Vows

First, today is 500 days until we do. Yay!

Next, my Aunt Char sent me this little bit that I'd like to document because it's really nice.

The Hand Blessing ceremony occurs most often right after the wedding ring exchange or before the couple takes their wedding vows. I have included two versions below... the "Blessing of the Hands" is quite a bit longer than the "Celebration of the Hands", but both are very touching and quite lovely.

CELEBRATION OF THE HANDS

BRIDE, please face GROOM, and hold his hands, palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.
BRIDE and GROOM, please face each other and hold hands.
BRIDE, these are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you.
These are the hands that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever.
These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
GROOM, these are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief wracks your mind.
These are the hands that will hold your children in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go.
These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.



BLESSING OF THE HANDS
BRIDE, please face GROOM, and hold his hands, palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life.
These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams.
These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until he too, feels his child stir within you.
These are the hands that look so large and strong, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time.
These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family.
These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief wrack your mind.
These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you.
GROOM, please hold BRIDE hands, palms up, where you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life.
These are the hands that will hold each child in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go.
These are the hands that will massage tension from your neck and back in the evenings after you’ve both had a long hard day.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when you are grieving.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope, each time she tells you that you are to have another child, that together you have created a new life.
These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. Together as a team, everything you wish for can be realized.
Bless these hands that you see before you this day.
May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment.
Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love.
Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in grace, rich in caring, and devoted in reaching for your perfection.
May GROOM and BRIDE see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide.

Wedding Bands

This weekend Greg and I spent a whopping 30 minutes watching a wedding special on WE. Yes, I do follow Wedding Sundays on WETV, but Greg is usually finding another tv to get his sports fix. This weekend, unlike any other, I watched very little wedding stuff.

More or less though, I did discover that our wedding bands should be of the same, or like, metal creating unity. Does that mean that Greg needs a White Gold Band, no, but mine should be a white gold band based on my engagement ring.

I pretty much love this.

I really, really like the peacock look and feel.

BM dress?

Ignore the colors, but I just thought this was a very cute dress!

Thoughts?

On second thought, I do like the colors...

The Color Purple

It turns out there are about 40 BAGILLION shades of purple. There's Easter Purple, and blue-purple, and lilac purple, and teal purple, neon purple, dark purple, light purple, pink purple, plum, violet, indigo, good Lord the list goes on and on.

I COMPLETELY understand "bridal colors" now. Like, where brides are say {insert ditsy voice and hair twirling} “it's a faint moss green on a wet summer day when there aren’t any clouds but you’re in a forest without much sun and the day is near the end so there’s a shadow from the northeast – that color green!” ...And magically everyone gets it?

Jesus, describing PURPLE or gathering inspiration from "purple weddings" shouldn't be as involved as a collection of 5,664 images, presented 8 photos per page... Yes, MATH, that's 708 pages of purple inspiration I'm sifting thru people.

Page 64 (<-- marking my place) I called it quits, but here's what came of my perusing.

I like the trees with the dangl-y things...

Not that I even remotely like this color, one bit, but here's an example of a fan/program for Greg.
I think the chair covers in the right corner are the coolest! As if Greg and I will actually need to be distinguished for our friends and family, I just thought they were fun.
Again, hate this specific color, but I am digging the flower balls, flowey fabric and the flower petals on the edges of the aisle runner.

Invitations! (Paper Products)

I was just told, by my Mom, that our wedding invitations, save the dates, menus, stationary, thank you cards (ANYTHING paper) will be custom designed for FREE by a local company. *

I don't think they get more personalized than that!!!

*My mom works for the marketing department and was approached by a close friend who owns a custom designing company and offered to design my paper products!

Hmmm, now what to do, what to do?!?!?

Colors

I've tossed around colors, changing and adjusting once about every 2 months...

This session's feature is:

And yes, I did wiggle away from Greg at Home Depot to gather these paint chips... :-P

I think it has a mature, sophisticated look to it... And the purple adds a pop of color which we were lacking with our previous, chocolate and champagne theme... WHICH, I am please to announce that I will no longer be a "follower" of someone who stole my theme out from under me anyway. YAY!

So, given these colors, what color are suits/tuxes?
What color are flowers?
What color are table cloths?
Does this make our entire wedding purple?
Can I have an ACCENT of purple without making the whole wedding girly?
GAH!

Also, does anyone know a purple flower, which is a seed, that can be grown in our Ohio Valley area that isn't cheap-looking, or common? Horticulturists unite!

Wedding catch up

Since I am starting this blog about 10% of my way thru wedding plans I'll update everyone who doesnt know of the details.



Date: 9-10-11

Ceremony Location: Drees Pavilion

I'd like to accomplish this white flowey fabric feel in the gazebo too.
I'm thinking that my Mother in Law to be might be able to help me asseble something like this!

I also have a feel for these flower balls... Not sure where I'd put them, but I like them nonetheless.


Here is a view of our reception location at night.


Ceremony time: 5:30pm, reception immediately afterwards with coctail hour beginning.

DJ: Julie Jameson from Weddings Remembered
Photographer: Geri Cuilla from Cuilla Photography

Dress: Impression Bridal

Wedding Pics

For those who are tired of the wedding postings on my other blog, here is a new one to describe my wedding adventures and how my thoughts evolve over the next 511 days!



It an outdoor wedding, thinking these fans... Wouldn't need too many, just for the chicks and look at that price!!! Cheap!
I'd fashion a pretty colored ribbon on it and remove the current tassle.

I like the feel of this picture...
Loving the purple tie and the boutinere

Given that it's an ourdoor wedding, at this exact location, we will NOT be wearing green dresses, look at that matchy-matchy!
I'm liking the color of these plum dresses in the top left.
A neat flower, Picasso Lily.
Loves this bouquet.