The wedding weekend was jammed pack with lots of memorable moments for sure. Things kicked off mid-week when we were able to get together with some out of town guests. Dinner on Wednesday at Montgomery Inn with some family, coffee & breakfast with friends on Thursday, and a relaxing massage for a bargain price. (What more could a girl ask for, right?)
The Friday before the wedding was wonderful. I spent the day with Mandy and Wendy, getting manicures & pedicures and sharing a nice lunch. I decided to stay at a hotel that was close to the wedding venue, so I got all checked into my room that afternoon and then we headed off to the Cincinnati Nature Center for the rehearsal.
Things with the rehearsal went smoothly and it was great to see everyone who had arrived in town that day. Everyone was keeping an eye on the sky leading up to the wedding day b/c it was a chilly and raining week in the tri-state. So all fingers were crossed that the rainy weather would pass like the meteorologists kept saying it would.
Our rehearsal dinner was held at Bella Luna, a family owned Italian restaurant. It was a lovely evening shared with family and friends. Beautiful toasts were shared by JJ's mom & dad, my mom, and my best friend Wendy. It was definitely an evening where we celebrated long lasting love and friendship.
(JJ, my Dad Eddie, me and my mom Carole)
(Some group pictures)
After the dinner, we invited those available to gather at BW 3's for a few drinks to toast the night away! I was so excited to see so many people able to attend. Both JJ and I caught up with dear friends from our college years and several family members traveled many miles to be there with us during this special time.
(College roommates: Alina, Me, Wendy, Molly, & Elizabeth)
(Me and my cousin, Dawn)
It was a breath taking experience, full of awe and wonder. Watching the sun as it peaks through the clouds, each ray getting brighter, lighting up the sky. Being present in that moment is something that some people will never get to experience. I found it very emotional and really moving, I'd highly recommend it if you ever visit Maui.
The song we choose as our first dance song was "Kiss of Life" by Sade. Some couples have a song that has very special meaning to them through out the relationship. I think this is very cool, to find a song that has such special meaning. JJ and I didn't really have one specific song that fell into that category, but we both love Sade's music and really felt that the lyrics in "Kiss of Life" represent how we feel about finding each other at the right time in our lives.
My Dad and I danced to "My Wish" by Rascal Flats. It was great to have that special moment with him to reminisce on a few childhood memories, hear some words of fatherly advice on marriage, and just enjoy dancing with my Dad. I remember laying my head on his shoulder and singing the words to the song, one that he picked out, which meant a lot to me.
JJ and his Mom danced to a song called "The Man You've Become" by Molly Pasutti. This is a beautiful song with lyrics that talk about a mother being proud of her son, remembering the days when he was a young boy and being proud of the man he has grown up to be.
As I stood next to Jeremy, holding hands with him and somehow making it through my vows (despite my emotions getting the best of me), it was honestly the greatest feeling I've ever had in my life - knowing I was marrying the right person for me & knowing he was feeling the same way about the moment, it was all very over-whelming, in the best way!
Once we exchanged vows and light the unity candle, our friend announced us as Mr. & Mrs. and I remember letting out a huge smile, throwing my bouquet in the air and cheering out, so excited to celebrate this wonderful moment I've looked forward to for so long!
Once we got all those pictures finished, we headed back to meet up with everyone and grabbed some group shots with the wedding party. We had a smaller wedding party, JJ's two brothers, Tim & Jesse, and two of my best girl friends, Mandy & Wendy, stood next to us as we exchanged vows. On one of our visits to the Nature Center, JJ and I found this old house called The Abner Hollow Cabin and thought it would be a great spot for these pictures.
Our rehearsal dinner was held at Bella Luna, a family owned Italian restaurant. It was a lovely evening shared with family and friends. Beautiful toasts were shared by JJ's mom & dad, my mom, and my best friend Wendy. It was definitely an evening where we celebrated long lasting love and friendship.
(Some group pictures)
After the dinner, we invited those available to gather at BW 3's for a few drinks to toast the night away! I was so excited to see so many people able to attend. Both JJ and I caught up with dear friends from our college years and several family members traveled many miles to be there with us during this special time.
(Me and my cousin, Dawn)
