Wednesday, March 9, 2011

My New Project

I want to explain to y'all why my recaps have been so touch and go lately. A couple days before our wedding my husband jokingly said to me, "Once this wedding's over what's gonna be your next project? A baby?" I'm definitely one of those people that always has to have a project or I'm just flat out bored all the time and it's just miserable. Ask my husband.

Apparently my husband is telepathic or something because guess what Hive? I'm pregnant! That's right, less than 2 weeks after our wedding I found out I was pregnant. When we'd talked about having kids before we got married, my husband and I agreed that after the wedding we'd just stop trying to prevent a pregnancy. We figured we'd have some time for my body to transition from being on birth control back to normal before we'd even have to consider the possibility of a pregnancy.

What can I say? I'm one fertile woman I guess. Either that or my husband has super swimmers. We're absolutely thrilled to be starting our family! Now you know what's been distracting me from writing my wedding recaps. But I promise I'm going to keep working on them and hopefully I'll have them finished in the next month or so.

If you're interested in reading about my pregnancy and all the other things in my life that are currently distracting me from my recaps feel free to stop by my blog, On the Hunt. And if you're just anxiously awaiting the remainder of my recaps stay tuned because the rest is coming. Promise!
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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Texas Twesome: Ceremony, Part 2

Alright, we left off with exchanging rings...

Kathy and Angie, will you please step forward?

In the joining of hands and the fashioning of a knot, so too are your lives now bound.

Two lives entwined in love, bound by commitment and fear, sadness and joy, by hardship and victory, anger and reconciliation, all of which brings strength to this union.

Hold tight to one another through both good times and bad, and watch as your strength grows. Remember that it is not this physical cord, but what it represents, that keeps you together.

Moms remove the ribbon.

Kathy and Angie, you may be seated.


Randy, repeat after me.

I, Randall, take you, Jennifer, to be my partner,

loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not know.

I eagerly anticipate the chance to grow together,

getting to know the woman you will become,

and falling in love a little more every day.

I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us.


Now Jenn, repeat after me.

I, Jennifer, take you, Randall, to be my partner,

loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not know.

I eagerly anticipate the chance to grow together,

getting to know the man you will become,

and falling in love a little more every day.

I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us.


Now you will feel no rain,

For each of you will be shelter to the other.

Now you will feel no cold,

For each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now there is no more loneliness,

For each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two bodies,

But there is one life before you.

Go now to your dwelling place,

To enter into the days of your togetherness.

And may your days be good and long upon the earth.


Jenn and Randy, we have heard your promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the vows you have made here this day, before each one of us as a witness.

It is my honor and delight to declare you henceforth to be husband and wife. You may seal your vows with a kiss.


Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Mr. and Mrs.!


*All photos taken by Nathan Russell

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Texas Twosome: Ceremony, Part 1

I want to start out by giving our officiant, our friend Guy, a huge shout-out. He worked very hard to write our beautiful ceremony and it was perfect.

Now I'm just going to let the ceremony words do the talking. It's going to be quite a bit of text so if you don't want to read it, just scroll through the pictures.

Welcome, family and friends. We have come here today to celebrate the wedding of Jennifer and Randall.

On behalf of Randy and Jenn, thank you for joining us. They are delighted that you have come to share in their joy on this special day.

As family and friends you form a community of support that surrounds Randy and Jenn. Always stand beside them, never between them. Offer them your love and your support, not your judgment. Encourage them when encouragement is needed, and listen to them when they ask for advice. With these actions, you honor the marriage they have come to begin today.

Do you offer your love and support, and bless the family created by this union? Please answer by saying : WE DO

[Guests: WE DO]

Thank you, you may be seated.

Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. Today, Jenn and Randy demonstrate their devotion to each other by dedicating themselves to a life together, and they show their respect for each other by setting forth to honor the vows they have created. Today their lives, which began on separate paths, will be joined as one.

Randy and Jenn have each asked someone special to speak about love and marriage.

First we will hear from Jenn’s uncle, Chuck. Chuck will you please step forward?


Song of the Open Road

Walt Whitman

I do not offer the old smooth prizes,

But offer rough new prizes,

These are the days that must happen to you:

You shall not heap up what is called riches,

You shall scatter with lavish hand all that you earn or achieve.

However sweet the laid-up stores,

However convenient the dwellings,

You shall not remain there.

However sheltered the port,

And however calm the waters,

You shall not anchor there.

However welcome the hospitality that welcomes you

You are permitted to receive it but a little while

Afoot and lighthearted, take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before you,

The long brown path before you,

leading wherever you choose.

Say only to one another:

Camerado, I give you my hand!

I give you my love, more precious than money,

I give you myself before preaching or law:

Will you give me yourself?

Will you come travel with me?

Shall we stick by each other as long as we live?


Thank you Chuck. Next we will hear from Randy’s friend Jamie. Jamie, will you please come forward?

I would like to start by saying thank you to Randy and Jenn for the honor of being here and thank you to all of you for hearing this reading on their most precious day. And to quote a wise man some of you might know , I invite you all to ”Stay a while and listen.”

Everyday is precious; but some more than others. Some days are of paramount importance . This is one of those days.

Connections.

If life is about anything at all, it is about connections. Daily connections; yearly connections; Lifelong connections. We meet countless people in our lives. People we love, people we hate , and of course people we are indifferent to. I personally believe that only once are we able to make “the” connection. The most important, most intense and most wonderful connection with that one person we most need to. The person that some call “the love of a lifetime”. That word is often used to lightly and used in relationships that don’t warrant it. This is not one of those times.

Knowing my friend , Randy, the way I do , I can say that I believe he and Jenn have found that one important, lasting and needed connection. True love. Not cliché, not romantic infatuation. Real honest to goodness love. The kind of love you can wrap yourself in like a blanket on a cold morning. The kind you can see in each others eyes every day . The kind you can hear in each others voice. The kind that penetrates even the darkest of days. One that will outlast and outshine all others. The kind you never want to lose.

On this great day, we should all celebrate that Randy and Jenn have found each other in the endless sea of passing souls. They can be themselves, and love the other more for it. And that is special. Magical. Always be true to yourselves and each other.


Thank you Jamie for you reading.

Randy and Jenn will now read the vows that express their feelings of love and commitment to each other.

Randy?

I love you

Not only for what you are,

But for what I am

When I am with you.

I love you,

Not only for what

You have made of yourself,

But for what

You are making of me.

I love you

For the part of me

That you bring out;

I love you

For putting your hand

Into my heaped-up heart

And passing over

All the foolish, weak things

That you can't help

Dimly seeing there,

And for drawing out

Into the light

All the beautiful belongings

That no one else had looked

Quite far enough to find

I love you because you

Are helping me to make

Of the lumber of my life

Not a tavern

But a temple.

Out of the works

Of my every day

Not a reproach

But a song.

I love you

Because you have done

More than any creed

Could have done

To make me good.

And more than any fate

Could have done

To make me happy.

You have done it

Without a touch,

Without a word,

Without a sign.

You have done it

By being yourself.


(I said the same thing so I won't repeat it in text here. And we cheated as you can see by reading our vows. We didn't want to stress ourselves with memorizing vows on our special day.)

For thousands of years, lovers have exchanged rings as a token of their vows. Let these rings be a sign that love has a past, a present, and a future.

Randy, take Jenn’s ring and place it on her finger and repeat after me:

I give you this ring as a symbol of my love,

my faith in our strength together,

and my covenant to learn and grow with you.

Jenn, take Randy’s ring and place it on his finger and repeat after me:

I give you this ring as a symbol of my love,

my faith in our strength together,

and my covenant to learn and grow with you.


Stay tuned for Part 2 of our ceremony!

*All photos taken by Nathan Russell

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Texas Twosome: We Walk!

Let's get this thing started!

Before I show you pictures, I want to give you a list of the order we had people walk down the aisle. I know when I was planning our ceremony, I spent a lot of time thinking about what the most logical way to get everyone down the aisle would be. Here we go:

1. Bride's Mom and Step-Dad
2. Groom and his Mom and Grandmother
3. Groom's Dad/Best Man and Step-Mom
4. Groomsmen and both MOHs
5. Groomsman and Bridesmaid
6. Groomsman and Bridesmaid
7. Groomsman and Bridesmaid
8. Bride and Father

I hope this helps for all the brides currently planning their ceremonies! Ok, lets really get this thing started. And now for some very cheesy 90s music:



Our guests really got a kick out our song choice, "Love of a Lifetime" by Firehouse. Mr. P once told me (jokingly) that this song popped into his head every time he thought of me so I had no choice but to include it in our music line-up.

First up, my mom and her husband.


Then Mr. P with his Grandma on the left and his Mom on the right.


Next, his Dad and Best Man with his wife.


Now, Groomsman Grady with my two beautiful MOHs, my big sis, Sarah and my friend, Leesa.


Then we have Groomsman Shawn, Mr. P's little brother and Bridesmaid Tiffani, Mr. P's sister.


Next, Groomsman Jarred and Bridesmaid Jenna.


Last, Groomsman AJ, Mr. P's nephew and Bridesmaid Ashley, Mr. P's sister and AJ's mom.


Miraculously, "Love of a Lifetime" was the perfect length for everyone to get down the aisle and in their places before it was my turn to make my debut.

Now my turn! And of course a song change.



It took me a long time to decide on the song I wanted to walk down the aisle to. I eventually chose, "I Will Find You" by Clannad. It's from Last of the Mohicans, one of my all-time favorite movies. I love the lyrics and how chilling/haunting the song is.

I let the music start and then I began the biggest walk of my life.


I made my way down the stairs alone while Mr. P and his father (and the rest of our guests) watched.


And then joined my Dad at the bottom of the steps for the rest of the walk to my almost-husband.


I hugged my dad and he kissed my cheek.


It was finally time to get hitched!

*All photos taken by Nathan Russell

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Monday, February 7, 2011

Texas Twosome: Strike a Pose!

It was time to take some photos with all the people that love us and were there to celebrate our special day with us.

Let's start with my awesome bridesmaids! And more specifically my two lovely maids of honor!


We started off with a simple stand in your line photo and it's a great pic of all the ladies' different dresses.


The we moved on to the "laugh at the bride's funny joke" photo.


Then it was Mr. P's turn with my ladies. Big pimpin'. And I mean big. He looks a giants next to my girls.


Now on to Mr. P's handsome men. First, a shot with his best man and dad.


And now the whole bunch. They all look like Bond, James Bond.


And my turn with the men. You know pimpin' ain't easy!


I only include this next photo to prove that even when I'm all dolled up I can't control my face. I actually kinda love this photo. It's very me.


And now the entire wedding party at it's finest.


Moving onto to family, we start with a picture of my two besties, my mom and sister!


Mr. P and I with all our parents. Yeah, we've got a lot. And look how nicely coordinated they all are!


Mr. P and his siblings.


Our only grandparent representation at our wedding, Mr. P's maternal grandma.


And now for the ever popular family portraits. First, my family.


And then Mr. P's family. His family is freaking huge.


I hope I didn't speed too fast through these portraits. They were probably my least favorite part of the day. My face really did start hurting from all the smiling, but I'm glad we got to take photos with all of our loved ones.

Up next...we walk the plank, I mean aisle!

*All photos taken by Nathan Russell

Texas Twosome: The Week Before We Get Hitched!
Texas Twosome: The Day Before We Got Hitched!
Texas Twosome: The Girls Get Their Hair Done!
Texas Twosome: We Set Up!
Texas Twosome: The Men Get All Handsome!
Texas Twosome: I Become a Bride!
Texas Twosome: Our First Look!
Texas Twosome: Just the Two of Us!
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Texas Twosome: Just the Two of Us!

After we had our first look we took a few minutes to take some photos of just the two of us.

These are slightly less awkward then our first look photos. Maybe we were finally starting to get used to our paparazzi.






I'm letting these pictures tell the story of this part of the day. There are no words to describe as well as these pictures do.

Up next...portraits with the wedding party and family!

*All photos taken by Nathan Russell

Texas Twosome: The Week Before We Get Hitched!
Texas Twosome: The Day Before We Got Hitched!
Texas Twosome: The Girls Get Their Hair Done!
Texas Twosome: We Set Up!
Texas Twosome: The Men Get All Handsome!
Texas Twosome: I Become a Bride!
Texas Twosome: Our First Look!
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