odd but also not as foreign to me as I thought I would be. I hesitated for awhile over my feelings about changing my name to be honest. I have had my name for 30 years... It will be odd to have a new name. I've relinquished my maiden name as a pen name but may add it as a second middle name? I haven't decided yet. Guess I better make up my mind huh?

Also I think we've decided to write our own vows. I'd really like too. If I'm going to cry at the alter it better be about the stirring words I'll say as well as hear from you. I think it will be nice and will personalize the ceremony a little more then usual. Well see what happens right? Now I need to find inspiration.

I've already been honest that I'm worried about living together. I'm not certain how I will handle being with someone 24 hours a day that isn't my family. But when I'm apart I find I'm always missing you. Your the part that's always missing and I'm always thinking of you. And I'm happiest when I'm with you. Even if I'm bored and sitting around. Yes that will be an argument but know that I'm still happy to sit around knowing your in the same space with me. Lord knows I sleep better with you around, when your not stealing the sheets anyways. I can only hope I live up to all you hope and see that I am. I find it hard to live up to your vision sometimes and I usually feel very inadequate about it. But we shall prevail right? I really love you for you have touched my soul in places I thought no one could touch.

Chance

Monday, February 10, 2014

My Amazing Day! 2/1/2014!!

My Vows to My Groom

Jan 23, 2014 - 9 days out

Jan 22, 2014, 10 days out -