Oh, there's so much to tell. There was so much leading up to the wedding, so much that happened the day of and the two days prior, and there's so much to share about it afterwards. However, I'm trying to find that happy place between all of the excitement and all of the exhaustion.
I want to share it all, but I think it will take many posts. Do I start from the beginning? I think I'll start from the end.
Today. I'm so very happy. It feels so right to call him my husband, and to hear him call me his wife. It feels so right to change all of my account names to my new name. Mrs. Brooks. It seems so right to see my beautiful ring back on my finger with a band attached, and to see the handsome ring on his.
I have seen very few photos of our wedding day yet, only the few that have been posted on social media sites, and I am so anxious to see the rest!
Yesterday, I fell asleep at work. We didn't take off any days from work after the wedding because we wanted to save our vacation days for a delayed honeymoon in August. Needless to say, getting up Monday for work was a bit torturous. I haven't felt this exhausted since, I don't know when. Then, after work, we ate Mexican for dinner for the first time as husband and wife, and that felt just right.
Sunday - the day after the wedding, we were able to sleep in at the hotel until 10:00! We then joined my family for breakfast before heading home, unloading vehicles with countless wedding items, opening gifts, napping, picking up the wedding site, eating leftovers from the rehearsal dinner, and finally, crashing in bed at night.
Saturday, our wedding day, was perfect. Some may not call it perfect because it rained. It poured on the day we were to have an outdoor wedding. There were chances of possibly strong thunderstorms at 3:00, the wedding was to start at 4:30. The thunder came rolling, and the rain came pouring down, at about 2:30.
My dad had to quickly load up the sound equipment, the Guest Book, Programs, and Paper Fans. Keane and I had to discuss our "back-up" plan. We decided to let all of the guests arrive (even if they sat in their vehicles) until 4:45, and if the rain did not let up, we would then tell our guests to head to the reception hall, where we would have our ceremony there.
Luckily, that didn't have to happen. At about 3:30, the rain let up. The guys were able to take some photos outside, and then they went to the wedding site while the girls took some photos. We had previously taken some photos on the deck in between prior rain showers.
The guests started heading by the house, on their way to the lake, where the wedding was to be held in a short amount of time. I hid in a car, hoping not to be seen, sat, and waited until it was close to 4:30...wedding time.
It was perfect. It was perfect because it wasn't raining, and all the guests had still shown up, granted their feet got muddy or their hair got moist, they were there.
My beautiful bridesmaids, our flower girl, and I got out of our two vehicles, hid behind the "pipe and drape" system that we had set up to stand behind, while one of our photographers held down the curtains so the wind wouldn't expose me, and we took our turns walking up the aisle, like we had so quickly practiced the evening before.
First went my mom, to be walked to the front by my little brother. We waited for the music to change. When it did, Karla left from behind the curtain, then it was Lindsay's turn. I was getting so nervous. The photographer and my dad were discussing whether the "pipe and drape" was too close to Kelli's SUV in chance of it falling. My dad offered to move the vehicle, but I couldn't have him leave my side. It was almost our turn to walk up the aisle, and I needed him there beside me. Then it was Kimberly's turn. She left, and soon after Kylie took her turn walking toward the wedding ceremony. This left the flower girl and ring bearer, and it left my father and I. Keane's sister, Kelli, was there to help guide Rylee and McCoy when it was their turn. Keane's sister, Kim, was there holding the back of my dress up so that it wouldn't rip on the rough terrain. She was to lay it out flat when we reached the shorter grass.
My nephew, who so hesitantly (and while crying hysterically) walked with Rylee during rehearsal, said, "The wedding starting?" When he was handed my Aunt Rhonda's Bible, he said it was too big. But Kelli helped him tuck it under his arm, I reminded Rylee that if she got the chance, she could drop some flower petals along the aisle, and off they went. So perfectly.
It was our turn. We waited for what seemed like 0.0004 seconds, and when the rest of the wedding party had taken their places, the music changed to Trace Bundy's guitar version of Pachelbel's Canon. At the first beat, I took my first step. The photographer reminded me that they will wait for me...to take my time. I think I did. We took off. My dad said that he only gets to do this twice in his life, and this was his second, and last, time.
We walked toward my groom. I watched for the short grass, and when I reached it, I stood and looked around at all the guests standing for me. It was so sweet. When Kim told me I was ready to go, we took off again. I looked for my groom. I spotted him. I watched him and I walked, and my eyes darted around a little, but I was focused on Keane, and I was anxious to get to him.
The ground was soft from all of the rain. My heels were sinking into the ground slightly, and did especially later as I stood in one spot. My father and I approached the officiant, my cousin, Jeff. He said a welcome, and asked who gives me away. My father said, "Her mother and I." We eyeballed for Keane to take his place, where my dad would give me away. He gave me a kiss on the cheek, and handed my hand to Keane.
I had shortened the ceremony after rehearsal, because it seemed entirely too long, and I was pleased with how it turned out. We had planned to release doves during the ceremony (pure white homing pigeons that my aunt and uncle have raised), but shortly before the wedding, Lindsay spoke to her parents on the phone who were hesitant about bringing the doves as they cannot find their way home in the rain. As we stood at the alter, I remembered the doves. I quietly asked Keane, "Are there doves?" He smiled and said yes.
We both said, "I do." We repeated our vows. I said a special vow to Kaden and Kylie (without losing my place like I so terribly did at rehearsal):
Just like you have shared your wonderful father with me, I will share the love I feel for him with you. I promise to be fair and to be honest, to be available for you as I am for him, and to continue to earn your love, respect, and true friendship. I will not make attempt to replace anyone, but instead make a place in your hearts that is for me. I will be a mother and a friend, and I will cherish my life with all of you. On this day, when I marry your dad, I promise to love and support you as my own.
Kaden handed my ring to Keane, and Keane put it on my finger. Kylie handed Keane's ring to me, and I put it on Keane's finger.
Lindsay sang Norah Jones' version of Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender so beautifully. Keane's father later told her that Elvis would have been proud. Keane and I poured white and brown sand into a beautiful hourglass that I splurged on because I wanted it so badly for us to keep in our home forever.
We released the doves, who flew right over our guests' heads, up into the air, only to come back in a big circle around the wedding, getting the location sorted out so they could head back to their home. We were pronounced husband and wife, Keane kissed his bride, and we walked back up the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. Keane Brooks. Keane and I then released each guests, row by row, as our receiving line.
That is how our wedding went. So perfectly and so beautifully. I will expand more on the events leading up to the wedding. I will share the items I purchased for the wedding, and recommendations and suggestions I have for wedding planning. I will share many photos and my wonderful feelings of all of the above and much, much more.
Until next time...
Mrs. Brooks
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