Joy: Our Wedding – More Ceremony Shots
Written by Sara on November 27, 2010 – 1:35 pm -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion, Ceremony Decor; Our DIY Ceremony Programs, Prayers, Readings and Music, and Walking Down the Aisle}
Here are some more shots from our wedding ceremony, which took place at the Augustana Chapel in Sioux Falls, SD:
Up next: Our Getaway Car!
[All photos by Creative Kindling, our lovely and talented photographers]
Tags: Wedding Ceremony Pictures
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Decor, Fashion, Flowers, Inspiration & Insight, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 2 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – Walking Down the Aisle!
Written by Sara on November 20, 2010 – 9:28 am -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion, Ceremony Decor and Our DIY Ceremony Programs, Prayers, Readings and Music}
After communion, my father and I spent a few moments alone in the pastor’s office. I was a nervous wreck – I knew that the moment had finally come to walk down the aisle, and that made me nervous! I wasn’t nervous at all to marry Jordan, but I was nervous for everyone to look at me! Silly, I know, and looking back, I overreacted, but in the moment, I was taking in and living my authentic emotions.
While my father and I were waiting for our turn to walk down the aisle, Jordan escorted my grandmother and our mothers in, and then he took his place with my Uncle Rick for the ceremony:
This picture below is one of my absolute favorites from the entire wedding; it makes me so, so proud to call my father mine, because he’s such a wonderful man:
He was a complete gem that day, so calm, telling light-hearted jokes to make me giggle and smile and forget that in a few moments, everyone in that church would be watching me walk down the aisle. He revealed the next day, at our gift-opening brunch, that he too was nervous to walk in front of the 130 guests in attendance, but I never would have guessed it. Both of my parents were so wonderful on our wedding day; they both had joy in their eyes that I won’t ever forget. My mother was with me the majority of the day, helping me to get dressed – it was an emotional day, and it was wonderful to have my parents with me.
After our groomsmen and our bridesmaids took their places, and our flower girls graced the aisle with yellow rose petals, it was finally our turn.
With my sister-in-law singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as I walked, I felt goosebumps take over my arms. I clutched my dad’s arm, and when I saw Jordan, I grew so, so excited. Today was our day; it was finally here.
Up next: More photos from the ceremony!
[All photos by the outstanding Creative Kindling]
Tags: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", Walking Down the Aisle
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Decor, DIY, Fashion, Flowers, Inspiration & Insight, Music & Entertainment, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 5 Comments »
Joy: Our Wedding – Ceremony Music, Readings, Prayers & DIY Programs!
Written by Sara on November 12, 2010 – 4:32 pm -{Click here to catch up on our wedding recaps:
Hair appointments; Picking up flowers; Getting ready; The Gown; Our First Look, Girls & Guys Attire, More Photos, Jitters and Communion and Ceremony Decor}
Jordan and I wrote our wedding ceremony together from a sample Methodist wedding ceremony, given to me by my uncle, who was performing our ceremony. I labored over the prayers and the readings in particular, because I wanted every bit of that ceremony to reflect Jordan and I.
So, here’s what we ended up using:
Music – I walked down the aisle to my lovely sister-in-law’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” I still get all starry-eyed every time I hear that song, because it makes me think of clutching my dad’s arm, and of seeing Jordan at the end of the aisle.
We also had my sister-in-law sing “We Are Man & Wife” by Michelle Featherstone while we signed our marriage license. Every time I hear this song (it’s evidently a song that my Itunes DJ likes to play), I smile from ear to ear. This song will always make me think about our wedding, and I get tears in my eyes whenever I hear it. It’s such a special, emotional, personal song for me.
Readings – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Excerpt – The Velveteen Rabbit (found here); “i carry your heart with me” – e.e. cummings
I’ve loved the Ecclesiastes verses ever since I was young; the notion that “two are better than one” gives me tingles inside, and the imagery of the three cords (one for each of us, and one for God) remaining unbroken is the strongest symbol of marriage that I’ve ever heard.
The Velveteen Rabbit reading sort of fell into my lab one day as I was scanning the blogosphere for reading ideas; I love, love, LOVE it. It’s the first book that we’ll give to our (someday, future) child, I think. These are the words that Mommy and Daddy read at their wedding ceremony. I’m tearing up already.
Lastly, the e.e. cummings poem was so, so perfect for us. I had the lovely Paloma’s Nest on Etsy make me a bouquet charm that read, “i carry your heart with me,” and it’s such an evocative poem…makes me giggly thinking of my husband carrying my heart in his.
Prayer – I really, really wanted to honor our grandparents (we’ve lost seven of our eight grandparents) at our wedding. In addition to the seven candles that we placed on the altar, my uncle and I also composed a grandparents prayer, which went like this:
Through the joys and struggles of life, you two have emerged as unique people, thanks to God, your family and friends, including some who have gone before us. Our prayers go out to them this day as well as to others who, for whatever reason, cannot be here in person.
We offer prayers of thanksgiving especially for the grandparents who have fostered your dreams and enriched your lives. We remember today and always the lives of [names], honoring their contributions to your lives.
All who cannot be here today still share in our joy through the Spirit of LOVE, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. We praise God for His presence with us, and especially in the solemn creation of this marriage covenant, through Jesus Christ our Lord. -Amen-
This prayer was so, so emotional for me; it took almost everything I had not to cry.
And, here are a few pictures of our DIY programs…an 8-page labor of love that Jordan and I created while holed up for a weekend in his tiny, tiny apartment watching the ENTIRE Lord of the Rings series.
Up next: Walking Down the Aisle!
[All photos by the fantastically talented Creative Kindling]
Tags: ceremony music, DIY wedding ceremony programs, prayer for grandparents, wedding ceremony readings, wedding prayers
Posted in Adornments & Embellishments, Beauty & Polish, Budget Weddings, Decor, DIY, Inspiration & Insight, Music & Entertainment, Our Wedding, Personal, Photography, Stationery, Venues, Vintage Beauties, Wedding Recap, Weddings | 4 Comments »