Wedding photos: getting ready

As promised, I'll be sharing some more wedding photos this week.  Due to the sheer number of photos, I thought I'd divide them into categories, so today's photos are focused on getting ready.

I am fortunate that my good friend Brooke is extremely talented in the hair-styling department (among her many gifts).  I decided not to have my hair done at a salon because I knew that, with Brooke, I'd be in good hands.  

She curled my hair into big waves, pinned it to one side, and affixed the feathery flower hairpiece I'd found on Etsy.  Thank you Brooke!

One of the quirks of our beautiful centuries-old ceremony site is that you had to actually walk outside to reach the bathroom, which was indoors but only accessible from another part of the building.  Since Jason and I decided not to see each other before the ceremony, my bridesmaids attempted to shield my face during my restroom run in case he happened to be looking out the window!

I was prepared with a distraction though!  I had my sister (who was my maid-of-honor) deliver a Kit-Kat bar to Jason while I made a run for the restroom.

After those shenanigans, it was almost time to put on the dress!  My lovely attendants, Brooke and Caroline, handled it like pros.

Obligatory bride's shoe shot.

Meanwhile, Jason and his best man, Adam, had just put on their ties under the watchful gaze of Jason's grandmother.  Doesn't Jason look incredibly serious and stoic in this one?  

Obligatory groom's shoe shot.

I think Travis (left) is showing Ross (Jason's younger brother) how to tie his tie.

Throughout all of this, people were gathering intermittently in the ceremony hall to watch a World Cup game on a tiny TV that had somehow appeared.  I don't remember which game it was, but it must've been an exciting match-up.

And surprise!  Jason had a bouquet of flowers delivered to me via my sister.  This was one of my favorite moments of the entire day.  My heart just melted as I thought of the kind-hearted man I was about to marry.

I banished the photographer from the room while I was putting on the dress (didn't think anyone needed to see a shot of me changing!) so this is right after I put on the dress.  That thing took a village (i.e. my mom and Brooke) to lace up.

Then it was time for finishing touches.  A delicate necklace of floating pearls.

And lace shrug.

Can't forget to re-adjust the hair.

While I was putting the finishing touches on my look, Jason was putting the finishing touches on his speech for the reception.  Looks like he may have gotten a little help from Ross.

About 20 minutes before the start of the ceremony, our guests began filling the hall.  (They had been enjoying freshly-squeezed lemonade on the lawn outside beforehand.)

As the ceremony drew nearer, I was feeling nervous but trying not to let it show.  Here, my sister, Jason's mom Debi, and my bridesmaid Mira are laughing about something (can't remember what), but I'm off in my own little world, trying to stay calm.

The late-afternoon light was streaming beautifully through the windows and we decided to take the opportunity to do a couple portrait-style photos.  The photographer told me to look "serious," which wasn't a problem because I was a bundle of nerves at this point!

But my mom was there to make me smile and keep me calm.

I had a bit of a sore throat the couple days preceding the wedding and I was really nervous that my voice would be hoarse when it came time to say my vows, so I sipped tea with honey and lemon right up until the time I walked down the aisle.

While I soothed my scratchy throat, my soon-to-be husband was getting ready to take his place at the front of the hall.

Tomorrow: the ceremony!

All photos courtesy Roman Grinev Photography.