Wedinated: Kim and Rob. Her Take.

We heard from Rob the other day about his and Kim’s traditional Catholic wedding with an Elvis DJ. And, now, since it’s their six-year anniversary, we’ll hear Kim’s take. I’ve emailed with Kim for quite some time now and I know how much she’s grown during their marriage. But there are a few things that haven’t changed: Her love for her family, her beliefs and her ever-evolving love for Rob.

Happy anniversary, you two. xoxo

Name: Kimberley

Age: Currently 27, but age 21 on wedding day

Occupation: Predominantly a housewife and stay at home mother to three children, but studying to become a high school teacher.

Wedding location: St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Subiaco, Western Australia
Reception at Observation City, Scarborough WA

Wedding Date: 18th December 2005

Length of engagement: 1 year (to the day)

Tell me about your wedding: We had a traditional Sunday Catholic mass complete with the Sunday readings. Initially when we were planning this we thought the gospel reading might have been the one where Joseph finds out Mary was pregnant and decides to call off the engagement, which we thought would be slightly ironic, but turns out they were different. We had standard Catholic vows that I was frantically practicing the morning of, as I knew Rob had already memorized his and I didn’t want to be the one who made a mistake! Our wedding mass was performed in a beautiful old church and many of our friends and family actively participated which we are eternally grateful for. We had two priests celebrate mass for us and were blessed
with a beautiful homily, as they knew us well.

We had friends and family ushering, reading, bringing up the gifts, photographing, videoing, alter serving, singing and as our pianist. One of my aunts made my veil and another two aunts made my jewelry; my tiara has now been converted into a bracelet, which I love; and we had friends help with hair, nails and makeup. A family friend made our cake and the flowers decorating it were made by my aunt in Trinidad and were posted over especially for us. We still have those flowers and they’ve adorned the baptismal cakes of our children. Another friend of ours put together our wedding booklets. And our bridal party was filled with family and friends. My youngest cousin was our flower girl and she actually wore my first communion dress on the day.
I loved my wedding dress and it made me feel like a princess for the day. It took four hoops to make it sit properly, and it was very hot under all that material on such a warm day, but I loved every minute in it.

What was your favorite part of your wedding? It’s so hard to sum it up into one little bit, but I think it would be completing our vows and receiving the Eucharist as husband and wife. Rob also organised to have the bells at the church rung as we walked out as they do in all those movies, which was a highlight for me. At our reception I was surprised to see an ice carving of two swans, which was my brother’s wedding present to us and another special memory.

What disasters did you avert … or not avert and how did you deal with it?
As Rob mentioned, the wedding photo location was left to chance, but we have beautiful wedding photos and were lucky enough to have them on the “big screen” at our reception later. I remember walking down the aisle and thinking Rob’s jacket was too big for him, but that wasn’t a disaster. I think the biggest thing was that it was just a really hot day, especially in the church, which was uncontrollable and something we weathered with lots of water. At the reception, I think some of our CDs got mixed up, and our after dinner dance music was put on prior to dinner. With my family, you can’t put dance music on and expect people to sit down, so my sister and brother got up onto the dance floor first, and we just HAD to follow (or at least I did, and dragged Rob along!). We had dancing before dinner, which although wasn’t planned, was great fun.

Was there anything you would have done differently, or do you have any regrets about how something went? No regrets. At the end of the day, some things don’t turn out exactly as you planned, but that’s life and no big deal.

What was your biggest challenge in planning? Trying to do it all whilst completing our final year of university together and writing my thesis for my honours program. I was in Melbourne the weekend before the wedding as part of my honours presentation and Rob was left to complete all the place cards by himself, though I must say he did a really good job.

What lessons did you learn from planning or from the wedding itself?
I think the most important lesson I took away from the process is that after it’s all said and done, a wedding is about two people and their family and friends coming together to celebrate their bond of love and all the trappings end up being far less significant although it’s easy to get caught up in them.

What was your biggest “holyamazeballzI’mfreakininlove!” moment? It would probably be having completed our vows and realizing we were husband and wife, no matter what.

What were your top 5 favorite things about your wedding?
1. My husband
2. Our family and friends that made the day so special and the outpouring of emotion that accompanies weddings.

Brotherly love.

3. The wedding bells
4. Our ice swans
5. My princess dress.
6. The dance floor

Top 5 least favorite?
1. Not getting to the dessert buffet! We’d gone outside for some sunset photos and all the profiteroles had disappeared by the time we got back (although I managed to steal one from my bridesmaid!)
2. The heat
3. It all being over so quickly

What was the worst piece of wedding advice you received?
We came back to our room to find some notes left on our bed by our helpful bridal party! We were asked a few times if we were sure, mainly due to our age.

The best?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

This was our wedding speech and I think it sums up everything one needs in marriage. We were also told that we would grow and learn together and find ourselves at a stage where we’d be able to understand one another with a shared glance across the room. We’re getting there!

If you’ve been married for more than a few years, what have been some challenges?
Having three children together, being a housewife, having a student for a husband, moving, living in a country town, more moving, studying myself, having a husband who works long hours, having children who miss their dad, having children who have personalities of their own to add to the mix, finding time to spend with on another and not taking the little things for granted. The list goes on. It’s challenging to make all the sacrifices that go along with marriage and family, but all of them are worth it.

What from your wedding vows/ceremony still holds the truest?
“I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

Any other bits of wisdom?
You know that “holyamazeballzI’mfreakininlove!” moment? I look back now after six years of marriage and marvel at how much our love has changed and grown. The love I had for Rob on our wedding day was miniscule compared to the love we share now, yet there we were vowing to spend our lives together. We’ve both grown and changed over the years and had to accommodate one another’s growth. I’ve learnt that the wedding day is just the first day of marriage and it’s the actions and decisions you make in those coming days, weeks, months and years that shape and strengthen your marriage. It’s not one “holyamazeballzI’mfreakininlove!” moment; it’s a multitude of moments that build on one another over the years.

With their youngest.

It’s been the look on Rob’s face at the birth of each of our children. It’s been my pride in him when he joined the Royal Australian Navy to serve his country and provide for our family. It’s watching him put the time and effort into becoming a medical practitioner and being able to celebrate these milestones with him. It’s watching our children grow into intelligent, strong-willed, creative individuals and knowing that we’ve done this together. It’s been weathering our challenges together and having our love mature over the years.

At our wedding.

I also think it’s vitally important to ensure you learn how to communicate effectively with one another. Not just talking about how your day was, but your hopes, dreams and aspirations. The difficulties you’re experiencing, the fears you have. You need to learn how to actively listen and respond to your spouse. Communication is key to marital happiness. I’d also suggest that you have “date nights” or something similar. Although the “romantic” love tends to fade over the years and mature into something much more significant, it’s important not to take one another for granted, particularly when children come along. Setting aside “date nights” helps to remind you of this.

Wedding photos: Paul Bui
Photo at our wedding: Persimmon Images
Others: Personal

Said.

For our ceremony, we decided we wanted a simple civil ceremony with certain twists that were just us. I contacted Dard Aller, who was the hotel-recommended officiant, to get his standard ceremony. I asked him if I could tweak it, which he consented to. Originally timed, it came out to 8 minutes. Apparently it lasted a bit longer than that. I have no clue what the final count was.

Greeting

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh,” he whispered.
“Yes, Piglet?”
“Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw, “I just wanted to be sure of you.”

Marriage is more than the joining in the bonds of matrimony of two persons. In its right relation, it is the uniting of two souls who are already attuned to each other. It is, as Pooh and Piglet point out, being truly sure of one another. When such a true bond already exists between two people, it’s fitting an outer acknowledgment be made. This acknowledgment is the prime object of this gathering and this ceremony.

We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship these two people… of you two beloved friends who are already close in spirit. Today, exactly three years after you first realized you shared a special bond, you are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person whom you love best. You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and the blessing of a deep trust. You’re agreeing to share strengths, responsibilities and love, and to always be sure of the other.

Leigh and Christen chose the location of Hawaii as a symbolism of compromise. Here they welcome their families and friends who’ve come from half a world apart to join them as they are united in this bond. Both believe compromise is one of many vital building blocks for a strong relationship, as it is the coming together of two entities which may start far apart and must communicate, trust and respect in order to grow together and meet in the middle. It is about equality and fairness, not tugging more one way or the other, but rather ending in a pleasing common ground.

Blessing

I would like to share with you a blessing for your marriage.
May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should. May life grant you also patience, tolerance and understanding.
May you always need one another… not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness.
May you want one another, but not out of lack.
May you entice one another, but not compel one another.
May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another.
May you succeed in all important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces.
Look for things to praise, often say, “I love you”, and take no notice of small faults.
May you have happiness and may you find it in making one another happy.
May you have love, and may you find it in loving one another.

Reading of “Litany” by Billy Collins

“You are the bread and the knife,
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the sun.
You are the white apron of the baker,
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
However, you are not the wind in the orchard,
the plums on the counter,
or the house of cards.
And you are certainly not the pine-scented air.
There is just no way that you are the pine-scented air.
It is possible that you are the fish under the bridge,
maybe even the pigeon on the general’s head,
but you are not even close
to being the field of cornflowers at dusk.
And a quick look in the mirror will show
that you are neither the boots in the corner
nor the boat asleep in its boathouse.
It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the sound of rain on the roof.
I also happen to be the shooting star,
the evening paper blowing down an alley
and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.
I am also the moon in the trees
and the blind woman’s tea cup.
But don’t worry, I’m not the bread and the knife.
You are still the bread and the knife.
You will always be the bread and the knife,
not to mention the crystal goblet and – somehow – the wine.”

In paying tribute to their love for one another,
Christen and Leigh have requested we
Recognize and honor those who are no longer with us in person
But grace us with their presence in spirit

We also honor those
Who are still refused the right to be wed
And are denied the social and legal benefits of marriage
While there have been great strides made
There is more to be done to reach the goal of true equality
And recognize the bond of love between any two people

As you soak in the serenity of the sea before you,
Please take a moment of silence for those we have recognized.

[Moment of silence]

Reading of Excerpt from “Still Life with Woodpecker.”

“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won’t adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words “make” and “stay” become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free.”

Consent

Leigh, do you give yourself totally to loving Bride, striving to do whatever you can to help her to feel happy and secure, treating her with kindness, understanding and respect for all the days before you?

Christen, do you give yourself totally to loving Groom, striving to do whatever you can to help him to feel happy and secure, treating him with kindness, understanding and respect for all the days before you?

Vows

Christen and Leigh read their own vows.

Leigh and Christen, nothing in life is easier than to say words, but nothing is harder than to actually live those words, day after day. What you decide here today, really needs to be reconfirmed tomorrow and the tomorrow after that, and an endless string of tomorrows after that. At the end of this ceremony in just a few moments, legally you will be husband and wife, but you still must decide every day that stretches before you, that you want to continue to grow in your marriage. Make such a decision and then keep on making it for when all is done at the periphery of life, the two things that matter the most are to love and to be loved.

Wine box:

Officiant says: “I’d like to draw your attention to the box in front Leigh and Christen. They have written letters to each other expressing their feelings as they begin their marriage. We will include these letters in the box along with a bottle of wine. Together we will seal this box, and on the happy occasion of their anniversary, they will open the box, read the letters, drink the wine, and add new letters to the box. As time passes the wine will age, like their relationship. But the box and its contents will represent the past, the present and the possibility of what lies ahead. As they go forth in their ever-evolving bond, they will have a chronicle of where they have been and the anticipation of where they are going. Each time they open the box, they will be in a new time and living new experiences, but they will continually be brought back to the essence of this day and the commitment they are making to each other.
Christen will you commit yourself to this undertaking?”
Me: “yes”
Officiant: “Leigh will you commit yourself to this undertaking?”
Him: “yes”
Officiant: “please seal the box together.”

Rings

May I have the rings, please.
These rings, by their circular shape are a symbol: they’re a symbol of the love that you feel in your hearts and that you give to each other this day, but they’re also a very important symbol of the unending love that will continue to exist in your lives and in your marriage, as evidenced by the phrase “Forever + Ever” which you have had stamped on them. And as you place this ring upon her finger repeat after me:

“Bride, with this ring, I commit myself to love and adore you forever and ever.”
“Groom, with this ring I commit myself to love and adore you forever and ever.”

Your two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Where ever you go, may you always return to one another in your togetherness. May you find in each other the love which all persons long for. May you grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home you enjoy together be such a place of sanctuary that many will find there a friend.

Pronunciation
Leigh and Christen, under the authority of the State of Hawaii, and in the name of love forever and ever, I do now pronounce you to be husband and wife.

Kiss
Would you like to seal your vows with a kiss?

Presentation
I now present to you Groom and Bride, husband and wife.

Recessional

Time.

No matter how much you plan and organize and delegate and reorganize and micromanage your wedding day, time is a squirrely little beast. Hell, not just the day. THE WHOLE PLANNING PROCESS.

I had ours worked out pretty well. I figured my hair and makeup would take a couple hours, max, and with the ceremony slated to start at 5:30, I thought 2 would be juuuust fine for Mara to show up and begin the process.

HA.

My hair and makeup took right up until 10 minutes before the ceremony was supposed to start. Apparently my hair refuses to cooperate, even when full of schlagoo to make it work. The finger waves I’d decided on for my bangs? Yeah, no. It took a good two hours of my hair in rollers, bobby pins, curling irons, etc., before we literally said “eff it and just make it not be in my face.” Seriously, I had such a minimal amount of time to get into my dress, much less take portraits with my side before the ceremony. However, Kat was able to get lots of great detail shots, since there are only so many photos you can get of curled hair.

And then!!! The ceremony was longer than I expected (I read it aloud and with Aussie no less than five times. Each time it took 15 minutes). And we were swept up with photos. And family.
Our 6:30 reception arrival? Try 7:15. It was still an effing blast, though. Impromptu karaoke, anyone?

Planning on planning your day is difficult. Working with your photographer is necessary. We lucked out in that we had Kat and Justin for a couple of days, so we got lots of nifty shots. But there were many I was a bit sad not to get. No matter, just poor planning on my behalf.

Morgan at Morgan Trinker Photography posted a fantastic guideline to planning your day. Really, seriously read it. And make sure that even if you think your photographer knows the key shots to get, you spell it out. Because, let’s face it, no one’s really a mind reader.

No one is saying you have to get up at 6:30 in the morning for a 5:30 p.m. ceremony, but give yourself a bit of wiggle room. We did a great outing in the morning with our friends and I was pretty good to go as far as getting ready by noon. But, my hair is a stubborn little bitch and hindered the progress. Which, honestly, I should have known.

Wedinated: Ruth and Nate. Fin.

Ok, here we go. The grand finale of Ruth and Nate’s awesome York, Australia, wedding. This is so sweet, and Duane Orriss of Orriss Films did such a lovely job. In my mind, he nailed it.

Wedinated: Ruth and Nate.

When I first saw Ruth and Nate’s wedding pictures, I had a bit of a swoon. AND THEN I WATCHED THEIR VIDEO. And read Ruth’s words (let’s face it folks, I love the visual). And it all ties together. Check out the groomsman in the cardigan. Yes. And the baby with the Chucks. AND SHE HAD BALLOONS. These guys did it green, did it familial and did it with Chucks. My words don’t do it justice. Also? She supplied me with so much and I can’t choose. So, here goes my first multi-post!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: Nate and Ruth Buma

Age: Nate, 28 and Ruth, 26

Occupation: Nate, Petroleum Engineer and Ruth, PA/HR/Church Volunteer

Wedding location: Uniting Church (Ceremony) and Laurelville Manor (Reception), York Western Australia

Wedding Date: 8 May 2011

Length of engagement: 4 months and a couple days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell me about your wedding: It was a family affair! My aunty did our hair, my sister made the wedding cake, Nate’s grandmother made my dress, our bridal party and “speech makers” mostly comprised of family, my mum did all the stationary, my sister-in-law took photos … so it was very family orientated!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent many moons on blogs getting ideas for the style, and Nate sourced EVERYTHING from far and wide.

We wanted it to be as organic and local as possible so we used the town and as many as the locals as we could which turned out to be amazing and really contributed to the country feel! The florist was local, as was the caterer, as was the kind man we hired the vintage car from. We used the heritage buildings and farmers fields to take photos … it was a really relaxed vibe. A few months back York had terrible storms and the ladies who run the Uniting Church, lost the roof to a building adjacent to the church that they use for teas and such things – we made a donation to their roof fund and they put a delicious afternoon tea on for us after our ceremony which was very sweet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While we were having photos taken, we had lawn bowls and cocktails (country style) back at our reception venue. That apparently (coz we were getting photos taken) was great idea! Good time, killer!

We wrote our own vows, which added a really personal and special touch to the ceremony!
It was just a really great experience for us! Relaxed and fun and a great reflection of us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was your favorite part of your wedding? I loved my dress. I loved the styling of our bridal party, with each person in their own interpretation of our colour scheme/ vibe that we wanted. I loved that it had so much of our nearest and dearest involved. I loved the country feel, and all the detail we had going on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What disasters did you avert … or not avert and how did you deal with it? We left our seating plan until about 3 hours before the event kicked off! In a hurry to get it done we left some really key people off the plan so when they got there, they didn’t see their names anywhere, which was rather unpleasant for them! HAHA! Luckily they are close enough friends to know that we wanted them there so they did not leave! EEEEK!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was there anything you would have done differently, or do you have any regrets about how something went? I would have had it on a day that suited my brothers better so they could have been there! But other than that, nope – it was a dream come true and I loved every moment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was your biggest challenge in planning? Sourcing the detail. I had got some really great ideas from different USA based wedding blogs and I found it really hard to get some of the things I wanted (eg glass drinking dispensers for the cocktails!)! It took a lot of energy, time and patience on Nates behalf!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What lessons did you learn from planning or from the wedding itself? That it takes time and patience to hunt down a bargain and that NOTHING is impossible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was your biggest “holyamazeballzI’mfreakininlove!” moment? We has spent ages trying to organize a vintage car, it didn’t make sense to get one to drive out from Perth, so after weeks of trying to organize something, Nate just packed the idea in, and we decided to go with the very non-vintage, community bus! When it came time for me and the girls to leave the Manor where we were getting ready, this insane, OLD SCHOOL, beautiful car pulled up! Nate had organized it in the last couple days and I had no idea! So I was so so so so thrilled!! YAY! I still love thinking back to that moment! Another real special moment was in that car, on the way, I was with my dad, and that was pretty memorable.

What were your top 5 favorite things about your wedding?
Nate’s vows
My sister’s brilliant effort with our 5 layered cake!
Loved my wedding dress – Grandma made my dream come true!
The styling (if we don’t say so ourselves!)
My cousin coming over from South Africa, my longest standing friend coming over from Adelaide and my grandmother coming over from East Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 5 least favorite?
It was a very stressful lead up. Nate and I had a very specific idea of what we wanted, and some things were a bit, non traditional, and we did get a bit of “abrasion” from the more formal family members – my least favourite thing was the stress of souring the detail.
Money issues are always not fun! And I am no budgeter so that was rather difficult! I was rattling off demands and wants and poor Nate was trying to manage the money side of things!
My younger brother ended up not being able to attend which was quite sad. He unexpectedly had to go overseas to an Olympic qualifier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What was the worst piece of wedding advice you received? A video is not needed! Thank goodness we did not listen to that! We did and here is the trailer – http://vimeo.com/24565354 (Eds. note: the full video will be in a later post. You know you want to keep watching.)

The best? A work mate said to me, that during the evening, Nate and I should go for a walk for about 5 mins, to a spot where we could see our wedding in front of us and just take a moment to breath and soak it up and acknowledge that this was our time. That was a great piece of advice and a memory I will always treasure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cake: Jo Pletts (Sister) from http://misscherrybird.blogspot.com

Stationary: Avrile Bird fromwww.starfishlane.com

Photographer: Louise Buma (Sister-in-Law) www.sunnyandscout.com.au

 

 

 

Wedinated: Rebecca and Evan.

Bec is an old friend of Aussie’s. When I snuck some looks at her pics, I knew that there was no way I could not not have her on here. They’re so pretty and vintage-y. Their day looked like a swoonable old-school love story. Just the kind that makes me go “d-awwwww.” Without further ado …

Name: Rebecca

Age: 27

Occupation: Marketing coordinator

Wedding location: The Belvoir

Wedding Date: 6th of March 2011

Length of engagement: 7 months

Tell me about your wedding: We had a traditional wedding, held outside in a garden. The vows were the old school promises (without obey 😉 ) with a lovely speech by the pastor about there being three people in our relationship – Evan, Me and God. After we exchanged the rings, our parents came up and prayed for us. It was short and sweet.

What was your favorite part of your wedding? I loved getting ready with the girls and my dad, and the little moments I had alone with my groom.

What disasters did you avert … or not avert and how did you deal with it? There were confusions over family photos so as a result some were missed. Also I had given the venue the name cards in order of where they were sitting, however they went by the order of the names on the seating chart list, and it was averted as a week earlier I had also sent an email with the order so they went back and changed it.

The bridesmaids dresses were not finished till 3 days before the wedding so that was a little stressful too. OH also the jeweler lost our ring order and we got them the Friday before the wedding hahaha!

Was there anything you would have done differently, or do you have any regrets about how something went? I was not too fussed on the details at the time as all I really cared about was marrying Evan, now I wish I had spent a little more time planning ( I was living overseas for the first 3 months of the engagement so I could not do much). I wish I didn’t worry so much about how much everyone else was enjoying themselves and enjoyed it more myself! But all in all it was a great afternoon / evening.

What was your biggest challenge in planning? Time.

What lessons did you learn from planning or from the wedding itself? Just go with the flow, know what you can compromise on and know what you definitely want.

What was your biggest “holyamazeballzI’mfreakininlove!” moment? How right it felt, I had no cold feet moments, no second guesses, me and Evan just make sense.

What were your top 5 favorite things about your wedding?
Marrying Evan
My dress
Walking down the Aisle
The people
Rings

Top 5 least favorite?
The stress on the day
Family Photo chaos
That’s all!

What was the worst piece of wedding advice you received? none

The best? Get a videographer because the day goes so fast!

What from your wedding vows/ceremony still holds the truest? Being there for each other no matter what.

Any other bits of wisdom? Get a videographer because the day goes so fast!
Relax and take it all in.
Also try not to put too much pressure on the day because in the end it is just one day of the rest of your life together.

Venue: The Belvoir Homestead

Photography: Wheatbelt Photography

Cake: Glory Box Wedding Cakes

Dresses: Cupids Bridal

Flowers: Devine Creations Jodee

The Art of Pinky Swears.

They’re awesome, and somehow, always do the trick. We pinky swear to resolve fights, keep promises and make decisions. So it was only natural to have a pinky in our wedding. We used it right after our vows and before the declaration. While it wasn’t spontaneous like the thumb war or the high-five, it was still one of the more fitting moves made during our ceremony. It was keeping with our own personal ritual whilst showing a very personal side of us to everyone.

It added an extra bit of zest to the verbal commitment we made. It’s as though by including the pinky swear, it became all-encompassing. A verbal and physical agreement. And that, for us, made it more personalized.

Also? This photo makes me smile.

It’s Here.

 
Today is the day. I know. What the hell am I doing on the Interwebz?!?

Truth be told, I’m waiting to get my hair and make up done. And you know what? I’m not nervous. I’ve loved him for a long time. Today is our three-year anniversary. It’s actually more of a relief that it’s finally here. It feels like I’ve been planning for two years … oh, wait. Ha.

In three hours we will make that final commitment to one another (all nicely nestled into an 8-minute ceremony). And then it’ll be done. And I can’t wait.

xo
 

Wedinated and Vegoosed: Myndi and Tim.

Name: Myndi Ruland

Age: 27

Occupation: Bookkeeper

Wedding location: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas

Wedding Date: May 10, 2010

Length of engagement: Slightly more than one year

Tell me about your wedding: The ceremony was intended to be as short as possible. Twas a civil ceremony, religious talk makes me feel a little uneasy … We made an attempt at writing our own vows and I wish that we would have gone through with it looking back. I chickened out as the day approached.

What was your favorite part of your wedding? Everything was my favorite part of my wedding! Everything! Every moment of the weekend leading up to it and the day itself was amazing. I had my favorite people in the world all in one place and all celebrating Tim and I getting married. Did I mention this all went down in Vegas? I love Las Vegas, the lights, the commotion, the endless nights … Las Vegas, all the people I love most in the world, and marrying my best friend, what could be better than that?

What disasters did you avert … or not avert and how did you deal with it? Eh. My divorced parents that have not spoken since my high school graduation were forced together for this blessed occasion. That was awkward to say the least. I dealt with it by pretending that it wasn’t an issue and refusing to let it get in the way of the wonderful things happening.

Was there anything you would have done differently, or do you have any regrets about how something went? I would have made the groomsmen take off their bowties before the wedding. When I first saw them I noticed they looked a little goofy and notice it more in the pictures. If that is the only regret that I have, I’d say it was a pretty successful wedding.

What was your biggest challenge in planning? Not being able to see the locations of the ceremony and reception before committing to them was a little difficult. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t have a clear idea of anything that was going to take place. I had to put my faith in a wedding planner that I had worked with via e-mail.

What lessons did you learn from planning or from the wedding itself? I learned to appreciate that special time, because it’s over and done before you know it. However once its all over with, if you did it right, there will be a loving marriage to be stoked on almost daily.

What was your biggest “holyamazeballzI’mfreakininlove!” moment? Those moments haven’t ceased to happen. My husband amazes me with his level head and caring heart. It’s usually during my darkest times that he really comes through and makes me realize how lucky I am and just how much I love him.
There was one incident on the day of our wedding that I just oozed with love for him. I had the world’s most epic blister on my heel (it landed me in the ER at one point) and I needed some serious epic blister supplies. My bridesmaids were all busy getting ready for the wedding, and I couldn’t find my mom. So, my groom ran all over Las Vegas, literally ran on foot, to gather the medical supplies I needed. It took him hours to find it all.

When he arrived back, we weren’t supposed to see each other. He gave the blister gear to a girlfriend and went to get ready himself. When I saw how much effort he put in, and the selection of band aids, gels, pads, and other misc. materials I was so touched and impressed. A few hours later I couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle wearing an invisible blister band aid and marry that man. He was my knight that found a Walgreens.

What were your top 5 favorite things about your wedding?
1.) Seeing Tim as I walked down the isle
2.) The people that were in attendance
3.) The city of Las Vegas
4.) My red shoes (both the heels and the Chuck Ts)
5.) Dancing the night away to Lady Gaga and Beyonce

Top 5 least favorite?
1.) The world’s most epic blister on my heal
2.) The wind blowing at the ceremony
3.) When the weekend was over, having to say goodbye to everyone
4.)
5.)

What was the worst piece of wedding advice you received? I’m not sure that I received any “bad” advice about marriage… It all seemed pretty valid to me.

The best? The best was from my dad. He knows what a hot-head I can be and gave me advice for when I get pissed, “Don’t say things you don’t mean or will regret. Your words can leave scars on each other. Don’t have arguments that will leave scars, because you’ll regret it.” This is the advice that I have used on several occasions…

If you’ve been married for more than a few years, what have been some challenges? I have been married for barely over a year but have sure as hell become acquainted with challenges. We decided to try DIY home improvements on our house. I have high standards. He is not necessarily what they call handy. Many heated discussions have taken place as a result. As we continue to work on the house, I just try to remember that every project we have finished has turned out just fine … but I can’t help think that if I hadn’t bitched during the process that they wouldn’t have turned out as well.

What from your wedding vows/ceremony still holds the truest? The for richer or poorer part…

Any other bits of wisdom? Don’t rush it. Patience is key. When the going gets tough remember the reasons that you married the dude to begin with. Don’t be blind to your own faults. Laugh together every day.

 

Venue: Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas.

Photography: Caesar’s Palace Photography by Imagine Studios.

Like a Sack of Bricks.

Is how I’m sure the whole “bride” feeling is going to hit me. But, um … it hasn’t yet.

I suppose nearly two years of planning and other life BS tend to dilute the overall brideliness of it, but … yeah. No.

I’ve put on my outfit a few times. I wrote the ceremony. I have paid out the ass for um … everything.

But I really just don’t feel

Pachelbel's canon? No.

But … eff it. I’m going to Hawaii. It’ll come, but knowing me, it’ll be as I’m saying my vows and I get uber flustered … hey, at least everyone will end up laughing.

And no … I still won’t blush. Don’t get your hopes up.