Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Our Wedding Story







I think that our story is pretty unique. I'm guessing that a lot of betting people were not betting on us making it. Honestly if it were not for God's intervention in our lives I don't know if we would have. But we have and I am more happy with and in love with my husband then ever!

To call our dating and engagement a whirlwind would be a huge understatement. After 3 months from our first date we were engaged. We both knew long before even then that we wanted to be together forever. We started making plans for a normal wedding a year later. A month after we were engaged we were having a lunch date together on a Friday afternoon. We decided we no longer wanted to wait to be married and that we would get married the next day! The rest of that evening and night was insanely hectic. I had to go into work and beg and plead for my schedule to be changed so I could run off and get married. It was not taken well by my not so nice boss who had just recently called off her own engagement but we worked it out (basically, days off or I find another job, so I got the days off). Jim went home to pack and call all his family and friends and I headed off to a hair appointment I had already had scheduled (why waste it?). I then also started calling all my family and friends. Since it was Friday night everyone was out so we ended up just leaving messages for everyone telling them that we were going to elope and if they wanted to and were able to come to meet us at a place and time in Lake Tahoe, NV and we would tell them where the wedding is! That night my roommates excitedly ran around the mall helping me pick out white shoes (very hard to find in the winter by the way) and stockings, and anything else we thought of. Afterwards they threw me a bachelorette party. Actually... they partied while I slept before my big day (fun huh?). This was also the night Jim and I had planned to go see the Cirque du Soleil show with the tickets he had bought me for my birthday. We realized we couldn't do that and get ready to run off to get married so we gave the tickets to some friends.
The next morning was our wedding day! Jim came by early in the morning to pick me up. Neither of us had heard back from our family or friends so we thought it may be just us. We started to drive to Lake Tahoe to get married but had ZERO plans for the wedding. We didn't even have hotel reservations to stay for the night! So we got to Lake Tahoe and within a matter of 3 hours planned a very romantic and memorable wedding. This included touring chapels and booking the one we wanted, getting our marriage license, buying wedding rings, scheduling a photographer, videographer, ordering the cake and flowers.... the works! We now had a complete wedding and time all set. At 3:00 we went to the meeting spot (a hotel lobby) to see if anyone that got our messages could make it to our wedding. We got so excited and couldn't believe our eyes when almost every one of our family members came pouring in through the doors!!! My Sister In-Law even brought her wedding dress that just happened to fit me perfectly! I had no idea what we were going to wear to our wedding, so when Jim saw this we made plans for him to run out and rent a tuxedo. Every family member was there except two of Jim's brothers. One just couldn't make it with his family on short notice and the other just happened to already be in Lake Tahoe skiing and never got our message. So Jim got him on his cell phone and told him to get off the slopes and get to the chapel to be his best man! All of my family was there as well as my best friend I grew up with and her parents, so I had my maid of honor there as well. We went from thinking that no one may come to having almost 30 guests at our wedding. We were so excited!! Once everyone knew where and when the wedding was Jim and I had to rush off again to plan a reception since we didn't think we would have anyone to share it with. We went and got Champagne and food and hosted a beautiful reception in our stunning Honeymoon Suite. Somehow we managed to get it all done and there was not a thing missing!
At 6:15, just a little over 24 hours from our decision to get married, our wedding began. It was so wonderful. The chapel was all made out of glass that extended off of the hotel overlooking Lake Tahoe. There was snow on the ground but a bright sun in the sky. You could not have asked for a more picturesque day or place.

Our wedding day may be very unusual to most people, but it was so very much US. I wouldn't have changed anything about it. We will be married 10 years tomorrow and I can hardly believe all that we have been through together. What an exciting decade it has been. I can't wait to see what the next 6 or so decades have in store for us!!!

6 comments:

Ericka said...

Angela, I don't know what to say, I'm speechless. And for me?? Well, let's just say that does NOT happen very much!!!!
What an incredibly beautiful post. WOW!!!!!!
If you find more pictures, post 'em!!!!!
Rejoicing with your 10 years!

Sarah and Tim said...

SO I just found your blog, and I think your wedding sounds wonderful. You see, my husband didn't do everything by the book either. I was pregnant, had a wedding date set, and also decided to elope.... This July will make 9 years. We have 4 children and also are in the process of adopting a child from Haiti. We have all girls, 2 of which are already adopted!!! Great story!

Dria said...

I've heard your story before, but it touches me everytime! Its so romantic. Happy anniversary!!

Lara said...

Yeah! I love your wedding story!! Thank you for sharing! I have been lurking on your blog for a while and I always appreciate your attitude toward life. Very inspirational!

Anonymous said...

Why you haven't changed a bit since these photos were taken. Congratulations.

Angela said...

Thank you so much to everyone for the comments, emails, instant messages, and Ecards. We have the greatest friends and family!!!

Love you all!

Angela