Jonathan & Diane - March 7, 2015

My pastor said I was the most relaxed bride he had ever seen. To be honest, I really have to give credit to the incredible team I had behind me that day: my mom, her sisters, my sister, my cousins, my bridesmaids and house party, and the list goes on.

My vendors were great – all trustworthy and diligent in their attention to getting everything just right. My mom’s sisters hosted a bridal brunch for me and all the ladies in the bridal party. We woke up late and wore our pajamas. We didn’t have to go far because brunch was at the Inn at Quarry Ridge, where we had all stayed the night before. My sister drove me to get my hair done, and when I got back, everything was already in place. It was like magic! Jonathan and I decided to do a first look, which gave us a moment of solitude that we really needed that day. We had backup plans in case of rain, but we didn’t need them. The weather was just a little brisk, but that was perfect, especially for Jonathan’s groomsmen, who were nearly all in uniform. When it got chillier in the evening, there were heaters posted throughout the yard for those who wanted to stay outside, but there were also a good number of tables inside, where it was also a little quieter. Our grand entrance involved a light saber arch, a tribute to both Jonathan’s Air Force upbringing and his love for Star Wars. His groom’s cake was even made to look like R2-D2’s head! We had a coffee bar in place of alcohol, which was a fantastic alternative for us since we consider ourselves coffee connoisseurs.

After our song, Jonathan and his mom danced to a very sweet song, sentimental to both of them: “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts. My dad taught me to love swing dancing when I was very young, so it seemed appropriate to show that off for our father-daughter dance. We did the jitterbug to “Roll Over Beethoven” by the Electric Light Orchestra, which I will admit was not easy with a bustled train, but we managed to do it without tripping!

After the cake-cutting and the toasts, I did my best to welcome and thank as many of my guests as possible, and then I hit the dance floor. I’m pretty sure I didn’t stop dancing until they turned off the music. At the end of the night the guests saw us off with sparklers. It was the most magical, beautiful, and heart-warming day of our lives.