Our Wedding Ceremony

It's hard to think of the best part of my wedding day, but I think if I was forced  to pick I would choose our ceremony.

Our guests took trolleys from the resort to a small Pavilion off of the golf course on the property. We kept it simple inside the Pavilion with boxwood balls, hanging mason jars, and a 3 piece trio.

 

Once the guests were seated our wedding party walked out of the trolley to take their spots.

My mom and I really wanted to have my cousin Riley, my Aunt Peggy's son, to walk her down the aisle. It was a really special moment for our family, and especially my mom.

Apparently our flower girl and ring bearer dealt with a little stage fright, but after a few begs and pleads, they finally made it down. 

 

Once my handsome groom and beautiful wedding party were all set, my dad and I got the all clear that it was our time to make the grand entrance.

Both my Dad and I have very similar personalities and walking into a crowd of people doesn't typically make either one of us blink an eye. However, neither one of us were really prepared for the rush of emotions that comes over you when you walk into a room of everyone you love and their just beaming at you. 

 

The only time I thought I was going to lose it was right about the point this picture was taken. I think my Dad may have been in the same boat...

Luckily we both held it together and after a sweet "good luck" to Joel and I, we were on to the ceremony. 

Joel's cousin Corby is a Pastor in Tennessee and gave us the honor to marry us. We had worked with him throughout the past year in marriage counseling classes and since he has so much history with both Joel and I, our ceremony was hyper-personal, thoughtful, and so touching.

We had my Grandma and Uncle Tom read passages; 1 Corinthians 13 and an Irish Blessing, and Joel's Aunt sang Ave Maria.

  

I'm not sure I've ever felt more love than I did at that very moment, standing in front of my soon to be husband with our families and friends standing by and rooting us on. It's still remarkable to go back to that moment in time.

 

After we exchanged vows and rings, we had our first kiss as Husband and Wife.

  

My Dad is 100% Irish and as a surprise, his sister - my Aunt Candy - had organized to have an Irish Bag Piper walk Joel and I down the aisle.

His music matched our pure blissful excitement and it was the most beautiful way to end such a special ceremony.