We have just joined the "it was so worth it" club.

My Dad called me the week before the wedding to tell me that he had completed the Father of the Bride speech. However, instead of the traditional speech he was going to talk mostly about my mom and what an important role she played in our lives. With this simple idea, I believe he set the bar for every other Father of the Bride speech to follow.

 The speech was planned in an area by the river, but it began to pour! Not to be deterred, we all gathered under an overhang outside of our rooms. Despite the weather and the close quarters, or maybe because of it, everyone stood spellbound during my dad’s speech and let me tell you, there was not a dry eye in sight at the end.

The toast came as a complete surprise to my mom and demonstrated to everyone what it really means to be married.

 We toasted with mead that my Father made for my wedding day when I was 11!

My mom took our very first photo of the two of us 6 years ago on July 21, 2005. She wore this picture all night.

 The wine glasses were given as a present by Justin's Mother and Step-Father, Dale. They knew we were searching for the perfect item to bring home that would represent the wedding. This was a perfect souvenir.

  

Our wedding guest book was simply a favorite coffee table book titled, The Spirit of the San Juans. Guests were asked to sign in the margins. Justin also had the San Juan mountains engraved on his ring.

We didn’t register for gifts.
We told our guests that just being a part of the wedding was enough- because it is.
If there is one piece of advice I can give is, do not register for gifts. The gift -and the party- and the drinks- and the formalities overshadow what is really happening. Entire families are coming together, because they want to celebrate your marriage.  That is what it is all about.

  Some people will still brings gifts. They will bring gifts and these gifts will be some of the best you have ever received, because they honestly wanted you to have it. The best example of this is, the recipe box I received from my Aunt. She had taken photos of my late Grandfather, a wonderful chef, and copied his own hand written recipes on the back.  I cried when I opened it.

Another thing I loved- not once was I asked by our photographers or anyone else to stop what I was doing to take a posed photo, cut the cake or start the dancing. Nothing directed the day, but instead it flowed from scene to scene. This allowed for wonderful conversations and unplanned moments to occur. While this would not work for every wedding, it worked for ours. I honestly don't know how to thank the photographers and the people we worked with to create this wedding, for just letting me be present. If you are reading this. Thank you.  

This gave room for the opportunity to hear impromptu stories....

.... heartfelt toasts...

....good discussions...

 

...and great dancing.

 In the end we were married.
With our grandparents signing off as witnesses.
We can honestly say this was one of the best days of our lives.
We have just joined the "it was so worth it" club.