Wedding Recaps - Random Group Shots

We had only a few minutes before the start of the ceremony after our first look photos. 

But we used that time to take a few fun group shots. :)

 

 

The golf carts where a fun party of our day! 

Tessie, our wedding day coordinator used them to run around making sure things were going as planned... 

And they played an integral part in our ceremony arrival... And departure... 

But more on that later. :)

 

 

 I love these sweet girls. 

Our two older nieces where there while Mindy was doing my hair... 

And the stinkers kept telling her to do a good job. :) Love them. 

Arina, my sister in law made the rope baskets that they carried rose petals in as our adorable flower girls. 

THANKS AGAIN ARINA! 

(I have one on my coffee table now and just love it!)

Rose petals... In a bright orange/red color were the only live petals we could get the day before. 

But they worked just fine. :)

 

Remember how I said it had rained and was SUPER muddy. 

Gotta love this shot of Mr. M with the girls in their tennis shoes and sandals. :) 

No... they didn't wear these during the ceremony... haha. 

Just anytime they could get away with NOT sinking in the mud in their heels. :)

 

 

And then with the guys. :) They INSISTED on doing a holding me up picture. Haha. 

But like I said when I posted these to FB... You can see who's doing all the work here. And yep, that's my brother, Brent. He was the one on the far right in this picture.

We had the funnest group of people with us for our wedding party!

If you can't tell... heehee.  I'm so glad we snuck in a few fun pics with them.

Did you make a point to take some fun pictures with your wedding party??

Or strictly posed? What would you prefer to do?

Until next time. :)

Wedding Recaps - Bride and Groom First Look

We decided to do a first look BEFORE the ceremony. 

Over the summer prior we had attended a few weddings, and even one since, where the guests were left for hours (yes plural) to just wait around while the wedding party was taking photos. 

I get it. Wedding party photos are important. But really, hours?

We did not want that.

And let me just say... At the wedding we went to since ours where that happened... 

Mr. M was THAT much more grateful we did ours the way we did... 

Ok, off my soapbox! haha. 

I distinctively remember holding up the skirt on my wedding dress, plowing through the tall grass, boots on mind you, and walking down the hill to an open field for the first real glance of my hubs to be on our wedding day. He and our photographer had gone down before me and I could see them in the distance as I made my way down. 

Literally and figuratively walking towards my future. 

And there he was. My Mr. M. 

Almost there. 

And then... 

Hello baby! :)

We're not a mushy couple. There were no tears shed. We smiled. We laughed. We hugged. 

Again, life was great!!! 

Wedding Recaps - The Girls

So... Where did we leave off... 

Oh that's right, we girls were enjoying a few drinks while it was sprinkling outside... :)

We finally decided we were going to run out of time if we didn't get something going, so rain and all we stepped outside to get started on the girls group shots. 

Our first attempts were under ledges, inside on the stairs... 

anywhere we wouldn't get soaked. 

But as we went along... It let up... Then it stopped!

Hallelujah!!! 

See! We're happy it stopped raining! :) 

So in these first few pictures, I am wearing these heels. 

But it had just come a good downpour, so needless to say, it was a little muddy... 

My heels kept sinking into the mud! What's a girl to do?

See ya high heels! Hello zebra boots! :) 

It took all the girls and my mom to help me out of my heels and into my socks and boots. 

That dress! I tell you! haha! But much more comfy for sure! 

And did I change back into heels before the ceremony, you ask?!?

Nope. And no one was the wiser. I was more comfortable and life was great! :)

A Wedding Party Canvas (From Easy Canvas Prints)

As I'm working through my wedding recaps, I want to take a quick break to share the new canvas I received! I was given the opportunity to review a canvas from Easy Canvas Prints. 
Photos to Canvas
I chose one of my favorite wedding party photos to make into the canvas. 

The ordering process was simple, you choose, then upload your photo. 

Choose your canvas size and layout.

Then order. 

And this lovely is what I received...

When I uploaded my photo, I found that wrapping it around the edges cuts off the two guys on either end.

It was nice to be able to see a preview of that, so I was able to fix it before ordering!

I chose instead of wrapping to just do a black edge. 

There are multiple colors to choose from if you go with that option. 

I decided to upgrade my canvas to an 11' 14' size and I love it. 

The photo is completely clear from a distance and only slightly grainy (i.e. the canvas texture) up close. 

You can see above I chose to display it standing on my mantel, but if I wanted to hang it on the wall, the hardware to do so was already installed on the canvas. 

I appreciated this since in another canvas ordering experience I had to install the hardware myself... 

And let's be honest.. it's hard to get it centered. 

So what do you think? 

I like it there on my western/love themed mantel, don't you? 

*I was not monetarily compensated for this product review and all opinions shared are my own. Thanks to Easy Canvas Prints for providing the canvas in exchange for my honest review. 

Wedding Recaps - A Toast with the Girls

Once we were ready... 

The dress was unveiled... 

The gifts were handed out... 

Almost ready to start the pre-ceremony wedding party photos... 

And... It was raining outside. Really. 

Hmm.... 

So what's a bride, her FUN bridesmaids, and awesome mother-of-the-bride to do while they wait for the rain to stop... 

Or at least slow... haha. 

Toasts all around!!! 

Each girl gave a short, sweet toast with the grand toast finale from my mom. :)

This one was a personal photo, i.e not taken by our photographer. 

A couple of Coors Lights later... Oh yes, yes we did. ;)

And the rain had slowed to just a slight drizzle!

Wedding Recaps - Speaking of MY dress...

Meet my wedding dress. 

I LOVE my dress!

Remember this post where I teased that one of those dresses might be mine... 

None of them were... haha. Because THIS was my dress. 

Along with our bridesmaid dresses, I purchased my wedding gown from David's Bridal. 

I had seen it online before we went into the store, and thought it was lovely...

But for some reason didn't seriously consider it.


The consultant at David's brought several to try... 

You can see some of those here. :)

Including my dress. 
When I put it on the girls LOVED it. I LOVED it. 


It wasn't really a tear jerking 'This is the one' moment... but I twirled in it.
I felt the ribbon and bow at the waste. I swished the soft tulle skirt. 
I smiled. The biggest, goofiest smile, um... ever. 
It was different. It fit me. Me. 


So I bought it. 
Well... after some debating because it cost more than I had planned to spend. 
I even took Kayli with me in the dressing room and let her talk me into it... 





I'm so glad she did. :)

Wedding Recaps - Getting Ready

I did my own makeup on my wedding day.


 

I bought a few new items (lip stain and gloss) and had a trial run a few days before the wedding at home. 

I wanted to look like myself, but a little more done up. Mr. M approved. :) 

My friend, Mindy, did my hair. 

She was such a sweetheart! 
We had a trial run at her house a week or so before and I loved it! 

Take note here friends... Mindy is not a hair stylist. 
But she always does her own hair just gorgeous...

she practiced and the day of, made my hair look lovely. 

For free. Yep. Super excited about that one... :)


If you're looking for ways to save money, there's two of the biggies 
- makeup and hair!!

Miss Mindy also did Kayli's hair. 

Love Kayli's face in this picture! 
Have NO idea what it was about though... haha!

We had two other lovelies, (besides Mindy) there helping with hair also. 

We saved LOTS of money going that route! 
But MADE sure to have practice runs beforehand to make sure the girls were happy. 
They arranged those themselves, so thanks girls for working that one out! 

Bridesmaid Megan did two of the flower girls' hair. 
Their mom's did the other two girls up very pretty also. 

My mom and sister helped me into my dress. 





I wore Mr. M's mom's diamond necklace. 
And a pretty ring that belonged to my Granny. 





Then it was downstairs for some girl time....