Thursday, June 16, 2011

Our Honeymoon

After our wonderful wedding celebration, Chris took me to see the Fireworks from the Orem Summerfest (so I didn't miss the whole thing. Especially my favorite part-fireworks!) It was the perfect ending to our wedding day! Then he took me to a nice hotel in Orem for our first night together. Which was also perfect. The rest of our honeymoon was also perfect. The following morning we drove to bridal veil falls to spend some time, then up to Salt Lake City. Then he took me to the Anniversary Inn. Here's a link to the amazing Jungle Safari room we stayed in. http://www.anniversaryinn.com/fifth-south/room/19-jungle-safari You can see all around the room. It was beautiful. Working waterfall, jacuzzi tub set into rocks and elephant head for the shower head. A cave with a table and mini-fridge. Follow up stairs into the trees to a bed up high with a tv set into the tree. It was amazing. While there Chris took me to the Hogle Zoo to see the elephants. (See, I love elephants)again- amazing. So far we've just had a great life together. hehehe.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

the official wedding post


June 11, 2011 was... a magical day!

I woke up and for the first time since our engagement I was a little bit nervous. After my favorite fancy breakfast mom made just for me (carmel pull-a-parts) and quite a while with Christel (my wonderful hairdresser!) and Karli (the bridesmaid who stayed the night with my sisters and me) getting beautiful, mom and I rushed to the temple. I'm proud to say I was not late! Though I admit I thought I would be. hahaha.

I can't imagine anything more beautiful than the time I spent in the temple waiting to be sealed to my husband- humming together to calm me down. Except maybe, actually being sealed to my husband. The most wonderful man in the world...became mine for eternity.

We do have a funny story though. While I was getting ready, Chris, well Chris was ready far more quickly. And, while my Chris is artistic, funny, kind, hard-working, and a more perfect man (for me) than I ever dreamed could exist, sometimes he's not the best listener. So when he finished getting ready, he headed to go right outside.

Luckily, a friend of ours (Thank you, Jillian!) was working in the temple that day and stopped him. I wish I could have been there for the "where are you going?" We're so fortunate she made him wait for me so we got to have our 'WE'RE MARRIED!' exit from the temple. So happy!

The rest of the day, we just had a LOT of fun! This is probably my favorite picture to illustrate all the fun we had! The day was sunny and perfect and we took some pics in sunglasses!











Our families being with us added immensely to our joy. And didn't the pictures turn out great?!

After pictures, we went to Los Hermanos (our family favorite Mexican Restaurant) for a wonderful luncheon hosted by my new family. It was super exciting because my family growing up went to Lost Hermanos for almost every birthday and most family occasions. So it meant a lot to me that Ken and Marilyn reserved a place that already meant so much!
We even got to sing the Los Hermanos Happy Birthday song to my cousin!


Then we got to set up our Celebration. (I never really wanted a fancy reception. Luckily Chris agreed to a big casual party outside.) So many people helped set up, and the decorations Mom found were super fabulous, fantastic, and most importantly, fun.


We had a ring ceremony to include our loved ones in sharing the joy of our union! It was great. My bishop officiated, but really, I just loved the chance to express my feelings for Chris and hear his beautiful words for me. It was wonderful. Mac (our darling nephew) was our ring-bearer. He
did such a great job!

Now I have to tell you about all the
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
FOOD! That's right,
I threw down THE
adjective of all adjectives!
(and many others)My Grampa and Ken
spent quite a while
making dutch oven
COBBLERS!
They were super delicious and perfect for me (because I'm not really a fan of cake.) Then Mom and many helpers helped with chocolate fountains and lots of yummy things to dip.

Speaking of all those many helpers - I really really need to tell them all a big THANK YOU! I've been working on our Thank you postcards, but that task...has yet to be completed. I can't wait to unlock that achievement. But I am enjoying expressing my thanks. I'm so grateful for the many hours put in by so many loved ones coordinating, planning, and making those plans come to pass. :) Off the top of my head: thanks to my angel mother (who put in more time than anyone else), my new mom and dad, my maid of honor Megan, my bridesmaids- Karli and Callie, my sisters (Julia, Becca, Katie, Wendy and Tam), my aunts (who were my mom's extra hands and emotional support. thanks for making it fun for mom too guys!), my grandparents (all 4 sets- Atkinson, Fuhrmann, Call, and Ivie), my brothers (The list more than quadrupled! Jacob, Jim, Matt, Dave, and Brett), my dad, my new nieces and nephews, extended family (aunts, uncles, and cousins from all 4 sides of the family), members of the Aspen 5th ward (home ward for both Chris and I), and all the others who love us!

Now I have to express my thanks to my Father in Heaven. I know it may sound like a bit much, but I'm so grateful to know of a God who loves me so much that he found and set aside the perfect man for me, a man I didn't think could even exist. But he did. He'd grown up across the street from where I grew up. What a perfect omniscient God to plan things out in such a way! I'm grateful to belong to a church that can help me learn to be more like a God who would give us temples so that our families can be Eternal. I can't think of anything that makes me happier than the thought that my family can be together in happiness For Eternity.



Friday, June 3, 2011

Insane Wedding Update

First can I begin with: WEDDINGS ARE SUPER INSANE!

ok, now I just have to say, enjoy this beautiful blog layout for just a week or two more, cuz then I gotta change it to 'teh cwazy wife' ...and i'm not 19 anymore either. cwazy, but i'm 20. getting married at 20-insane. but i'm doing it!

Updates on all things wedding:
  • My dress is insanely gorgeous. (that's right, insane is the topic of the day) Pam Weight of Gowns by Pamela has been my graham cracker lady since I was little, and lucky for me she loves me back, cuz she's...well...essentially custom designed the PERFECT dress for me to RENT! YAY PAM WINNER OF THE INSANELY-AWESOME AWARD!
  • My announcements/invitations turned out great. It was less work than I expected, though going back and forth with the printer was a big tedious. But they turned out insanely gorgeous. Super thanks to Maren from Elegant Wedding Announcements, Karli (who saved the day driving to layton to save us time on shipping) Mom, Megan, and my sisters (who helped put address labels on and organize etc)! And everyone who helped collect/send me addresses! I'm insanely grateful!
  • My pictures that go on the announcements turned out insanely super-fabulous! THANKS MARTA! Everyone say a little prayer for her recovery from her recent surgery, she's still doing our pictures for groomals and wedding day!
  • The food will be INSANELY DELICIOUS! So excited for strawberries with chocolate from the chocolate fountain and my favorite dump cake cobbler. (There will also be peach cobbler, a smores cobbler, and apple caramel cobbler!) I repeat: INSANELY DELICIOUS!
  • Chris got me an insanely amazing mattress (isn't he a sweetheart?!) and has helped with everything.
  • We got our marriage license. Insane.
  • My bridal shower was an insane amount of fun. I got to eat strawberries (noticing my favorite?) and got a lot of really great gifts! Thanks everyone!!! (especially a shout out to my maid of honor Megan and my 'other mother' Becca Mathis! :D)
  • I take out my Endowments soon, insane!
  • My wedding website turned out INSANELY ADORABLE! (and insanely useful. Look! Really, Look!)
  • I pick up my insanely gorgeous dress on Tues and get my nails done for my groomals on Wed done by insanely fabulous Marta.
  • Friday I don't have insaneo work, and then get to have an insane amount of fun with my gorgeous cousin Aub, followed by dinner and bonfire for my family! I'm SO INSANELY EXCITED!
  • I GET MARRIED ON SATURDAY JUNE 11th! AAAAH! SO INSANE!!!