We are MARRIED! Today was amazing. I dont even know if I can put into words. Its one of those days that warms your heart in so many ways and thinking about the events through the day keeps a huge smile on your face.
We woke up pretty early, and found ourselves with some extra time before anyone arrived. So the bride and groom took one last walk on the beach as a engaged couple. It was nice to have that before the day begin. When we got back to the house I started to get ready while Grant started to nervously keep himself busy. The first task was sweeping, actually I dont think he ever stopped sweeping for awhile. Kelly and Tony graciously started ironing their clothes as well as Grants. The first person to arrive was Kendra. Once she got there we started on my makeup. Than shortly after that Roni, (hair stylist), showed up as well as Wes and Liz (photographers). That is when time started to fly by. I felt so relaxed though, not much anxiety. Roni, Wes, and Liz commented on how calm I was. LOL Grant on the other had was not so calm. Everyone was saying how he was running around like a madman. He was suppose to be in the shower but I would get updates that he was running around with his shirt off, but still had his Hollywood glasses on. Finally he did get in the shower though. LOL
Meanwhile, Kelly went to pick up the cake and picked up Erik and Marie on the way back. When they got back they helped Kendra with decorating. They were decorating the pergola with the paper laterns and starfish. And Marie was putting together the centerpieces, with very vague instructions from me. They looked fabulous! Sometime during that time the officant arrived and Grant franctically looked for the marriage license, so Kendra came in to ask me. It was right where we left it. LOL The caterers also arrived and Kelly and Kendra helped them with the set up. I was a little disappointed that the menus wouldnt match the white napkins, but when I saw the table later they worked it out even better than I imagined :) Its crazy how you spend all the time planning, and than the day of I let it all go. I said, I know you girls will make it work. And that they did! Everything was absolutely perfect.
Grant and I decided to do a first look, so Wes had me come to the back of the house and use the stair case that led to the house upstairs. Liz went and got Grant. I was so nervous. I carefully came down the stairs, ( I seriously thought I was going to trip), and the expression on Grants face the first time he saw me was a look Ill never forget. We had a few moments together (which I think helped both our nerves), and Wes/Liz took a few photos. Than Grant went out to the pergola. He was going to meet me half way and we were going to finish the walk together. So Liz watched for my cue when he was at the halfway point. There he was, so off I went. Careful with every step. My dress was just a tad bit long so I had to be careful. Once I reached Grant, and than looked at all our guests is when the emotions overcame me. I thought I was going to sob but was able to just shed a few tears. :)
The ceremony was beautiful. I took a few moments throughout to take it all in. The friends and family, the ocean, the words the officant spoke, and of course my handsome husband to be. Grant and I had pieced the ceremony together ourselves, and it was absolutely perfect. It was so hot out, I could feel the sweat dripping down my face. LOL And there was on curl that kept falling in my eyes. Funny the things we remember eh? After the ceremony we gave everyone a hug and went off to take pictures, while our guests enjoyed cocktail cocktail hour. Our caterer was awesome. They brought out drinks and appetizers to us while we were taking photos, and were even walking around serving our guests! The food was DELICIOUS! The only thing I probably regret about the picture hour was have planned out a bit better. We didnt get as many family photos, since everyone was spread out about the property. Later we did get some more family photos in but it would have been nice to get them when the sun was shining.
Dinner was served shortly after cocktail hour. I loved the way we did the table set up. We had them set up in a U shape, and it felt like a family dinner. Everyone could hear and see everyone. Tony said a nice speech before dinner and than we enjoyed the delicious food. Grant and I werent exactly relaxed by this point, so didnt get to enjoy the food as much as we like. But defintely enjoyed enough to realize we picked probably the best caterer in Fort Myers!
After dinner we did our cake cutting. THe cassata cake and cupcakes from the Publix looked awesome!!!! We were very nice to each other during the cake feeding, but probably could of used some experience in the whoel cake cutting business. LOL I did notice the caterers did their cute apple love bird scultupres. They make love birds out of apples. I loved it! Wes took a picture of us with them of course :) I also got to enjoy some of Floridas finest key lime pie. MMMMM!
Than the dancing begin. First we started off with the first dance song. We were hoping to make it before sunset but missed it. I love our first dance song. I cried a little bit, than we sang it to each other as we danced. And than we all danced, danced, danced, and danced some more. And when we werent dancing, Grant made sure to get everyone dancing. LOL And at the end we had the whole party dancing, we even formed a circle and danced in one big circle. Loved that moment to. Took that time to look around at everyone and take it all in again. :)
We stopped the party around 9:30, a little bit longer than we were suppose to go. But a few of us met up at a bar afterwards for a few more drinks. We had a small set back on the way there with Sgt Pepper. We parked in the gravel and it was a bit on a slant, so he got stuck. It took 3 people to push him out, Marie even skinned her knee. LOL Than the rocks were stuck in the rotors and Sgt Pepper was screaming at us. :( Glad we were able to get him out of there! we ended up at the bar a bit of time after everyone, but still got in a bit of dancing. The famly headed back to their hotel since some of them were flying out in the morning, and Marie, Erik, Grant, and I stuck around a little bit longer. We did a celebration superman shot, with Grant willing :) I had to teach the bartender about superman though. :p
Than a very tired bride and groom headed to the beautiful suite at the Pink Shell. Amazing day that we will never forget!
We woke up pretty early, and found ourselves with some extra time before anyone arrived. So the bride and groom took one last walk on the beach as a engaged couple. It was nice to have that before the day begin. When we got back to the house I started to get ready while Grant started to nervously keep himself busy. The first task was sweeping, actually I dont think he ever stopped sweeping for awhile. Kelly and Tony graciously started ironing their clothes as well as Grants. The first person to arrive was Kendra. Once she got there we started on my makeup. Than shortly after that Roni, (hair stylist), showed up as well as Wes and Liz (photographers). That is when time started to fly by. I felt so relaxed though, not much anxiety. Roni, Wes, and Liz commented on how calm I was. LOL Grant on the other had was not so calm. Everyone was saying how he was running around like a madman. He was suppose to be in the shower but I would get updates that he was running around with his shirt off, but still had his Hollywood glasses on. Finally he did get in the shower though. LOL
Meanwhile, Kelly went to pick up the cake and picked up Erik and Marie on the way back. When they got back they helped Kendra with decorating. They were decorating the pergola with the paper laterns and starfish. And Marie was putting together the centerpieces, with very vague instructions from me. They looked fabulous! Sometime during that time the officant arrived and Grant franctically looked for the marriage license, so Kendra came in to ask me. It was right where we left it. LOL The caterers also arrived and Kelly and Kendra helped them with the set up. I was a little disappointed that the menus wouldnt match the white napkins, but when I saw the table later they worked it out even better than I imagined :) Its crazy how you spend all the time planning, and than the day of I let it all go. I said, I know you girls will make it work. And that they did! Everything was absolutely perfect.
Grant and I decided to do a first look, so Wes had me come to the back of the house and use the stair case that led to the house upstairs. Liz went and got Grant. I was so nervous. I carefully came down the stairs, ( I seriously thought I was going to trip), and the expression on Grants face the first time he saw me was a look Ill never forget. We had a few moments together (which I think helped both our nerves), and Wes/Liz took a few photos. Than Grant went out to the pergola. He was going to meet me half way and we were going to finish the walk together. So Liz watched for my cue when he was at the halfway point. There he was, so off I went. Careful with every step. My dress was just a tad bit long so I had to be careful. Once I reached Grant, and than looked at all our guests is when the emotions overcame me. I thought I was going to sob but was able to just shed a few tears. :)
The ceremony was beautiful. I took a few moments throughout to take it all in. The friends and family, the ocean, the words the officant spoke, and of course my handsome husband to be. Grant and I had pieced the ceremony together ourselves, and it was absolutely perfect. It was so hot out, I could feel the sweat dripping down my face. LOL And there was on curl that kept falling in my eyes. Funny the things we remember eh? After the ceremony we gave everyone a hug and went off to take pictures, while our guests enjoyed cocktail cocktail hour. Our caterer was awesome. They brought out drinks and appetizers to us while we were taking photos, and were even walking around serving our guests! The food was DELICIOUS! The only thing I probably regret about the picture hour was have planned out a bit better. We didnt get as many family photos, since everyone was spread out about the property. Later we did get some more family photos in but it would have been nice to get them when the sun was shining.
Dinner was served shortly after cocktail hour. I loved the way we did the table set up. We had them set up in a U shape, and it felt like a family dinner. Everyone could hear and see everyone. Tony said a nice speech before dinner and than we enjoyed the delicious food. Grant and I werent exactly relaxed by this point, so didnt get to enjoy the food as much as we like. But defintely enjoyed enough to realize we picked probably the best caterer in Fort Myers!
After dinner we did our cake cutting. THe cassata cake and cupcakes from the Publix looked awesome!!!! We were very nice to each other during the cake feeding, but probably could of used some experience in the whoel cake cutting business. LOL I did notice the caterers did their cute apple love bird scultupres. They make love birds out of apples. I loved it! Wes took a picture of us with them of course :) I also got to enjoy some of Floridas finest key lime pie. MMMMM!
Than the dancing begin. First we started off with the first dance song. We were hoping to make it before sunset but missed it. I love our first dance song. I cried a little bit, than we sang it to each other as we danced. And than we all danced, danced, danced, and danced some more. And when we werent dancing, Grant made sure to get everyone dancing. LOL And at the end we had the whole party dancing, we even formed a circle and danced in one big circle. Loved that moment to. Took that time to look around at everyone and take it all in again. :)
We stopped the party around 9:30, a little bit longer than we were suppose to go. But a few of us met up at a bar afterwards for a few more drinks. We had a small set back on the way there with Sgt Pepper. We parked in the gravel and it was a bit on a slant, so he got stuck. It took 3 people to push him out, Marie even skinned her knee. LOL Than the rocks were stuck in the rotors and Sgt Pepper was screaming at us. :( Glad we were able to get him out of there! we ended up at the bar a bit of time after everyone, but still got in a bit of dancing. The famly headed back to their hotel since some of them were flying out in the morning, and Marie, Erik, Grant, and I stuck around a little bit longer. We did a celebration superman shot, with Grant willing :) I had to teach the bartender about superman though. :p
Than a very tired bride and groom headed to the beautiful suite at the Pink Shell. Amazing day that we will never forget!
Leave a comment
Please login with your Facebook account if you wish to leave a comment.