Our Wedding: Getting Ready

Carson and I got married in my parents' backyard. It wasn't the home that I grew up in (we moved there on my 18th birthday. Lugging boxes was not the best gift ever.) but is a gorgeous home with a big backyard, so it was perfect. I'd considered getting married in a church, but the church I grew up in wasn't the beautiful old-looking church I'd imagined, so somehow, the backyard became the plan. 

After months of planning, planting grass and various other preparations, it was wedding week. The day before the wedding, chairs and tables were set up, flowers were arranged in the garage. Basically there was a huge crowd of people doing different things throughout the day while I did who-knows-what. 

The day of the wedding dawned sunny, which was a relief because two weeks out, the forecast had promised thunderstorms. It was a beautiful morning and probably 85 degrees, typical of May in South Carolina. 

I woke up early that morning and went downstairs to journal before I was joined by Dad in the den. We talked for a little bit before the bridesmaids woke up. After snacking on some breakfast, we had a little devotional from Jillian and a time of prayer led by Brooke, my maid-of-honor. It was so good to start the morning off in that quiet way. I really felt a peace going into the whole day, being focused like that. 

Then Maria, who did my hair, arrived and things got a little more chaotic. People were rushing around taking showers or taking pictures or blow-drying hair or making playlists for the reception (somehow that task got delegated to Jillian who did a great job but WHY did we wait?). Jillian played "Going to the Chapel" and other wedding-related songs from the computer; Morgan and Becca sang some hymns and worship songs. It was a busy time, and I'm glad that I have pictures to look back on and remember "Oh yeah, that's what we did!"

Brooke (MoH), Jillian, Becca, Me, Emily, Morgan

My "something blue" was a blue flower pin from Brooke. It was also my "something borrowed", and she wore it for her wedding just 10 weeks later.

As we had our chaotic preparations, I'm pretty sure Carson and his groomsmen had a more leisurely morning. They picked up his cousin (one of the groomsmen) from the airport, and then from the three getting-ready pictures I have, they ate sugary cereal and were ready to go. He never really elaborated so I guess that's all that went on there.

My sister-in-law (to be, at that point), did my makeup. I'd visited her back in January and she took me to a makeup counter to pick out my makeup and then did a test-run there. I was thankful to have her as a part of the getting-ready process as she was about to be a part of my future life.

My flower girls, Grace, AnnaBelle and Emma, are three little girls whose family I babysat for a lot in high school through my first year of college. They were running around in the matching shirts my mom made as flower girl gifts, giggling at the bridesmaids and I in our not-quite-beautified states.

 Somewhere in the getting ready process, one of my mom's friends, Monica, brought over a beautiful lunch for us to enjoy. She'd included sweet labels on the food, pretty glasses and plates, and flowers.

After we were fed, the time came to get dressed. Carson obviously had a very strenuous time with his preparations, as shown in the three pictures below (the only other ones of him during this time).

And then all the bridesmaids and flower girls and various people doing hair and makeup stood around as I got into my dress. It was quite a show.

Finishing touches were made, I kissed my mom and my dad saw my dress for the first time, then he took me to see my groom.