Wedding -- Installment Two
Brandy, my mom and I were on our way to the church in the Cadillac, running behind everyone else and hurrying to catch up. I was excited to finally be on our way, to finally be getting to the point of 'it's happening,' to finally be able to see Andy soon. But I was also nervous. I hate running late. As we neared the church I called Andy on his cell phone to see where he was in the building so that we could avoid him. He and his groomsmen and the photographer were up in the balcony in the sanctuary, so I could easily get in the church without him seeing me.
Excited!
Everything at the church before the ceremony happened in a whirlwind. I arrived only half an hour before the ceremony was to start so I didn't have long to get ready. My dress and all of the flowers were waiting for me when I arrived. Upstairs (I found this out later), Pastor Marty clued Andy and the groomsmen into the fact that the pew bows had not yet been tied on and the bouts and corsages had not yet been handed out. The groomsmen quickly went to work tying on pew bows and handing out flowers. I believe that everyone who was supposed to got their flowers but we did end up having some left over for some reason... I don't know whose they were. I know that one was Jeff's bout. (Jeff called me that morning to tell me that he was on his way home for the wedding from National Guard. He had training that weekend. He said he was driving as fast as he could but that he didn't think that he was going to make it in time to serve as an usher. And he was right. He didn't make it in time to serve as an usher, so his flowers sat in the box. He never did get them, so in all the pictures our other brothers have their bouts on but Jeff doesn't. Oh well, I guess. Jeff ended up arriving towards the last half of the ceremony. He did everything he could to get there on time but just didn't make it. I feel bad for him. I'm sad that he wasn't there for the whole thing but I feel worse for him because I know he tried very hard and still didn't get there on time and I think he feels badly about that. He was there for some of the ceremony though and he got to see us pronounced man and wife, so that's good. A sad situation but I am glad that he got to be there with us for most of the day.) Andy and the groomsmen had also forgotten Paige's flowergirl bouquet of wooden roses at the house that morning, so Alan had to be a hero and run and get them right before the ceremony. At least, I think it was Alan that ran to retrieve them.
I had asked my bridesmaids which of them would be willing to take Andy's wedding day gift to him before the wedding and his sister asked if she could be the one to do it. Once Cindy was ready I sent her on her way, carrying Andy's wedding day gift from me to him. Shortly after that Adam arrived downstairs, where the girls were getting ready, with Andy's gift to me. I wish we had had more time to actually read each other's cards and marvel over what we were given. As it was, we were forced to rush through opening the gifts so that we could get married. We both read quickly through the sweet sentiments we had written to each other. Andy's letter to me brought tears to my eyes. The sweetness and love in it were overwhelming and I was just so happy for everything. I opened the box that was with his wonderful letter and inside was a beautiful necklace (one that I had actually admired a month or more before!). The sterling silver necklace is a simple hollow heart pendant suspended by several strands on chain on either side. He had the back engraved with my name and three small stars/dots. The dots have a special meaning to us. When we are in a place where we should remain quite or when we silently want to each other I love you, we tap the other three times. I (tap) love (tap) you (tap). I absolutely love the necklace. I wear it all the time now. I called Andy after I opened the gift to thank him and tell him that I loved him. He was opening his gift as I called so after a few words, I suddenly hear him yell, "YOU GOT ME A PSP!?!" He was pretty excited. Unfortunately in all the rush and excitement, Andy missed the instructions on the card (he was supposed to open his gifts in a specific order... I'm pretty sure that didn't happen... haha) and he missed the engraving on the back of the PSP. But he got to reread the card and explore all the details of his gift on the way to the reception, so it was no big deal at all. I was just happy that he was happy. I felt like we were both just overflowing with love and joy. Ready to burst with it.
The necklace.
I quickly, with the help of my bridesmaids, got dressed and ready to walk down the aisle. Jim Smith came downstairs to snap a couple photos and to let me know he was ready. Just as I was finishing getting ready, my dad and Terrie came downstairs to see me before the ceremony. Dad's eyes filled with tears and he got all choked up when he saw me standing there in my dress and veil. I talked with him for a few minutes and we took a couple pictures together. I'm glad I got to see all of my parents before the ceremony.
Getting the dress out for me.
Zipping me in.
How's my veil look?
Getting the shoes on... this was not easy!
Putting my garter on.
All ready.
I don't know what this face is about but it's funny.
My dad and I.
Let's do this!
Then it was time! Guests were there. The pianist was playing. Andy and the groomsmen were waiting in the choir loft and my bridesmaids, the parents and I were waiting outside the sanctuary. There was a ripple of excitement and nerves running through all of us standing back there and then... it was time. The pianist started Gentle Earth and Sky and Cody escorted Traci in the absence of Andy's dad. Dad escorted Terrie. Both Traci and Terrie laid a single rose on the altar in front of the wedding candle and then took their seats. Chris escorted Andy's mom and Budd escorted mom. And each of them lit one of the tapers to either side of the wedding candle, Andy's mom lighting the taper on his side and my mom lighting the taper on mine. They then took their seats, except Budd, who made his way to the back of the sanctuary so that he could escort me through the doors and partway down the aisle. By this point I was so excited that I could barely stand still. I just wanted to see Andy. To be with him. I couldn't wait. When Budd took my arm, he asked if he could kiss me on the cheek before he handed me over to my dad. He had tears in his eyes. I told him of course. Seek Ye First started and Cindy guided Paige down the aisle. Lizi followed. Then Brandy and Miriam. And finally Bethanne. I waited, nerves jumping and heart racing in excitement, for Canon in D to start. The silence between songs seemed to stretch on. (And not just to me. Andy later told me that as he was standing up there, he was just waiting for me, wanting to see me, and it seemed to him to take forever for my entrance music to start. All he wanted was to finally see me and once the music did start, we walked through the doors and he caught a glimpse of me. But it was just a momentary glimpse because then all of our guests stood, completely blocking his view. He said he wanted to yell at them all to sit down. He couldn't see me the entire way down the aisle. He had to wait until we were at the very end to see me again.)
Canon in D began and Budd and I entered. Budd was the one to make sure that we went at a slow and steady pace, otherwise I would have nearly run down the aisle. We stopped briefly at the beginning of the aisle so that Pastor Marty's wife could arrange my train and then we continued on our way. As we entered, my dad rose and he met us partway down the aisle. Before taking his arm, I leaned a little towards Budd and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. I probably looked a little silly, leaning in like that as if asking for a kiss. I should have given him a kiss back but I was just so focused on moving forward and being up there with Andy that I didn't think of it at the time. I was just happy that Budd had wanted to give me a kiss. I took dad's arm and he was already all choked-up and his eyes were glistening. I gave him a smile and we made our way to the altar.
When I got to the altar Andy was there waiting for me with tears in his eyes. He was totally worse than me during the ceremony! I thought that I was going to cry but I really didn't. I teared up a few times but I never really cried. I was just so happy. I had Bethanne sniffling behind me. Whenever I turned to look at her she had tears in her eyes or was wiping her eyes with a tissue. I am pretty sure she cried more than I did. But that's okay because I think I cried more than she did at her wedding. And Andy was teared up through pretty much the entire ceremony. At one point I had to turn around and ask Bethanne for a tissue so that I could give it to Andy so he could wipe his eyes. Bethanne had grabbed some tissues in case I needed one during the ceremony and I think she and Andy used them all. I am very amused by this. There was also a lot of winking going on up there at the altar. Winks were flying between Bethanne, Andy and I. And I think maybe Adam. Just to show support, stop someone from crying too much and be our silly selves. I love it.
The ceremony went wonderfully. It was beautiful in so many ways. To be standing up there in front of our friends and family... you could feel the love and suport rising from all of our guests in waves. There was such a great feeling in the room,a feeling of happiness. Lizi was our reader as well as a bridesmaid, reading I Corinthians 13 and Union by Robert Fulghum, and she did a fantastic job. She was a great choice for reader -- strong, powerful voice and well ennunciated words. I loved listening to her. Pastor Marty took the hand ceremony we had given him and taylored it to us, so it was what we wanted but also unique to us, so that was nice. Adrianna, our pianist, played The Water is Wide for our wedding candle lighting song. And it felt like to took forever and we were just standing there long after the candle was lit. It felt so silly. We weren't sure what we should do, so we just stood there and looked at each other and the candles and held hands. We got to say the vows we had written in front of our friends and family and it was wonderful. Both of us said of vows in loud, clear voices. Well, Andy was a little wavery. Okay, maybe I was just a little too. But Andy was wavery-er than me! I love our vows. (I know, I know! I love(d) a lot of things but that's how it is supposed to be right? Right.) Before the final prayer and the declaration of us as man and wife, Pastor Marty did the rose ceremony. That was beautiful. And then we exited to the Hallelujah Chorus. We're so funny.
Our entire ceremony was just really beautiful. It was fantastic. I loved it. We were soaring.