A few weeks ago I asked what you wanted to see more of on this little blog, and I was surprised how many of you asked for more personal posts. I tend to get stuck in a loop of “design, DIY, craft, repeat,” so it felt good to step back and share something from our life together.
Several readers reminded me I’d mentioned our wedding before but never shared the photos. How did that slip by me? I’m finally fixing that oversight and sharing highlights from our vintage lakeside wedding day.
Even though sharing a spring wedding in the middle of another season may seem odd, I didn’t want these memories to get tucked away. Now that our bathroom makeover is finished, I have some ideas for the next room I’ll show you soon.
If you’re new here and want the full backstory of Robert and me, I’ve written about it before. In short, I truly believe God knew what He was doing when He brought my best friend into my life.
We were married on April 23, 2011. During that year-long engagement, I discovered how much I loved rustic and vintage decor. A bird theme naturally evolved and my mom and I embraced it—DIYing most of the details from birdcage centerpieces to table numbers and invitations.
We hired photographers who captured the day beautifully and worked with family and friends on many elements. Some special touches were hand-painted guestbook art, a hand-carved cake topper from Robert’s dad, and small sewn details made by my mother-in-law using lace remnants from her own wedding dress and mine.
I wish I could say I woke up feeling perfectly calm and radiant, but in reality I had only three hours of sleep due to a noisy club next to my hotel and woke up with the biggest pimple I’d ever seen. Even so, when my feet hit the floor that morning I reminded myself: something will go wrong today, but if I end the day married to my best friend, nothing else matters.
My mother and I crafted what we could and roped in friends and family for everything else—cake, the ceremony arch, music. A colleague painted a canvas guestbook where everyone added a thumbprint leaf on a tree, creating a beautiful keepsake.
To keep costs down I bought my wedding dress secondhand, and to honor my ballet days I wore shoes that reminded me of my old pointe shoes. The dress felt heavy but I’d never felt more beautiful.
The morning involved a hectic drive as I ferried five bridesmaids from downtown Charlotte to my hometown—getting lost three times along the way. Once we arrived, we ate breakfast, sipped mimosas, laughed, cried, and got our hair and makeup done together. My mom and mother-in-law helped me into my gown, and for a few quiet moments before the ceremony I closed my eyes and thanked God for this marriage. I prayed we would honor Him in our life together—being forgiving, trusting, and loyal—because a relationship centered on those values can weather anything.
Walking out to meet my dad, the setting felt perfect: birds chirping, a clear blue sky, and Robert waiting at the altar. He tried not to cry; I saw the telltale sparkle in his eye. To keep me from getting too emotional, my dad whispered something hilariously ridiculous and we all laughed—just the kind of moment I needed.
We exchanged vows—mine a little shaky—and made the ceremony our own with smiles and goofy glances. After realizing Robert’s ring was too tight and cutting off circulation, he borrowed a temporary pinky ring for the rest of the day. We sealed our promises with a kiss, shared a bit of playful air guitar for the cameras, and then celebrated with our bridal party.
We rode a vintage trolley to the reception and then joined family and friends for dinner, prayer, and a lot of hugs. For our first dance we chose a song that reminded us of our beginning together—how we met, how we kept talking, and how we never stopped.
No one sat down all night. Guests danced, my great-grandmother even got out of her wheelchair for a spin, and our family showed off some impressive moves. We wrapped the evening belting out classics and playing air guitar with everyone around us.
As the night wound down I tried to hold onto every last second. Then I remembered something I’d told myself that morning: a few small things might go wrong, but if at the end of the day I was married to my best friend, nothing else mattered. That perspective has carried us through the years—through tight budgets, living with parents when times were hard, and the inevitable arguments that come with life. We’ve learned that laughter is often the best remedy and that keeping each other first makes all the difference.
P.S. Brandywine Photography and Cassie Leigh Photography were our photographers and did an amazing job capturing the day.
