Our wedding day is HERE! We set the alarm so we could meet my MIL at 9:15 am. We grabbed coffee and juice then headed to the town clerks office where we would swear in. Just the three of us went, it was a short walk. The clerk's office had the paperwork printed and ready for us to look over. We had faxed our application in earlier in the week to expedite the process. We both raised our right hand, signed the certificate, and paid our $30. Voila! We were married...ALMOST! The town clerk (super nice guy) gave us the certificate to give to our justice of the peace (JOP). We headed back to the hotel to get ready. We had a few minutes before we needed to start our showers so we sat in the lobby with my MIL and chatted a few minutes. While we were sitting there, our FLOWERS arrived. They were stunning!! My bouquet was an arrangement of mango colored mini calla lilies wrapped in burgundy silk and pins that matched. My MIL had a white calla lily nosegay wrapped in ivory silk and pins that matched, and then my girl had a mango
orange corsage with subtle greenery and a couple stephanotis flowers in front.
Around 10:30 we headed to our room. It was HOT in there, and the air conditioner did not seem to be working. My girl went to the hotel desk and asked if we could get ready in a room where the A/C worked. They kindly gave her a room key to a room across the hall, and beside my MIL and aunt/cousin. We grabbed our goods and commenced to getting ready. We initially wanted to get ready in separate rooms, but that didn't work out, which was fine. I played music while we got ready--Amy MacDonald, one of our
favorite artists.
First was makeup. A friend had bought me all the MAC makeup I would need, and gave me a full set of Trish McEvoy brushes. I may be tooting my my own but I thought my makeup looked damn good. Later in the day our photographer even asked if I had it professionally done. That made me feel SO good, as she sees brides on a weekly basis! It took awhile to get my hair extensions in. I called my MIL in to help me...she was supposed to have watched my stylist at the Aveda salon but I could tell she wasn't really paying attention. Next we called in my girl's aunt...she has an eleven year old girl so surely she can help do hair, right? Well, between the three of us, we got it in, and secured. I thought it looked great!
We took the hotel shuttle to the south train station where we met our photographer for pre-wedding photos. We had overcast skies, which our photographer said was synonymous with God smiling down on us, from her perspective. We stayed there for about an hour and a half shooting pictures. The forecast for the day was 80% chance of rain and storms. So far, not a drop all day...until we were wrapping up the photo shoot at the train station and the bottom fell out. It was okay because we went inside and took some photos next to a pedestal clock. I can't wait to see those photos!!
Kelly offered to let us ride in her car from the train station to the estate mansion. Our three guests caught a cab ride over. When we arrived it was raining. The AARP meeting was finishing up but the ladies were so enamoured with us they were chit chatting with each of us about our wedding. One lady offered to let us borrow some large umbrellas she had in her car. We took her up on that!! I went inside the mansion to see if I could see any covered areas in the back where we could get married. We had made a verbal agreement
with the parks and rec department to only be outside, and I wanted to keep my promise. I could see the tea room out the side window that I had been told about. It was PERFECT.
My girl and I began walking down the rock walkway towards the tea room and I heard footsteps behind us. I asked my girl if someone was following us and she turned around to see a strange man. My girl said "Are you the JOP?" He said he was and gave each of us a hug and kiss. We stood under the umbrella talking for a few minutes then we proceeded down to the tea room and stood under the covered porch. Our three guests were scrambling to get their purses and goods off the porch (pictures were going to be made) but they wanted to keep them dry. After a few minutes, and us ready to begin...the JOP asked the peanut gallery to join us. My girls cousin started playing the wedding march on her ipod (how cute!) and we began our ceremony. We had put our vows together by piecing several of JOP's suggestions together. Then we each had written our own vows to each other. This is where I began to cry...and had to fight back the tears. The
words she spoke to me touched my heart. I had not expected to cry, or be emotional, but making such a huge commitment to one another, and pouring our life and soul out in a few short moments, I couldn't hold back the water works just a bit.
We finished the ceremony and Kelly took more photos of us at the mansion. So many shots and poses!! After about another hour of pics, Kelly took us to the town hall (our guests called for the hotel shuttle to pick them up), where we picked up our marriage license and got a few more pictures. When we were walking outside the sun popped out and we saw a gorgeous row of cherry blossom trees where Kelly thought we could get some wonderful shots. There were also some magnolias in full bloom, and these turned out to be awesome pictures from what we have seen so far. I got my dress and shoes SO dirty here, but the pictures were worth it. From there we went downtown and had more shots in front of some of the cute shops and streets. I took my shoes off for all of these photos, I couldn't take it any longer!! We finished up around 5 pm and Kelly took us back to our hotel...but not before noticing she had a parking ticket!!
Oops!!
Once back at the hotel we packed our belongings and talked about having a drink in the hotel lobby but realized there was no time, as we had to catch the train back to the big city. My MIL had rented a car by this time and took us to the train station. We were starving (hadn't eaten ALL day) so we stopped at a drug store and got chips and drinks for the train ride. Our family took us to the east train station where we gave both of them thank-you cards. My MIL talked to my wife for awhile, in private, and said some meaningful words to her. We finally caught the train and enjoyed our hour long ride, in daylight hours, back to Grand Central...MARRIED.
So far...it's been a perfect day.
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