wedding wednesday: the ceremony begins

I'm pretty particular. And slightly obsessive. And totally notice the little things. I wanted our wedding to be our wedding. You've maybe realized this already?

I also love music. It can help dictate the mood and help you express your emotions and help encourage those emotions in others. And it can surprise you. I had music class starting in Kindergarten and continued on with band until graduation. So, yeah, this was an important part of the day for me. The Hubby really enjoys music, too. He has opinions (which are often different from mine). But we did well making the selections together. (I'm not gonna lie--I think he gave me more say than he had. In this and in everything about the day.)

Our prelude music (aka the music that only the early birds got to hear--hopefully--I don't know for sure since I wasn't there), was very standard classical, wedding-type music. We were in a museum. I wanted people to think things were going to be fairly standard and traditional and then knock their socks off. Or something.

Then we started straying a bit from tradition. So, to help set your mood, play this:

I would like to point out that this song was selected solely by the groom. I just agreed to it. Grandma was seated during this song as well as the Mother of the Groom:

Followed by the Father of the Groom (aka the King):

And our religious figure:

And finally, the groom:

He was, of course, followed by his groomsmen but I'll spare you five pictures of strangers. You've seen them all before. They all did a lovely job making it down the aisle without falling or screaming or making strange faces.

Might I add again and totally randomly how lovely the light is in all these photos?

Ok, meanwhile the ladies and I were making our way through the maze that is the underground portion of the museum. We made it to concealed area and the rear of these photos just about the time our first reader was finishing up.

Remember the memory candle? Remember how there are lots of dead folks in both our families? Remember how it was my wedding day and I was sure to be filled with crazy emotions? Yeah, so I wanted the reading to occur before I was standing in front of all those people. Worked well.

My friend who was supposed to do the reading called in sick at the last minute. One of my lovely "fake" moms filled in.

What did she read? i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) by ee cummings:

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

The boys even paid attention (or at least stood there quietly):

And then it was time for the ladies!

(All pics by Monique Montoya.)