The day started out like any other day. Speeding along an unfamiliar street, get pulled over by the cops, get let go by the officer based on the excuses of "I'm not from around here" and "It's my wedding day and I'm running late". Eh, it worked and I was able to get away ticketless. My Matron of Honor was waiting for me at her hotel. Leroy was with me and he was going to take her daughter, my flowergirl, so that we could have our day at the spa. We get to the hotel and swap cars, along with last minute instructions to pick certain items up. My MOH and I headed off to the spa to get massages, hair and makeup done. The massages were great and so relaxing. My hair was curled and styled only to fall flat before I got to the wedding destination. Neither of us were impressed with the makeup but we weren't going to sweat the small stuff. While we were in the spa, Leroy calls and leaves a message on my cell phone (I left it in the car). Those who know me, know that I'm not prone to checking messages regularly. I felt the need to check messages that day (I had 18 of them, eh) and lo and behold! Leroy couldn't find the place to pick up the cake. So. After the spa, Moana and I went to CVS to pick up lipgloss and stuff to do her toes with. Then we picked up the cake. The cake was so huge that Moana had to sit in the back of my truck. I felt bad because she was kind of squished back there while doing her toes.
The wedding was in the middle of nowhere. Shawnee National Forest to be exact. On my parents' farm. I wanted a simple outdoor wedding. What I got seemed like a hickville hoe down. The wedding was planned for sunset because I knew the colours would be gorgeous then. When we got to the farm, I wasn't sure if I needed to be furious or to bust of laughing hysterically. My soon to be husband and his best man were shoveling gravel! At that time, the farmstead didn't have a working shower and it was humid! Gross. Moving on.
After the gravel was shoveled, the guys went into the only bedroom to spray down with some AXE body spray and get into their suits. I pinned the corsages on my brothers, father, and Leroy while Moana did the best man's.
The photographer had arrived by then. Kristin took those who were ready outside for some formal portraits. Mainly Leroy's family. I was in the process of getting my dress on. Little did I realise, the dress was still a bit too big and had to be pinned in the back in order to stay up. No clue why because I hadn't lost any weight since it was altered. I had gained some! Moana, her daughter, and I were goofing around with the photographer in the bedroom while waiting for the minister to arrive. The wedding was supposed to start at 4pm and around 430 my dad walks into the room and asks, "Are we going to get this party started or what?" I didn't know the minister was there already! My dad walked me down the dirt aisle as my brother Rob played "God Bless the Broken Road" on keyboard.
Apparently, he was and he was more nervous than I was! While we were standing before Mike (the minister who happened to have married my dad and stepmom), he kept stuttering over the words and misspoke our vows that we had written. Leroy repeated verbatim what Mike said and I said the correct wording. We were laughing so hard during the ceremony that tears were running down our faces. My brother Brian recorded the whole ceremony.
Dress; $20
Alterations: Free
Suit: $60
Flowers: $65
Cake: $125
Photographer: $500
Family getting along: Priceless!!!!!!
I don't want to be all day with this post so now I'll leave you with a gazillion pictures (or so it seems).
Leroy getting some much needed advice and love from my stepmom!Goofing around while getting dressed.
Rob playing our song.
Dad walking me down the dirt aisle.
The kiss that sealed the deal!
Joel the best man, my husband, Maile the flowergirl, and Moana, my Matron of Honor.
Eh, what's a wedding blog without a little tushy touching? My side of the family. Cousin Joy (blonde in black) has since passed away.
Hey! Where am I going? To get some FOOD!
Uncle Brian deserved this pic since he refused to take a pic without me in it. Aunt Myrna just thought he was being goofy.
Don't ask.My brothers and I
Leroy's family. His uncle Roger and the dog have since passed. 
Showing the garter!
Maile stuck her fingers in the cake. What child hasn't?
Joel (the awesome best man!) helped clean Maile off.The back of the house
These are the party favours I made for our guests.
I just love this pic of us.
This was after we had promised each other not to get it all over our faces. It was down my dress.
He was being so romantic that day.
One final shot of the night.
I'm really grateful for the people who worked really hard and sacrificed to make our wedding as special as it was. There were a few who didn't even try to come and in truth, my husband is glad they weren't there. Our wedding was a small, very intimate affair. We are also glad that we had chosen our best friends, Joel and Moana, to stand beside us in the wedding. Joel has been going through some difficulties relating to his newborn son and our thoughts and prayers are with him during this time. Moana has her hands full with raising Maile and twin daughters. These are two people in my life that I love very much. They took the time out of their hectic schedules and made time to share a very important day in our lives. These are the people that matter to us and we love them deeply.
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