spoken from the heart: Wedding Pictures Part 1: Getting Ready 6.20.15

Getting Ready♥

THE DAY IS HERE!

I got up at 6am bright and early to go out to breakfast at Sherries (our normal spot) with my dad this morning♥

The waitress who has been there for years and always talked with my dad and I, cried when we came in and he told her I was getting married today! I always love those morning chats with my dad but that one especially, was extra special♥

After breakfast, I met all the girls at Yolanda Beauty Salon- the salon I have been going to since 6th grade- where we all got ready at together!

I was ecstatic that the day was finally here, I couldn't even stop smiling!

Alicia has been my hairdresser for more than 10 years so it was really fun getting ready in her salon. Sitting in that seat, looking in the mirror I could remember 10 years previous sitting in the exact same seat and looking in the exact same mirror at myself, while getting layers in my hair for the first time. Now, as I sat there looking at myself, Alicia was styling my hair for my WEDDING day!♥

One of my favorite things about my wedding was how much history I put into it. Even if they weren't all obvious to everyone, they were little things that I can look back on and know about.

The salon being a perfect example♥

Bagels. Fruit. Mimosas.

Tavya and Holly

Crazy bride hair! ♥

I love these pictures together, because I had the honor of being one of Christina's bridesmaids a year and three months previous to this day and now she is one of my bridesmaids♥

I LOVE this group of girls!

People thought I was crazy for having so many bridesmaids but each one of these girls mark some sort of milestone and chapters in my life and they continue to bring memories and such wonderful friendships. I wouldn't be the person I am today without them ♥

I also wanted ladies standing next to me who I knew would be there to encourage my marriage when we hit the rough patches in life and I have no doubt that every one of these girls will do exactly that!

I am so thankful to have had each one of these ladies standing next to me as I entered into another beautiful chapter of my life♥

Jazzy girl! Thanks pretty lady for hanging out with us while we all got ready!

Sister-in-law & Megs♥

Princess Lysi♥ My pretty little flower girl and cousin.

I think my photographer may have caught me in the middle of a happy dance;)

This day is really here!! Eeeeeek♥

My professional makeup artist and one of my maid of honors :)

Mama and Sarah♥

I look at this picture and that smile and I can literally feel in my body right now the feeling I had at that point in time. The butterflies and excitement were crazy♥

My beautiful maid of honor♥

I don't know what I would have done without her the entire 6 months leading up to this day!

My super hero♥

I could go on and on about my mom and everything she did to make my day as special as it was! This woman probably put more time into my wedding than I did! Countless hours researching information, rentals, prices, dress shops, food, tents, perfect little accessories for me and so much more. We spent countless hours on the phone together all hours of the night talking about the details, staying on track with our timeline, budget and ideas. She drove with me to Portland looking for my perfect dress and went with me to the bridal show. She even went to a bridal show one of the weekends I couldn't to get ideas and meet local vendors. Most of all, she always encouraged me when I would call her in tears and bursting at the seams with stress about planning my wedding, going to school full time and working part time. Like I said, this list could go on and on. Mom, I will never in my entire life be able to express to you how much everything you did and all the effort you put into making my day the best day ever, means to me♥

I love you so much!!

Alayna Peacher♥

9 years of friendship! I have so many memories with this little lady! She was the Bonnie to my Clyde all throughout high school :)

After all of us girls got our hair and makeup done at the salon, we headed out to the venue where the boys were getting ready at!

Jesse's groomsman and brother, Yancy♥

Handsome boys getting all ready!

Oh my lanta, that's my husband!♥ ♥ ♥

Future husband at the time the photo was taken!

Us girls got ready upstairs, right above the room the boys got ready in. I love this picture because I remember standing up there not able to see him, thinking, "that's my future husband down there!" ♥

Jesse and Ashley, his best man and oldest brother♥

Such handsome men!♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Macy ♥ Kalee ♥ Holly ♥ Tavya ♥ Christina ♥ Megan ♥ Sarah ♥ Alayna

Flower girl & bride♥

My daddy putting on his tie for my wedding♥

My parents♥

A perfect example of a beautiful marriage

Miss Elysia♥

My aunt Rhonda, made that dress for her and it turned out PERFECT! She is so talented and I am so thankful for her and everything she did to help make our day special!

Getting ready to put the dress on:)

That blue heart is a piece of my papa's shirt♥

Papa was a pastor. He married my dad to my mom, his other three boys to my aunts, and most all of my cousins to their spouses. I grew up knowing he was going to marry me one day...

In August of 2012, he passed away from bladder cancer that metastasized into his liver and lungs in a very short period of time.

When I got engaged and the realization hit me that I had to figure out who was going to marry us, it brought back the devastation I felt when he passed away. It was the hardest decision I had to make or even think about in all of our wedding planning.

So, to have a little piece of him with me on my wedding day, my grandma cut a heart out of one of his shirts and I wore it on the back on my dress as my something blue. While he might not have been there with us physically, he was right there on my heart the entire day.