-->

Wedding Recap and SO MANY THANK YOUS




I have to admit I feel a little lost not planning for the wedding but all my planning definitely paid off. I got pretty much everything I have ever dreamed for. The wedding weekend started on Friday with my bridesmaid luncheon at Arrington Vineyards. For those of you who are not familiar with Arrington it is a beautiful vineyard located between Murfreesboro and Franklin. It is owned by Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn. We had a great time. Newk’s ,one of my favorite restaurants, catered. We enjoyed a wine tasting; my favorite part and I presented the girls with their gifts. After lunch, we caravanned to Lairdland Farms. I showed the girls around and we unpacked and got settled in our cabin.

I then got ready for the rehearsal and walked over to my parent’s cabin which was located next door to the Lairdland Farm house where we got married. As soon as I got over there, it started storming. I kept trying to tell myself that is was just a small summer pop up storm and it would be finished before 5:30 pm when the rehearsal was suppose to start. For those of you who do not know, this was an outside wedding and reception. Unfortunately, the rehearsal never happened. Half of the guests were at my parents’ cabin and half of the guests were at the Farm House. At about 6 pm, I started to get upset. There were no tears yet on the outside. Everyone was asking me what I wanted to do and I had no clue. So I turned to the only one who could help me. I went upstairs where no one was, shut the bathroom door and dropped to my knees. I prayed for good weather the next day, acknowledged God was in control and found comfort in knowing God knew the desires of my heart. I went and got my little cousin Gabriel and asked him to go get Greyson for me who was on one of the two porches with his groomsmen. Greyson came upstairs and I grabbed his hand and we then prayed together even though I struggled to get my words out because I began to cry. I knew though that I didn’t have to say my prayers out loud. We had a backup plan for the ceremony, a small country Presbyterian Church down the road. Greyson tried to talk me into going down there and rehearsing there but I would not hear to it. In my mind going there to rehearse meant I was giving up on having the outside wedding of my dreams. Around 6:40 the rain slacked up and everyone gathered at the huge covered front porch of the farm house. We still were not able to rehearse because it was still storming but I tried to tell everyone what their roles were and how the day would play out. We then left for our rehearsal dinner in Lewisburg at Russell’s Catering. The food and fellowship was wonderful. My advice for any bride to be is make sure you take your time to go around and visit with each of your guests at your rehearsal dinner because you will not get a chance to do so at your wedding reception.

From there I went back to Lairdland with my bridesmaids and parents. My bridesmaids were in one cabin and my parents were in another. I stayed over at my parents’ cabin for a while talking to my dad. I started to breakdown. I didn’t know what we were going to do about the reception if it rained the next day. We had spent so much money and I was so afraid I wouldn’t get to see everything I had worked so hard pay off and have the wedding I had been dreaming of. Once I calmed down I went over to my bridesmaids’ cabin. My head was throbbing when I arrived so I took some Tylenol and sat up for a little bit laughing with my girls. I loved how we were able to have “one last slumber party” as Andrea called it. After a little while Andrea and I decided to go to bed while the others stayed up and talked.

The next morning when I woke up in the tallest bed in the world (seriously it took 3 steps to climb up into), I was able to see the sun trying to peak out through the overcast skies. Andrea sat right up and said, “It’s wedding day”. I got my stuff together and went back over to the my parents cabin to eat breakfast and then I instructed the delivery guys from our rental company where to set everything up and then my bridesmaids came over and helped with the centerpieces and putting out all the decorations. I don’t know what I would have done without them, my great aunt Mary Anne, my cousin Carla, Deanna and the Pace Family. They all helped decorate and get everything in its place. At this point it was still a little overcast but we had not seen a drop of rain all day. I also want to thank my prayer warriors who were texting me and reassuring me everything was going to be ok.

Before I knew it, it was time for me to go have my hair done. I was at such peace while I was getting my hair fixed. It was just like another day but it could be that I am very much like my Aunt Michelle in the fact that I love someone to do or play with my hair. It relaxes my body like a glass of wine. I still had one eye on the skies though. I was so relaxed there I asked if they minded if I did my makeup there. I was afraid there would be too many people getting ready and there would be too much going on for me to concentrate on myself. But it was there at the hair salon that it hit me. I was getting married that day. I kept telling people it had not sunk in and there it hit me right before I left.

When I got back to Lairdland my photographers were there and were ready to start taking some bridal portraits of me and then pictures with my bridesmaids. Before long it was time for the guys to arrive and me to go up to the bridal suite. Greyson and I did not want to see each other before the wedding so we had pictures made separately before. The guys took some pictures before the guests arrived where I hung out with my bridesmaids while they took care of last minute touches on themselves. I just sat back and tried to stay cool and enjoy my time with my girls. I also had a glass of champagne to cool me off and to keep me from getting nervous. I will admit that I thought this would be the longest part of the day because we were supposed to be up there for about an hour and half but it wasn’t. I don’t know that any part of the day was long. Then my wonderful wedding coordinators, Jennifer and Cindy came and got us and told us it was time. We walked over to the side of the house where the guests could not see us and where my family was. It was great getting to spend some precious moments with Greyson’s family and my grandparents. Then the music started. I selected the song “Your Love is Extravagant” to be sang by my lifelong friend Timmy Ray. I had such a joyful and worshipful spirit because it was here that I reminded myself of God’s great love and as much as I love Greyson. God is my number one love and He had blessed me with the wedding of my dreams. The skies were clear and the sun was beaming down. It gives me chills just thinking about that moment. Then the wedding processional began. I kept thinking of my dad and how hard it must have been for him to give me away. I had been his pride and joy for the last 24 years.

Greyson and I had waited to see each other partly for tradition and partly because I wanted to take his breath away. But as I was walking towards him he was looking off and not looking at me. Once I got to him I realized he was fighting back tears. I am proud to say our ceremony was center around God, whom we want to be the main focus in our marriage. Yes, there was some hiccups during the ceremony like the unity candle being blown out, some issues with the prayer circle and the preacher forgetting to tell Greyson to kiss his bride but don’t worry, I reminded him. I thought the ceremony went by quickly until we watched the video the other night. We did not realize how long the ceremony was. He had told our pastor that we wanted it to memorable and we didn’t want to walk down the aisle and turn right back around like some weddings so I guess we got what we asked for.

This is where it all gets blurry and it is like a series of snapshots in my mind. Everyone told me it would be that way but until you experience it, it is hard to believe it will truly be that way. We took a few pictures with our family and then bridal party and then we took several pictures by ourselves while the guests enjoyed dinner.

We were announced by our friend Marshall and then our friends Andrea, Ashley and Parker all gave amazing toasts. Probably the best ever! They all moved me to tears and laughter. We then cut our cake. I had planned for Greyson and I to eat after the toasts but by the time the toasts where over all the guests were finished eating and if there is anything I have ever learned from being a wedding coordinator it is DO NOT make your guest wait for cake. Afterwards we had our first dance, father daughter dance and my sorority sisters sang to me. I was honored by so many of my sisters who traveled to be with me on my special day. I then was able to spend a little time visiting with our guests. And then it seemed like I blinked and it was dark and it was just our close friends and family left. We danced and we danced and danced. I don’t know that I have ever had any more fun in my life. Then it was time for us to go. I couldn’t believe it was over and I was so sad to leave. I think I would have done anything to make the night last a little longer. I had already bribed the band to play five more songs. We were sent off with sparklers and with Greyson’s car decorated and on my side of the car it said “the boss”. I still can’t believe the day is over but I am so blessed to have had so many months celebrating our marriage with showers and teas and to be surrounded by all of our closest friends and family as we committed to be husband and wife.


Sorry it took me so long to update! I actually worked on this post for 3 weeks while I had down time. I hope to do better!

No comments:

Post a Comment