hmm, it was such a lovely night tonight.
Mike and I since being back in Chicago have both been attacked by a vicious cold and i think we are on the tale end of winning now, so we finally left the apartment and went out on a dateski.
Went down to the always entertaining belmont to the brew and view took in a couple of flicks for $5 and then went to our favorite 24 hour diner and enjoyed some spinach and artichoke dip, which we seem to try everywhere...
I am laying next to my HUSBAND, which is so awesome to say, as he is in and out of snoring (poor stuffed up nose)... and I cannot sleep so awake i lie and type.
We have been married now for two weeks and that is wonderful.
It has been an amazing two weeks, and the time leading up to the wedding was jam packed with so much to do.
Mike and I this summer basked in the confines of wedding from a distance planning. Which meant really only stating what we envisioned for our nuptials but not doing the leg work to make it happen..our family handled the sweat of hard work and physical planning. (which i will never forget thank you!)
So when Dec. 13 finally came and mike and i boarded planes to fly out to our wedding we had no true idea of what lay ahead of us as far as what was left to do...
We were quickly baptized into the world of bridezilla's and her brood of perfection. SO much to do. But so many helpful hands and good hearts, it wouldnt have been done with you guys..I.E. Cheyne, Mom, DAd, Aunt LIz, Meg, Aunt Cynthia, Brittany, Brooke... and all the many others who ran around like crazies for the months preparing for our shindig.
I dont think i have tried to put into black and white what i felt as i waited in the bridal nursery (:) ) watching minutes slide down the canary colored walls. Each of the bridesmaids had been beckoned out to await their walk down the aisle with their respective groomsmen, and all that remained was meg and i.
My heart beat, and i had to pee. how anti-climatic. But that was all there was at that moment. I asked meg to sing the 12 days of christmas with me. And maybe we got to the partridge and a pear tree. and then the door opened and my dad came in.
He started to cry, so we started to cry.
and we had to stop ourselves so our freshly done MAC makeup would not run down our finely colored cheeks. It was go time and there was no rocky theme song to warm up to. I just wanted to see Mike. I knew he was waiting down at the end of the aisle for me and i wanted to see the look in his eyes, the look that takes my breath away and the look that quiets my fears and slows my tears, the look that says i love you.
I feel that i should take you back to Dec 19, the night before all our family and friends came over to the house after the dress rehearsal to work on making ornament boxes for each wedding guest to put their personalized ornament in, like little christmas elves they worked in assembly line structuring each box! thank you guys so so so much!
My aunt liz, Brittany Aunt Cynthia Christa Lisa and Eleanor worked until 2am creating the centerpeices, roughly 15 to 17 red roses dashed with three white roses, (father son and holy ghost) surrounding a candle votive encased in glass. so beautiful and my aunts are genius for the creation!
we were all up at 7;30am and in thousand oaks at the reception hall Los Robles golf course to create the look for the reception.
My aunts did what they do best and painted a scene that i could only have hoped for. Staying so classy! we were there until 11:45 when my cousin and bridesmaid brittany knew i was not happy about the way the church looked called the pastor of this church and got him to come over and let us in!! so we rushed out to the valley to redecorate so i would be happy! i cannot believe how hard brooke and brittany worked to help get this place looking great!
when the three of us were done it looked like i had dreamed about, candles everywhere and feeling so intimate!
the piano where Melanie would play draped in ivory and covered in different sized candles.
My cousin finally told me to leave and get to my hair appointment which i did, driving my moms lexus on E. Showed up at the appointment with a half hour until my makeup appointment, so she quickly curled my hair and sent me to my makeup, they got that done and sent me back to get my hair pinned and had my veil put in. I ran into my mother in law LInnea and sister Marie while as i dashed in to get my hair done, they helped hold my veil away from me as i stuffed my face.
It was insanity, my fabulous bridesmaid Christa brought me a sourdough jack to eat while i got my hair done and i promptly spilled it on my sweet bride jump suit but its all good the day was wonderful and crazy! I hussled to the church as i was running late, drove myself and was greeted by Christa, she smirked and said I would drive myself to my own wedding... it was perfect.
from start to stop.
Mike sang a capella to me a beautiful song which made me cry.
He looked so cute! i loved the way the baraongs looked by candlelight. Barongs are traditional Filipino attire and each of the Filipino men in our wedding wore one. Even though my dad really wanted to get in on the Barong action. It was so beautiful and the guys wore them proudly.
the night was wonderful!!!!
and so was the cake!
here are a few pics from the wedding, people i highly recommend you look into Gavin Wade photography, mike and i loved them, so professional and super fun and incredible work! so happy with their art!
