Oh Happy Day: Part Eleven

Hello to everyone who is still reading these!  I have so many things that I want to post on this blog once we make it through this recap, but I want to make sure you get to see everything from our wedding before I do!  We've made it to part eleven.  Yes, eleven.  Part eleven.  After buying more photo space from Google, {it's very cheap and the easiest way to upload to the blog} I have many, many more photos to share with you!  But before I do, I'll give you a set of links to all of the previous posts so you can catch up to today's post in case you missed any!


Oh Happy Day: Part One
Oh Happy Day: Part Two
Oh Happy Day: Part Three
Oh Happy Day: Part Four 
Oh Happy Day: Part Five 
Oh Happy Day: Part Six 
Oh Happy Day: Part Seven
Oh Happy Day: Part Eight
Oh Happy Day: Part Nine
Oh Happy Day: Part Ten

Yesterday was a recap of the most important part of our wedding day--the ceremony.  David and I talked a bunch before the actual day about how we wanted everyone to be at our ceremony over the reception because that was the most important part.  If someone had to choose between the two, we hoped they would choose the ceremony.  And it wasn't because we didn't want to feed them at the reception!  We had plenty of food leftover actually!  It was simply because we felt, as much fun as a reception is, the wedding ceremony was where we stood up to say our vows to one another.  It was the place we promised to love each other all the days of our lives.  We wanted everyone to join with us in that and for it to serve as witness to God's goodness and faithfulness.  We asked all of the people who attended to commit to pray for us as we began our marriage and throughout the rest of it as well.  For those of you that were there, we are grateful for your commitment to us this year.  You have encouraged us in so many ways.  We'll never be able to thank you enough!


After the ceremony was over, David and I headed upstairs to hang out with each other for the first time as husband and wife.  It was finally over.  We were FINALLY married! :)

First to come upstairs after us was my hairdresser Misty.  She seriously is the best EVER!  Because I did not want to wear my really long veil to the reception for fear of someone stepping on it, I took it out of my hair.  Or rather, Misty did.  It was an heirloom, and my Mom had told me that someone stepped on it at their wedding reception and ripped a hole in it.  Sandra Ashford of course fixed that when she worked on it to get it ready for the big day.  If you don't know who that is, she is a lady in Jackson who specializes in heirloom wedding gowns.  She reworks the bride's heirlooms to be used in the wedding.  She does everything from flower girl dresses to wedding dresses to ring bearer pillows, and she is fantastic.

When Sandra took my Mom's veil off of the little hat it was originally attached to, we saved the hat, but didn't pay much attention or thought to it.  Mistletoe Marketplace rolled around, and of course Mom and I went as we do every year.  We of course both ran into lots of people that we knew, one of which was an old sorority sister of mine.  We were looking at her headpieces that she designed and was selling when Mom said, "you should really get her to design one for you."  And so began us working with Molly Gee to design an incredibly special birdcage veil.

{sidenote...Misty would be mad if I didn't point out that she was pregnant in this photo}

When I met with Molly Gee to discuss what I was thinking, she told me that she could use anything that I had or wanted her to.  At first I couldn't think of anything.  Then, my Mom thought of the hat that her veil had originally been attached to.  She found it and said she'd love for Molly Gee to use it.  So we handed it over, and this is what Molly Gee created.  If you're interested in some of her stuff, you can find her website here.

It seriously could not have been more perfect for me!  Molly Gee cut around the lace pattern, added a white flower with beading in the center and attached the netting {not sure what you call that stuff}.  And of course, I'm so thankful to Misty for coming upstairs to put it in my hair in the perfect spot. We then also added a lace bolero jacket to match my dress. So thankful for the small touches that made this day even more sentimental and special.  My birdcage veil is currently preserved with my wedding dress.  Hopefully one day, someone I know will want to get it out and wear it again.

Some of the first people to come upstairs after Misty were David's parents.  Everyone was all smiles, and almost excited as we were!





Lots of hugs went all the way around from the Adams {while Misty fixed my hair! :) }





Then my parents headed upstairs after taking care of things downstairs.  I was so excited to see them! 






I could now call this man my HUSBAND!





We were both showing off our rings at this point.  I had only worn one ring for so long that it felt weird with two.  David of course had never worn a ring so it was even stranger for him. However, we were extremely excited to have them on!





They meant that I get to spend every single day for the rest of my life married to this man below.  I couldn't ask for anything better!






The smiles in all of these photos don't do justice to the excitement everyone was feeling.  Yes, one reason was because everything had gone off without a hitch as planned even though no one except for me believed that it would.  {What can I say? There were some incredible people working tirelessly behind the scenes!}  But another reason was because since April 27 & July 2, 1986, MANY, MANY people had prayed for this day to come.  And it was finally complete.  And there was more than enough joy and happiness to fill the whole city of Starkville a few times!












It became a big joke that the bouquet played "hot potato" throughout the day. If you've been keeping up/noticing in the photos, everyone from my Dad, David, and Mr. John has held it.  I think there is even one of Mrs. Patti and my Mom holding it somewhere.  I can't help it. That thing was heavy!  And I had to hold it for an hour during the actual ceremony!  Haha!  David was really excited to be holding it here, can you tell?





Oops...Mr. John has it again!  Putting the bolero jacket on took a lot of work because it had tiny hook and eyes sewn in that needed to be latched. 





While we were celebrating upstairs, our guests were lining up outside as these cuties were handing out what I like to call disgusting, meltable, fake snow. 

All three of them had a tray, and of course, being upstairs I didn't see this part.  However, my wedding director told me that she followed my cousin Sydney behind trying to help her hand out confetti {miserable, disgusting, awful tasting, fake snow}.  She said it was so funny because Syd thought she was doing all of the work, while Mrs. Cindy awkwardly tried to hold it and help.  A five year old thinks she can do everything.  Then, our photographer showed up with this photo, and I just laughed and laughed!

This photo was taken by my friend Katherine.  But I wanted to show you what our bridal party was doing while we were upstairs.  They formed the beginning of the line, and threw rose petals at us.  Wish we had photos of that part, but on the video, we are all smiles as we are showered with rose petals.  Such a pretty scene.

All of these people were waiting anxiously to throw confetti at us. 

The line was so long that it curved around the front of the church!  These are some of my favorite photos because they were some of the first I saw that allowed me to see who all was actually at our wedding!  There were college friends, family friends, Memphis friends, and relatives.  Everyone there meant so much to us!

We made it through the rose petals.  The delightful, pretty, beautiful, airy, rose petals.  You know, the kind that don't go up your nose, in your mouth, down your dress?  Yes, those rose petals.  And then we came to the confetti.  The confetti that is designed to melt when it hits water.  It's biodegradable.  Which works out rather well for the birds, wildlife, and janitorial crew that would otherwise have to clean up rice or other thrown things. 

However, while the above photo doesn't show it, said confetti was such a miserable experience.  As we tried to walk through, we were pelted with this stuff that was light, airy, and didn't hurt.  HOWEVER, it went in our eyes, and melted.  It went in our mouth, and melted.  It went down my dress, and melted.  It hit my sticky, sweaty skin, and melted.  It went up our noses, and choked us, and THEN melted. 

Worst. Thing. Ever.  There are currently approximately 4 or 5 bags upstairs at our house in Starkville if anyone would like to use them for their wedding.  You can have them for free.








Just don't say I didn't warn you when you are unable to focus on seeing people you love because of the miserable experience!  But really, I'll give them to you! Just ask.
















This photo is probably my favorite of all of them though.  However, if you choose to use the terrible awful fake snow, please do so with a closed mouth so that you won't get melted biodegradable snow in your mouth.  It does not come in a variety of flavors and kind of tastes like chalk.









While the snow was awful, I did love some of the pictures that resulted from it!  However, if I had it to over again, I would pay for every person in attendance to have rose petals.  Yes, rose petals do not have bad side effects like that of fake snow.

After we made it through the line of friends, our bridesmaids and groomsmen followed us.  We all headed for the MSU Shuttle that would take us from the church to our reception.





































We were headed for the party, but before we could get there, we had a very important date with a special place and our photographer. 

As everyone loaded on the bus, David received high fives.  I didn't.  The reason why?

That durn fake snow!  Apparently the only place biodegradable fake snow doesn't melt is in your hair.  How do you know if you have a true friend?  If they will pick fake snow out of your hair so that it won't look like you have dandruff in all of your photos!

Eventually, I got a high five from my husband.  HOWEVER, can you SEE the fake snow?  It's all over him the in previous photo as well!





So where was our date, you ask?  Well, only the most special place on earth to David and I!  The drill field on the campus of Mississippi State!  This is where David and I began running into one another in the spring of our senior year of college. It's also the spot where David proposed.  It only seemed right to grab some photos here since it was minutes away from our reception!






I love these pictures!  They seriously are the best ones that we got with our wedding party, and I will cherish them always!









I just can't help but think about all of the many things this place has seen.  Besides the obvious "drill" that it was developed for, it's seen many university celebrated birthday parties, nervous freshmen going to their first class {me included}, practical jokes & pranks, sports games, studying students, Orientation classes, picnics, first kisses, dates, proposals {ours included}, a death {when Old Main Dorm burned}, and wedding parties.  It's heard laughs, jokes, chapel bells, radical beliefs, tears from homesick college kids, tears from graduating college kids, and tears from reuniting friends.  It's been a part of my most vivid college memories, and if you're a state student grad, probably some of yours as well.  It stands as a focal point of the University that will never be removed.  It is many paths coming together just as my University is many people from different walks of life coming together to form the PEOPLE'S University.  And just as it stands as that for me, it also stands as that for my grandfather, my Mom, my Dad, my Brother, my Husband.  And hopefully for generations to come.





And I have wedding pictures with this man on it to hold onto for the rest of my life.



  

It had always been a part of the original plan to go and take photos on the drill field, however, when we got to the actual wedding week, it was hot as BLAZES in Mississippi.  I told my friends that I wouldn't make them do it if it was ridiculously hot when it came time.





Just as we were leaving the church, the clouds covered the sun, and it was just bearable enough to head that way.  I am so glad that God let the sun park behind a cloud for the minutes that we needed it to!  I would be so devastated if we didn't get these photos.  I'm so thankful for the people below who were such good sports about everything!







  













Don't we all look fresh out of a magazine?  Before we headed back to the bus to make our way to the reception, my girls and I snapped a quick photo.  Which turned out to be the best photo of all of us.  I know I go on and on about these girls, but they truly are my best friends.  No matter where I head in life, they will always be the ones I call or text with funny things that happen or terrible things that happen!  I truly feel like they will always be "my people."

And then it was time to go see our friends at our reception!  But first, I got to walk hand in hand with hubby on the drill field as husband and wife.  No way on earth we ever thought we'd be here when we set foot in Chemistry Lab as freshmen in college!

I hope you'll come back tomorrow!  It will finally be the post about our reception!  Finally!