With this week being the week of mine and Luke’s 1st anniversary, I wanted to take time to reflect on all of the fun events of this time last year. I made little notes during my wedding week to try and help me remember the course of events and told myself I would blog about them at some point – so better late than never, right?
Planning our wedding was an absolute dream for me, and I really mean that. It was while planning my wedding that I experienced some of the sweetest quality time with my mama, had so many fun opportunities to see my best friends and family through showers, parties, etc. and was able to really dig into the purpose and beauty of engagement with Luke. For the most part, those 11 months of engagement were the perfect length for Luke and I and it was a unique and special season to be able to live with my parents for 8 of those months after graduation and before the wedding.
I remember the week before our wedding, I was at such peace. The to-dos were mostly checked off, the vision was coming together, and I was going to marry my groom so very soon – it was such a surreal and memorable time. My mom and I both took most of the week off work so we could check off the last minute tasks, but mostly so we could rest and enjoy the time. We had lots of lunch dates, talked over every detail, got massages, and of course mani/pedis (with Lindsey!), practiced our dances, and shed a few (99% happy) tears. With each day, I got more and more excited and couldn’t believe it was really happening – after 6 years of dating, I was going to be Mrs. Luke Hamilton!
The ONLY (I like to think) bride-zilla moment I had was the Wednesday before the wedding (this is when my 1% not happy tears happened). I decided to try on my dress to make sure everything was perfect, to practice dancing, and also to make sure my mama could bustle it easily. Thank the Lord we had this little trial run!
First off, my dress was mostly custom as I took a dress that I loved and had the waist redone and the entire top half custom made with sleeves. Our alteration lady in Atlanta, Hanan, was AMAZING and she was such a special part of making the dress of my dreams…but, somehow (most likely my fault), when I tried on the dress 3 days before the wedding with my cute white sparkly Kate Spade Keds, it was dragging the floor. I was FOR SURE going to step all over it while dancing. Cue the drama and tears. I don’t know how this happened, and it probably wasn’t as bad as it seemed, but I thought the world was going to end and I did not want to go buy new shoes because the keds were what I wanted and my sweet Luke is not exactly tall, so I didn’t want to have to go find heels. I was making it into such a bigger deal than what it was.
Well, Jesus is the details ya’ll because my mom calmly left the room (I thought because she couldn’t deal with me in that moment), but she was going to her closet to pull out her wedding shoes. When she told me to try them on, I said, “Mama, that’s sweet – but you are a whole shoe size bigger than me and these are 30 years old.” She insisted I try them. When she opened the box, they were pristine! Absolutely beautiful and classy and only a 2 inch heel! When I put them on my feet – I couldn’t believe that they fit PERFECT! Problem solved in such a special way.
Second, mama could not figure out how to bustle my dress. It was more complicated than other bustles and I was done with my little dramatic moment, so I logically thought – let’s just facetime Hanan and so we did and that precious little lady walked us through the bustle step by step and mama was doing it like a pro in no time! Moral of the story: try on your dress for a little run through the week before your wedding :)… and maybe earlier than Wednesday!?
This is sweet Hanan, who made my dress exactly what I envisioned.
On Thursday of Wedding Week, Luke had an exam. The exam was originally scheduled for Friday so we had decided early in the semester that he would need to ask to move it (which is frowned upon). But, his professor was so kind about it and let him take it a day early on Thursday, so with one less day to study, Luke took the exam and made a 98 – the highest grade he has made on any exam in his 3 years of Pharmacy School thus far – turns out excitement for marriage is a nice grade-booster! I love remembering these seemingly silly details, because they were constant reminders of God’s faithfulness to us that week and that he truly cares for us, even in the seemingly silly details.
Also on that Thursday, I went over to Ashley Creech’s house to see her and see if I could help her with anything (as she was hosting my bridesmaid’s luncheon the next day at her house). It was so good to just chat with her and think about how much her and her sweet family mean to me. Before I left, Ashley and sweet June, who I held in my arms every day 2 summers prior, prayed for me. To hear the prayers of Ashley and 3 year old June melted my heart in and continued to pour peace in my heart for the upcoming hours! It was almost time!