The Wedding

Okay, ya'll, I promised pictures, and I'm here, today, to deliver.  It was an, absolutely, gorgeous wedding!  I never thought weddings were that important to the guests.  We've had a lot of family members get married in locations that didn't allow us to attend, and while it was frustrating and disappointing, we moved on with life and didn't think much more about it.  But getting to attend my sister-in-law's wedding was so special for me.  I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or because we've missed out on a lot of special weddings due to their locations or what, but there was just something about getting to share in the magic of her and her new husband's special day that makes me feel bonded to them in a way that I will never soon forget.  So, before I show you all even one picture, I must say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, Hannah and Johan, for allowing us to be a part of a new beginning/chapter in your lives.  I love you both!

Okay... All mush aside (Hee!), let's begin with the rehearsal.  I'm ever so grateful for these first, two pictures, because I couldn't get one of the two of them on the actual wedding day.  Ezekiel was instructed, by the wedding planner, to go ahead and walk down the aisle, whether Adina came or not (Bummer!); and he booked it, so fast, I just couldn't get a good take.

Adina got a little bored with the whole thing.  I'm not sure she understood the concept.  LOL!

She, also, got hungry, as it carried on longer than we thought it would, and needed a little snack to get her down the aisle for the second run.

A little dinner and a few, fun gifts, and the night came to an end.

Now, let's move on to the big day.  My pictures started with special hugs, for the bride, from the big brother (ie my hubby).

This one is of my whole crew.  Gosh, I love them so much!

And here we are passing the time away, while my kiddos were waiting their turn for pictures.

One more picture, pre-ceremony, of the bride, reading a special note from her groom.  Isn't she, absolutely, beautiful?!

And some last minute instructions, before it all began.

Here's the only pictures I got of my kiddos walking down the aisle on the actual day.  Those candle luminaries weren't there for the rehearsal, and they caught Adina's attention BIG TIME!  She even forgot to drop her petals.  Poor thing!

(photo courtesy of Donna Tipton)

Now, for the main attraction.

(photo courtesy of Donna Tipton)

This is Johan seeing Hannah for the first time that day...

and a couple of the ceremony itself.

In lieu of a unity candle, Hannah and Johan poured sand from Florida (Hannah spent many years, just out of college, working there.) and South Africa (Johan is South African.) into a common vase.

Of course, I had to insert one of the kiss...

(photo courtesy of Donna Tipton)

and the overjoyed bride.

(photo courtesy of Donna Tipton)

Then, we arrived, at the reception, just in time to see the first dance...

the cutting of the cake...

and everyone enjoying themselves (from left to right, in the photo below, my hubby and his little brothers, Philip and Peter)...

(That's Ezekiel and his second cousin Charlotte above.) and dancing the night away.

(That's Peter and my little kiddo and Peter and my sister-in-law, Courtney, above.)  Then, the bride and groom were off, on their honeymoon, in a sea of bubbles.

(photo courtesy of Donna Tipton)

I'm sneaking in one last picture of my hubby, my little kiddo, and I, too...

(photo courtesy of Donna Tipton)

before we called it a night.

I won't bore you, today, with all the extra fun we had on our trip to Dallas; but be sure, there'll be more pictures to come soon.  Thanks so much for reading!