It is a little surreal to be reflecting back one month after our wedding and one week after our honeymoon. Everything was better than I could have possibly imagined. The day before our wedding we spent the morning getting the venue ready. My dad and his girlfriend helped us put together centerpieces and decorate. They even made our carnation backdrop for our arch! Our venue coordinator was amazing and helped us get every detail set. That evening we had our rehearsal at the venue and our rehearsal dinner at Matt’s family’s house. It was wonderful to see all of our out of town guests and for me to meet some of Matt’s extended family. We gave everyone their thank you gifts and were able to express our appreciation for all the help and support. Matt’s mom and aunts made delicious food and we had the opportunity to mingle for several hours before heading back to our hotel for some much needed sleep.

On the day of the wedding we kicked the boys out and got ready at the hotel. We listened to music, drank mimosas, and chatted while we had our hair and makeup done by the pros. I am so glad we decided to splurge on hair and makeup! It was very relaxing and well worth the cost. Once we were beautified we headed to the venue to get dressed in the bridal suite. This was where the first big hiccup came in. A part of my dress was missing! There was originally a modesty panel sewn into the back under the corset ties and it was gone. It was attached to the dress when I dropped it off at the cleaners for a final press and missing when I put the dress on on the wedding day. How can a piece sewn to the dress just disappear? All of my bridesmaids were up my skirt and down the top, but no luck. I thought it was pretty funny that my behind was hanging out but maybe that was just because I knew my ladies would think of something. Sure enough they found a napkin the color of my dress and put it in place before tying me up. Even looking closely at the pictures I can’t tell the difference. I kept the napkin as a keepsake.

Just before the ceremony Matt and I exchanged letters from either side of a door so that we could talk without seeing each other. All my anxiety about being in front of so many people evaporated after reading his letter. I was ready to get married that very second. The ceremony itself is a complete blur. All I remember is not being able to let go of Matt’s hand and trying not to cry through the whole thing.

After the ceremony Matt and I had our pictures taken while our guests enjoyed the cocktail hour. The reception was next and we had a blast! I know our guests had fun too because everyone said that they were seated at the fun table. The food and cake were delicious and the venue made sure Matt and I had plenty to eat and drink throughout the night. Our friends stayed to the bitter end drinking and dancing the night away. Matt and I declined to join the after party and called it a night.

On the morning after the wedding we headed back out to Matt’s parents’ house to open gifts and see all of our out of town guests one more time. It was a great way to finish off the weekend before heading home. We decided not to go on our honeymoon right away as it was significantly less expensive to wait until the off season which started November 1. It was nice to have a few weeks to settle in after the post wedding chaos before leaving.

Our ten day honeymoon was spectacular. We started in Greece and ended in Italy. Our days were packed with sites, food, and exploring. Delphi and the Vatican were two of our favorite stops along the way. We also got to take advantage of long layovers in Paris and Amsterdam. Now we are home from our travels and ready to settle into married life. Let the real adventure begin!