May 17, 2008
This year has been one of major reflection for me. Blame it on turning 30, having my baby start kindergarten come August, or just the stage of life we are in, but I just cannot help but look back and smile...and CRY! So many wonderful memories, trying times, and amazing people that are no longer with us, that I can't help but to reflect on so many moments. Sometimes people will say "don't look back, you aren't going that way" or "the past is in the past," yada-yada-yada... but if we do not stop and look back, we forget about how far we have come, the lessons that we learned, or even the people we said goodbye to! I for one, do not want to miss any of those things, ever. As one of my favorite songs states, "When you get where you're goin, don't forget turn back around.." 8 crazy, long yet short, beautifully-messy years ago was Jonathan and I's wedding day! Ten months of planning, budgeting, and dramatic times went into our special day. What started out as a beautiful story, quickly became a 'let's just get married already' chapter.
Jonathan and I were very close to our grandparents growing up. We both lost one a year apart while we were in high school. We often talked throughout our relationship how not only important they were, but influential on our lives as well. We knew as time continued to pass, we would honor them throughout our life together. Come July 14, 2007 (Jonathan's Grandpa Jordan's birthday) he would start that tradition. Dessert (or so I thought, was served) on a plate of roses and there was Jonathan down on one knee telling me that "His Grandpa & I were two of the most influential people in his life, so he couldn't imagine sharing not only the rest of his life with me, but sharing this special moment, on this special day with anyone else." That rotating restaurant in the Dallas skyline stood completely still and silent as I caught my breath and wholeheartedly said YES! I remember Jonathan thinking we would get married like the next weekend or maybe in a month, but after some real discussion, he soon realized we needed a little more time to plan.
When it came down to picking our wedding date, I couldn't help but suggest May 17th (my Memaw's birthday). One glance at a calendar (seeing that it fell on a Saturday) and the okay from my parents, sealed the deal! The planning begun. My parents gave me a final number to work with and anything over that would be coming from our own pockets. Let me tell you, it is amazing the money you can save when you're picking up the rest of the tab at 22 years old! I remember the flower estimate coming in at $5000. I said absolutely NOT without blinking an eye! I quickly cut it down to bridal party bouquets & boutonnieres and a few centerpieces (we would make the rest out of spray painted twigs)...day saved, operation wedding on a budget continued. The planning went pretty smooth, nothing too stressful. Which might have been a major warning sign for the wedding day itself, but I just chalk it up to experience, lessons learned, & a great story now!
Rehearsal night started off with a bang! People from the wedding party were calling us confused on where they were suppose to be. "We are at the Mayo downtown! The vintage-y looking building on 5th Street!" I said. They were on 15th Street...confused I thought they must have just glanced at the invitation and thought they saw 15th instead of 5th...I was WRONG. The invitations DID say 15th Street?! How could I have missed this V I T A L information when I proofed them?! Everyone assured me it was fine and that people would figure it out. I hoped they were right and that all of my RSVPs wouldn't be hanging out on Cherry Street the next night! While walking into rehearsal I noticed lots of barricades...later casually asking if they would be gone so guests could park there for the wedding, everyone said, "It's Mayfest this weekend Wendy!" Of course it was. Not ONE person mentioned during planning "If you want the Mayo DOWNTOWN, don't forget about Mayfest that has been going on since 1973 is that weekend too." Oh well. I was assured all would be fine, parking wouldn't be too big of an issue. Everyone finally arrived, rehearsal ran a little late. Dinner ran late too, but it was great. Good food and great company made for a wonderful evening! The girls in the bridal party had a "wild night" of mani/pedis planned then a slumber party at the Embassy Suites where we were getting ready the next day. I wanted chill. I wanted simple. Easy enough...
Since dinner was late because rehearsal was late, we were a little late getting to our private mani-pedi party...sure enough, we pulled in to a closed up shop (No mani or pedi for YOU)! I might have cried a little. Probably one of those over-dramatic-bride-cries...my mom called and they promised they would get us all in, first thing in the morning. Off to the hotel we went. All of the girls I was surrounded with were great! They kept it simple, sweet, & low-key. They showered me with lingerie, fun quizzes about Jonathan & I's relationship, and a good night's sleep...all to wake-up bright-eyed and ready to marry my high school sweetheart! Nails & toes were polished, hair & make-up was done, everyone was dressed, so we all loaded up to go get me "hitched!" As I waited in a side room before the ceremony started, my shoes broke....literally just standing there waiting. I looked at my mom, slightly panicked, & said now what do I do?! She calmly said "go barefoot? No one can see your feet anyways!" Okay I said...kicked off my shoes and a barefoot bride I was (Pinterest is beyond jealous at this vary moment that they were not around back then ;D). I remember hearing someone break a glass candle hurricane that was lining the aisle, then my adorable flower girl fell off the stage (but she got up like a CHAMP & finished her job), then it was finally my turn to walk down the aisle. Our ceremony was wonderful! Vows, prayers, unity-sand-with our parents, a beautiful song by a friend, I-do's, sealed with a kiss...AT LAST! Up the aisle we went. A few pictures later we were ready to go into our reception.
"Please welcome for the very first time, MR AND MRS W-I-G-G-L-E!!!!!" I just laughed and looked at my husband and said "yay, we're the wiggles now!!" We started our first dance to Frank Sinatra's All The Way...then without missing a beat the one mishap we actually had planned for the day that no one knew about, commenced...our song "scratched," we acted distraught, & then busted out into a fabulous mix of a little "ice-ice-baby-bye-bye-bye-billie-jean-drop-it-like-its-hot" montage of a wonderful dance! Jaws dropped, cheers and claps filled the room, and in that vary moment, Jonathan & I were performers at the Grammy's! I still grin ear to ear that we pulled it off. We then did all the other typical wedding things and visited with all of our guests...then it was time to leave.
We might have missed out on all of the delicious food that was served, our cake order was completely wrong, among a few other minor mishaps, but we achieved what we set out to do and that was to get married! Now I look back and think about what a great representation our wedding day truly was of who we are as a couple. We seem to always be juggling a multitude of problems or challenges, all the while trying to not let it get the best of us or effect those around us. We try to accept things for how they are and keep moving onward & upward, accomplishing what needs to be accomplished. You better believe I would do a TON of things different but we still achieved what we set out to do that day...to remember the lives of those no longer with us, celebrate our love for one another, & officially start our lives together. May 17th will always be the day I married my other half and I would NEVER change any part of that!
Happy Anniversary Jonny - I can't believe it has been 8 crazy, long yet short, beautifully-messy years! I also cannot believe how incredibly blessed I am by not only sharing this life with you but sharing all of the in-between things as well. I never know what is coming our way, but with you (and our incredible daughter), I enjoy every single part of it in the end! Here is to our adventure together, onward & upward. I love you!
