Five Years Ago on the 15th of August

I did a little something and got married!! No we didn't elope or anything, we planned it out and in the end it was the perfect day!

My husband and I got engaged in 2009 and two years later we were married.  Yup it wasn't something we rushed into, although we did get engaged a year and a half after dating then sort of tested the waters for a bit.  I'd always had a plan to get married in Lake Tahoe, you know my favourite place on the planet!! After taking my husband there in 2010 he agreed that this would be a wonderful place for a wedding.

Now we decided to get married on a Monday in the summer, not the most popular day granted, but since we were travelling from Canada this would give everyone a little time to travel down for the wedding and not feel rushed trying to make a Saturday wedding or having to leave right after. We were all on vacation anyways so it didn't matter what day of the week we chose.  We had friends and family coming from California as well, not all were able to make it because of the Monday date but most did and it was a beautiful ceremony.

We had about 45 guests in attendance.  It was a nice small wedding and in all reality exactly what I wanted.  I didn't want to spend all kinds of money on a ceremony and supper and dresses and blah blah blah, I wanted to focus on what comes after the big day and I think that has done us all kinds of good!!  So about the day.

We decided to get married around 3 I think, it's been five years I can't really remember those exact details, 3 or 4 seems about right to me. So before getting married we all got ready.  The girls in my room and the boys down in another room.  I did my own hair and make up even (the one thing I would change if I went back in time, just so I could have a little more time to relax) I also did my flower girls hair as well.  Once we were all ready we headed to the venue to meet the photographer.

While the venue was set up Adrian and I took off with the photographer and had some couple photos taken at a different location at Lake Tahoe.  I am in love with all places around Lake Tahoe and if I could afford to take my photographer down with me I would so we could have family pictures taken down there.  Maybe that can be my five year plan.  Here are some of the photos from that location.

Then it was time for the ceremony.  I had my cousin James officiate as we felt it would be more intimate that way.  He did a phenomenal job and I was able to find some poems and things from the internet to add, that made our wedding that much more customized to who we are! Here is my favourite from that day.

WHY MARRIAGE? 
~ By: Mari Nichols-Haining ~

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,
With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body...

Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won't hold them against me,
Who loves me when I'm unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me...

Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold...

Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship...

Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements...

Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole...

Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me,
I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage...

Because with this understanding
The possibilities are limitless.

We then had the reception at the venue, all of this was outside, after the supper we younguns headed to the casino and went out for a bit!! It was such a great night and soon we will go back just to take our kids back again!  Sorry this took me 5 years to post Becky!!! hahahhahaha