Joanne and Paul's VR - 4th May 2011

[quandrea]

Quandrea, I hope you don't mind me answering the bra question. I started out with my own strapless bra from victoria's secret but then I tried on this @ David's bridal: http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product...s-Longline-Bra-8704_Accessories-Lingerie-Bras and ended up buying it. It gave me such a great shape by smoothing out my waist and keeping everything in. I highly reccomend trying one on at your fitting.

Just bought a bra this am. thanks Jillian! Never thought to look on a bridal website for bras. Looking forward to trying it on

 

[dolphingirl47]

Sweet Corinna - Thank you!! i thought our ceremony was beautiful (but I guess I am biased)
Yay for the TTD!! I read about it on your PJ and it sounds like great fun. I take it that there will be no water or sand involved then.

No, there won't be any water. Sand would not have been an option at Disneyland anyway, but I think what I am going to get will be well worth missing out on watery fun.

Corinna

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Corinna sweetie - I agree. What you are going to do will be awesome!!

 

[brer rabbit 28]

Hi Joanne

Beautiful updates as always. I don't get much time on the DIS at the mo, but trust me, my first port of call is ALWAYS your TR!

I'm so happy for you both and can see what a magical time you had from Randys pictures. More please!

xx

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Oh my sweet Claire!! I was wondering where you were!!! Thank you so much!!! Your day is galloping ever closer!! How are your plans progressing?

 

[wiserabbit]

Just wanted to tell you that you've made me cry (again) with your wonderful, beautiful way of retelling the details of your special day The pictures from the Boardwalk are perfect - the actual ceremony pics are so sweet - and the reading inspirational.....THANK YOU FOR SHARING

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Wiserabbit - Goodness, I still don't know your real name, but your screen name is so darn cute that I am going to continue to call you by it!!!
I am honoured that you continue to read along. We had a wonderful day and couldn't fault anything about it at all!!! I am glad you are enjoying it, and hope you will stick around to read the rest!! Much love to you.

 

[smileycrissy]

Hello my dear Joanne!! I finally made it on here. I'm so sorry I am late but better late than never.I've been battling with bouts of nausea and tiredness. I think this baby is going to take after its daddy and enjoy sleeping all the time!!

Of course you can put the pic of the two of us up here. Just make sure it's a good one!!! I had to laugh while I was scrolling through your last update with the pics of the ceremony, I'm in half of them!!!

Your ceremony was so beautiful and I am ever so grateful for you allowing me to attend and witness it. I can't wait to see you again.

 

[J.ThaddeusToad]

Can't wait for more! Everything has sounded so lovely!

 

[Groom Mickey]

Joanne, even though I do very little to my TR, I continue to read yours on a regular basis. Your photos are beautiful. I hope you don't mind if I use your report as a guideline for mine. Your report is just so orderly. I laughed at your Boardwalk photo's because we have the same locations. All I can hear Randy is going "and walk", "and walk" Thanks for keeping us updated.

Crissy so glad to see you back on the boards, you have been missed.

 

[brer rabbit 28]

Oh my sweet Claire!! I was wondering where you were!!! Thank you so much!!! Your day is galloping ever closer!! How are your plans progressing?

My plans are slowly ticking by, although I only realised last week how close it is!!! I've finished the bouquet and I love it. I'll get some pics posted this week. Reading your report and seeing your pics makes me feel very giddy as we will be there so soon. I really cannot wait to meet Randy now as I know that you had such a good experience with him

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hello my dear Joanne!! I finally made it on here. I'm so sorry I am late but better late than never.I've been battling with bouts of nausea and tiredness. I think this baby is going to take after its daddy and enjoy sleeping all the time!!

Of course you can put the pic of the two of us up here. Just make sure it's a good one!!! I had to laugh while I was scrolling through your last update with the pics of the ceremony, I'm in half of them!!!

Your ceremony was so beautiful and I am ever so grateful for you allowing me to attend and witness it. I can't wait to see you again.

Can't wait for more! Everything has sounded so lovely!

Joanne, even though I do very little to my TR, I continue to read yours on a regular basis. Your photos are beautiful. I hope you don't mind if I use your report as a guideline for mine. Your report is just so orderly. I laughed at your Boardwalk photo's because we have the same locations. All I can hear Randy is going "and walk", "and walk" Thanks for keeping us updated.

Crissy so glad to see you back on the boards, you have been missed.

My plans are slowly ticking by, although I only realised last week how close it is!!! I've finished the bouquet and I love it. I'll get some pics posted this week. Reading your report and seeing your pics makes me feel very giddy as we will be there so soon. I really cannot wait to meet Randy now as I know that you had such a good experience with him

My gorgeous Crissy - So good to have you back. Sorry you are still feeling sicky!! Pregnancy nausea is the worst, but when you finally meet your little mouseketeer you will know it has all been so worth it!!
I know it was slightly silly of me to talk about asking your permission to post the phot of us too and then have you in the background of some of the other shots, but I felt for me to post a photo whilst actually saying 'Here is the gorgeous Crissy' rather than you just being a slightly random guest in the background, required permission!!!
Thank you again for coming to our VR. It made our day all the more special to have you there. Next time I am in Florida, we will see each other for sure, how could we not!!! I fear you may be stuck with me for life now!! Of course, once the little one is born, you could always come here for a visit.......

Catherine sweetie - Thank you. It was truly a day to remember!!

Dearest James - Glad to know you are still with me!!!! It will be fun to see your Boardwalk shots!! As I said earlier in this TR, I was anxious to avoid the usual Boardwalk shots (photobooth, surrey bike etc) as I felt these were more suited to younger couples!! Also we needed to keep to the Swan end of the BW due to there being a wedding a SBP when we were shooting. I love our BW shots and look forward to seeing yours!!

Claire sweetie - Glad to hear the plans are moving forward nicely!! Your day will be here befor you know it!!! You will adore Randy!!

 

[kmg148]

Reading the Velveteen except made me cry too! Reading it and relating it to marriage is beautiful! Perfect. I'm going to go read through the rest of your PJ now!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

kmg143 - Forgive me, but don't know your name. Thank you!! As soon as I saw this passage from 'The Velveteen Rabbit', I knew it would be perfect for our VR!!
The book itself is not a well-known one here in the UK (I believe it is a beloved nursery classic in the US), and many of my guests had never heard of it before. They loved it!! I had a sort of 'sub-theme' of beloved children's books running throughout my whole VR. The ladies tea on the day before was themed after the original 'Alice in Wonderland' and had illustrations from the original book on the invitations, favours etc, some of my confetti was paper hearts cut from the pages of copies of 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Peter Pan', which were my favourite books as a child. Then, of course, there was said 'Velveteen Rabbit' excerpt. I love children's literature but it was quite by accident that this little 'sub-theme' came about, but I'm glad it did!!!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Firstly, let me apologize for the recent break in this TR. This is due to working four days worth of twelve hour shifts. It is very hard to get much done at all, when working those sort of hours!!
Secondly, I promised to post a photo of me and my good friend Crissy. Some of you might know Crissy as 'Smileycrissy' from these boards. We met when she started following my PJ and was good enough to take the time to attend our VR ceremony. We saw each other a couple of times over our trip, and attended James's (GroomMickey) wedding and DP together. We have become firm friends and I was thrilled when she announced that she is expecting a little mouseketeer next year!!! I can't wait to meet the little one when we make the next trip!!! Crissy is a future disbride, but her plans are on hold now that her first baby is on it's way. Here I am with my beautiful Crissy!!

So, this whole day (indeed this whole trip) was about renewing the vows we made to each other eleven years ago, and declaring to the world that our love was stronger than ever, and now the moment to do that had come!

We faced each other in our beautiful location and in front of our wonderful family and friends

Paul repeated his vows first. He was clear and concise and made sure that everyone heard and knew that he meant every word he said.

I was totally overwhelmed with the fact that this amazing man had not only married me once, but was prepared, for a second time, to stand up and tell the world that he loved me and wanted to share the rest of his life with me. Paul, like most men, is not really 'in to' all this weddingy stuff. He said from very early on in the planning that he was just happy to be re-newing our vows and that anything I wanted to plan around that, was fine by him!! It had actually been his original idea for us to re-new our vows, but when the idea first came up, I really don't think that he en-visioned more than a simple ceremony just between us and a minister. The fact that he went along with my dream (parts of which made him just a little uncomfortable) just to make me happy, is something I will never forget and makes me love and cherish him even more.
So, considering all this, it was hardly surprising that when it was my turn to speak, I didn't do so well!!! I was very emotional and my voice cracked several times!! I could feel Paul squeezing my hand and encouraging me on!!

After we had managed to get through our vows and I had composed myself, it was time for our bible reading, which Henry delivered. I had added this reading in at a very late stage in the planning. It had actually only been added a few days before we left to travel to Florida. I suddenly realized that I wanted a religious reading in our celebration and asked Henry if he would oblige. He was more than happy to, so I e-mailed Rev Tim and asked him to add the second reading to the service. He was very accommodating, and was happy to do this. Here is the reading Henry delivered

'This reading is taken from Genesis chapter 2 verses 18 - 24

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him." Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Thanks be to God.

Because Henry is a drama student and is used to performing and projecting his voice (his latest role was 'Bottom' in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'), he delivered his reading like a pro, and Karen, who was standing out of the way near the entrance to the West Courtyard, said she heard him clearly.

Now it was time for me and Paul to exchange rings. We had decided to have new rings for the occasion and had plumped for plain gold bands (which, I think, is more popular a choice in the UK, than in the US where more elaborate wedding rings seem to be popular). Alfie had, very proudly, taken charge of these up until now and right on cue, produced from his pocket, the box containing the new rings. I posted a photo of our ring box earlier in this TR, but it is so cute, I hope you will forgive me for posting it again!!

So, again, Paul went first, repeated the words which turned the simple ring of metal into an outward symbol of our new commitment, and placed it on my finger.

Then it was my turn. Once again, I didn't do so well and struggled to get Paul's ring onto his finger. I think his fingers had swollen slightly with the heat, but I managed it eventually!!

So, with the rings safely on our fingers (eventually), Rev Tim gave us his blessing. He followed this with a family blessing which was a lovely way to include our children, once again, in the ceremony (Rev Tim is so good at incorporating everybody into the service).

He then re-presented us as man and wife and said it was time for kisses all round!!

And to the beautiful sound of Christine playing 'The Hornpipe' from 'Handel's Water Music' on the harp, we exited. I love Handel's music and I really thought that this was very appropriate as our recessional. Not only does it sound triumphant, but it is all about water, which had been a feature of our ceremony, thanks to the gorgeous fountain in the West Courtyard.

Those of you who are not familiar with this piece of music, here is a link to a rendition of it played on the harp and the flute. I couldn't find a version played just on the harp, but I have to say it sounded beautiful when Christine played it!!! I am really glad we chose it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwmUBAEV5zc

After this we had to go back to the fountain and walk down the aisle again so as we could perform a staged exit and get some confetti shots!!
Those of you who have been kind and patient enough to follow my PJ, will remember that I had two sorts of confetti:- peachy/terracottay rose petals and small paper hearts cut from the pages of copies of two favourite childhood books, 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Peter Pan'. These are also, of course, beloved Disney classics!!
For those who missed my PJ (or just fell asleep through sheer boredom), here is a picture of these hearts taken from the Etsy seller's site - the hearts in this sample picture are cut from 'Gone with the Wind', which incidently is also a favourite book/film with me!!

I was very happy with my confetti. The petals and the hearts fluttered to the ground at different speeds, and, thus made for some lovely shots (IMHO)

Little Ella, bless her, couldn't reach and so we bent down so as she could throw her confetti at us!!

And so ended our beautiful and moving ceremony. It was everything we had dreamed of and had definitely been worth all the planning. It will be a precious memory for us both until the day we die!!

Next up:- Cake, champagne and cheeky speeches!!

 

[dolphingirl47]

What a wonderful ceremony. I had to smile when you said that this was originally Paul's idea, but that he left you to all the planning. It is the same way with us as well. Partly I am happy that Graham is happy with whatever I come up with and that he just wants me to have precisely the ceremony that I am dreaming of. However, there is another part of me who wishes that we were sharing the planning and that he would get more involved.

I am sure that you have mentioned this before, but where did you get your ring box from? I searched Etsy for custom ring boxes, but did not find anything I liked.

Corinna

 

[Chilly]

I started planning my VR in my head even before I got married! I hope its as beautiful as yours.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Sweet Corinna - Thank you!!! I know what you mean about the men and their lack of enthusiasm for planning, bless them!!
You know, I don't think that I have posted on here before about where I got my ring box. I don't believe anybody has asked until now!! I got it on Ebay. It was so reasonable and the service I received was first-class!!
Here is the link

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Personali...Supplies_CA&hash=item53e840fcf5#ht_3404wt_861

Claire sweetie - Thank you so much!! If your wedding is anything to go by, any VR of yours will be beyond gorgeous!!!

 

[dolphingirl47]

Thanks so much. This is very good value, too. Now I have to see if I can put together a graphic. I would love to have Mickey and Minnie framed with two jumping dolphins, but I am not very artistic. I might have to consult one of the DISignerns to help me with this.

Corinna

 

[Jilian]

Beautiful!!! I love the staged exit photos.