Weddings (and our 22nd Anniversary is tomorrow)

I was thinking back the other day to July 28, 1996, our Wedding Day. It was the most romantic day I'd ever lived. I dreamed of that day forever. Picture perfect weather. Sunny and 75. No humidity. I remember my Mom asking me if I wanted the air-conditioner turned on in the house. And I said no, didn't need it. The happiest things I remember about my wedding day

*** my Mom woke me up just like she did every day. She put up the shade, came over to the bed just as calm as sweet as she always was all 23 years I woke up in that bedroom. I can still hear her saying, "good morning. Time to get up. You're getting married." It was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

*** I opened my eyes to see my Wedding gown hanging against my closet door. My Mom's wedding gown.

*** The same hairdresser that cuts my hair, Anna's hair, and Abigail's hair came to the house and did my hair.

*** After I slipped into my gown and my Mom buttoned it up I walked down the stairs and my brother Trent looked at me and said, "wow". I think he didn't realize that I was really getting married until that moment.

*** I remember feeling incredibly calm and peaceful. Floating on a cloud. Not concerned anymore about details. Just floating through the day.

*** I remember the ride to the church. The same church I received all of my Sacraments in as a child. I remember the family of 5 together one last time.

*** I remember waiting in the car until it was ***time*** to walk down the aisle.

*** I remember my Daddy walking me up the church steps. I remember the doors closed and him squeezing my hand. I remember the trumpet and the doors opening. I remember telling Dad to walk slow. And we did. Slowly down the aisle. I saw faces. I saw the children in my classroom all seated together. I concentrated on my family, my Mom, my brothers (both best men). I concentrated on my Grandma and Grandpa.
And I saw Scott. He and we were ready. Only 22 and 23 but ready since we were 15.

*** I remember crying through the vows. I was so in that moment that I wasn't even aware of anyone in the church. It was just Scott and I and God in that moment.

*** Our Wedding was tender and emotional. And perfect. Because it was us. And the Sacrament of Marriage.

*** I remember communion to the song We Are One Body (from a World Youth Day trip ... Pope John Paul II) which was a very very special song to us.

*** Our Wedding ceremony was such a blessing; I still feel like it is blessing us to this day.

*** I remember our reception and the dancing. Mostly the dance with my Dad.

*** I remember that we changed and danced one last time in our honeymoon clothes. I Will Be Here (Steven Curtis Chapman) and then it was time to go. Off. I didn't want to. Not because the Wedding day was over but because all of a sudden I felt a little bit scared. If I could have brought my Mom and Dad with me to Hawaii I would have. I remember the hug at the car. I remember crying. And being thrilled and being scared all at once. I had never lived with Scott, woken up with him; I'd never been that far from my parents before. I knew it was the right time, the right moment. But change is hard for me. And this was the biggest change I'd ever had in my life. I watched my Mom and Dad out the car window until they were out of sight.

*** Scott took my hand. And we drove to the airport that night. I felt protected. And intensely loved.

*** I remember staying at the beautiful airport hotel that night for our flight for Hawaii would be leaving at 6:00 in the morning. I remember the bell boy giving us the keys to our room. And pulling the luggage u for us. I remember him opening the door and I thought, "is he really going to just let us in like this? Does he need to see a piece of paper that we are married? Maybe I should show him our rings". It was already really really late. And I was suddenly tired.

*** I remember every single detail of that night. I remember the beautiful penior set my Mom gave me at my Wedding shower. It was long, to the floor and it had the most elegant robe. It was perfect. Sometimes I still take it out and look at it (yes, I still have it after 22 years)

I worry about weddings these day. Or maybe I'm just thankful that I got married before pinterest. Yes, there were bride magazines. I'd rip out ideas and put them in a binder. But it was so simple in 1996. Book the church, book the reception, pick a band or DJ, choose a cake flavor. And then we let God to the rest. Today it's so complicated and overdone. I've been to a few weddings like that. The ceremony is 6 1/2 minutes long and the reception always seems to have a 'theme' these days.

I tell my girls all the time that the 'theme' of their wedding is love. And that what matters is their daddy squeezing their hand before they walk down the aisle. And the look their husband gives them right before he slips a ring on their finger. And the moment they drive off and start God's awesome plan for their lives. What matters are the reading and the music. And the love. Just the love.

I was blessed. My Wedding Day was a classic, traditional, fairytale. Just the way I always dreamed it would be. My wedding was beautiful because it revolved around the union of Scott and I. And the beautiful Sacrament of Marriage.

I wore my Mom's dress, and the pearls my Grandma had given me for my 8th grade graduation. I carried the same type of flowers my other Grandma had carried on her wedding day. Perfection. Most importantly, I remember how Scott and I looked at each other. I can still see it. His look made me feel like I was the most important woman in the whole world. Our love ran deep in our eyes.

I would not change one second of that day. Not one.