I thought it was only fitting to pick up where I left off with our wedding recaps since we've just landed in our new home - Hood River, OR - the site of our recent Memorial Day weekend wedding. Like I mentioned in my last post...I feel like we've been riding high since the wedding day and haven't yet come down. It might sound a bit cliche but I would have to say our wedding day was the best day of my life. I'm SO glad we stayed true to ourselves and had the kind of wedding that wasn't too traditional and that was all about us and really represented who we are and what we love.
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| Image {via a friend} |
Our ceremony was my absolute favorite part of the day! It should be after all since the marriage is the reason we have a wedding in the first place and why our guests are there to support us. I think often times couples don't spend a lot of time on the ceremony and get too caught up in all the other details (especially brides!). I was no exception - but while I was really into the planning we also thought it was very important to dedicate time and effort into putting our ceremony together ourselves and make sure it reflected us.
We wrote our own wedding vows which may sound easy since it's really just like an open heart love letter to your best friend but that's why it was so hard. You aren't just writing them a letter, you are reading it to them in front of 50-60 other people. Granted they may be all the people you love but it's easier said than done. I'm not a shy person and I wasn't at all nervous on the wedding day - more anxious and excited. But I knew if the first time I was reading my vows aloud was during the ceremony that I would be a disaster. So I practiced on my best friend and sister since I knew they'd be hearing them soon enough anyway.
My friend Vail covering her ears b/c she didn't want to cry
You know by now that I'm so upset we didn't get any video from the ceremony but I must say that Gabriel and Boone did an amazing job of really capturing the emotion of the moment and it brings you right back to the day.
There had been a threat of rain or mist all day and it was cloudy and overcast throughout the entire morning. The most amazing thing was that right as we cued the music to start the ceremony the wind began to pick up and the clouds slowly began to part - it was magical!
We chose "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole as the processional song for the wedding party and seating.
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| Keith and his mom walking down the aisle |
We definitely wanted to have someone we loved and knew us both well marry us rather than finding someone locally that would be lucky to meet us the week before the wedding. We asked our dear friend Chris to marry us, since he'd never done anything like this before he was ordained online before the ceremony.
Keith and our dear friend Chris (our officiant)
Since we were having an outdoor wedding with a mountain backdrop we chose "Annie's Song" by John Denver for me to walk down the aisle with my dad. It was the perfect song at that moment with the wind blowing between the tall canopy of trees and the mountain starting to peak out in the distance.
Even though I had a perfectly good pair of shoes that I absolutely loved I decided at the last minute to walk down the aisle barefoot. It's how I'm most comfortable and the lush grass looked too tempting.
Dad and I walking down the stairs (I loved my flowers! - more to come on that)
The hand off - I love these two pictures!
We wrote the entire script for our ceremony with a little help from other wedding blogs like 2000 Dollar Budget Wedding and the forums on Indie Bride. Many of our guests were curious why we chose to get married in Oregon so in the welcome we incorporated a lot about the area and why we love it so much here. Looking back, it's so ironic since we had no idea at the time of the ceremony that in two short months we'd be moving here but one of the things we said was "this is one of the places our hearts have made a home"
There is a giant mountain behind us that was still hiding throughout the ceremony but the sky kept changing slowly revealing it little by little. We couldn't stop looking around in awe of this place - it was surreal, spiritual, amazing!
We wanted each person with a role in our wedding to be someone we loved so we asked my cousin Kirie that also did all the paper flowers and ribbon curtain and helped SO much with the wedding to do a reading. I was so caught up in the moment I feel like I didn't quite get to take in every word but I've since read it over and over again. I won't write out our entire wedding script as I feel it's deeply personal but I'll share a line from her beautiful reading/letter.
"Today we bear witness to your love, a love that will continue to grow and flourish under the shelter of marriage. And in its strange alchemy, your married love will, without changing your individuality, make two people into one. It's that kind of magic that makes me call love a miracle, a piece of the divine."
After the reading my friend and college roommate Colleen sang "Forever" by Ben Harper while our other friend Greg played the guitar. It was amazing to hear her sing again - it had been some time since our days in college when I'd wake up to the sweet sound of her voice echoing through the halls of our house.
Taking in the beautiful song
Once the song was through it was time for our friend/officiant Chris's reflection. We had no idea what he was going to say and it blew me away. Keith and I had gone to see him in Crested Butte, CO for a snowboarding trip and he took us to a point on the mountain where he had lost a friend. There was a marker on the mountain side placed there in honor of his friend that said "Live, Laugh, Love" and Keith took a ton of pictures of it. He ended up writing his reflection around that quote.
"When I think of Debbie and Keith I think of my three favorite lines: Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much.
Live Well - Close to God and his creation; close to family and friends and especially close to each other
Laugh Often - Debbie the butterfly; Keith the caterpillar. Together they are full of fun and funny things, full of laughter and full of life
Love Much - Love each other, love of God's creation, love of family and friends. For it is love that brought us here and it is love that will keep us here
I have seen these things in them as you have as well.
So Debbie and Keith - Live Well, Laugh Often and Love Much"
Now it was time for us to read our vows...I told Keith I would have to go first otherwise I was afraid I'd be a mess if I had to hear his words before mine. Even though all eyes were on me I didn't feel like there was anyone else in that space but Keith and I.
Since I was really just wrapped up in the moment and looking at Keith it was great to see all the expression shots captured during the ceremony - they are some of my favorites.
Great shot of both of our moms looking on during our vows
Quite possibly my favorite picture of the day - I look like I'm about to bounce on Keith
Clearly his vows offered more humor than mine!
We decided on a "I like, I love, I will/promise" type format for our vows but we hadn't shared them with each other before this moment.
To pick just one line to share is so hard b/c I loved every word but my favorite from what he read to me was - "I will grow young along with you and be willing to face change as we both change in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting"
I was a little choked up after his vows so the rings weren't quite as easy for me as the vows! Hence my cry face...
The ceremony ended with our friend Danielle giving a final blessing. It meant so much to have a personally written reading from her and my cousin Kirie - both unique and both from the heart.
A line from her blessing - "Let love be your shelter. The world is noisy and confusing at times so make a home that is a haven, a peaceful place where you listen to your hearts and savor the comfortable closeness you share"
We both have our eyes closed taking in one last memory of the beautiful ceremony
And it ended in a kiss!
By this time the sun was glowing and the mountain was almost fully exposed. After the kiss, Keith swept me off my feet and carried me back down the aisle to "Say Hey (I Love You)" by Michael Franti and Spearhead.
Once he finally put me down we danced!
All images {via Gabriel Boone}
I could relive that day over and over and over again - I've never felt so surrounded by love. It was personal and intimate and everything I could have ever imagined and more.
More recaps to come!
