Goin to the chapel. Part 1

I thought I would finally share our wedding photos with you!

 I talked about the week leading up to the wedding here and here

Our wedding day was surreal. For over a year and a half we DIY wedding planned.
It was a labour of love for sure.
We tried to get creative, scoured various sources and put everything together.
The planning process was not without its drawbacks.
 Stress, disagreements, mountains of 'to dos'.
 But in the end, we were so proud.
Tired, but proud.
And all the emotions of the day and everything leading up started to erupt out of my eyeballs...

 I cried the whole time. I just couldn't stop!
The makeup artist was tying to do my makeup and kept having to stop because of my blubbering.

Everyone was worried about me and when they asked if I was ok
all I could say was "I am just so happy"

Really I was, and fairly emotionally overwhelmed too. Its a big day.

 I also threw out my knee a couple days before
 and my best friends saintly mom came before the wedding and did some free physio for me.

That woman is a miracle worker, thanks to her I could walk (not hobble) down the aisle.

 We did all the decor ourselves, including my veil.

All this would not have been possible without value village, 

the salvation army, hot glue, antique stores, wedding blogs and the help of friends and family

 I made the veil from a piece of $20 tulle and a $4 comb

 I got my wedding dress from the corner of an antique store in Cambridge Ontario for 60 bucks!

Its from the early 50s we think and it was in perfect condition and fit me like a glove. 

I tried it on with my mom in the corner of a dirty bathroom. 

It had amazing details, dozens of covered buttons, silk lace and silk tulle. 

I got the earrings from Kathryn Rebecca in exchange for one of my art pieces.

 Got the typewriter off etsy.
Thought people may actually type something like a message or a wish.

but instead we just got drunken messages on like like 'parttyyyydljgsjsl'.
But in the end, doesn't 'parttyyydljgsjsl' says so much more...

 liquid courage

 So handsome. So dapper

Our first look.

Thanks for looking! more to come later!!

All photos were taken by Laura Jane photography. An amazing photographer. Please do not use photos without permission first. Thank you

The night before.....

And it was incredible....

 I have never been much of a 'wedding girl' and all the planning leading up to seemed to be a mystery to me.

 I had never been a bridesmaid either, so it seemed I had a very vague vision of what I wanted. 

Sometimes its even better to be surprised by the magical result of something that
 ( lets be honest here) seems to be a million pieces of a very vague and fuzzy puzzle!

But the idea of bringing together your closest friends and family?...wonderful

The groom to be's grand neck beard 

and stylin In-n-Out burger hat brought all the way to Toronto from California via my cousins and Aunt.

The best of the best?:

Capturing facial expressions that my friends do best.

 Even better?: catching them when they aren't looking.

 The grooms sister and my maid of honour to the left (yes I wrote honoUr, pure, blessed, Canadian spelling right there)!

And my oldest, dearest best friend Laura to the right. She is likely chatting with either her mom or her boyfriend. Awww

This was the day before the wedding, when there is a lot of energy in the air and a huge influx of family and friends arriving. 

It was still surreal to me at these moments. But we relished every one.

The time leading up....

Late January and early February.

These were the days and weeks leading up to our wedding day. And these days were filled with
hustle and bustle. Assembling...creating....picking up...dropping off....borrowing...buying....phew!

 But all those handmade details? Well worth it

 The deer head was generously loaned by our friend Vince from one of his hunting trips.
 Note the look of absolute fear in its eyes. I think its cause it got a glimpse of Vince and knew what was coming to it.

Bridesmaids gifts.

The sweet little songbird decor.
I am pretty sure my cat had some ideas in mind for that bird.........

Because one is never too busy to take cat pictures.