Okay, so here is a little wedding recap as requested. I didn't take any pictures that day, so these are ones I got from other people mostly through text or facebook. I will post some nice ones whenever I get them back from the photographer.
Ryan bought me some really lovely presents for our wedding day. He bought me this really pretty box to keep my rings in. It is engraved with a little message, our names and the date.
He bought also bought me a beautiful necklace engraved with a message from him. This picture really doesn't do it justice at all. I considered wearing it to the wedding, but decided to wear the beautiful pearls he got me for Christmas.
He also bought me a face mask from Lush my favorite store. It was a lovely surprise. I had my hair and make-up done at Lords and Ladies in Pottstown. They did a fabulous job. The make-up was a little more dramatic than I probably would have opted for (I don't generally reach for navy blue eyeshadow) but I thought it looked really pretty in person. They also put in the veil (thank goodness, because I had no idea how to put it in). It was the veil my sister wore in her wedding. I just wore my hair half up and in long loose curls. I was so impressed with the girl who did my hair, because my hair is so fine and never holds a curl. Even with the icky rainy misty weather my hair stayed curled until the next day, which is nothing short of a miracle. She also didn't use pins, she used this stuff thread stuff and literally sewed my hair up in place with a special plastic needle. This is the only picture I took all day:
The weather has been miserable and rainy earlier that morning, but when we got there, it had let up quite a bit. It stayed misty, but we did manage to get pictures outdoors.
When we got there we did a quick rehearsal run through. My poor aunt went to pick up my flowers and her rental car broke down at the florists picking up my bouquet. We had the same pastor that married Ryan's brother and sister in law marry us. We liked their ceremony so much that we asked him to do ours. We took some family photos before the guests arrived. I will share those as soon as I get them. Our photographer was Erin Bertoni and she is so sweet!
Oh, here's a shot of one of my pairs of shoes. I wore these for the ceremony and the pictures. I feel in love with them at Nine West. They were adorable, but terribly uncomfortable. I also had a pair of really cute retro looking bright yellow wedges, which were heavenly to slip into once the pictures were officially over. The were from Joan and David and I actually found them via an ad in my sidebar on facebook. My dress was from a random website that I put my measurements into. The dress came from China a few weeks later.
Soon we were done with family pictures and guests were arriving. It was a very tiny wedding, and I didn't have bridesmaids or anything. My family entered and sat to an acoustic version of Lady Antebellum's "Just a Kiss". I walked in to an instrumental version of Counting Crow's Colorblind (because OF COURSE I had to think of some way to include my favorite band of all time in my wedding).
a little blurry, but a cute shot of me and my dad via Nicole's cell phone
The ceremony was lovely. We were able to include both of our sister's in the ceremony. My sister sang Push by Sarah McLachlan and she sounded amazing. My photographer (who is getting married herself shortly) even asked my sister if she was a wedding singer. Ryan's sister Katherine did a reading about love. It was a lovely ceremony.
We walked out to "Crazy for You" by Madonna. Everyone else enjoyed some appetizers while we were off for more pictures. I only got to try one meatball, but I heard the appetizers were yummy.
This is me and my freshman year roommate Nicole. I was so glad she and her husband Jon were able to come down from New York City for the wedding. Besides my siblings, she was the only one I knew for sure would recognize Colorblind.
Anyways, there were some minor issues with placecards and seating that were worked out quickly. We had a sweetheart table up front for Ryan and I, but Isaac decided he wanted to join us, rather than sit with my parents, and we accommodated him. The waitress came and asked what he would he having for dinner, and I answered "We ordered him the chicken fingers" which was the children's meal. He turned to me, totally offended and said "Well I would rather have steak!". Our waitress obliged.
Isaac with Ryan's parents
The salmon and steak were excellent, although we heard from our vegetarian friends that the polenta was a bit of a letdown.
This is a little collage of pictures my sister in law Deb took.
While everyone enjoyed cake and icecream, we played The Shoe Game which was a total Pinterest find. Ryan's mother agreed to put the questions together and she did a great job. We didn't know any of the questions she was going to ask, which made it a riot.
Afterward the shoe game, we took a group shot with everyone at the wedding (see, told you it was a small wedding, we all fit in one picture) and then we headed moved the party up the street to the Limerick Bowling Alley.
the only shot of me I have found from the bowling alley. My mom made me and Ryan "Bride" and "Groom" t-shirts.
I was trying to think of something fun to do besides dancing at our wedding. I love dancing but I thought it might be awkward with such a small group of people. Then it occurred to me that Limerick Bowling Alley, where Ryan and I had our first date was almost right across the street. We have taken our kids there for family dates many times since, so it seemed like a natural choice. My dad arranged for us to have some lanes to ourselves for a few hours. Some people stayed in their wedding clothes and some people changed. A few people bowed out, but we had a pretty good group that made it over to the bowling alley. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and it was a great way to break up the formalness of the wedding and really get people to mix and mingle and have fun with each other. Almost everyone stayed the whole two hours that we rented out the lanes for, even my very pregnant friend Becca, who was a total trooper.
stolen from Selena's facebook -- isn't she adorable?
It was SO MUCH FUN! Thanks Mom and Dad for everything you did to make everything that day so special! And also to my sister Jennifer and brother in law Drew, Aunt Kathy, my grandmother and others who travelled a great distance to be there with us.
We broke the "no cell phones" rule for this quick pic.
We are saving our honeymoon for a cruise this summer when we are both able to take more time off of work, but we did schedule ourselves a little spa day. We enjoyed sauna time, a Givenchy shower and a couples massage. Ryan was so relaxed, partway through the massage I heard him snoring!
Things that make me happy (in no particular order):
All of the Stephenson Men
I could write a blog devoted to each person in this picture. The men in my family are so incredible to me and Isaac and I love them each so much. No matter what, they each go out of their way to make sure that Isaac and I are taken care of and have what we need.
My brother's girlfriend Hayley and the absolutely INCREDIBLE cake she brought for Isaac's bowling birthday.
She works in a bakery and brought this home from work. I've never seen anything like the detail in the Spiderman. The picture doesn't even do it justice.
Amish Buggies
Whenever I'm at my mom's place I see at least three or four. This one is going right down their street. I love that buggy parking is just as common at banks, grocery stores, and Rita's Water as car parking. They live in such a cute sleepy little town.
Newly organized handbags.
My brother Joe came over on President's Day to paint Isaac's bedroom and he helped me with a lot of random projects around the house. I had the smaller set of hooks in my closet for a while, but it could only barely hold all my bags. Now that I have the larger row on top everything looks neat and tidy inside my closet. I love it.
This picture is finally hung up!
This proportions in this photo turned out a little wierd but I think you get the gist. I've had that propped up against the living room wall forever. First we needed to paint the living room (see-- it's not blindingly white anymore! Another room painted with salvaged paint, this time leftovers from Joe's hallways.) Then we didn't have the right anchors. Then we were missing a stud finder {INSERT OBVIOUS SINGLE GIRL JOKE HERE}. But it's up and it's fabulous. The living room is coming together slowly but surely and that makes me very happy.
My diploma is hung!
Along the same lines. My Master's Degree has been hung in the office for a while but my Pitt Diploma has been just sitting in the office closet, which is such a shame. So I put it up in the hallway over the weekend (and it is straight although you can't tell from the picture).
I love the fact that you can print unlimited coupons for a free game of bowling Mon-Thursday good for up to five people. If you only play one game, it's just three bucks to rent shoes. (and is it sad that I go bowling so often I am considering buying shoes??). Budget friendly outing! So we asked my friend Becca and her sweet nephew Noah to join us. Noah and Isaac have been trying to get together for literally about three years and it just never happens. But finally the planets aligned and their playdate worked out. And, Isaac tied me at 101. Yikes...
My favorite shot of the day (above). Is he super fly or what?
The final scores. I for Isaac, L for Lisa, Middle G is Grandma (and yes, she did lose to Isaac), UJ is Uncle Joe and the last one is Grandpa, who, of course, killed us all. Isaac was a total pro at bowling. I think we may go more often because he really enjoyed it.