Here Comes the Bride

Our wedding ceremony was held the evening of September 22, 2007 in Greenwood, IN. We got married outside on a veranda at a country club. We had absolutely perfect weather and everything was so gorgeous.

My BFF Jill's mama played the flute during the ceremony and did such a fantastic job. It was so special to me to have her there when I walked down the aisle.





My sister and I handmade our programs to match my invitations. This was one of those last minute jobs we saved so by the end I could care less whether the pink paper was centered on the black anymore. I think wine may've had something to do with it as well.





My brother walked my mama down the aisle.





Our beautiful mothers lighting the candles.





Our studly Pastor! You have no idea how many "compliments" I got on this guy! Sorry girls, he's married. But he sure was good lookin'!





After my bridesmaids walked down the aisle, our flower girl followed with her brother handing out roses.





And now the big moment!





Daddy and I arrived on a horse and carriage! I remember when we booked this place I thought it was totally cheesy...but it couldn't have been more perfect. No one really knew it was coming so when the horse was walking up there were a lot of people who were getting really mad at first because it was so loud. But then they realized it was me and all started cheering! It was really a super neat experience. And if anyone is interested, our horse's name was Gypsy.

Seriously could not love this man more.

Getting married!

We had two different readings during our ceremony. The first was done by Jill's brother Eric.





Our second reading was done by my second BFF AJ. Yes, I have two...get over it. Jill, AJ, and I were inseparable for years. They are the only people from high school I even talk to and they are my friends for life. AJ was so nervous he was going to mess up that he stayed over with us the night before and practiced over and over. There was some phrase in the reading about making love and he threatened to look over at me and wink during the ceremony! He didn't do it, but as you can see, this is all my brother could think about during the reading as he is cracking up in the background of this picture. One of my favorite moments...

Rings please!

United!

You may kiss the bride!

Married!

Matt and I got to take the horse and carriage off for a little alone time before the reception. Perfect time for a few pictures with my sweet!





And now....it's time to party!

My Peeps

One of my favorite things about our wedding: our attendants. When we got engaged, Matt and I instantly picked 4 people each who we wanted to stand up with us when we got married. And in all honesty, there was no one else I could've chosen if I wanted to. My bridesmaids were my only close girl friends at the time and the only people I wanted to be there with me on that day.

My sister was my maid of honor.



Next came my best friend in the whole world, Jill. I have known her since kindergarten although our friendship did not blossom until high school. Have you ever had a friend where you fit in just perfectly with their family like you were a missing piece? It's like that for me with her. I spent more time in high school at her house than my own. Her parents and brother are like family to me...and were all involved in my wedding in some part. She's my person.




Jill was in charge of my something old and you know what she did? She got me a 'J' charm (for both of our names), we attached it to my bouquet, and my something old was our friendship! How stinking cute is that?? Love it!





Is it sad that this is my favorite wedding picture ever and it doesn't even involve my husband??





Ah, Erin! I met Erin freshman year at Purdue, first day of school, English 101. She tells me I walked into class like I was so much better than everyone else and that I knew it all. Well, you know what? I did know it all! It was English 101 people! I hated that they didn't let me test out of that class! But, I ended up meeting one of my very favorite people in the world. We started working together junior year and then finally were able to live together senior year. It was literally the best year of my whole life. I could not have asked for a more supportive and fun roomate. She is simply the best.




So you want to know the most hilarious story about Erin? Well, some of us stayed over at Jill's the night before my wedding and we woke up to Erin coming over at 8 a.m......in her dress!?! We were like, "Um, you know the wedding's at 6:00 p.m. right? What are you doing already dressed??"

Apparently Erin had tried on the dress the night before and the zipper had gotten stuck and she couldn't get it off! She had to sleep in the dress! Ha! It was the funniest thing! She had on sweat pants underneath and a zip up hoodie over it...so the girls at the salon thought she was just dressed in some weird Bohemian outfit until we told them the story. Jill had to steam Erin's dress with her in it at the laundry mat. Priceless!




CJ was my final bridesmaid. Unfortunately we have grown apart and haven't really spoken since this day. CJ introduced me to Matt, as her brother Robert is Matt's best friend. We also met at Purdue and lived on the same floor. Although we don't talk now, I will forever be grateful to her for giving me the love of my life.






Onto the boys! My brother, Matt's BFF Robert, Matt, Will, and Todd (famous husband of Blue Eyed Bride and papa to baby Hudson!) are pictured here. Aren't they the cutest bunch? It was so special to Matt to have his best friends with him on this day.




This is also one of my favorite pictures. Matt and I got married the same day South Carolina played LSU...I know! Unthinkable, right? Well it gets worse! Will is a die hard LSU fan...and Todd is the same for South Carolina! The fact that we were able to tear these boys away from this game to start the ceremony is beyond me. Matt and I were just so thankful that they even agreed to come to Indianapolis!




Ah, the junior bridesmaids. These are two of Matt's brother's kids. It was my attempt at bonding and utter failure by the look of this picture. I wanted pink dresses with black sashes so they would be opposite my girls...but I had some resistance. I hate, hate, hate that they look the same as my bridesmaids...but whatever. Over and done with I guess.




My little cousins were our ring bearer and flower girl. They are simply the cutest things on the planet! Cassie's dress was almost the exact replica of mine. It was perfect!





My sister's husband Dave and my cousin Josh were our ushers.



Next up...ceremony!

Stop and Smell the Roses

Next up...flowers!

I went into my florist appointments with absolutely no ideas whatsoever. I just wanted pink :) After looking at a billion choices and books I finally decided on pink roses with apple berries for some greenery. I absolutely loved every little bit of them. My very favorite part was that you could see the stems. I just think that adds such a real feeling to the bouquet.








We did pink roses for the boutineers for the guys as well. What great sports wearing pink :)




My bridesmaids carried the exact same bouquet as I did except smaller.



Because our wedding was outdoors at a country club, we were unable to do the traditional flower girl rose petal deal because of fear of the wind carrying the flowers onto the golf course. Instead, my flower girl handed out single roses to women while she was walking down the aisle. It turned out just perfectly!






Our florist also was able to pop a little color into our unity candle podium before she left. It made such a difference!



Overall, these colors and flowers were the exact perfect choice for us! Loved them!

Shower Central

I was blessed with three bridal showers before I got married. It was amazing all of the people who wanted to throw me a shower! I was so thankful for each and every one of those showers...but the traveling for me got to be a bit much. All of them were in Indianapolis so I had to drive back from Cleveland all the time for wedding stuff. Boy did that get old...


Anywho, the only shower I have pictures from for some reason is the shower my maid of honor, my sister Jessi, threw me. Let's be honest, it was the best one anyway.


I wore the pink and black attire seeing as they were my colors. Gosh...I wish I was that skinny now. Those were the days. Who am I kidding...I only looked like that for about a month! I need to get married again to motivate me!






Jill, my very best friend, made me my ribbon bouquet that I used (forgot to use until the end) at my rehearsal. So sweet!





My dad even sent a gift to the shower from my dog! I know. That's my dad. He wrote some note in there from her about how she was upset that she was the only female I knew who wasn't invited to the shower. Hilarious! But true.





And I got to see one of my super cute friends from Purdue, Amanda, who I never, ever see. It was truly a fantastic day.





And what is a shower without a cake?? This was before I starting doing cake decorating...so thanks to Sam's Club for hooking us up on this one :)

Secret: Sometimes I pronounce the initials like "germ." Matt and I are "germ." Lovely.


I am dying now to host a shower of my own seeing all of the ideas you girls have all the time for parties. Jill, get a move on! Marry that boy already so I can throw one!

We're Off!

As you read this, (hopefully, as this is my first scheduled post! Sad I know!), Matt and I are making our way down to "mystery Southern city," USA!

Now, this is more of a trip for work related purposes and not for pleasure...but anything that gets me two days off work is worth it in my book!

Hopefully I can tell y'all (see, it's already rubbing off!) more about the trip in the weeks to come! But until then, what other exciting event is happening in our lives do you ask?? Well, I'll give you a hint:


Not a very subtle hint is it??


On September 22, Matt and I will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary! I can't believe we have been married for 2 years! They have seriously flown by.

So since I wasn't a blogger during my wedding, you, my friends, will be blessed with wedding posts for the days leading up to our anniversary! Those are seriously my favorite posts from bloggers so I hope you enjoy!!

September 11th

I knew this date was approaching, but when I heard it on the radio this morning it took me by surprise. September 11th. Can you believe it has been 8 years since that day in 2001? It seems like just yesterday those planes crashed. I can still clearly remember it, and I think I always will.

It was my freshman year of college. I had been at Purdue just over a month and was still getting into the swing of my schedule. I had an early class that morning and when I got back to the room my roommate's boyfriend was there...no roomie in sight. Already, this was not an uncommon scene. Luckily, he happened to be in my major so we had a lot of classes together and by then I had grown to know him fairly well. He was the one who told me what had happened. We watched the rest unfold on TV until my roommate came back. Strangely, she had heard from my mom who had called the room when I was gone to tell me. We basically stayed there for what seemed like hours until classes interrupted our vigil.

I had no idea then the impact that day would have on our country. I can't even imagine what it must've been like to be there or even know people who were in the city on that day. I have watched a lot of specials done where the whole thing is shot by New Yorkers with their personal video cameras, capturing the smoking World Trade Center and the actual falling of the towers...but that doesn't compare at all to being in the midst of all of that ciaos. My heart just breaks thinking about the people that we lost that day.

Matt and I had the privileged of going to New York about a year and a half ago. Our hotel overlooked Ground Zero. Being my first trip, it was hard to imagine what it looked like before that day. Here's what we were able to capture from our window:




Such an empty space. But also, a space for rebuilding.


Today I want to honor those who lost their lives that day and the families they left behind. You will never, ever be forgotten.

What is your story?

Confessions

• When I was in middle school, I was at an Indiana Pacers game with my Dad. We had 1/2 seasons tickets so we knew the people that sat around us pretty well. The game was getting really exciting and everyone was jumping up and down and screaming and such. Well, my maxi pad unknowingly fell out of my pocket during the commotion and the man sitting next to me found it on the ground and gave it back to me. Oh my gosh, I just about died right there on the spot. To this day it is my most embarrassing moment. Ever.
• I never uttered a single cuss word until college.
• In college, I once said the F-word in church. Then I knew I had a problem. Talk about reality check.
  
• Freshman year I used to watch "Best of Friends" with my future roomie every single day. This was before the seasons individually came out. These are still some of my very favorite episodes and I can quote them like it's my job. My "friend" I watched them with however...I now hate. Okay, okay...strongly dislike.
  
• She and another girl left me in our apartment sophomore year alone for the summer when they originally said they were staying. I was stuck paying for all of the utilities by myself. Oh, until one day they e-mailed me and said they were shutting everything off, that day! Yeah. So I had no cable or internet for the rest of the summer...and was just nearly able to switch the electric over to my name before I lost power. They also replaced the doorknobs on their doors with ones that locked because they were afraid I would take their stuff. Then one day I got home from work and they had been there and taken some of MY stuff out of MY room. From that day forward I kept all of our cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. in my car for fear they would come back one day and steal them. Never, ever, ever live in threes.
  
• I can't sew. Who knows if I could even replace a button. Mama=fail on this one.
• It completely stresses me out when I get behind on my blog reading. This is actually something I worry about on vacation...that everyone keeps writing and I will have mountains to read when I return.
• I've never been to Las Vegas.
• I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.
• Matt was my first serious boyfriend.
  

Alright ladies. Spill it! Anything you want to confess??