The day before our wedding was a busy one. James and I completed our last preparations: we finished packing, I got my nails done, James finally sold his apartment contract (huzzah!), and I baked his groom's pie (a key lime pie I promised to him months ago). James went and got JENNY cleaned, as she was to be our getaway car, and picked up tuxes for himself, his groomsmen, and our fathers. Of course, when he got back with the tuxes, we decided he should model his tux for me. I have to tell you, I was very pleased. My James is a handsome man, and his white tux (with tails!) showed him off to the best effect. =)
That evening, we drove up to my maid-of-honor's house in Roy. We spent the night there because it was only 30 minutes' drive from Brigham City, as opposed to the hour-and-a-half from our home. We spent a pleasant evening with the Haycock-Hayhurst clan before retiring to the bedrooms provided for us. Was I nervous, you ask? No, I truly wasn't. I slept okay that night, though not all that much, simply because I was so excited!
January 3rd dawned bright and cold. My mother has been praying for weeks, if not months, for good weather on my wedding day. (My brother got married at the end of December two years ago, and there was a blizzard that day. Not only did that prevent most people from coming, but he and his wife got in a car accident that day and totaled our parents' SUV. Yikes!) Her prayers (and a few of my own!) paid off, because the skies were clear all that day. Of course, we were repaid with bitterly cold temperatures....
I woke up just before 7:00am and started my preparations, taking my time. Melissa started working on my hair around 8, and it turned out so perfectly. Around 8:30am, we were joined by Nicholas Chacon, one of my best and dearest friends from the college days. Nicholas was my only true "out-of-town" guest, having traveled from Michigan just for the wedding. He visited with us for an hour or so as we got ready for the day. It was about 9:45am when James and I left the Haycock's and headed to Brigham City.
We weren't due at the temple until 10:30am, though I had hoped to be early so I could take my time getting ready. Of course, we then got turned around trying to get on the freeway, making us even later than we were already. I checked my phone and found half a dozen frantic calls from my mother by the time we got there. But we arrived at 10:30 and were immediately swept into the bustle--there were 11 wedding at the Brigham City Temple that day! For a smaller temple, that meant things were pretty crazy!
My mother helped me get dressed. I wore my wedding dress for the sealing, and since it laces up the back, it takes some effort to get into. But that meant a little extra time in the brides' room, which was truly beautiful. I found this picture online:
Shortly thereafter, James and I were guided into the sealing room. It was full of our family and friends. I about burst with excitement at that point. The sealer spoke at length, and focused mainly on the ordinances and blessings of the temple. I tried very hard to pay attention what the sealer was saying, but it was definitely a challenge! At last, he instructed James to bring me to the altar. We knelt across from one another and the sealing ceremony commenced. My whole world narrowed to this single point as I was sealed to James. After we had kissed across the altar, we rose and stood together, and we were presented as Brother and Sister Holley. =)
We greeted all those present, which was lovely and very emotional for me. We were then taken back to the dressing rooms to ready ourselves for going out to greet the rest of our guests. When everyone outside was ready, James and I erupted out of the temple to great applause.
We took pictures outside the temple for an hour or so. It was about 17 degrees, and everybody was freezing. I had a cloak, which I put on eventually, but I didn't want all my pictures to only show the cloak, when I loved my wedding dress so much. What was funny, though, was that I got more comments and compliments on my cloak than on my dress! Alas. My mother insisted that it was just because the cloak was more unusual.
Our luncheon was at the Bangkok Grill in Orem, a delightful Thai place we both enjoy. The food was delicious and the company even better. After eating, I mingled a bit with my people while James chatted with his family at the table. The luncheon finished with a toast by Damian Perente, the best man. It was perfect--the toast was funny, it was teasing, and it was tender and sweet.
We went from there to the Sun River Gardens, where our reception took place. Soon after arriving, the picture-taking recommenced (and never stopped!). I wish I'd had a chance to look around a bit more. I never got to see the sign-in table, the decor on the tables, or much of the room beyond what I could see from up front, because pictures flowed straight into the reception line, and from there it was a constant stream of our wonderful guests to greet!
The reception turned out so perfectly, for me. The ambiance was all I had hoped for--the greenery, the soft lighting, our wedding playlist playing in the background, and the hum of conversation from all my favorite people. I know reception lines have a sometimes sour reputation, but I loved mine--I loved seeing and talking to everyone who came, if only briefly. My face hurt from smiling so much, and not a single smile was false! I loved every moment.
We cut our wedding cheesecake with James' red katana--this follows a Taekwondo family tradition. You know, for all that there's an unofficial "no dating" policy at our studio, five couples have now formed and married from the studio, several of whom have cut their cakes with a sword. James and I had a blast with it. And we only smeared a little cheesecake on each others' faces. ;-)
A little later, I tossed a little bouquet, which Kristen "caught." (It fell to the ground, but Kristen touched it on the way down, so she had best claim.) James tossed my garter, which was caught by young Dallin Anderson. I love seeing that kid blush!
We greeted more people for awhile, and then at the end came our dances. James and I shared our first dance to "For Always" sung by Josh Groban. Neither of us really dance, but it was still a very tender moment for us, swaying to our song, even softly singing to each other.
skip to 1:45
Next came "What a Wonderful World" -- I danced with my father, and James with his mother. Also a very tender moment. My daddy told me how proud he was of me, and that meant all the world. After we'd handed our parents back to their spouses, James and I went to change.
Leaving the reception did not go as smoothly as we might have hoped--there were more people who wanted to greet us, and then when we got out to the car, we discovered the keys were missing, as Melissa still had them, inside. My brother had also covered the car in shaving cream, of all things, in addition to the streamers that were wrapped all over it. Once we finally got into the car, we drove straight to a car wash so James could take care of JENNY. We ended up going back to the Sun River Gardens because we'd forgotten a few items. After taking care of a last few things with Melissa and my dad, at last we were on our way.
Our wedding day was as wonderful as I could have hoped for, and more. It truly did fly by, I couldn't believe it had already come and gone. I still have moments where I can't believe it's past, and I am a married woman. But being married is the best. The other night, James and I were sitting in bed together, he reading a book, and I playing on the computer. I looked over at him, and I just started giggling a little. I'm living with my best friend, and I love every moment. The best part is? We get to be together forever.
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