Small Strokes Big Oaks

I have been promising a wedding recap on this blog complete with pictures since, probably, around October 10.  Every time I sit down to blog, I think: Gosh, I really should post some pictures from the wedding since I’ve been promising to do that for over three months now. And then I think: But this other topic is so much more pressing in my mind right now! I guess that’s just proof positive that life does, in fact, move on after your wedding, albeit slowly.  But I have some time right now, and I’ve been through these pictures so many times I could talk you through them in my sleep, so here goes nothin’.  I’m going to put quite a few pictures up here and briefly describe them.  Each picture represents one of my favorite moments or favorite things from the wedding, but I’ll try to keep it brief.  Enjoy!

The whole wedding party at the rehearsal.  We’re a good looking group!  Our whole wedding party was awesome – bending over backwards to help make our day special and easy.

My favorite, frivolous wedding accessory.  I wore this zip-up hoodie to the salon to get my hair and makeup done.  It says “Tying The Knot” in Tiffany blue and has rhinestones all around the lettering.  I know it’s pretty useless now, but I still wear it at night, and I don’t regret buying it one bit. 🙂

My brother’s girlfriend, Carly, made these cupcakes and put them in the bridal suite for us because she figured we wouldn’t have time to eat the cupcakes at the reception.  That touch from her was just so nice!

Our rings are from Tiffany’s and they are beautiful.

My flowers.  See that material around the handle and interspersed in the flowers?  That was my mom’s wedding veil.  Pieces of it now reside on our bedroom dresser in a vase.

Our badass wedding party. 🙂  Seriously, look at these pictures.  Badass.

One of my favorite pictures.  I don’t know why – it just is.

My mom and I were in very good spirits that day!

The back of my dress was what made me fall in love with it in the first place.  I think it speaks for itself. 🙂

A favorite moment from the ceremony: my brother singing “They Bring Me To You” by Joshua Radin.  Such a beautiful song, such a beautiful moment.  Thanks, Chris.

Another ceremony favorite. Exchanging rings was cool, but it was even cooler because my uncle, someone we know and love, officiated our whole ceremony.  Definitely made the ceremony more personal, more feminist, and more awesome.

The kiss!  I didn’t even realize I had touched his face, but I guess I did!  Made for a very nice picture and an even nicer moment.

Family. 🙂  That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

Cosmos!  Always my mom and my drink of choice (next to wine, of course), we were ecstatic at the possibility of having a martini bar at the wedding, complete with cosmos.  Since I had been so stressed out and nervous before the ceremony, and since my girls were stressed out for me, my mom and Carly went to go get martini glasses and a pitcher of cosmos for us to sip while we took pictures.  And we ended up with one of the best bride & bridesmaid pictures I’ve ever seen!

Just some portraits. 🙂  We clean up nice.

My brother’s girlfriend, Carly, made the cupcakes and the cake for the reception, too.  I told her I was in love with the cupcakes, but sad that I couldn’t have a cake like the one behind Buddy Valastro when he does his Cake Boss interviews.  So she made us a cake that looked almost exactly like that one. 🙂  So delicious and so wonderful knowing someone did that for us out of love!

I cannot say enough about the wonderful, heartfelt speeches.  So much love, so much laughter.  Cheers!

My dad and I had a dance.  My mom and I had a dance.  It was wonderful to be able to share moments with both of my parents, feminist-style.

My bridesmaids also requested a song and pulled me out to dance.  It was hilarious and awesome and unexpected.

Speaking of dancing, Tim and I took months of dance lessons to choreograph our first dance and learn some social dances.  Then we had a merengue dance-off competition with two of Tim’s friends, Fel and Ruby.  Seriously, who does that at their own wedding?  We do.

High school best friends.  So good to know that, even after college, moving away, various other events, and almost 10 years, we can still remain close friends.  And it was so wonderful of Deven to come back all the way from New York just to be a part of the day.

Bride & Groom beer coozies and toasting flutes.  It’s amazing how much of a wedding has to do with alcohol…

And, finally, one of my favorite pictures from the night.  Me and my father-in-law – he is relaxing after the reception, I am still in my wedding dress.  I stayed in that dress in the hotel until 3:00 AM!  Even when everyone else was in more comfortable clothing.

So, there you have it.  A few of my favorite moments from the wedding.  I hope you enjoyed the pictures!