weddings
Highlights of 2011
Oh hello there! It’s nice to see you all again. :) I have been enjoying my week off, but thought I’d pop by and share some thoughts on the eve of 2012. This year will forever be near and dear to my heart.
Here are a few highlights from this amazing year:
I moved into my current apartment.
I saw this cute couple get married.
My dear friends and family threw me a wonderful wedding shower.
My sister Carrie got engaged!
I went to the Hockey All Star Game.
Every Sunday afternoon through March I had marriage counseling with J.
I went to the NCAA Tournament in Charlotte and saw Duke win at the last minute.
I was up to my elbows in to do lists.
I got married!
We went on an amazing honeymoon.
My sister got married and I gained an awesome brother in-law.
We went to three other summer weddings.
We hosted J’s best friend for two weeks in the summer.
I went on a spontaneous trip to the beach with my sister Lucy.
We replaced both of our cars in three months.
I surprised my sister in-law with a Wine & Design party.
J and I watched Harry Potter for a week.
My parents hosted a Staycation at their house.
I went to Asheville for a long weekend with my mother in-law.
I welcomed old friends to the neighborhood.
I stayed at a cabin in Boone with old college friends.
I met distant relatives in Charlotte on my mom’s side.
My sister in-law surprised me with a Brad Paisley concert.
We joined a small group and made new friends.
I went with five of my best friends to the mountains for a girl’s weekend getaway.
I celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving.
I went to a NASCAR Race, thankful to have ear plugs.
We paid off our car!
I went to see the Rockettes with some of my coworkers.
I had a fabulous first Thanksgiving with J’s family.
I visited my best friend in Atlanta.
J and I spontaneously went to New York City for three days in December.
I got to see two dear friends get engaged two days before Christmas.
I had a fantastic holiday season with my old and new family.
–
2011, it’s been a lovely year. Here’s to a happy new year! xo
Read More
DIY Ornaments: Wedding Invitation Ornament
I discovered Pinterest four months too late. What a time saver it would have been planning a wedding! I could have had hundreds of images pinned in organized boards for every part of the wedding planning process: engagement, dresses, ceremony, reception, honeymoon. But alas, I had to plan that event the old fashion way — internet searching and blog hopping. It’s a tough world I tell ya.
But since I didn’t have the option to organize wedding images, at least I can use clever Pinterest ideas to create memories after the wedding. Like, for example, our first Christmas.
I saw this tutorial for a homemade ornament using a wedding invitation. All you have to do is cut up the invitation, wrap the strips around a pen, and fit it in an ornament. Easy peasy. Instead of filling the ornament with tightly curled strips (like the Pinterest example), I decided to line the bottom of the ornament with each strip so that you could read parts of the invitation, instead of having it balled up together in the middle.
I made one for myself, one for each of our parents to give them on Thanksgiving, and one for my sister and brother in-law, since this is also their first Christmas. Good thing I ordered more invitations than we needed! I love the way Carrie’s ornament turned out:
Voila! Such an easy DIY project! You could also use any kind of invitation — engagement party, baby shower, baby announcement, graduation, etc. And the best part is it only cost me $.50 for the whole thing. :)
Read More
A Little Film from our Mexican Honeymoon
Hola! I put together a little film from our honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico. Watching clips from this trip made me miss everything — the resort, our fabulous room, free cocktails, delicious meals, and my dark tan that has since disappeared.
A Mexican Honeymoon from Ginna Neel on Vimeo.
Read More
Our Wedding: Final Thoughts
The entire weekend was surreal. As so many recommended, I tried to take it all in and savor each moment. And there were so many:
Hearing memorable toasts at our rehearsal dinner.
Waking up the morning of my wedding day with my sisters.
Opening a sweet card from J that made me cry and a pink playstation remote that made me laugh.
Waiting with my dad in the bridal suite moments before getting married.
Walking up the aisle with J and hearing his first married words to me: “I’ve missed you.”
Seeing friends that flew miles away to make it to the wedding.
Running to the getaway car covered in bubbles and flower petals.
Driving to Raleigh in my wedding dress reminiscing about the past few hours.
The entire week was magical, and I am so thankful to share it with you all this week. Thank you for all of the comments and sweet compliments! I was so nervous about sharing these photos, so your comments mean so much to me.
Whew, there you have it! My wedding weekend recap is officially finished. Now, on to the honeymoon recap posts… :)
–
Previous Wedding Posts: The Week before the Wedding, Details of the Day, Getting Ready, The Ceremony, The Reception
Read More
Our Wedding: The Reception
Like I mentioned yesterday, once the click hit 2:00, the afternoon was a whirlwind. After the ceremony, our guests entered the tent for light h’ordorves while the wedding party spent what seemed like forever taking photos.
My cousin’s wife made all of the sweets on the dessert table. My mom made the flags and the adorable cake-toppers. It was the best cake I have ever tasted. Even two months after the wedding, I’m still getting compliments from guests on the desserts.
My mom works at a high school and volunteered their band to play jazz music during the reception. I wasn’t so keen on the idea, since “pep-rally music” is not my idea of a classy reception. Well, I learned quickly this is not your average high school band. They were amazing and I still can’t believe we were able to provide such high-class jazz music for free!
Our “guest table” included our guest book for people to sign, childhood photos hanging on twine, and favors for guests to take home. (We created a mini cookbook of family recipes as our favor.)
This table featured old photos from our parents and grandparents’ wedding. Long time readers may remember this story, but my grandmother introduced J’s parents 35 years ago, and their photo is featured in front from the 1930’s.
I’ve never heard of a wedding that didn’t have something go wrong. That something at our wedding was the weather–it was cold. Like, unusually cold for April in North Carolina. I didn’t mind so much since I was running on adrenaline and was beyond thankful that it didn’t rain during the ceremony. But everyone else seemed to be uncomfortable in the 45-degree weather, so after dancing, eating cake, and chatting it up with friends and families, our reception ended shorter than planned so we could have a “grand exit” that actually included people.*
–
Next wedding post: Final Thoughts
Previous: The Week before the Wedding, Details of the Day, Getting Ready, The Ceremony
*Yes, if you’re wondering, I was filming our grand exit with a flip-cam. That video is pretty awesome
-
All photos taken by Alively Photography
Read More
Our Wedding: The Ceremony
The entire morning of the wedding seemed to drag on, especially once we arrive at our venue. We got ready, took photos, and then waited in our separate rooms for what seemed like forever. Then, all of a sudden, it was ten minutes until 2pm and we were scrambling to line up.
I was excited, jittery, and terrified of toppling over in my heels. My dad, on the other hand, was calm and strong as we walked down the aisle.
Our ceremony music was played by J’s family members–the acoustic guitar and flute. The wedding party walked down to Be Thou My Vision, the processional was Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring, and our recessional was Ode to Joy. They provided the music as their wedding gift, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with how sweet and whimsical it sounded.
My uncle officiated the service and did a fabulous job keeping it serious, yet comical. Although, I honestly can’t remember much of what he said—looking back, it felt like an out-of-body experience.
This was the moment when we exchanged vows, and I was trying my hardest not to cry. We chose our vows and exchange of the rings to be traditional, yet I added a few words (like respect, cherish and happily) to the traditional versions.
Our wedding kiss looked kind of awkward! My uncle said, “You may now kiss the bride… or your husband” and it totally threw me off. I guess we should have practiced? (Brides: Did you practice your wedding kiss before?)
Overall, the ceremony was sweet, solemn, personal to the two of us and honoring to our families. It was my favorite part of the day.
–
Vows: I, (MPP/J) take you, (MPP/J), to be my lawfully-wedded (husband/wife), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, respect and cherish for as long as we both shall live.
Exchange of Rings: I give you this ring as a symbol of my love; and with all that I am and all that I have, I happily marry you and join my life to yours in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
–
Next wedding post: The Reception!
Previous:The Week before the Wedding, Details of the Day, Getting Ready
Read More
