That's really how I feel about Ryan and Sarah's wedding day. Well, the entire week leading up to it too. It was full of joy and love and family and friends.
We all arrived in Texas a few days before the wedding and enjoyed preparing and spending time together. Ryan and Sarah decided to have their "wedding formals" taken at the temple a couple of days before the wedding. A very wise decision considering the weather deteriorated the closer we got to the wedding. Madison (Hawkins) Larsen was our photographer and she is incredible talented and self taught! She grew up in Allen and we have known her since she was about 12 years old. She lives in Utah and did a fantastic job on Ryan and Sarah's engagement pictures. We were very sad when we realized she was not going to be spending Christmas in Texas with her family. I did convince her to come anyway and bought her a ticket to fly down. It was absolutely worth every penny because Sarah thinks every picture is just PERFECT! Click here to see more of Madison's work!
Here are a few of my favorites:
Here are a few of my favorites:
One of my other favorite things about the week of the wedding was finally getting to spend time with Sarah's mom, Lynn. She and I spent a lot of time emailing, texting and talking on the phone in preparation for the big event. It was PERFECT to finally be together in person. I think she is wonderful and it is easy to see where Sarah gets her sweet, kind and loving disposition: from her sweet, kind and loving mother.
The bridal bouquet was total PERFECTION too! Ryan bought Sarah a beautiful bouquet of peonies when she came to visit us in Washington and ever since then they have been her favorite flower. She really wanted them in her bridal bouquet, but there was really no way we could afford to get peonies in December. Our florist, Jan Patterson from The Flower Pot, suggested we use David Austin Garden Roses which have really big soft blooms like the peonies. When I got to Texas and we arranged to pay for the flowers, Jan surprised me by saying that she was able to get a hold of a few peonies and keep to the budget. I was very touched by her efforts, but words cannot describe how I felt when I saw the bouquet for the first time. She didn't just get a couple; the bouquet was easily half peonies! She even included peonies in the bridesmaids bouquets. Sarah's dreams came true and the flowers were PERFECT!
A highlight of the pre-wedding festivities was a dinner with bridesmaids, groomsmen, sisters, brothers and parents at a wonderful Italian restaurant in Allen called Brio. We had so much fun eating and laughing that I don't even have a picture to share. It really was the PERFECT way to start of the wedding!
A lowlight of the pre-wedding festivities was realizing that the 200 roses I ordered were not going to open before the wedding. Nancy Pickup and I tried everything: hot water, warm air, etc. As I was driving around running errands, I had an impression to stop at Tom Thumb and just see if they had some pink roses we could throw in the centerpieces. I found 2 dozen, but it would never be enough for 15 tables! The sweet flower lady said that they just got a big shipment that morning and she would go check in the back. Two minutes later, she walked out with 6 dozen beautiful pink roses in the Sarah's perfect shade of pink! So, something that could have been a huge disappointment turned out PERFECT! Here are the beautiful centerpieces that Sandi Arnold and Amy Foulger put together for us. Aren't they beautiful? Even the little ones that wouldn't open properly look great. Sandi and Amy have the Midas touch!
A lowlight of the pre-wedding festivities was realizing that the 200 roses I ordered were not going to open before the wedding. Nancy Pickup and I tried everything: hot water, warm air, etc. As I was driving around running errands, I had an impression to stop at Tom Thumb and just see if they had some pink roses we could throw in the centerpieces. I found 2 dozen, but it would never be enough for 15 tables! The sweet flower lady said that they just got a big shipment that morning and she would go check in the back. Two minutes later, she walked out with 6 dozen beautiful pink roses in the Sarah's perfect shade of pink! So, something that could have been a huge disappointment turned out PERFECT! Here are the beautiful centerpieces that Sandi Arnold and Amy Foulger put together for us. Aren't they beautiful? Even the little ones that wouldn't open properly look great. Sandi and Amy have the Midas touch!
One miracle that made the wedding PERFECT was the weather. It was terrible on the day of the wedding! We drove to the temple in driving rain and 40 degrees. However, as we exited the temple after the sealing, the rain had completely stopped and it had warmed up a little. We were able to have all the pictures taken without a single drop from the skies, which brightened even more as the afternoon progressed.
Sarah really wanted a videographer at the temple and the reception and we were able to find Rachal Ricks Smith. Click her name for her website. If you are getting married in Dallas, please call her!
We have a very funny story about our sweet videographer!
It's a tradition after a sealing in the temple to wait for the couple outside and cheer and clap for them as they make their first appearance as husband and wife. The whole purpose of the videographer at the temple was to capture this wonderful moment as family and friends congratulate the newlyweds. Only one problem: We couldn't find our videographer anywhere! I called her and called her, but no answer. Most of our friends couldn't wait any longer and left to get back to their families and other commitments. Finally, my brother Jim offered to use the video function on his phone. Just as we decided to make the best of it, my phone rang!
Rachal was on the phone and apologized that her phone had been on silent. Here's how the conversation went:
Me: Rachal, where are you?
Rachal: I'm on my way to the wedding luncheon.
Me: Rachal, we don't have a luncheon and we have not seen you.
Rachal: SILENCE...
Rachal: What? I came to the temple and saw a wedding party outside. I approached them and asked them if they were the Bills wedding and they said, "Yes! And we've been waiting for you!"
Me: Rachal, that was not us! (Laughing because seriously I was on cloud 9 from the sealing and found it all rather funny.)
Rachal: I shot their video and they told me they would meet me at the luncheon. I figured I'd just misunderstood about what time the reception was and I was headed to the place! I'm turning around right now! I'll be there in 10 minutes! I'm so embarrassed, oh my goodness!
Me: It's totally ok Rachal, I'm just so grateful we got a hold of you! See you in a minute!
Me (to everyone else): OUR VIDEOGRAPHER WAS HIJACKED!!! (More laughter)
Somewhere out there is a poor, sad bride, whose colors were a light green and navy, crying because her videographer never showed up at her luncheon and she has no video of outside the temple after her sealing. We were all in the temple with their entire wedding party as we all waited for the newlyweds. I feel so bad for her! She should be mad at whoever told the videographer that they were the Bills! I have a feeling that person wasn't really listening at all.
Crisis was averted, we all thought it was very funny, and we have a beautiful video to help us remember the joy of the day! PERFECTION!
We have a very funny story about our sweet videographer!
It's a tradition after a sealing in the temple to wait for the couple outside and cheer and clap for them as they make their first appearance as husband and wife. The whole purpose of the videographer at the temple was to capture this wonderful moment as family and friends congratulate the newlyweds. Only one problem: We couldn't find our videographer anywhere! I called her and called her, but no answer. Most of our friends couldn't wait any longer and left to get back to their families and other commitments. Finally, my brother Jim offered to use the video function on his phone. Just as we decided to make the best of it, my phone rang!
Rachal was on the phone and apologized that her phone had been on silent. Here's how the conversation went:
Me: Rachal, where are you?
Rachal: I'm on my way to the wedding luncheon.
Me: Rachal, we don't have a luncheon and we have not seen you.
Rachal: SILENCE...
Rachal: What? I came to the temple and saw a wedding party outside. I approached them and asked them if they were the Bills wedding and they said, "Yes! And we've been waiting for you!"
Me: Rachal, that was not us! (Laughing because seriously I was on cloud 9 from the sealing and found it all rather funny.)
Rachal: I shot their video and they told me they would meet me at the luncheon. I figured I'd just misunderstood about what time the reception was and I was headed to the place! I'm turning around right now! I'll be there in 10 minutes! I'm so embarrassed, oh my goodness!
Me: It's totally ok Rachal, I'm just so grateful we got a hold of you! See you in a minute!
Me (to everyone else): OUR VIDEOGRAPHER WAS HIJACKED!!! (More laughter)
Somewhere out there is a poor, sad bride, whose colors were a light green and navy, crying because her videographer never showed up at her luncheon and she has no video of outside the temple after her sealing. We were all in the temple with their entire wedding party as we all waited for the newlyweds. I feel so bad for her! She should be mad at whoever told the videographer that they were the Bills! I have a feeling that person wasn't really listening at all.
Crisis was averted, we all thought it was very funny, and we have a beautiful video to help us remember the joy of the day! PERFECTION!
The reception was so fun and it was wonderful to be surrounded by so many family members and friends that have loved us and supported our family for so many years. Kent Arnold was our master of ceremonies and did a great job keeping the music and the evening going. Melanie (Sundell) Jarnigan did the cake for us. She is another wonderful young woman that we have known for a very long time. She used to babysit the boys when they were little. We will never forget the night we came home from a date night and found Troy and Mel fast asleep in the rocking chair in his bedroom. Just adorable! Anyway...
Melanie loves to do cakes and is self taught just like Madison. Sarah had a very clear vision of what she wanted and sent Mel some pictures to help her catch the vision as well. Melanie reproduced exactly what Sarah wanted to PERFECTION!
Melanie loves to do cakes and is self taught just like Madison. Sarah had a very clear vision of what she wanted and sent Mel some pictures to help her catch the vision as well. Melanie reproduced exactly what Sarah wanted to PERFECTION!
Not only did the wedding cake, cupcakes and groom's cake look fabulous, but it all tasted so delicious! The day after the wedding, Kent was snacking on a leftover cupcake and said, "Can we move and live next door to Melanie, because these are the best cupcakes I have ever eaten!" Even today, when we were looking at all the pictures of the wedding, Kent was pining away for more of Melanie's cupcakes! We have always loved Melanie, but she is now on a pedestal that will never fall after her wedding cake triumph!
There was dancing, delicious food and lots of laughing and visiting. We are so grateful to all who came and were so generous with their gifts and congratulations. How could one family be so blessed?
We are also so blessed to have Sarah join our family. She is a wonderful addition and is the PERFECT girl for our boy.