April 30th, we have been married for 2 years!!!
I realized I haven't officially shared any details from our "wedding!" So 2 years later, welcome to our wedding story!
I was on month 4 in Central America when I began to feel like God had something a little different for me planned. Read that part of the story here! and here!
So the plan was made, we would get married the day after I returned to the states. Once the "when" was decided, the how & where, had to be lined out. My team was traveling through Los Angeles, CA on their way to Asia. Since that's where I would part from them, Brett decided that he would meet me there.
Some details took some creative thinking, after all, I had been living out of a backpack for 4 months, not exactly the "wedding preparation" we generally think of! However, I was never picky about wedding details and had always assumed I wouldn't have a very extravagant one (if one at all) anyways!
-My wedding band was taken care of b/c it came as a set when he bought the engagement ring.
-His wedding band I had to get creative, after all I was in Costa Rica with little to no resources. We visited a artisans market where a "vendor" had some handmade rings made from coconuts.
-I found a dress online that he picked up for me (yes girls, he went and bought my "wedding" dress.) It was a simple lace summer dress from Maurices.
-Brett reached out to some LA local pastors through our association and lined all that out.
So, Brett had to pack a wedding day bag for him and myself (first lesson in trust right!?) and got on a plane to LA!
After a trip to target for some last minute wardrobe essentials, we headed to Pasadena. One of the biggest details our families get a kick out of was the bouquet. We stopped along side the road and picked wildflowers. There was a landscape crew cleaning up a flowerbed that allowed us to go through their trimmings! This is an entertaining detail that I will never forget about that day!
Brett has a cousin who lived in the area. We met them for lunch then headed to a local park to meet the preacher. His cousin and her husband were our photographers and witnesses! Do you see how God had all this planned!?
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| Do you see the clues that I had arrived back in the country less than 24 hours before?... 1. Terrible manicure (or lack thereof), the hair (enough said). 2. The drastic difference in "shine" between the band and the engagement ring (which had been collecting central american dirt for over a month) 3. The peeking watch tan line that had been developing over the last 4 months 4. Brett's band, made from Costa Rican coconut! 5. At least I covered up the tan lines!!! |
After we got married we spent about a week driving back to Arkansas. I had never been across the southwest states before. We made stops at the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Las Vegas, Hoover Dam and other small parks along the way.
A few weeks after we got home, our families held a reception for us. They did an amazing job and I loved the decorations...
My mom painted an old coffee table with chalkboard paint and all the kids signed it as a guest book!
Our families gave us really nice journaling bible, which our guests signed and highlighted verses for us in!
On of my favorites is this bouquet my mom made. It included pins, broaches, and other jewelry from all the women in both Brett and I's families. It was so neat to see how each piece had a meaning. Some of the pieces included was a necklace Brett's grandma had worn to his high school graduation, & a bible locket that I received the first time I attended Sunday School as a young girl.
I loved writing this and remembering all these special details of our beginning! I couldn't be more excited for what God has in store for us!
