Hayley in Training: My Wedding Day: The Ceremony

July 18, 2014

My Wedding Day: The Ceremony

All photography copyrighted by Kelly Garsee Photography.

Catching Up? Check out My Wedding Day: Pre-Ceremony.

Before the doors to the chapel opened, I kept my nerves at bay by making my Dad laugh.

We're just goofy like that. I heard our entrance music, "Sinfonia" by Handel, and it was time to walk! Finally!!

My eyes immediately found JW's, and he looked as handsome as ever. I was told he mouthed the word "Wow" when he saw me :)

I was trying my best to hold it together - I had convinced myself that I would immediately start crying as I walked down the aisle, because I always cried at other people's weddings - but the tears didn't come! I was just so happy. I was so ready to be married to my best friend.

A nice little moment between my sister and I :)

After what felt like the longest walk ever, where I made eye contact with all my family and friends (what a nice moment to recognize everyone!), we finally made it to the end of the aisle, where my dad told the Reverend that he and my mom were giving me away, gave me a kiss, and then passed my hand over to JW's.

I held hands with JW for the first time that day, and we looked at each other and just smiled. We were getting married!! It was happening!!

We walked up the two steps with our Reverend, Matron of Honor, and Best Man, and said a prayer.

Then, we turned around for the Affirmations of the Families of Faith, so our friends and family could promise to do everything in their power to uphold us in our marriage, to which they responded "We do."

Then we turned back around and faced each other so we could hold each other's hands for the sermon.

I guess some of it was funny...? :D

taken by our friend, Micah

Then came a very special moment. After some thought, we had decided around February that our scripture reading would be 1 Corinthians 13 - Love is patient, love is kind, etc. Not terribly original but we felt it really spoke to us (as I'm sure it speaks to a lot of married couples...).

As some of you may recall, my grandmother passed away about a week and a half before our wedding. Now, my grandmother being who she was, she had planned her funeral in 1981 after her father had passed away, as she didn't want it to be a bother to anyone else. That's just the kind of lady my grandmother was. The scripture reading she chose to be read at her funeral? 1 Corinthians 13. Though it was read in a very different tone at each gathering, it was a very special moment for my entire family each time. I truly felt she was with us at that moment, and she had the best seat in the house.

Then it was time to recite our vows - what I was positive I would cry through.

taken by our friend, Micah

But I didn't! I didn't cry through his vows, or when he put my wedding ring on my finger...

Or when I recited mine, or put the ring on his finger...

With the rings exchanged, it was time for my dear childhood friend Mallory to sing The Lord's Prayer.

I can't accurately describe how beautiful her voice was, echoing in the church with the organ as her accompaniment. Her voice is crystal clear and precise, with absolutely soaring high notes, and she sings with so much emotion that it was impossible not to be moved. Honestly, just the fact that she's been our friend since 7th grade, even if she had sung horribly, I would have still had a hard time not feeling emotion just from the fact that it meant so much to us that she was there. For me, it was the point in the ceremony where I was forcefully telling myself to hold it together!

Then came the Charge and Blessing and the Announcement of Marriage. A sweet moment between our Reverend and JW:

And then... Married!!

Yep, we kissed twice :)

Everybody clapped for us as we were announced as "Mr. and Mrs. JW Peters!"

Our Recessional was "Sortie Toccata" by Dubois, a nice upbeat song that, when listened to, really screamed "WE JUST GOT MARRIED!".. at least to us :P.

And then, I started to cry! Of course.