Now It's Just Us...

I apologize if you were around and saw all the posts that went crazy this afternoon. I read about a new way to upload photos that would make them better and had to try it...it took a few tries!

Get nice and comfy...because as short as the pictures were of the Bridal Party...there are a TON of pictures of the two of us! It’s not that I didn’t like the bridal party pictures as well, but do you know how hard it is to capture 8 people all looking in the right direction, with the right expression on their face, in the right lighting at the same time?!?! It’s nearly impossible! But it’s MUCH easier to work with just TWO people...

There are some shots here that I love, love, L.O.V.E. And then there are some that are ok. They’re all great pictures, don’t get me wrong, but not all of them speak to me like some of the others do...do your pictures do that to you too? Or am I just crazy? (Don’t answer that MOH!)

So here’s the happy couple...we started off by staying in the field where we were...





You know that we'd been "serious" long enough...


And then we couldn't STOP laughing...which made for some really cute pictures!




Then she wanted that "Vogue" shot again, so here's our best attempt...


Which didn't last all that long...


Before we knew it, we were REALLY cracking ourselves up!



Then we moved across the field over to a fence/gate for this series.









We both look so serious here...


And you KNOW that wouldn't last!


This is one of B's favorite pictures...he loves it when I laugh so hard that my nose "crinkles"...and I, of course, do NOT like that shot!


But I like that we've both smiling in this one...wondering what he was telling me? There's NO telling!



Here's the requisite shot of the groom making a grab at the bride...


Before we headed back to the reception hall, we stopped at this corner to take a couple of last shots...







**All photos courtesy of Christina Carroll Photography

Need to catch up? Here’s some links:
Girls’ Spa Day
Bachelor/Bachelorette Party
Setting Up the Venue…
Practice Makes Perfect…
Rehearsal Dinner
5 Minutes is All that I Need
A “Quick” Stop at the Hair Salon
A Sneak Peek at the Venue...
Arriving at the Venue...to Stay!
Getting Dressed
The Maids Pose for the Camera...
Oops - I’m Out of Order!
The Boys Smile and Say “Cheese!”
It’s Show Time!
Here Comes the Bride!
Becoming Man and Wife...
We’re Man and Wife!
Family Pictures
Now THAT’S Love!
The “Group” Says Cheese!

The "Group" Says Cheese!

**Oops! I missed my goal of having these recaps done by the time that our 6-month anniversary passed...oh well, it's good to have goals, right? It gives you something to shoot for...even if you don't always make it! I thought that it would be close, but let's be honest...I don't even have all of the pictures uploaded to Blogger yet...I need to pick up the pace!!

Once the gals and I were finished with our round of giggles prompted by this episode, we were ready for our bridal party pictures. Like I mentioned before, we traipsed back out to the LOVELY field that was behind our reception hall, and it gave us a gorgeous backdrop to use for these pictures.

The only thing that was a small concern was that during the time when we were taking these pictures, there was a wedding going on at the hall right next to us. Like, as in, they were having their entrance right when we were making our way to the back field for our pictures. I was a little worried that we might be too noisy and ruin another bride’s wedding, but lucky for me our friends are just as considerate as we are and once we were all aware of the problem, we made sure to keep the noise level down.

(If you’ll remember, that was my one concern with booking at Texas Old Town – how close Redbud Hall and Tejas Hall sit next to one another. But as far as I know, this was the only time that we even slightly crossed paths, so Danny (the manager) was right and it was a non-issue!)

So on to the eye candy...we started with the "couples" staggered behind us...And then we kissed...and yes, there might have been some cat calling...We all got in a line and smiled very prettily for the camera...And then Christina moved us into some more casual shots...which turned out to be my favorites!Yes, that's all fake laughter...it's hard to laugh on command!Once we finished up the bridal party shots, we released everyone back to the main reception hall (or the bathroom) except for MOH in case we needed something held. Up next – we pose for the camera...you don’t think that they’re all going to be seductive and romantic looking do you? You should know better by now! Stay tuned – there’s some good ones!

**All photos courtesy of Christina Carroll Photography

Need to catch up? Here’s some links:
Girls’ Spa Day
Bachelor/Bachelorette Party
Setting Up the Venue…
Practice Makes Perfect…
Rehearsal Dinner
5 Minutes is All that I Need
A “Quick” Stop at the Hair Salon
A Sneak Peek at the Venue...
Arriving at the Venue...to Stay!
Getting Dressed
The Maids Pose for the Camera...
Oops - I’m Out of Order!
The Boys Smile and Say “Cheese!”
It’s Show Time!
Here Comes the Bride!
Becoming Man and Wife...
We’re Man and Wife!
Family Pictures
Now THAT’S Love!

Now THAT’S Love!

Oh wow. Are you in for a treat today or what? You can’t possibly be as excited as I am right now...you should be, you just don’t know it yet! I have a funny story to share with you. I know, it’s almost unheard of...me doing something outrageous or hilarious and making you LOL while you sit at your desk and “work.”

I mentioned a few posts back that the music was the main “oops” moment during our wedding...and that still holds true. For the most part. But there was something going on behind the scenes that only a few people know about...and it’s pretty funny! I wasn’t sure that I was going to share it with you all...not that I don’t love you...but it’s too funny to NOT share. So here goes. Oh, and I won’t even begin to apologize for there not being any pictures that captured this “oops” moment...just sit back, read and enjoy the story!

We finished with our family pictures, and what I haven’t told you yet is that all during the ceremony – well, mainly just the walking parts, I was noticing a “shift” in garments. Undergarments to be more specific. Standing still for family pictures was not that big of a deal since the rest of the family moved around us and the four of us stayed stationary for the most part. But during “scene changes” between families, I was giving a gentle tug (when I thought that no one was looking and I could be discreet) on my underwear. Now, I know what you’re thinking...the most common underwear problem known to women is crawling underwear...crawling up, that is. But that wasn’t the case here.

You see, in an effort to be slightly romantic for my hubby I had gone out and bought some new sexy VS undies for the big day. But the joke was on me, wasn’t it? Since Mother Nature “blessed” me the day before our wedding, the joke turned out to be on me...hahaha. No, I wasn’t really laughing either! Anyway, so these panties were new – washed, but unworn. They were too pretty not to wear (they were in our colors – black and cream) so I decided the day of the wedding to wear them anyway and feel pretty, even if it was that time of the month. I even managed to go to the bathroom all by myself (like a big girl!) before the ceremony started with no assistance needed from any of the Maids. They were willing, but there’s just only so much a girl can ask of her friends, right?

Anyway...so these panties were new. Tried and un-tested previous to our wedding day, which might have been my mistake. I maybe should have worn them one other time just to see how they “wore” for lack of a better way of describing things. But I didn’t. Learn from me, PLEASE! Wear your special panties at least for an hour of serious walking around before wearing them on your wedding day when they’re not easily accessible for adjustments! It’s just smart to do these things...me? Not so smart, obviously.

We finished up the family pictures and gathered all of the wedding party back together so that we could traipse off back into the meadow that we all loved so much...and as we’re walking, I admit to MOH (sort of under my breath) that I think that I’m having difficulties. I explain the problem – there are too many layers between gown, under-gown and petticoat for me to find a gauzy layer of underwear and give them a good yanking up. After we both had a giggle about it, I decided to press on and finish the pictures first and then I could make a quick “pit stop” before making our entrance in the reception hall. Good plan, right? Yeah...

Well, it seems that the panties had another plan of their own. Before we could even get around Redbud Hall to the meadow, I knew that the situation was a little more serious than I had first thought. I paused, and MOH stopped with me, along with the rest of the bridal party. One look at my face and MOH broke out in laughter, she understood that look, and immediately took charge of the situation...even if she DID laugh while doing so. She called Maid Britney over to hold all flowers, and shooed everyone else on towards the field, telling the photographer that we were having a “wardrobe malfunction” and would be along shortly. We turned and started toward our dressing room, and I had taken no more than two steps and realized that these undies were NOT going to make it to the dressing room. They honestly felt like they had already slipped over my hips and were making their way down towards my thighs...It had to be fixed, and it had to be fixed right HERE!

Being the good sport that she is...MOH didn’t even bat an eye. She backed me up against the back of the reception hall, put Maid Britney on the “look out” and dove up under my layers of dresses. Where she proceeded to get a good “grip” and make some adjustments for me. In other words, MOH has now seen my bare butt. I mean, not like she was trying to look, but how could she avoid it?!?! I was mortified...but SO very grateful to feel “secure” once again. LOL! And if you ask me, she gave an extra tug – “just to be sure” or so she said...maybe it was payback for having to pull up my britches in the first place!

After all was well in my world again, we fell apart in laughter. I mean, like give-me-side-stitches laughter. It was THAT funny! Luckily, or hopefully, no one saw anything (other than MOH, that is) and we rejoined the rest of the party quickly. B, of course, assured me that he would have been more than happy to help with the problem once I explained to him what was going on...and I’m sure that he would have...but we were in a field with our closest friends and some of their spouses...maybe not the time and place for his sort of “help.”

So the moral of the story? You’ve really got two choices: 1) Wash and wear your special undies for at least a little while before that special occasion or 2) Be sure to surround yourself with women who are willing to “go the extra mile” for you when you start to have wardrobe malfunctions! Either way works...just depends on your own personal level of embarrassment tolerance! ;)

Family Pictures

There’s really no exciting way to present family pictures, if you ask me...most of my readers don’t know my family...but since there are some family members who do read my blog, I think that they should be posted.

There were a couple of items that needed to be “set up” for the reception, like lighting candles, and a few things that needed to be taken down from the ceremony, like those chairs that we rented...and doing the family portraits right after the wedding gave us a little bit of time to do these things. Our wedding party went off on their missions, and we stayed with most of our family members and smiled and said “Cheese!” for the obligatory family portraits.

So without further ado...or too many comments, let me present our family pictures.

First up...our new family...

And just the cutie pies by themselves...new brothers and sisters! J was REALLY excited to call T her brother officially now...T? Well, he tried not to act too excited, but then again, he's 12...boys at the age try to act like everything's not really all that cool!Us with our minister...who did a FABULOUS job on the ceremony!My Mom and step-dad...Adding in my little sister and step-brother (with family)...so this would be my Mom's side of the family...Then with my Dad and step-mom...Adding in my step-sister and her family...Then all of my aunts, uncles and cousins from that side of the family...my Dad's side of the family...Us with B's Dad and step-mom...Adding in his grandmother...Then adding in sister and step-brothers...Then we called up my ex-step-dad (who raised me) for a quick shot...And then we added in my little sister...And finally, I wanted one more shot...with ALL of our parents...past, present, step or otherwise...I would have really liked to have had one more family picture...B had a LOT of family that was present on our wedding day that is not pictured here. I guess that they all (aunts, uncles, cousins) thought that the announcement for family to stick around mainly meant immediate family members. The best we can figure is that they hit the bar - lucky people!

That's where we were wishing we were headed...but nope. One more stop along the road to the reception first...up next - bridal party pictures!

**All photos courtesy of Christina Carroll Photography

Need to catch up? Here’s some links:
Girls’ Spa Day
Bachelor/Bachelorette Party
Setting Up the Venue…
Practice Makes Perfect…
Rehearsal Dinner
5 Minutes is All that I Need
A “Quick” Stop at the Hair Salon
A Sneak Peek at the Venue...
Arriving at the Venue...to Stay!
Getting Dressed
The Maids Pose for the Camera...
Oops - I’m Out of Order!
The Boys Smile and Say “Cheese!”
It’s Show Time!
Here Comes the Bride!
Becoming Man and Wife...
We’re Man and Wife!