Congratulations on the wedding!! Yay one thing down finally!! Get your rest and then you can focus on the next!
I can't wait to hear all about it! I hope the honeymoon is fabulous!!
Thank you. They are in MK right now!
I am so excited for them. They are staying at POR. At first they were placed in AB section.( I didn't know that there was king beds in that section.
) Kira asked to be moved to Magnolia though and she got it! (which is what she wanted)
The wedding itself was beautiful. I will post pics hopefully soon... but since I was literally running around I didn't take many and will have to rely on what other people took.
I am so glad that Kira's inlaws came up on thursday to help with the wedding. Josh's mom and I did nothing but run around from then until Sunday getting things ready. Josh's dad smoked meats and cooked (oh so yummy..should have taken pictures of)food that kept all of us (wedding party included) fed for days. A couple ladies from the MOPS group that I belong to help with set up for the reception as well as actually doing the cupcakes. Another gal did Kira's hair (this time coming in under an hour) If it were not for Josh's parents or these three ladies, Kira's wedding would not have been the success that it was. I owe so much to them.
The night before the wedding we set up for the ceremony and were able to take our time. The next morning though was super hectic since we could not get in to the set up for the reception until 11am and the wedding was at 1pm. I was running around trying to help with set up until 12:40.
Needless to say I had to rush home to get ready and was not there to help Kira get ready. Luckily, Josh's mom (Jen) was there for her.
We live in a small town. There is an old theater that a kind old guy owns. He runs movies for cheap(all first run and in other main stream theater titles) and all but gives away the popcorn when people come to his theater. The theater was originally a foreign legion hall built in 1924. This was the setting for the ceremony.
The theater has a stage (the kids decided they did not want to stand on it...too nerve racking), three sections of seats with two aisle running down between them, a small lobby, a concession stand, two main doors into the theater itself that are each situated outside of each bathroom and within each bathroom a foyer perfect for getting ready.
We tied tulle down the seats of the two exterior rows to "rope them off" Bows were on each seat then. The stage lights were set to a red ( the colors of the wedding) giving the screen a red glow. We hung icicle lights from the stage and placed a wedding arch in front of it. The arch was lit as well and there were tissue pom poms hanging from it and the edge of the stage. I made flower arrangements for the stage and concession stand. (as well as the brides maids bouquets) The concession stand had boxes of popcorn (old style actual boxes that close) as well as red vines and water bottles with Kira and Josh's name and the date of the wedding printed on them. We used the theater sound system for the music and Alex was in charge of starting and stopping the music.
It was a short ceremony, but beautiful. Josh's mom and I were ushered to the front row to begin and seated at the center right next to each other. Since there was not a center row, she and I came down at the same time on separate sides. This is then how the bridesmaids and groomsmen came down. (at the same time but on separate sides of the center row of chairs) Finally Zoe came down on the "girls side". This left just Kira and her dad to come down the aisle. As she started down, my heart welled up inside my chest. She was so beautiful and I was so proud. Once the ceremony was done, Kira and Josh left going up the "guys" side. Zoe trailed behind. Then a groomsman crossed over to a bridesmaid and escorted her up the "girls" side. Then a bridesmaid to the groomsman to be escorted up the "guys" side...back and forth until it left us parents (seated dead center) to turn and go up our perspective sides. A receiving line was then set up in the lobby of the theater. Once that was done it was time for some pictures and a mad dash to clean up so that we could head over to the reception.
The reception was held in a restaurant just a block or two away (did I mention this was in our "downtown" corridor). The restaurant has a basement (odd for our area since houses don't really have basements even) As you go down the stairs, there is a landing area where we set up the guest book, and candy buffet table. (the candy were all in black, white, red an silver colors) There were some chairs up in this area as well as the bathrooms. A few more steps down and there was a half walled off area with a pool table. Dressed that up and used it for the gift table. Being a basement, there were structural poles that we wrapped tulle and lights around. Icicle lights hung from the half wall. I made many floral arrangements for the reception. We also had little alcoves we decorated. Unfortunately, we ended up not being able to light the candles for the displays since the heat caused the tea light holders to crack. The food table was set up near the dance floor and there was a "disco ball" over the dance floor. The cake table was set up on a small stage near the dance floor. We curtained off the kitchen/bar area so that people could not see the alcohol. (it was a dry wedding) I spent the reception trying to restock items to the food table. I think everyone was pretty hungry by the time Kira and Josh arrived so it was kinda a feeding frenzy. Once the guest were fed, it wasn't long until people started to want to leave. Kira was asked to cut the cake by a few guests so that they could leave. Once this was done, the place cleared out quite a bit. No one but the bridesmaids and Zoe danced. I guess I take that back. Kira and Josh had their first dance. (I believe to the chicken dance. .... I was running around doing something...so not sure) Then Steve and Kira had their dance (maybe before her and Josh..not sure) They danced to "I knew her first". (I think that is the title) The bouquet toss wasn't my favorite... with a low ceiling and (as Kira put it) her friend's "Kurt" among the group to catch, the bouquet was thrown...hit the ceiling and dropped at the foot of "Kurt". Hmm.... It was a beautiful bouquet and I really wish that maybe a bridesmaid would have got it.
Oh well.... garter toss was even less eventful and while cleaning up, the garter was found to be left behind. The MOPS ladies came back to help with clean up and we got the place looking like it did when we came. The owner was strange...one minute impressed with how we had decorated and wanted to take pictures for a promo album and the next telling us if we didn't put back up all of their (mostly mexican beer ads) decorations we would be charged.
I was so tired by the end of sunday. We all ended up chilling out on my couch that night. (Josh and Kira included) At 3am, I drove them to the airport..making yesterday a crazy exhausting day too. I got back from the airport at 5am. Got up at 8am to get food ready for MOPS (had lots of left over food from the wedding). After MOPS, had to drive about an hour to return Steve's tux. Stopped to get dinner and ended up going to be in the 9'oclock hour. I slept for nearly 10 hours. After the last couple of weeks...getting only 5 or 6 hours of sleep...it was much needed.
Ok... I will see what pictures I do have an post them.
I have to agree Kira looked so happy and Zoe what a doll! I love the lighting for the ceremony...the red makes it so dramatic and breathtaking!
