~~~Weddings ~~~

Well, this is all new to me! Wedding planning.

It is fun, and sometimes a bit stressful, and fun, and crazy!

The Engagement pic's are so fun. You can find them here at:
http://agreenfieldphotography.com/blog/?p=8867

Bill asked me the other day if I was glad we didn't go through all of this craziness... * (side story below, if you want to know)

Honestly, I sort of wish there had been a little craziness. It's what we girls do, I think!

We got married, that's all. Ok, SEALED for Time and All Eternity, which is way more than just getting married, but, no reception, no party, that was it. We had hired a photographer, but with the change in dates, he had gotten a job out in SLC, UT and was moving and tried to hook us up with another local photographer, but it never ended up working out. Bill's dad took some fun pic's so we do have memories of our day.

We stayed at the Marriott in DC for two days, then when we got home to Bill's parents house, they had bought us a cake with a little bride and groom on top. It was very sweet of them. (then a week later we went to Disneyworld for a week).

Because of the date of our marriage, we had to change our date from May 24, to June 20th, due to some military dates, etc. Very few of our friends were still around, once graduation is over, everyone leaves, that's it, they are gone! We had lived in NY for 4 years, Bill's parents had retired from the Military and lived in Virginia where Bill hadn't lived since elementary school, (he went to West Point straight from Germany where he attended High School.) My family was from out west and in Idaho, and I hadn't lived there in nearly 5 years, and my parents were both gone, so, we just didn't have anywhere with lifelong family and friends to really have a reception at.

So, here we are and this is the first Wedding reception I've been priveleged to be a part of the planning and all the excitement!

I will be posting more updates and sneak peaks as time goes flying by and of course when the wedding is over we'll have all those lovely pic's and stuff to post as well.

*********************************************************************** When Bill and I got engaged, we had a long engagement, since he was a cadet at West Point, and you can't be married and be a cadet... so traditionally there are quite a few weddings in the hours/days after graduation. It's a pretty big deal. Many people get married in the Cadet Chaple on post. (Last week we watched an episode of Cake Boss where they were asked to make a cake for the 100th anniversarry of the Cadet Chapel. It was fun to watch and hear them talk about the history, etc. http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2010/11/cake_boss_recap_buddy_honors_w.html
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100608/NEWS/100609797
http://www.westpoint.edu/Dcomm/PressReleasesbd/nr37-10cadet_chapel_centennial.html)

Anyway, when we got engaged, Bill called my dad and asked for his approval. My dad passed away a month later. Then we waited for a year for Bill to graduate, and of course we didn't plan a wedding at the Cadet Chapel, we planned our marriage at the nearest LDS Temple - which at the time was Washington D.C. to be sealed for time and all eternity.

In the next months I went to California to visit my good friend and she went wedding dress shopping with me. I found and bought a dress, and drove it across the country from CA to NY.

I wanted to have friends and family at my wedding, but due to various circumstances, that wasn't completely possible. We ended up getting married on June 20th, nearly a month after graduation, and in the Military, it also happened to be after the move exodus had begun for families moving duty stations.

As it was, we had a dear family I'd know the whole time I'd been attending Church at West Point. Sister Lemperle was my Escort when we went to the temple. She and her daughter(s) came down to DC with us. My dear friend Jessica who had to change her plans and her airplane tickets, etc to be with us came. (She had to have a copy of our marriage certificate to show the airline to get her ticket changed with out a charge, since our date had to be changed... so imediately after the sealing we had to go get a copy of the certificate for her to take to the airport with her to fly out the next day.) Jessica and I stayed ina Hotel in DC the night before the wedding and she helped me get primped and all ready for the big day! I love her for all she did for me! All of this and she hadn't yet gone through the temple so waited for me outside...

We had another family from church at West Point who also came down and he and his wife attended the ceremony and he was one of the witnesses. Ken Alford had been a good friend and mentor to Bill in learning about the Gospel. My good friend Wendee's aunt lived in the DC area. We'd spent several holidays at their home over the years we'd lived in NY. She came to our selaing, and she brought her son and daughter in law as well. We were glad, as then we had a 2nd priesthood witness to sign our marriage license, and we didn't have to have them just track down a strnager in the hallway... Another sister who had been in our ward at WP but had since moved to the DC area also attended. She was very kind and let my Brother stay at her house overnight so he could be closer to the airport, and get to see some of the sights in DC while he was there for the two days. I'm so appriciative that he was able to come out and be there for me as a support from my family. He waited outside with Bill's parents and our friends, while we were sealed.

It was a bittersweet day for me. I was so happy to be doing the right thing, that Bill and I were able to make it to the temple to be sealed together as a family For Time and All Eternity, instead of just 'till death do us part' as the world does, and yet it was a rough day for me as well. My family and friends were outside waiting, and my parents were no longer living, and I had so hoped to feel of their spirit(s) while I was in the temple, but I ws so consumed with my own grief and missing having my mom be there for me at this important occasion, that I couldn't feel it. I cried many a tear that day... thank goodness for waterproof mascara.

Here we are 21+ years later, and our first child is preparing now to go to the Temple to be sealed to her sweetheart for Time and All Eternity. It doesn't mean it will always be easy, we all have our struggles, but, it is so wonderful to know it is worth it, and that we will be able to be together forever as a family if we continue to live worthily, and do our part. We are so proud of Rebekah, and we like her new sweetie too. :-)