Extra Special Wedding Details

 One of my favorite movies is Steel Magnolias.  When Shelby (Julia Roberts) is asked about the details of her wedding, she lights up and goes on and on about her colors of "blush and bashful" and all the sweet little details that made her wedding, hers.  That's what I wanted.  I wanted to light up when people ask me about the details of my own wedding.  

It was also important for me that our wedding had a central theme.  I went with 'southern'.  Being a DIY wedding and a wedding with a theme, it was essential that the doors I walked through to go down the aisle to the napkins folks wiped their mouth with went together. 

I decided to split the details into two post: sentimental details and the more fun details.  With tonight's post I bring you a couple sentimental details.

 

 

Let's start off super sappy.  There is a picture of my parents I adore.  It's before their senior prom.  Mom is wearing this absolutely stunning powder blue dress, her hair is perfectly feathered to the sides of her flawless skin and this dainty little necklace with a single pearl.  Dad is killing it in his grey suit, black bow tie and rose boutonniere.  It is so sweet and they are so happy.  I can barely handle the cuteness.  When mom and I were talking about jewelry that would go with my wedding dress I was flipping through some old pictures just to mess around and I landed on that favorite picture.  It immediately hit me.  "Mom!  What about this necklace?!"  Mom went on to tell me that my precious dad had bought that for her for eighteenth birthday.  So, long story short.. I had to have it.  Mom got it cleaned and put it loan for me to wear with my wedding dress.  It is one of my favorite details to the wedding.

Colby is a southern boy, through in through.  He has a passion for fishing and hunting.  When we talked about having a "southern" or "country" wedding, the whole time I was scared to death that we were gonna be boarder line redneck.  I thought about doing shotgun shells for Colby and his guys' boutonnieres.  Colby told me that was most certainly boarder line redneck.  So, I found these old shotgun shells of my grandpa's that weren't bulky and bright red.  I think they called them Jap shells?  I loved them and they were perfect for the "southern" and "rustic" theme I was going for.

 

When we decided to go with an outside wedding, I was concerned about my big reveal.  So my incredibly talented dad built these gorgeous barn doors for me to walk through.  He made it big so it would have a dramatic feel to it and it was also built big so that I could walk behind those doors without many folks seeing me.  It was a sweet reveal and it was so special to me that my dad made them just for me, for my big day. Also, we adorned those doors with my momma's wedding hat/veil and pictures of both our of parent's weddings.

 

Communion is just plain special.  Actually, this is the only part of the ceremony that I got teary-eyed.  Eric lead Colby and I into a private moment with Jesus and it was sweet and emotional.  The pottery communion plate and cup came from my parents.  They ordered those pottery pieces for me off Etsy so I could have them post-wedding.  And I cannot tell you how much I adore them sitting on my dresser, acting as a constant reminder to that moment. 

I'll be sharing more of the fun details soon!

The Greatest Role I've Ever Have

 

This could be one my favorite pictures of all times.  This was easily the sweetest moment of my life.  I just knew my heart was going to explode any second.  I am so thankful Joey caught this moment because I really don’t know if any moment in my life is going to be able to trump it.  It was just a moment of “Yes!  It’s official.  He is mine.  All mine.  No one in the world gets to kiss him, hold him, love him like me.  No one.  I am HIS.  I am his bride today and forever.  No one in the world gets to kiss me, hold me, love me like him.  No one!”  But seriously, my heart was seconds away from exploding.

 

Since become Colby’s wife, my life has been filled with precious moments.  The honeymoon, cooking supper together, accepting a freshly brewed cup of coffee from my sleepy-eyed husband, doing housework, going to an elementary playground, you name it.  My life has been rocked by this diamond band on my left hand (pun much?)

I am now living in the greatest role I will ever have.  So it is important for me to start strong and stay strong in my wonderful role of being a wife, Colby’s wife.  A friend of mine sent me a blog post about being a Godly wife and I absolutely loved it.  Therefore, I wanted to share it with you.. but with a personalized touch.

God is first.  Colby is second.

Before I can seek Colby and his heart, I have to first seek the man who created him and who created me and who created us to be together.  Keeping God first is simply getting in the word daily and living out the word daily.  Colby comes second.  Not me.  Not my job or school.  Not my parents.  Not our future kids.  Colby always, always, always comes second.

Understand the covenant.

Marriage is not what society tells us it is.  During our premarital counseling, Colby and I read “The Meaning of Marriage” by Tim Keller.  PHENOMENAL.  I would recommend to anyone in a relationship, married or not.  While reading this book and scripture I understood that marriage is not a promise.  Promises can be broken.   Marriage is not a contract.  Contracts can be breached.  Marriage is a covenant.  It cannot be destroyed.  God created marriage; therefore it is so precious to him.  He created Colby for me.  It is so important for me to recognize that gift.  He created a human being with certain qualities and skills and personality traits and strengths and weakness FOR ME and no one else.  And vice versa.

Submit.

God knew what he was doing when he created marriage.  He did not create me to be the leader of our home.  Colby is the leader of the home, by design.  Colby’s ultimate job in our home is to stand at the doorway and keep the enemy out.  Therefore, my ultimate job is to be inside the home, supporting Colby and praying for him.  1 Peter 3 is a gorgeous reminder of submission.  Verses 1-4 say “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.  Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”  So in other words, I have a power in a quiet and gentle submission TO Colby that God is going to use FOR Colby.

Speak edifying words only.

Never will it be acceptable for me to talk negatively about Colby.  Like never ever.  I am to build Colby up and praise Colby for the things he does, doesn’t do, loves, disapproves of, whatever it may be.  I should never tear Colby down to his face or others.

Live out Proverbs 31.

This is scripture every woman should be familiar with.  It is something to strive towards as women.  Verse 11, “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, no harm all the days of her life.”  Verse 17, “she sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong her tasks.”  It’s such a beautiful goal to have, to be a Proverbs 31 woman.

 

Do it anyway.

This is huge and smacked me right in the face when I read it.  DO IT ANYWAY.  It so easy to do things for Colby when he is being sweet or when he offers to help or when he does something special for me.  But its harder, when he doesn’t do those things.  Nonetheless, I must DO IT ANYWAY.  Colby may not be fulfilling his role but here’s the catch, that’s between him and God.  (Woah!)  It is not my job to discipline him.  I have to do things for Colby because he is my husband.  Not because of the things he is or isn’t doing for me.  I must DO IT ANYWAY because in the whole scheme of things, I am seeking to please the Lord.  Period.

 

Communicate.

I learned so much about this from Eric and Kristin during premarital counseling.  Kristin point blank said. “Courtney, Colby cannot read your mind nor will he ever.”  Therefore, I must tell him.  I have to talk to Colby.  I have to listen to Colby.  I think Kristin would agree that I cannot read Colby’s mind either nor will I ever be able to.

Choose to focus on Colby’s strengths.

There really is no explanation needed for this.  Colby has a million strengths.  Why would I even want to focus on anything else?  He is strong, sensible, creative, hardworking, caring, a self-starter, never ever lazy, a soon to be grill master, friendly, sweet, content, athletic, smart and a million of things.  I’m telling you, I am the luckiest gal in the world.

 

Strive to please Colby.

Being ready to cook spaghetti at the drop of a hat, talking about coyote calls and fishing lures, having sweet tea in the fridge at all times, go kayaking or doing yard work with him, know how he likes his coffee, watching The Office.  Love him.  Be creative.  Exercise.  Eat healthy.  Dress up.  All for Colby.

Cover Colby in prayer.

Prayer is what makes Colby strong.  So I need to be in prayer for Colby all day, every day.  He is the leader of our home.  He is the one fighting the enemy in our home.  So Colby needs my prayers in order for him to be strong enough to fight at the doorway.

I am so new at this wife thing.  Therefore, I am seeking tips and advice from all willing sources.  When I read this woman’sblog post, I loved it.  And those values and promises sounded great so I decided to execute them for myself.  I have found that they speak hard truth but result in sweet reward.  So, I decided to opt out of doing laundry this afternoon and share these truths with you.

Happy Thursday, ya'll.

Reliving May 25th, 2013

I wanted my wedding on video.  I didn't want my parents to spend an arm and a leg on it, but I definitely wanted one.  My sister's best friend knew somebody that knew somebody and I ended up with Grace Jones as the gal I needed to contact.  I talked to Grace one night over the phone and I was so in love with how honest she was.  She told me she was an elementary school teacher and videography was a passion and hobby of hers.  She told me that if she did our wedding, it would only be her second wedding (first paid).  She sent me some videos just to see her work and to make sure I wanted to book her.

Obviously, I said yes. 

I LOVE MY WEDDING VIDEO.  You can watch it here. Seriously, I am so thankful I decided to budget that in.  She captured the best day ever and especially my favorite moment of the day (after the recessional and the barn doors were closed so we could be alone for a few moments) so perfectly.  I just watched the video again and the part I always cry at is after those barn doors are shut.  It is to date the sweetest moment of my life.

Grace, thank you, thank you, thank you.  You are absolutely fabulous.  Your heart is sweet as it could be and your work is fantastic.  Thank you so much for being such a huge part of our day.  Love ya!