april twenty-sixth, two thousand and fourteen: in words.

Saturday, April 26th 2014: The day Eric and I became husband and wife.

I don't quite have the ambition to muster the ability to accurately and completely describe this weekend's events. We've been so overwhelmed with all the emotion, love, and support that encompassed the day, and I really don't think I'll be able to do it justice. I've waited a few days to see if the right words would come to me, but i'm still at a loss. However, I really want to be able to remember the details of this day and be able to share the memory with our friends and family. So, here I am giving it my best shot.

I'll start here; we went into this day with no expectations, as we have been purposefully concentrating our excitement around the big, "real" wedding in August of 2015. For some reason, I felt that we were only allowed one celebration, and I didn't want our legal ceremony to take any importance away from the big wedding. Therefore, we didn't put any effort into planning this day or making it special. We just got our outfits, asked my mom to officiate, lined up my cousin to take pictures, told everyone where and when to show up, and called it good.

Now, our families didn't see it the same way. If we were going to have a wedding, it was going to be special, whether another wedding is coming or not. So despite our initial indifference, they gave us the the perfect day that we didn't even know we wanted.

Around 4pm, we arrived to Eric's parents' place, and saw that the house was decorated even more beautifully than it usually is. My new mother-in-law, Chris, found my wedding inspiration boards on Pinterest and used what she saw to create an amazing ceremony and reception space. She knew I had always pictured an outdoor ceremony, and she made it happen despite the rainy weather. A big canopy covered 10 chairs, beautiful flowers, and a decorated wooden trellis. The space was set within their beautiful backyard garden, providing the perfect ambiance.

After a quick run-through and some last-minute outfit changes, we started our ceremony. It was pouring, which actually was very romantic and cool for us. Our family members escorted each other in pairs, and my dad walked me down the aisle to my smiling husband-to-be.

Having my mom officiate was so special. She was able to make the ceremony so personal to us as a couple. Our other family members were also welcome to contribute in the ceremony, so many chimed in with readings, poems, and other kind words. Although we didn't write our own vows (we're saving that for the August wedding), my mom had us recite vows that were directly taken from things we've said in the past to and about each other. It was so emotional, and the love among our collective family was so tangible. It was such an amazing experience, and I know I wasn't the only one to shed a few happy tears.

After, our mini-party started! Eric's dad is an amazing cook, and he spoiled us all with tri-tip, which is one of mine and Eric's favorites. During the meal, everyone went around the table sharing toasts and stories, once again overwhelming Eric and I with love and support. We wrapped up with two amazing home-made desserts from my mom (as if she hadn't already done enough for our day).

As dinner came to a close, my dad surprised us with a gift of his own: a mini-honeymoon to the Heathman Hotel! We learned we had a suite waiting for us, and wasted no time saying our goodbyes and heading to Portland for some alone time. Once we arrived, we walked into a fully decorated room with plenty of snacks, and even a home-made glitter champagne bottle from my sister. We popped the bottle, poured our glasses, and wound down by reflecting on the night's events while sipping our bubbly. It was just perfect. The hotel was great, and we even got a free brunch the next morning.

Like I said before, Eric and I went into this day with absolutely no expectations. If anything, we went in thinking the day would be low-key, simple, quick, and basic. We left the night feeling like we experienced the dream wedding we didn't even know we wanted. Now that I've experienced the "low-key" wedding, I wish that everyone could be able to do two weddings. I had no idea what an amazing experience it would be to have a ceremony with just our immediate family members. It allowed everyone to relax, and it was wonderful to have the opportunity to spend quality time with our new collective family. Now that we've experienced it, I strongly encourage others do the same! Of course, our unfortunate circumstance called for this to happen, but the experience was anything but unfortunate. Our wedding was such a blessing, and it wowed us in such an unexpected way.

To Mom, Dad, Maddie, Grant, Chris, Grant Jr., Kevin, Mackenzie & Courtney: Thank you all so much for giving us such an amazing night. We wouldn't trade our wedding day for anything. We love you all.

Last, but not least; my cousin Courtney is a very talented photographer, and offered to take pictures for us! She was amazing! So, check in later for a photo blog entry of our special day.