Wedding Pictures Part 2: The Men get Ready, and We Gather in the Hotel Lobby

No intro to these pictures. Mostly because I don't know what was going on in these pictures, but also because they kind of speak for themselves. 

I'd just like to say now that my husband is a very handsome man. :)

Meanwhile, as the men came down in the elevator to meet us, we snapped a few more pictures.

Then it was time for us to see each other for the first time that day.

Before we left for the church, we were off for a quick ride in the elevators for some artsy portraits.

Kenneth is kind of smirking at what the photographers are asking him to do, and I'm smiling in understanding. They take great photos, but man, trying to be lovey-dovey and intimate or giggly-goofy happy while some semi-strangers take photos of you is just plain awkward. Our go-to attitude was to do it what we were told... so when we laugh, we're laughing more at the corniness of it all than anything else. 

Wedding Pictures Part 1: The Women Get Ready

To set the stage a little: For me, our wedding day started off at 5:45, when I woke up to brush my teeth, etc. before my hairstylist was supposed to arrive at 6:00. At about the same time, I got a text from her saying she'd be late and wouldn't be arriving until 6:15. I knew this actually meant 6:30, and I'm really glad I had that time to do my make up, touch up my pedicure, do my daily Bible reading (yay for getting it on my iPhone) and just center myself and take in everything that was about to happen--- without being rushed. Once the hairstylist arrived, she got to work, and things weren't so calm anymore because my hotel room started filling with people. Soon after, my mom, step-mom, and sisters arrived, James (Kenneth's brother) came by soon after with a letter for me (I had one waiting to go back with him for  Kenneth) and then our photographer arrived. In addition to getting ready, the room also had to be packed up, with everything going to the honeymoon suite in one area, and everything else out to the car before 8:30. 

Elsewhere, Ken and the groomsmen were putting on the final touches to their attire in Mom's room, and cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents were assembling downstairs in the lobby. 

   

Christine, my stepmom, MADE that dress. Isn't it pretty?

One of my co-workers saw the picture above, and said he loved it because I look mischievous. I mentioned that to Ken, and he said. "No, that's your 'I'm about to cry but I'm trying hard not to by smiling and I'm actually happy' face." I love that he knows that about me. 

Mom is showing Sara how to bustle my dress. 

And then we broke out the chopsticks. A very important tool in a bride's arsenal. Those buttons would've beat us otherwise. 

One last shot with the very important ladies of the day in the room, and then it was out the door to meet the men.

I think this picture kind of sums up the day, for those in the picture-- me being WAY happy and excited, Sara smiling as she puts up with my enthusiasm, Piper smiling slyly as she takes it in-- and Mom orchestrating everything on the phone. And this is why I wanted (and miraculously got!) a day-of-coordinator. Even with a DOC, Mom was so busy keeping track of everything that was going on--- I can't imagine how crazy it would've been if we hadn't had someone to help us!

Notice something?

The discs of pictures from our photographer came in yesterday, so I've been working on sorting the 2000-ish photos they shot. The great thing about having all these pictures to look back on is that I get to see things I didn't notice the day of the wedding. Like this... Notice something?

And in case you don't see it yet, 

While I do remember thinking Babies Jo and Emma were awfully cute at the wedding, it wasn't until I saw these pictures that I realized we had matching babies! Too cute!

A New Addition to Our Family

I'm eager to write some posts about the wedding, but I think it just won't be as fun without sharing some pictures, so instead, I'll share some other big news in our life: we got a puppy!

See, we found out in the fall that one of my Dad's dogs was pregnant. Dad's idea was that the dogs would be sold and be a nice little addition to our wedding fund. Turns out there are MANY purebred labrador retrievers in southern California, and so it's hard to sell even the sweetest pups. They didn't turn out to be much of an addition to the wedding fund, but it's ok. A little black one never sold, and after bonding with the family, seems no one wanted to get rid of her anyway. But 5 dogs are a lot to have no matter how big your backyard is, so the logical solution was to find someone in the family to take her.

Kenneth and I have been wanting a dog, but it was obviously a terrible idea to get one while we were planning a wedding. Knowing this, Dad offered us the little black puppy since she was the runt and is just barely apartment sized. We said we'd take the dog, with the understanding that the puppy would stay with him in California until we felt we were ready to take her in. Well, a few circumstances combined, and we decided to go ahead and have Dad fly her to Seattle this month. We're still not sure we were totally ready to take on having a dog this soon after the wedding...do you know how much like babies puppies are? Yeah, neither did we... but we love our new little addition to our family all the same.

Her name is Juniper, and she's a sweet little dog who is-- thank God-- very mellow for a lab.  Hope you get to meet her soon!