Show Us Your LIFE: Wedding Flowers

Okay, so now the flowers and ceremony details. I've always wanted a winter wedding. There was just something about summertime that made me think sweat, mosquitos, not-fun bridal portraits because of the two previously mentioned things and I just love Christmastime. Especially in my hometown church. The sanctuary is absolutely beautiful with the poinsettias and I knew I wanted those incorporated. Since they are already ordered and at the church (no telling how many my dad actually purchased this year!), all I really needed to add were candles, pew markers and outdoor stuff.



So just to set the tone for the sanctuary:







I don't have a good picture of the pew markers or outdoor decor, so we'll move on to bouquets.


Mine was a hand-tied mixture of flower types (all white/cream) with lots of greenery and a touch of green hypericum berries






The bridesmaids bouquets were very similar to mine, only smaller and with red hypericum berries instead of green. Instead of wearing corsages, my mom and mother-in-law carried tussie mussies which were identical to the bridesmaids only MUCH smaller (no picture).





The guys' boutennieres were just bunches of berries (Brad with green, everyone else with red to resemble me and the ladies) backed by a Magnolia leaf. And that's my really cute, really nice, really smart, very single brother, Matt. ;)

Okay, the ceremony. My only wish for the ceremony was that it be completely sacred. I didn't want any young children in the wedding because as cute as they can be, sometimes they aren't that well-behaved and I didn't want any distractions. You only get married once in your life and it's a lifelong covenant. Serious at the ceremony. Party at the reception. Oh yeah, and I wanted it short and sweet ;)

As far as music goes, I asked the pianist to play various hymns as the prelude and really only had requests for a couple. We had the grandmother seated beforehand and the parents were seated to "In This Very Room", sung by my childhood (he's still there after 20+ years!) music minister. "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us" was played as the men entered the sanctuary. "Prelude in C" accompanied the bridesmaids down then aisle and I entered to the traditional "Bridal March" on organ. During the unity candle lighting, my brother and bridesmaid Miranda sang Watermark's "Captivate Us" with a friend playing guitar. I cried through the whole thing because their two voices blended so well. We exited to "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)".

We had two officiants because while he is no longer pastoring churches, I wanted my childhood minister and very good family friend (and former neighbor) to be a part of the wedding. He said a few remarks about the Scripture read and told a great story about the day I was born. The current pastor of the church did the remainder of the service.

That whole day went incredibly smoothly and incredibly FAST! I love, love, love looking at my pictures over and over again because there are so many things I remember, but don't necessarily remember well. But I know it was an AWESOME day!

Can't wait to share about the reception!