Professional Photos

Picking a photographer for the wedding was something I was very nervous about because I had such high expectations for them. The pictures are the one thing that you have to take with you when the night is over, and I wanted them to be perfect. I actually had nightmares before the wedding of a photographer showing up, taking pictures all night, and then realizing that there was no memory card in the camera. We eventually chose Kristen Joy Photography, someone that I have known and played soccer with since I was younger. I completely trusted her to capture our night, and she delivered perfectly. See some of her amazing work by visiting her website HERE.

Cost of a stamp is 44 cents.

Here it is...

Rock. Solid. PROOF.
So what if it is January 8. My official timekeeping record book, the iPhone, says this picture was taken on August 18, 2010. Seven weeks and 4 days before the big day... And all you fools were worried they wouldn't make it out in time.

Seven years in the making.

So what that it has been 3 months since our wedding and I am just now getting around to blogging about it. In my defense, my holidays were busy. I am mostly writing this because I hope my blog serves as scrapbook of wedding memories and I thought it would be a great way to document some of the important details. CAUTION: PHOTO OVERLOAD!!!

When I started planning the wedding it seemed like the date was so far away, and, in the last few months it was like I didn't have enough time to get everything done. So is life, I guess. But when the day finally came, it was everything I wished it would have been and more. Everything turned out perfectly and I can honestly say that I would only change one thing, to have it last longer. It almost seems like a blur now, and I am so thankful for all the pictures that were taken and the video that my uncle took of the night.

My sisters and I spent the night at the Green Valley Ranch hotel the night before, and then got ready in the suite the day of the wedding. I was surprised to wake up in the morning to flowers and Starbucks from my boy, before we set off to get our make-up done. When we got back to the hotel, my personal magician Kayla and her wonderful assistant Brittany got to work transforming this pauper to a princess. Took lots of pixie dust... It was so nice to have all of my girls around me as I got ready for the big day.

Yes, a hair train. The wonderful B. Harp fixing Kayla, and Kayla fixing Sadie, the flower princess, while she enjoys a manicure.

Then we headed over to the Legacy Golf Course for a beautiful sunset ceremony on the front lawn. We were lucky enough to have about 120 of our closest family and friends present to witness Harv and I exchange vows in a ceremony that honored both of our families and our heritage. After the wedding party walked down the aisle, followed by our ring bearer and flower girl, I was escorted by my Daddy to an instrumental version of "Kiss the Girl" from the Little Mermaid. Didn't think I would do something traditional now, would ya? Harvey's step mom sang us a beautiful love song as the ceremony started, something that she has done for all her sons' weddings. It truly was a ceremony that fit us, and it was a wonderful way to start the night.

My lovely ladies in the hooker heels of their own choosing. Mix 4 inch stilettos and fresh cut golf green and what might you get, wobbly sinking ankles. Shoulda worn Chucks.

Mazel Tov! After the ceremony, everyone was invited inside for appetizers and drinks while the bridal party and families took pictures outside. Once everyone was inside, dinner was served and the party got started. Between all the formalities of cake cutting, first dances, and speeches, the night seemed to fly by.

As guests entered the reception, they lent their fingerprint in their choice shade of green and placed it on our "guestbook" platter. The green fingerprints acted as the leaves to a tree with two tiny owls perched in the branches...



We were lucky enough to have four very important people in our lives give speeches at the reception. Matt, the best man, gave a nice speech reminiscing back to the high school days, then Kayla, the maid of honor, about how lucky we were to finally have a brother. Up to the mike next was Matt's dad, our high school principal who was able to give an impromptu but interesting perspective on our relationship. Rounding out the line-up was little Steven, Harvey's nephew, who added the "I love my uncle and my new aunt." We were so touched to have such amazing people toast our relationship and say such wonderful things about us. We truly are blessed.





After a fabulous dinner, it was dancing time! This was the one part of the night that I was not looking forward to. If you know anything about me, it's that I hate to dance, especially SLOW! I think its extremely awkward, especially at wedding where everyone is focusing solely on you! If I could have gotten out of it I would have, but Harv being the romantic he is, insisted we did. And since I refused to slow dance with him at our Senior prom and he reminds me of it all the time, I figured I owed it to him. Anyways, after talking Harvey out of his numerous first dance song choices, we finally decided on the Lee DeWyze version of Still the One. It fit us perfectly. Once I heard the first notes of the song, I knew we had made the right choice. And I'm so glad we danced... Yes, we just swayed the whole time. But just being in his arms, my new husband and I, time could have stood still. It didn't matter who was watching or who chose to finish their dinner. It didn't matter that my bustle broke and I was stomping all over my train. He couldn't take his eyes of mine, and all I could do was stare into his piercing greens and read his mind like a New York Times bestseller. I wished it wouldn't end...



Then came the father daughter dance. I had suggested enough songs to count on two hands, all to the disapproval of Dad. He didn't want country, and I refused to dance to She's a Brick, HOoooooUSE. However, I trusted his judgement and wanted him to pick a song that he felt was right. This was something that was emotional for the both of us and I knew that I would trust him to make the decision. When it was showtime, the music started. Wouldn't you guess...

She's a Brick badadunda HouuuuSE dadundaa....

But when the joke was finally over, the song he picked was perfect. My Little Girl by Steve Kirwan. Haven't heard it, give it a listen. That Daddy of mine, I'm telling ya. He is something else. I don't know what I ever did to deserve such an amazing father, someone that has always supported me in everything I have done and has ALWAYS been there for me whenever I needed him. Our dance was a bittersweet moment, I couldn't even look at him because I knew I would lose it. So I tucked my head onto his shoulder and stayed there the entire three minutes and six seconds. I secretly think he was happy I did that, or we would have both been a mess...

Then came the most tear-jerking moment of the night. Harvey lost his mother 13 years ago to an unforeseeable tragedy. However, if fortunate is even a word you can use in a situation like this, Harvey was fortunate enough to have a wonderful step-mother that has been an important part of his life since he was young, Carol. Because of his unique situation, Harvey and I both felt it was necessary to honor both women as part of his mother-son dance. Harvey's grandmother had a video of a dance from Harvey's mom's wedding in which she danced with Harvey when he was about 5. It was a very touching video that we knew we needed to incorporate into the occasion. The dance was such a touching moment, I'm not quite sure there was a dry eye in the place. Harvey briefly explained that he was fortunate enough to have two mothers that care so much about him and that they BOTH mean so much to him. As soon as he was done talking, a song that Carol had beautifully recorded started playing at the same time his Mother's video played on the screen. Halfway through the song, Harvey's Bubbe' joined them on the dance floor as emotions ran rapid. Words just can't explain.

Time to lighten the mood a little. Next up, a little garter/ bouquet toss. First, Harvey had to come get it. I'm surprised he actually came out of his shell and did what the DJ had told him to do, lap dance and all!



We did my bouquet toss first. All the singles ladies to the dance floor please... After a lttle spin, I let that baby fly... And who comes up with it?



Then the garter toss. Same thing, all the single guys. A little spin. And let it sail. However, this one was more of a fight.



Kara, my little sister ended up getting the bouquet. Tony, my best friend Liz's boyfriend, caught the garter. He seems like he really wanted it too... You know what that means right Trone?


Krista, another one of my little sisters, was not the happiest person when we decided to have the wedding on 10.10.10. See, October 10 is Krista's birthday, and the thought of sharing her birthday with our anniversary for the rest of her life was not something that she was enthuastic about. Alas, we did it anyways, so we thought the least we could do was sing her Happy Birthday and let her have a piece of the spotlight on her birthday. So right before we cut our cake, we brought out a birthday cake and the entire room sang to her. Now as some of you may know, Krista is quite the "dancer". Her claim to fame at that time was the Dougie. So when we were done singing, the DJ played her song and she led the crowd in a little birthday Dougie... I think she was surprised we did that for her, and it made her not so bitter about us stealing her day.



After Krista's 15 seconds of fame, it was time for us to cut our cake. Harvey was under strict orders to, under no circumstances, smush cake in my face. And he knows better than to make my claws come out, especially on our wedding day. We had decided to serve cupcakes and just order a small cake for us to cut into ourselves. It is also tradition as part of my mom's side of the family to serve cookies along with the cake. My grandma baked DOZENS and DOZENS of cookies in the weeks prior to the wedding and froze them so we would have enough to serve to everyone. We actually ended up having lots of leftovers, which was nice. We enjoyed them when we got home from Hawaii.




That was the last "scheduled" event of the night. After cutting and serving cake, people had started dwindling out. The ones that left continued to dance and have a good time, until the bar eventually closed and they were basically kicking us out. There are a few more random pictures from the night that I will post, just some more of my favorites...








My Godmother and my "something borrowed". Long story short, my dad bought me antique jewelry about 9 months before the wedding. It got put in such a safe place, somewhere we wouldn't lose it before the wedding. Well, we hid it so well, we couldn't find it. And at the eleventh hour, my Aunt Tee Tee came through with some beautiful necklaces for me to choose from. I was so honored to wear such an elegant diamond necklace from a woman that I love so much.



In February of 2010, my grandpa suffered a medical emergency and was on life support for 23 days. It was something that we were not sure that he would ever come out of, but miraculously he did. Having him be physically present at our wedding is something that Harvey and I wanted very very much, and I believe he did too. Pap has been very weak since everything happened, but he was adamant that he was going to dance with me at my wedding. And boy, did he dance. Three separate times, we helped him out of his wheelchair so that he could dance with me. It was three of the most special moments of the night.

October 10, 2010 was a night that I will never forget. Details will fade away, but it will forever remain the night that I was lucky enough to marry my best friend. That night marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship, for better or worse, and I am so proud to finally call Harvey my husband.