Wedding photos: the ceremony

Time for some more wedding photos!  Today's photos are of the ceremony.  

By the way...

If at any point, you start to feel symptoms of WO Syndrome (Wedding Overload Syndrome), feel free to skip right on by.  I will understand. :-)  Otherwise, thanks for indulging me!

Jason's mom was escorted down the aisle by our usher, Alex.  Alex is my cousin, and I have so many great memories of playing together as children.  We don't get to see each other as often anymore, so it was truly special that he could be a part of the wedding.

Next down the aisle was my mom, escorted by Marcus (another cousin and younger brother of Alex).  Doesn't my mom look beautiful? 

Then it was time for Jason and his groomsmen to make their grand entrance.

Best man Adam.  

Groomsman Travis.

Groomsman (and Jason's younger brother) Ross.

My dad kept watch from the doorway of the room where I was waiting.  

Next up, the bridesmaids.  Here's Nikki, Jason's younger sister.  Throughout the time Jason and I have been together, Nikki and I have become close and I am so excited to have her as my new sister!

My best friend, Mira.  Stunning, isn't she?  We've known each other since freshman year of high school, and have been best friends since, despite the physical distance.  (She lives in Denver).

My little sister, Ilse.  There was never any question that Ilse would be my maid of honor.  (We're so close that we can have entire conversations with just our facial expressions, and still understand what the other is saying perfectly.)  

And finally...here I am.  I was so excited to see Jason that I sort of forgot about everyone else in the room and just focused on his face as I walked down the aisle.

Here's Jason watching me walk down the aisle.  I couldn't wait to get down that aisle to marry this man.

But I tried to walk slooooowly, just like we'd practiced.

Finally there.  I hugged my dad (and I'm pretty sure I teared up at this point).

As the ceremony began, I tried to listen to what our officiant, Robin, was saying, but my heart was pounding pretty hard!

The view from the back of the ceremony hall.

We had two readings.  The first was this poem by e.e. cummings, read by my mom's cousin (and my godmother), Laura.

The second was this excerpt from Union by Robert Fulghum, read by Jason's good family friend, Anne.

We decided to write our own vows and keep them secret from each other, so that we would hear them for the first time during the ceremony.

If I wasn't crying before, I definitely was now.

Before I knew it, it was time to exchange rings.  Here's Adam handing the rings to the officiant.

It wasn't until we exchanged rings that it really hit me.  We're getting married right now.  It's actually happening.

And then, just as soon as it had begun, it was over.  I remember hearing the officiant say, "You may now kiss," and then suddenly realizing: we're married.

Hooray!

This is one of my favorite photos of the day.  We'd just left the hall and we were all alone for a few seconds as we waited for our wedding party to exit the hall behind us.  

And then, there they were!  Everyone was smiling and laughing.  It was the most joyful feeling.

More smiles.

With our officiant.

All our guests gathered just outside the hall to applaud and wave handmade streamers.  

The streamers were one of my mom's several DIY wedding projects!

Jason held my bouquet while the photographer snapped some portrait-style shots.

I told him it was one of his husbandly duties, now that we were officially married!

Up next: some portraits and the reception, part I.

All photos courtesy of Roman Grinev Photography.