Monday, August 5, 2002 Continued
We arrived at the wedding pavilion, and Randy and Stan are there taking pictures. I was upset, because I kept very ungracefully tugging up my dress when it slipped, and I didnt want that on the video! Plus, b/c my dress moved down when the top was loose, I kept having to raise the skirt b/c now it was too long! Lynn was there to meet me, and I started blabbering about the hook breaking and my dress not fitting any more.
We made it to the Brides Vestibule without me flashing anyone, and the flowers were sitting out on the table. They were so beautiful! The Mickey heads are so cute, and the stephanotis were much thicker than Id thought kind of like wax. Randy has a nice picture of me gently feeling the stephanotis with my finger, b/c I wasnt convinced they were real.
Meanwhile, I told Lynn about the dress problem, and she ran to get a needle and thread and a hook & eye (bless her!). She came back and started sewing the hook and eye into the dress while I was wearing it, then she pinned the underside of the top of the dress to my bra. She kept apologizing in case she was sticking me, and I told her not to worry she could stick me as much as she had to, as long as she could get that dress to stay up! I honestly dont know if I would have felt it at that point. So she gets the dress pinned and the hook & eye sewn in, but the dress was sitting a bit crooked, so she undid it and we hoisted it up higher and straightened the front out. Periodically after the ceremony was over, shed call out, Heather, youre going sideways! and Id clutch the dress and straighten the bodice out again. Not very romantic, I know, but I was just so glad that it seemed to hang on, even though it did slide around a little bit. Not a lot I think she just had to tell me twice, and Randy told me once, hehehe
Stan came into the vestibule to record a message from me to Andy. I started saying how much I loved him, how this was a dream come true, I couldnt wait to see him, I dont know what all I was saying. I started crying right after I started talking, because I was so happy and in love and just wanted to be with him. Then Julie, who never cries, started crying, too, so we were these two crying women hanging out together in the brides vestibule.
So Im all ready to go, and Lynn asked if she could send in my dad. Of course he was going to escort me down the aisle, and would be a nice change from the two of us sobbing. He came into the room and seemed really nervous. He gave me a kiss, but didnt say much at all.
I think we could hear the music in there, b/c I think I remember hearing the song while Andy walked out, but I may have just imagined that since I know what song it was. Then Julie, my dad and I were brought into the Grooms Vestibule. Then it was time for Julie to go, and after that, Lynn lined me and my dad up in front of the door. I had been pretty composed, after my dad got into the room with us, but when I was standing there waiting to walk out, I could see Andy through the crack, and I started crying again. My dad didnt know what was wrong, and I just said, I can see Andy, and he looks so beautiful, and kept right on crying. I moved to the side so that I couldnt see Andy, and I laughed and told my dad to tell a joke to cheer me up. He didnt, b/c he still seemed kind of in a daze, even more than I was. I remember everything that happened pretty clearly, so I dont think I can have been absolutely dazed, just extremely emotional. Then we heard the chimes, Lynn fluffed out my train, and it was my turn!
As soon as the doors opened, I started smiling, because I could see Andy. I got the biggest smile on my face and couldnt stop looking at him and smiling. I remember telling myself to look at our families in the pews, because I didnt want them to feel ignored, but all I wanted to do was watch Andy. As Dad and I got closer, Andy mouthed to me, You look perfect and I almost started crying again.
We got up to the steps, and my dad had one of my arms and I was clutching the bouquet with the other, so I couldnt quite raise my dress enough to step up. My foot got caught in it a bit, then I was able to raise it enough so that I didnt really trip, luckily! I remember being glad that wed pieced together the ceremony ourselves, because I could follow along with Reverend Tim while he was reading it. I couldnt wait for my dad to leave, so that I could hold Andys hand! Then the Reverend asked, May I ask who adds their blessing to this happy event by presenting Heather to be married to Andrew? and my dad answered I do and kissed me, and then I was holding Andys hand, and Ive never been happier in my entire life.
We had practiced reading the ceremony at home, in a solemn voice, to time it, and it seemed like it took FOREVER! (About 20-25 minutes, actually). But when Andy and I were at the altar, the service seemed to be moving so quickly. I was glad, b/c I had worried about having to stand too long in heels.
The weirdest part is that before the ceremony, the things I was thinking about were things like whether my family would get there, how my dress fit, whether everything would be okay with our reservation, whether it would rain, whether everyone would have a good time at V&As or whether theyd find it too stuffy, just generally planning things and small worries. But once I was in the pavilion, holding Andys hand and looking into his eyes, I could have been getting married anywhere on earth, alongside a dumpster with a marching band playing for all I cared, because all I could see was him. The ceremony was really, truly, the best, happiest, most moving moment of my life.
Andy is usually a pretty laid-back guy, not prone to getting too worked up over anything, but when he was facing me and saying his vows, he got tears in his eyes, which put tears in my eyes. I am so, so, so glad we decided to get that third video camera, to get a full front view of Andys face, because I would pay any amount of money to have that moment before me again. He looked so loving, and I loved him so much, and he was promising to be my husband and to love me always. Nothing anyone could have done would have made our ceremony more special or perfect.
Then I said my vows, and I was so moved that halfway through, I stopped and had tears pouring out of my eyes again. I couldnt talk, so I looked up at Andy and tried to smile, and somehow made it through the rest of the vows. After I finished, Reverend Tim told Andy to give me a little kiss, and he did, but on the cheek, b/c he was saving the real kiss until we were pronounced husband and wife.
After the vows came the Blessing of the Hands, which was actually a pretty comical moment. The Reverend wanted Andy to put his hands palms up and me to put my hands on top of his, also palms up. I dont know exactly how he phrased the request, but confusion was rampant. We were holding hands regularly, then we turned them palms up so that Andys hands were facing up, but finally we got it right after a bit of giggling, which broke up that serious moment of the vows.
Then we did the Ring Ceremony, and got a little teary again but not horribly, and then the blessing & conclusion, with the reading about Ruth
Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you,
For where you go I will go,
and where you stay I will stay
Your people will be my people,
and your God will be my God.
And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried.
May the Lord do with me and more if aught but death parts you from me.
And then Reverend Tim told Andy he could kiss me, and we got to kiss on the lips this time! Then he introduced us, and we were walking down the aisle as husband and wife!
We arrived at the wedding pavilion, and Randy and Stan are there taking pictures. I was upset, because I kept very ungracefully tugging up my dress when it slipped, and I didnt want that on the video! Plus, b/c my dress moved down when the top was loose, I kept having to raise the skirt b/c now it was too long! Lynn was there to meet me, and I started blabbering about the hook breaking and my dress not fitting any more.
We made it to the Brides Vestibule without me flashing anyone, and the flowers were sitting out on the table. They were so beautiful! The Mickey heads are so cute, and the stephanotis were much thicker than Id thought kind of like wax. Randy has a nice picture of me gently feeling the stephanotis with my finger, b/c I wasnt convinced they were real.
Meanwhile, I told Lynn about the dress problem, and she ran to get a needle and thread and a hook & eye (bless her!). She came back and started sewing the hook and eye into the dress while I was wearing it, then she pinned the underside of the top of the dress to my bra. She kept apologizing in case she was sticking me, and I told her not to worry she could stick me as much as she had to, as long as she could get that dress to stay up! I honestly dont know if I would have felt it at that point. So she gets the dress pinned and the hook & eye sewn in, but the dress was sitting a bit crooked, so she undid it and we hoisted it up higher and straightened the front out. Periodically after the ceremony was over, shed call out, Heather, youre going sideways! and Id clutch the dress and straighten the bodice out again. Not very romantic, I know, but I was just so glad that it seemed to hang on, even though it did slide around a little bit. Not a lot I think she just had to tell me twice, and Randy told me once, hehehe
Stan came into the vestibule to record a message from me to Andy. I started saying how much I loved him, how this was a dream come true, I couldnt wait to see him, I dont know what all I was saying. I started crying right after I started talking, because I was so happy and in love and just wanted to be with him. Then Julie, who never cries, started crying, too, so we were these two crying women hanging out together in the brides vestibule.
So Im all ready to go, and Lynn asked if she could send in my dad. Of course he was going to escort me down the aisle, and would be a nice change from the two of us sobbing. He came into the room and seemed really nervous. He gave me a kiss, but didnt say much at all.
I think we could hear the music in there, b/c I think I remember hearing the song while Andy walked out, but I may have just imagined that since I know what song it was. Then Julie, my dad and I were brought into the Grooms Vestibule. Then it was time for Julie to go, and after that, Lynn lined me and my dad up in front of the door. I had been pretty composed, after my dad got into the room with us, but when I was standing there waiting to walk out, I could see Andy through the crack, and I started crying again. My dad didnt know what was wrong, and I just said, I can see Andy, and he looks so beautiful, and kept right on crying. I moved to the side so that I couldnt see Andy, and I laughed and told my dad to tell a joke to cheer me up. He didnt, b/c he still seemed kind of in a daze, even more than I was. I remember everything that happened pretty clearly, so I dont think I can have been absolutely dazed, just extremely emotional. Then we heard the chimes, Lynn fluffed out my train, and it was my turn!
As soon as the doors opened, I started smiling, because I could see Andy. I got the biggest smile on my face and couldnt stop looking at him and smiling. I remember telling myself to look at our families in the pews, because I didnt want them to feel ignored, but all I wanted to do was watch Andy. As Dad and I got closer, Andy mouthed to me, You look perfect and I almost started crying again.
We got up to the steps, and my dad had one of my arms and I was clutching the bouquet with the other, so I couldnt quite raise my dress enough to step up. My foot got caught in it a bit, then I was able to raise it enough so that I didnt really trip, luckily! I remember being glad that wed pieced together the ceremony ourselves, because I could follow along with Reverend Tim while he was reading it. I couldnt wait for my dad to leave, so that I could hold Andys hand! Then the Reverend asked, May I ask who adds their blessing to this happy event by presenting Heather to be married to Andrew? and my dad answered I do and kissed me, and then I was holding Andys hand, and Ive never been happier in my entire life.
We had practiced reading the ceremony at home, in a solemn voice, to time it, and it seemed like it took FOREVER! (About 20-25 minutes, actually). But when Andy and I were at the altar, the service seemed to be moving so quickly. I was glad, b/c I had worried about having to stand too long in heels.
The weirdest part is that before the ceremony, the things I was thinking about were things like whether my family would get there, how my dress fit, whether everything would be okay with our reservation, whether it would rain, whether everyone would have a good time at V&As or whether theyd find it too stuffy, just generally planning things and small worries. But once I was in the pavilion, holding Andys hand and looking into his eyes, I could have been getting married anywhere on earth, alongside a dumpster with a marching band playing for all I cared, because all I could see was him. The ceremony was really, truly, the best, happiest, most moving moment of my life.
Andy is usually a pretty laid-back guy, not prone to getting too worked up over anything, but when he was facing me and saying his vows, he got tears in his eyes, which put tears in my eyes. I am so, so, so glad we decided to get that third video camera, to get a full front view of Andys face, because I would pay any amount of money to have that moment before me again. He looked so loving, and I loved him so much, and he was promising to be my husband and to love me always. Nothing anyone could have done would have made our ceremony more special or perfect.
Then I said my vows, and I was so moved that halfway through, I stopped and had tears pouring out of my eyes again. I couldnt talk, so I looked up at Andy and tried to smile, and somehow made it through the rest of the vows. After I finished, Reverend Tim told Andy to give me a little kiss, and he did, but on the cheek, b/c he was saving the real kiss until we were pronounced husband and wife.
After the vows came the Blessing of the Hands, which was actually a pretty comical moment. The Reverend wanted Andy to put his hands palms up and me to put my hands on top of his, also palms up. I dont know exactly how he phrased the request, but confusion was rampant. We were holding hands regularly, then we turned them palms up so that Andys hands were facing up, but finally we got it right after a bit of giggling, which broke up that serious moment of the vows.
Then we did the Ring Ceremony, and got a little teary again but not horribly, and then the blessing & conclusion, with the reading about Ruth
Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you,
For where you go I will go,
and where you stay I will stay
Your people will be my people,
and your God will be my God.
And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried.
May the Lord do with me and more if aught but death parts you from me.
And then Reverend Tim told Andy he could kiss me, and we got to kiss on the lips this time! Then he introduced us, and we were walking down the aisle as husband and wife!
