Weddingbee

Someone commented in the days before the wedding that our tent looked like it was meant for a circus. In retrospect, this comment makes me laugh because a wedding kind of is a circus - it’s one gigantic whirling spectacle that you are the focus of. So what better to contain it than a big top?

The big top prior to the big show!

Anyway, as has been mentioned before, we got a bit of rain leading up to the wedding. The day before when me and my bridal party were decorating the tent with lights and tulle (That we got on sale! Booya!), there were a couple of spots inside the tent that were a bit damp and I expressed my concern for the people who would have to sit in those spots.”Oh don’t even worry about it!” People kept saying. “I’m sure by tomorrow, it will totally be dried out.”

A quick shot of the tent interior earlier in the day. The muddy trails are already starting to form!

But then it rained and well . . . not so much with the drying out. In fact, the more people walked on it, the more the pressure of their feet pushed the water out of the ground to make mud soup. This was a definite concern because:

1) We had 70 guests tromping all over the lawn.
2) We had 6 people in our wedding party (including both of our moms) that had to walk down a small hill to get to the aisle.
3) We had 1 bride (me!) who had to navigate the hill in a big white dress.

My wedding shoes soiled in mud. Thank God I didn’t go for the open toed shoes I originally liked.

Anyone who knows me knows that this is a recipe for complete disaster if I am involved. I am a girl who can’t wear a white t-shirt because I will, without fail, spill chocolate on it. Sending me out and down a muddy hill is like sending a blind person into a mine field - it’s got bad idea written all over it.

Everyone milling around pre aisle walk. My dad and I were just around the corner to not spoil the surprise.

I had been hoping that I could study other people’s paths to circumvent the mud puddles, but to keep from spoiling the surprise, my dad and I had to stand around the corner where no one could see us until everyone else was down the aisle.

But before I could think too much, my friend John started up the music for Mr. Hum’s wedding party (a string version of Tori Amos’ Pretty Good Year) and the trek began:

The awesome John sitting with our audio equipment.

First, it was Mr. Hum’s Best Lady Sarah.

Sarah blazes a trail down the scary hill.

Then Mr. Hum’s Best Man and brother Nick and his Mom.

Nick and Mr. Hum’s mom trotting behind. She’d picked out her dress from a Toronto designer a few months before.

Then Mr. Hum!

Mr. Hum starts his walk. Erin helped him out and told him what to do with his hands since he was nervous and flailing them about.

Then my FSIL, MOH and pee enabler Erin.

Erin starts the walk for the bride’s side. She told me that she was very focused on not slipping, which explains the look of concentration.

Then it was my Man of Honour Greg and my Mom.

Greg and my mom. Because she was nervous about walking down in front of all of our guests, Greg sang her a little song during their trek.

And then me and my dad!

Dad expertly holds my dress.

It took me a while to decide but for my part of the wedding party and for aisle walk, I chose a string version of The Flaming Lips’ Do You Realize?? I was a little concerned about the beginning of the song because it had these three weird screeching bits, but John was awesome and faded in the audio after that part, making it absolutely perfect.

Trying to carry my bouquet lower. So much to think about!

When my dad and I got to the bottom of the hill, we stopped for a moment as my Matron of Honour had instructed us and waited for everyone to stand before we proceeded.

Although I have to admit, I was a little distracted with mud strategy, there is nothing more awing than seeing everyone you know and love standing and waiting for you with love in their eyes. My grandfather. My best friend from high school. My godmother. I could see these faces looking back at me and I felt a lump in my throat and tears percolating behind my eyes.

We say hello. I can’t stop smiling.

And then, there he was. My future husband, standing at the end of the aisle, smiling at me. I don’t think I have ever been as happy to see anyone in my life, so my dad and I hopped up the aisle to where he stood with our wedding party and our funky Pagan minister. I wanted to squeeze him and kiss him, but it wasn’t time for that so instead, we got to the vows.

A full shot of us at the alter. I don’t remember what was being said at this point since it was Mr. Hum’s turn to pay attention.

I wrote before about writing our own vows and although the process was a bit hard, I am so happy that we went with something that was personal to us. Not only did we both love them but our guests loved them, specifically Mr. Hum’s mom who sighed and awed at every line!

Mr. Hum busts out his sincere vow face.

Me doing my vows. Unfortunately for me, since I was overcome with emotion, I had squishy face in most of my vow pictures.

After the vows came, the ring exchange . . .

The ring exchange. While my ring slipped on pretty easily, Mr. Hum’s stuck on his knuckle as illustrated in the picture above.

And we sealed it all up with the big kiss!

Macking it for the peanut gallery!

Goofy faces after kissing.

And just like that, before we knew what was happening, it was all over and we headed back up the aisle and up to the dry hill for cocktail hour.

Making our way back up the aisle. Mr. Hum takes over dress holding duty.

Walking back up the hill to drier ground. We’re still in disbelief.

I was never so happy to hug Mr. Hum in my entire life!

A moment of relief. We are finally able to have a moment to ourselves.

We did it!

Our first married snapshot. Mr. and Mrs. Hummingbird!

Doing a happy little cheer! We’s married people now!

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