Marrying My Best Friend

I truly married by best friend. Andy & I became best friends back in High School -- I remember him stopping by every day when I worked @ Doug's Video in Verona after his shift as a custiodin @ VES. He'd stop in to check on me & get a movie or make plans for that evening to hang out. 

Back then if you asked either of us if we'd ever date you would get a resounding NO! We were best friends and we just did not think of each other that way. Yes we probably looked like a couple: going out to dinner, Klines ice cream, watching movies together and talking on the phone foreverrrr, but he was just my best friend...

Thankfully God had something more in store for us that we just couldn't see back then... 

Finnallllyyyyy one of me without that huge, goofy grin!

So happy!! :)

After our wedding ceremony we went downtown Staunton to take some photos. I really wanted a picture with us and a police car -- but Andy didn't think it was the best idea... haha. 

Here are some photos from downtown... 

Andy's got an Elvis smile going on here....

So serious....

Love this picture!

And I'll leave you with a sneak peek of the reception....

More Wedding Recaps Coming Soon...

The wedding recaps are still coming (I know you were worried right? Checking the blog every hour in hopes to see more photos and my ridiculously goofy wedding day smile?....kidding, kidding!). 

But for today, I just thought this photo would be enough.... 

Thanks to Miscellaneous Media Photography for the awesome photos!

Our Beautiful Day

So some of you have heard us say we had the most beautiful day ever for our wedding ceremony... 

We both truly know Angela blessed us with that stunning day. 

There were butterflies everywhere, clouds that looked like big fluffy marshmallows backed by the bluest sky ever... the fish jumped in pairs and birds swooped down behind us.

I know, I know - you think I'm making all of this up right? 

I promise I'm not. Photos cannot do the day justice, but here are a couple anyways...

To find out more about our awesome photographer, click here.

Wedding Ceremony Recap Continues

The first picture I'll start with has a little explanation behind it. I absolutely *LOVE* the wedding shoes I found. I purchased them @ Design @ 9 in Downtown Staunton & they were the perfect color. At the last minute (and I do mean the last minute), I switched shoes right before I walked out the door because the ground was so soft at the river. I had tested the shoes earlier in the summer when it was dry and the ground was hard but Friday night before the wedding I tested them again and I was sinking in (heels + grass = bad). I ended up wearing these shoes to the reception with my wedding dress, but there are some pictures from the wedding day with a different pair of shoes and some people have asked. So there's the explanation for the multiple shoes. And the other pair of shoes I had prepared were wedges (they work perfect for ourdoors) and they were pink with white polka dots (absolutely adorable too!). 

The Infamous Shoes

It seriously took a village to get me ready - a village of very sweet friends & family!

My mom zipping my dress.

Lindsay & Mom looping all the buttons (a long process)

The beautiful Hearts On Fire Necklace I wore

After an awesome afternoon of getting ready with some of my favorite people it was time to marry my best friend. Everyone left to head down to the ceremony except Lindsay and I. This is when I got super nervous/excited! Thank GOODNESS for Lindsay who helped me get every last detail in place in those last 15 minutes: helped me switch shoes 3 or 4 times in the debate of which to wear, grabbed my engagement ring that I almost forgot, ran back for tissues and calmed my nerves too - I don't know what I'd do without her in life! 

Andy's grandfather, Pops, arrived in the Model A and Andy's step-dad, Ronnie, in the BMW to drive Lindsay and I to the ceremony.

Lindsay getting out of the BMW, escorted by John. I LOVE the smile on her face!

I'll spare you the photo of me getting out of the Model A (not the easiest thing to do in a wedding dress!). Luckily, I made it out without falling - Andy admitted to laughing as he saw me trying to get out.... 

My wonderful brother, Scottie, walked me down the aisle & gave me away. Here we are right after I got out of the Model A. He very sweetly fixed my dress before we walked down the aisle. 

I absolutely, positively love the photo above - Andy absolutely, positively hates it. This is as soon as Scottie & I made it to Andy. Andy's crying (although his mouth makes it look like he is smiling) and he hates the photo of him. But it really captured the moment (and I love how this photo makes my skin look so smooth - odd, I know, but I love it). And as I'll talk about later, my favorites from the ceremony are shots where you can't see my face...

Again, I love this photo too! So sweet!

I love this photo of Lindz - so gorgeous!

Now is when I'll explain why I like photos of me from the wedding ceremony where you DON'T see my face (like the one below)...

The reason is - I had this HUGE ridiculously GOOFY toothy smile where you can see ALL my teeth - seriously my teeth kept getting dry and my lips would stick to them. I couldn't help it, I was soooo happy - but it made for the most ridiculous looking photos of me... for proof see below:

See! There is proof. I love that I was soooo happy - I hate that I look so goofy! 

And since I can't end on a goofy photo, I'll leave you with this one of the wedding ceremony...

Wedding Festivities Recaps Begin...

Since it will be impossible to do this in one post, I'll just start doing some recaps (as promised in my last post) with photos of the Ceremony and Reception.

Ceremony, Sunday September 5th 2010

The River

In case you don't know already, our wedding ceremony was held at "The River" where Andy proposed. This is property of Andy's stepdad's and one of our favorite places in the Shenandoah Valley. 

Pictures from the River from our Relationship:

Right After Andy Proposed @ the River

Smiling After Andy Proposed

At the River, Early Spring 2010

Engagement Photos at the River

At the River, Summer 2009

Okay, that should be proof enough that the river is absolutely, positively a favorite place of ours! And since Andy proposed there we couldn't think of a better place to get married. 

On Friday night before the wedding we had our Rehearsal down by the river. We realized then that we were saying our vows in the EXACT same spot that Andy proposed by our candle-lit dinner. 

This is the Beautiful Spot

Here's a fun photo from the Rehearsal - before the rain came pouring down (tears from Heaven)...

We quickly packed things up and took the rehearsal over to our back-up location, the Church. Thankfully we were blessed with the best weather ever on our Wedding Day.

Sunday morning Andy & I headed over to the cemetery to leave flowers for Ang and a couple rocks with her name and our names (part of our rock ceremony at the wedding ceremony). 

Then we separated ways for the rest of the day. Although we did get to touch hands a little later before the ceremony - but we didn't see each other...

P.S. - Andy is not a fan of this photo, but I think he looks cute!

I spent my time in Andy's old bedroom at his mom's house getting ready (and sipping mimosas & texting my husband-to-be)...

Andy spent his time with his best man (and best friend) fishing in his suit (and maybe drinking a beer or two)...

While I was getting ready the photography captured some great detail photos...

My bouquet with my "something old" - my grandmother's mother ring.

One of My Favorites - my bouquet outside Andy's house

Chalkboard & Sign that Guests saw as they arrived

Our Memorial Candle for Ang

Well that's enough for this post - next post I'll pick up where I left off. 

I'll leave you with this photo of the guys (Joel, preacher: John, best man: Scott, brother: Andy, groom) waiting for the ceremony to begin... 

All wedding festitivies photos provided by Miscellaneous Media Photography - she is fabulous and I recommend her for all your photography needs!