Our Indiana Reception

Since the wedding was in Pennsylvania, most of my family couldn't make it.  So, we also did a reception in Indiana.  I don't think I posted this on my blog, but this is the invitation that was sent out for that:

Well, not exactly.  I obviously blacked out some information so that you can't go stalk my parents!  :)

The reception went really well.  It was calm, which was exactly what we wanted.  My dad roasted a hog and we had salads and sides and such.  And my mom ordered some sheet cakes from a local bakery.  Everything was delicious.  And we got to see a lot of my family and friends from Indiana (and Philip got to meet most of them for the first time!).  There weren't really set times, so people just came and went throughout the day.  It was nice that way because we could spend a little time with people before they'd leave and then new people would come in and we'd spend time with them before they left.  And so on. 

I don't have a whole lot of photos from that day.  I think we mostly forgot about photography and just had fun.  But, here are some photos that we did manage to snag.

Mom set up some of the pics that she had taken of the ceremony and reception and displayed them here.  There are also some leftover vanilla favors up there.  And our photo frame card box.  :)

This cake was far less expensive than the wedding cake, but somehow they were able to decorate it better -- smooth, not half-assed, doesn't look like it was done in 5 minutes before the delivery... I'm not even a big fan of frosting flowers, but the cake is pretty.  :)

This one makes me laugh because it could have been awkward.  Philip and I are sitting at a table with my high school sweetheart's parents and grandparents.  ;)

It was an absolutely beautiful fall day.  :)

Yeah, great photo right?!  I mostly just wanted to show what I was wearing that day!

My dad and his brother playing horseshoes.  :)

Technically, this was after the reception had ended, but Philip is just too cute for me not to post this.  ;)

Those paper lanterns and string lights (along with the rest of the decor) got used again at the Indiana reception.  We wanted it to look as close to the Pennsylvania reception as possible.  Mom and Dad even bought a tent (they'll get plenty of use out of it for future parties!). 

And, there you have it.  There wasn't any drama.  It wasn't formal (or even semi-formal).  It wasn't over the top.  But, it was wonderful.  

The Things I Wouldn't Change...

If I had to do this whole thing over again, there are some things that I would definitely keep the same.  Most importantly, my spectacular groom (of course!).  But, about the less important things:  

1.  I would definitely use a friend as the celebrant/officiant.  Jon was absolutely perfect.  Yeah, there were a few misses in the ceremony, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  It meant so much more to us to have a good friend of ours "marry" us. 

2.  I would definitely have both parents walk me down the aisle.  It meant so much to me to have both of my parents beside me as I walked down the aisle.  It was beautiful and I loved it.  

3.  I would definitely do an iPod reception.  I know a lot of people would disagree with me, but our music went flawlessly.  We got to choose all of the music for our reception and it flowed exactly as I had hoped it would.  I'm glad we spent the money on a Bose Sounddock instead of on a DJ!

4.  I would definitely do a tent reception.  Our tent was absolutely beautiful.  With it all decorated, it was just perfect.  Of course, it definitely helped that the weather was pretty good.  

5.  I would definitely still write our own ceremony.  With using a friend for our officiant, we were able to do a ceremony exactly as we wanted.  It was lovingly written exactly for us.  And, I still think it was absolutely perfect.  

6.  I would keep the same attire for everyone.  I was really happy with how everyone looked.  I especially loved my dress, but I also loved the BM dresses, the groom (and groomsmen's) attire.

7.  I would definitely go with Baby's Breath.  I was a little worried about how the Baby's Breath would look in the end, but I was really pleased.  It was beautiful, unique, and really did go with the whole feel of our wedding.

8.  I would still have our dog Jack be a part of our wedding.  I know a lot of people think I'm crazy and I know that some people have had problems with animals being involved, but I absolutely loved having him there that day.  He was a peach and didn't cause any problems.  In fact, one of my favorite memories of the ceremony is when a baby started getting fussy and Jack gave a little "huff" (like a bark under his breath) as if to tell the baby to be quiet.  It was so stinkin' cute!

9.  I would still do vanilla favors.  They were a little bit of work (and a lot of time spent waiting), but they were so beautiful.  And I loved them!  They were absolutely worth it.

There are other things that I would and wouldn't have changed, but I think these are the big ones... and the ones that people asked about the most.  

The Things I Would Have Done Differently...

With all that went wrong, I honestly wish we hadn't done a wedding.  If I did have to do it over again, I would have changed a TON.  There are lots of things that didn't go as I had hoped.  Here is a list of things that I wish I would have done differently:

1.  I would have had the wedding in Indiana.  We had the wedding in Pennsylvania so that Philip's family could come which meant that a lot of my family couldn't come.  And, then a ton of Philip's family couldn't make it anyway.  And Philip's dad and stepmom left the reception early (despite them being the whole reason we had the wedding in PA).  I wish I would have done what I wanted to do originally and just had the wedding in Indiana.  Then I could've at least had most of my family there. 

Some people think that that would be selfish because then a lot of Philip's family couldn't make it.  Well, they say a picture is worth a thousand words:

That, my friends, is every single family member that I had at our wedding.  That's my dad's sister and her husband, my parents, my sister, and her boyfriend.  So, only 4 of those people are actually my blood relatives.  I know if we would have had the wedding in Indiana, at least 4 of Philip's relatives would have been able to come.  What's unfair?  Especially when you consider that I am a lot closer to my family than Philip is to his! 

2.  I wouldn't have chosen the wedding party so soon.  I let tradition guide me in choosing the ladies next to me right after we got engaged.  If I would have waited a while, I would've seen that I didn't have to choose women to stand beside me.  My sister still would have been my maid of honor, but I probably would have chosen my "big brother" Brandon and another of my guy buds to be my bride's men.  

3.  I would've made sure to express my distaste for all things pink/girly to the photographer.  I certainly made it no secret that I hated the Pepto Bysmol reception photos.  I thought that it would've been clear from the burlap and books, the creamy colors, the whole look that I went for (!) that I wasn't a pink bride.  However, I guess that it wasn't, so I wish that I would've made sure that the photographer knew not to use pink flash lighting.  And made sure that he ate dinner with us so that he wouldn't miss getting photos of the speeches!  

4. If I had to do the wedding in Pennsylvania again, I wouldn't have done it at someone's house.  It made it just too easy for people to hide in the house instead of celebrating with us in the tent.  It also left us dependent on someone else (when to break down the tent, etc.), and I hate that.  Don't get me wrong.  I am thankful that Philip's aunt and uncle opened their home to us.  I would just do it differently if I had to do over again.   

5. I would stand up for myself.  I let too many people walk over me on my wedding day.  I wish I wouldn't have been so nice.  I wish I would have said, if you can't arrive on time, you don't get photos; if people want to leave, they are welcome to do so -- the cake will be cut when it's scheduled to be cut; etc.  

6. I would remember to unbustle my train for the ceremony!  I bustled my dress for the pre-ceremony photos and the first look so that it wouldn't be in the way.  Well, when the ceremony rolled around, I completely forgot to put it down!  It's not really a big deal, but I do wish I had some photos with it down!  It really is beautiful!  

7. I would have arrived earlier than Thursday night.  We had SO much to do in basically a day and a half.  I wish we would have had more time to get everything done!  I was really stressing in the days before the wedding!  And a lot of what I had prepared didn't get used/put out (bathroom baskets, toasting flutes, etc.).   

8. I would have pushed harder to get things done on time.  Our photos were rushed because we were running behind.  Especially the first look.  Even if we were running late, I wish we would've taken our time with those.  In the end, it didn't matter that we were on time since family was late for photos anyway.   

9. I wish we wouldn't have spent so much time, money, and energy.  Yeah, it really was beautiful, but in the end, it really was just one day.  Oh well!

When I *Should* Have Had a Bridezilla Moment...

For the most part, our wedding day was incredibly happy.  I will forever cherish the memories of me walking down the aisle with my parents at my side to see my wonderful husband.  The photos of us with our wedding party will always make me smile.  And I will definitely never forget my dad wearing his tie around his head for most of our reception.  

However, there were several things that went wrong on our wedding day that weren't things that I could just forget.  I had thought about just leaving it alone and not blogging about this stuff, but this is my wedding blog and it wouldn't be honest to just leave out my true feelings.  

Our wedding ceremony was scheduled to start at 4:00pm.  All family members were supposed to arrive by 2:00pm for photos.  So, imagine my surprise when 2:30 arrived and part of Philip's family still hadn't arrived.  And then 3:00.  And then 3:30.  Still not there.

Philip continued to try to get a hold of his mom.  Finally he texted her and told her that if she didn't arrive immediately, she just wouldn't have any family portraits. Philip was embarrassed and apologizing to me that his own mother couldn't show up on time to take photos.  I was getting pissed.  

Philip's mom was actually in the last group of people to arrive at our ceremony.  Almost two hours late.  By the time she arrived we only had a few minutes to go until the ceremony started.  I was fuming so I went to finalize some things with Jon (our celebrant) while Philip explained to his mom and step-dad when they'd be walking down the aisle.

Here I am talking to Jon right before the ceremony started. 

After the ceremony, I was on cloud nine.  So we got pictures with Philip's mom and stepdad at the reception site.  When we got back to the tent, Philip's grandfather started in on us about cutting the cake.  He said that people wanted to leave so we needed to cut the cake. 

I spent months planning out our wedding day.  There was a schedule to it.  We had an ipod reception, so the music was timed based on the schedule I'd created.  So, I wanted to just tell him to tell people to leave then.  I mean, WTF?  If you want to leave an hour into the reception, why is that my problem?  But, I took a few deep breaths, found the right song on the ipod, and we cut the cake -- smiles and all.

After dinner, when we were trying to dance, Philip's family started breaking down the tables.  Mind you, the reception is still going on.  Our friends and family started leaving because they thought they were being rushed out.  We live on the other side of the country from all of the people at our wedding.  We see them very little.  So the fact that our reception was cut short  really upset me.  

After most of our guests left, Philip and I just gave up, went inside to change, and came out to help take down the decorations.   

Did we have a good time?  Yes.  The amazing thing is that through most of this, I was fine.  I was so happy about life that I just let it all slide.  It was only as we were cleaning up that I started to get angry.  And then the next day I was really irritated.  It's now been over 4 months, and I am still irritated by it. 

We spent so much time, energy, and money on that one day.  It was supposed to be one of the best days of our life.  Well, it fell flat.  Don't get me wrong.  I was totally happy that day.  I just can't look back on our wedding day without thinking about all the crap that went wrong.  I'm just glad that it's over and now I get to enjoy the rest of my life with my wonderful husband.

I guess my advice for all brides is just to try to let everything slide on your wedding day.  Just enjoy it while you can.  You've got plenty of time afterwards to think about all those irritating things that went wrong!  ;)  Kidding!

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue...

I know some brides don't bother with this old tradition, but I think it's cute!  So, I actually put some thought into these.  

Something New:

This one is easy.  Most everything I wore on our wedding day was new.  So, take your pick: my dress, my veil, my shoes, my jewelry, etc.!

Pictured: Lots of new!

Something Blue:

My shoes!  I searched long and hard for these.  In the end, I kind of gave up and settled for these.  I'm happy I did though.  They were comfortable (I wore them all day AND all night!) and the wedges prevented me from getting stuck in the grass (or breaking an ankle).  

They served their purpose... plus I have worn them several times after the wedding.  :)

Something Old and Borrowed:

These two ended up combined for me.  My aunt brought me rings that belonged to my grandmother and grandfather.  My grandmother's ring fit on my right ring finger so I wore it.  My grandfather's ring didn't fit so it was placed on the stems of my bouquet (after it was wrapped in ribbon).  It served this purpose, plus it let me have some part of my grandparents there with me since they both passed away years ago. 

Grandma's Ring

Grandpa's Ring

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the rings specifically.  I wish I would have.  Oh well.  What's done is done!  And, I can still see them in some of the pictures anyway.  

So, there you have it.  My something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.  I'm not sure that I believe in the "luck" it's supposed to bring, but I still enjoyed being a part of the tradition.  :)

The Mother-Son Dance...

After my dad and I finished our dance, Philip and his mom danced to Rod Stewart's Forever Young. 

Yet again, all pink.  Ugh.  But, I do love the paper lanterns in all of the photos.  They're perfect (minus being coated in pink).  

Photos courtesy of Howie Hartman of Double H Media.

Miss something?  Catch up here:
We arrive in Pennsylvania

We begin setting up

We stock the bar (and skip a rehearsal)

We have dinner and play games at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We eat R2D2 and open presents at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We bask in the glow of our paper lantern triumph

We finish setting up the tent

Wedding Day Details: The Favors

Wedding Day Details: The Set-Up 

Wedding Day Details: The Rings

Wedding Day Details: The Chair Signs

Wedding Day Details: Odds & Ends

The Girls Get Glamorous

Philip Gets Gorgeous 

Closeup: The Ladies 

Closeup: The Guys 

Closeup: The Bridal Portraits

Our First Look 

Pre-Ceremony Photos

More Photos of Us

Our Mini-Rehearsal

Partial Family Portraits

Wedding Party Photos at the Ceremony Site

Even More Photos at the Ceremony Site 

Grandparents, Parents, and Wedding Party Walk Down the Aisle

The Bridal Entrance... 

Ceremony Part I 

Ceremony Part II 

Ceremony Part III 

Ceremony Part IV: The Sand Ceremony 

Ceremony Part V: The Vows 

Ceremony Part VI: The Handfasting 

Ceremony Part VII: The Ring Exchange

Ceremony Part VIII: The Final Reading 

Ceremony Part IX: The End! 

The Recessional 

Pre-Reception Wedding Party Photos 

The Reception Begins

More Reception Photos

Thank You Parasol Photos 

We Cut the Cake 

Our First Dance 

The Father-Daughter Dance

Let the Reception Begin!

The wedding party photos took just a few minutes and then we were on our way to the reception.  We didn't want to miss our own cocktail hour!

When we arrived, we realized that we had actually beat some people back from the ceremony site.  Apparently people had hung around and mingled a bit before heading over to the reception site.  We ate some hors d'ouvres and mingled with our guests.

Then we went get some pictures with Philip's mom and stepdad since they didn't make the pre-ceremony photos.  

Philip's mom and step-dad.

Philip's half-brother, his fiance, us, and his mom and step-dad.

Jack just chillaxin.

Philip's half-brother's fiance, stepdad, mom, us, Philip's maternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, and half brother.

Philip's stepdad, mom, us, Philip's aunt and uncle (they own the home where we had our reception), Courtney (their daughter), Sean up front (their son), and Brooke (our flower girl and their daughter). 

Us with all of the parents!  My mom and dad, us, Philip's dad and stepmom, and Philip's stepdad and mom.

Photos courtesy of Howie Hartman of Double H Media.

Miss something?  Catch up here:
We arrive in Pennsylvania

We begin setting up

We stock the bar (and skip a rehearsal)

We have dinner and play games at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We eat R2D2 and open presents at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We bask in the glow of our paper lantern triumph

We finish setting up the tent

Wedding Day Details: The Favors

Wedding Day Details: The Set-Up 

Wedding Day Details: The Rings

Wedding Day Details: The Chair Signs

Wedding Day Details: Odds & Ends

The Girls Get Glamorous

Philip Gets Gorgeous 

Closeup: The Ladies 

Closeup: The Guys 

Closeup: The Bridal Portraits

Our First Look 

Pre-Ceremony Photos

More Photos of Us

Our Mini-Rehearsal

Partial Family Portraits

Wedding Party Photos at the Ceremony Site

Even More Photos at the Ceremony Site 

Grandparents, Parents, and Wedding Party Walk Down the Aisle

The Bridal Entrance... 

Ceremony Part I 

Ceremony Part II 

Ceremony Part III 

Ceremony Part IV: The Sand Ceremony 

Ceremony Part V: The Vows 

Ceremony Part VI: The Handfasting 

Ceremony Part VII: The Ring Exchange

Ceremony Part VIII: The Final Reading 

Ceremony Part IX: The End! 

The Recessional 

Pre-Reception Wedding Party Photos

The Ceremony Begins!

Opening Prayer
Jon: Beloved God, we are gathered here in support of Philip and Tara.  May their love for each other enrich them as individuals and let them know the peace that comes from truly being known and accepted by another. 

Let us lift our hearts together as one in jubilant celebration of the marriage union we are about to witness between Philip and Tara.

As they enter into the sacred and joyous covenant of marriage, we are blessed to witness the magnificence of their love, their open hearts, and their vibrant and willing spirits.

Inspired by their love, let each of us rededicate ourselves to the loving relationships in our own lives.  May we all be enriched for having shared this day together.  Please be seated.

Gathering Words
Jon: Welcome.  Love has gathered us here today.  We are here to celebrate the love that Philip and Tara have for each other as well as the love that each of you has given them throughout their lives. 

As families and friends, you are the ones who have taught Tara and Philip how to love.  You have shown them the blessings that come through loving one another.  

Having planted this seed of love in them, we are now gathered to support them as they embark upon their voyage of discovery as husband and wife.  

We are here to see them off on this journey.  Let us also be there to see them through.  

One of the greatest joys of the wedding day is the joining together of the couples families and friends.  Philip and Tara are filled with gratitude to each and everyone one of you for the loving, caring, friendship, and support that you have given them throughout their lives.

Being able to share their wedding day with you, surrounded by your love and support, is a treasured blessing.  Knowing that your best wishes go forward with them strengthens them as they go forth on their journey as husband and wife. 

Remembrances and Acknowledgements
Jon: Today is an incredibly happy day for Philip and Tara.  It is also a very special day for Philip’s grandparents, Bill and Marie Buch.  They are celebrating their wedding anniversary this very day!  Unfortunately, due to health reasons, they are unable to be with us here today.  However, their long and happy marriage is a great example for all of us to follow. 

There are many special people who are unable to be here with us today for one reason or another.  So, let us call them forward in our hearts.  The couple would especially like to remember Tara’s grandparents, Ernest and Wilma Ketcham.  While they are unable to be with us here today, they will be carried forever in our hearts.  Now we will have a moment of silent remembrance for Ernest and Wilma and all others who could not be here today.
[10 seconds of silence]

I started to cry at the mention of my grandparents.  It's actually the only part of the ceremony that I cried.

To be continued!

Photos courtesy of Howie Hartman of Double H Media.

Miss something?  Catch up here:
We arrive in Pennsylvania

We begin setting up

We stock the bar (and skip a rehearsal)

We have dinner and play games at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We eat R2D2 and open presents at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We bask in the glow of our paper lantern triumph

We finish setting up the tent

Wedding Day Details: The Favors

Wedding Day Details: The Set-Up 

Wedding Day Details: The Rings

Wedding Day Details: The Chair Signs

Wedding Day Details: Odds & Ends

The Girls Get Glamorous

Philip Gets Gorgeous 

Closeup: The Ladies 

Closeup: The Guys 

Closeup: The Bridal Portraits

Our First Look 

Pre-Ceremony Photos

More Photos of Us

Our Mini-Rehearsal

Partial Family Portraits

Wedding Party Photos at the Ceremony Site

Even More Photos at the Ceremony Site 

Grandparents, Parents, and Wedding Party Walk Down the Aisle

The Bridal Entrance...

My trip down the aisle...

The grandparents, parents, and wedding party had made their way down the aisle and now it was my turn!  I had my dad on my right and my mom on my left.  And, as soon as our music started, we headed down the aisle.  

Telling Mom not to cry...

Starting to tear up... I told Mom not to cry because I knew she'd get me started!

We come around the corner where I can see Philip easily. 

Thinking to myself: Don't fall!

Jon asks, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

Mom responds, "She gives herself freely, with the love and blessing of myself, her father, and her family and friends."

Kiss for Dad.

Kiss for Mom.

And then I was finally at the front with Philip and ready for the ceremony to start!  And, honestly, during that whole walk down the aisle, I don't remember seeing anyone other than my parents or Philip.  Apparently I just didn't even pay attention to the guests in their seats!  

Up next, the ceremony finally starts!

Photos courtesy of Howie Hartman of Double H Media.

Miss something?  Catch up here:
We arrive in Pennsylvania

We begin setting up

We stock the bar (and skip a rehearsal)

We have dinner and play games at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We eat R2D2 and open presents at our "Rehearsal" Dinner

We bask in the glow of our paper lantern triumph

We finish setting up the tent
Wedding Day Details: The Favors
Wedding Day Details: The Set-Up 
Wedding Day Details: The Rings

Wedding Day Details: The Chair Signs

Wedding Day Details: Odds & Ends

The Girls Get Glamorous

Philip Gets Gorgeous 

Closeup: The Ladies 

Closeup: The Guys 

Closeup: The Bridal Portraits

Our First Look 

Pre-Ceremony Photos

More Photos of Us

Our Mini-Rehearsal

Partial Family Portraits

Wedding Party Photos at the Ceremony Site

Even More Photos at the Ceremony Site 

Grandparents, Parents, and Wedding Party Walk Down the Aisle