the morning of

We got our wedding photos back from our fantastic photographer, Chris Isham!!!! Just in time for me to start blogging about the actual wedding day. I could not have timed that more perfectly if I tried. So be warned.... I have no self control when it comes to filtering through which photos to include here. Definitely an over-sharer.

On the morning of our wedding, I woke up really early before my alarm went off. I looked over at my sister and nudged her awake. "What do you want to do today?" I asked her. We giggled and took a selfie, of course, to commemorate this special morning. It's like I woke up and BAM it just hit me, this was it! Today was my wedding day! This once in a lifetime day that I've been dreaming of my whole life and planning for the past 6 months was really and truly here.

I hopped in the shower to start getting ready. Forget what any hair dresser says about not washing your hair right before having it styled. I knew I didn't want to have last night's hair on my wedding day and they can always add product to "dirty" it up if it's too silky smooth to work with. We both popped on our robes and fuzzy socks and padded down the hall to my parents suite where all the bridesmaids would be gathering to get ready. One of my girls had texted me to get my Starbucks drink order and I was promptly handed a grande non fat white chocolate mocha no whip with my name for the day written on it.

We set up a breakfast spread of grandma's cranberry bread, clementines, yogurt, granola, and mimosas and the rest of the bridesmaids piled in and took over the suite. The hair and makeup girls arrived soon after so we kicked my dad out of the room and settled into the morning. It was a flurry of "dusty shale" gowns being steamed, hair spray, nail polish, fake eyelashes, and sweet girl time with my friends and my mom. I loved every minute of that morning. It was so relaxing and fun taking our time getting ready.

I had a hair trial back in December but by the time the day rolled around I decided to go in a completely different direction. I had always thought I would wear my hair up, not sure why, I just pictured a romantic, simple up do. At my trial the very patient stylist did 4 completely different looks in an attempt to find one I liked. None of them were how I envisioned myself on my day and I left feeling discouraged, confused and really disappointed. After some soul searching (a.k.a. mom and sister talked me off the ledge) I decided to wear my hair half up/half down instead (or "down up with something in it" as I used to refer to this style as a little girl). While I was a little nervous going in to the morning not knowing how my hair was going to look, I was so much happier when she was finished and I felt so much more like myself.

One by one hair was finished and makeup was touched up. The videograher and the photographer arrived and got right to work, we had lunch delivered to the room, and T.J. and I exchanged sweet letters through intermediaries. Then our amazing florist arrived with our beautiful bouquets which meant it was time to get into my dress. While my bridesmaids stayed in the main room to put on their gowns, my mom and sister and I went into the other bedroom. This is one of those moments I'd envisioned in my head for years. Nervously stepping into my dress, my mom and sister buttoning the corset, tying the bow of my sash, fixing my veil, us laughing and smiling together.  I got just that and more. 

I put on my new earrings, and sprayed my chosen wedding perfume, and then the paparazzi left us alone for a few minutes to ready the bridesmaids in the other room so they could capture their first look at me in my dress.  My mom shared about the little "episode" that transpired next. And she said it so beautifully in her words that all I'll add is that it was a near disaster turned beautiful mother/daughters/God moment, something that's not captured on camera but very much captured in memory.

From there we did the final sash check and veil fluff and that's when it felt like time started speeding up. All of sudden I realized it was time to leave the hotel and in barely one hour I would be at the back of the church. Here we go!