Lorenzo and Jennifer's Wedding in The Colony, Texas

Side note: I ordered a cute white dress from Lulu’s for the rehearsal dinner – I wore it sooo many times during the wedding weekend and other wedding celebrations (like at church the next week, etc.) so it was definitely worth the expense!

Friday (Wedding Day) – What a perfect day! I woke up at my apartment and took a long hot bath. My best friend (MOH) absolutely KILLED it – she came over and brought my favorite Starbucks drink, groceries, and tons of presents! We spent the morning hanging out, drinking coffee, making avocado toast, and watching wedding shows (Jim and Pam’s [Office] wedding, 27 Dresses). Very fun, relaxing, and loving. She was way too generous with her gifts, giving each one a little theme (Domino’s gift card for date night in, Polaroid Instax camera for capturing the moment, monogrammed matching coffee mugs for he and I, and more). She drove us over to the venue when it was time to go.

We both wore some cute button down pajamas to get ready – mine were white satin from Macy’s and said ‘Bride’ on the back (and I still wear them!), hers were just some soft navy ones from Target. She and I also collaborated on a Spotify playlist of getting ready songs – lots of 90s/00s bubblegum pop and other fun hype up songs :) Still makes me happy when I listen to it.

I did my own makeup, and although I was shaking like a leaf, I was very pleased with how it looked. I practiced A LOT, and even made a list of the steps I needed to do so I didn’t forget. Meanwhile, the florist and the coordinator were setting up the decorations using instructions I sent previously, so no stress there. The flowers looked beautiful, and added so much to the space. The photographer took some great photos of us getting ready in the suite. I had provided a specific list of shots I wanted so he took care of those during the lulls (stationary, accessories, etc.) My mom did my hair, and I think it turned out beautifully. I absolutely loved my dress and accessories also – everything fit me and there were no mishaps.

My husband and I wrote notes to each other to be exchanged before the ceremony, and I love the photos of us reading those. I got him a little “Reasons I want to Marry You” notebook off Etsy, which he absolutely loved. He keeps it in his nightstand and reads it often. My dad walked me down the aisle, and I just tried to soak up every little moment. I know some people say they only look at their future spouse, but I loved seeing all my guests in the pews. Only one family member had her phone out (with the sound on, making clicking noises) but I didn’t even care. I was smiling so hard my cheeks were hurting, and I was shaking like crazy.

The ceremony was lovely – just a traditional Anglican ceremony with a few readings that we chose, a homily from our officiant, prayers and blessings, and the exchange of vows and rings. My husband’s niece (6) and nephew (4) were the most adorable flower kids, and incredibly well behaved all night long. I made a ceremony program from an Etsy template so everyone could follow along and read the responses – I really loved how they turned out! The officiant was kind enough to print those for us and bring them. Our ceremony space was beautiful with the giant windows, magnolia trees, and fresh flowers on the cross. The DJ played the songs I asked at the right times (instrumental versions of a few favorite songs), and people said the photographer was very discrete / no one noticed him.

After the ceremony, we took photos with our families, then the bridal party, then just us. These were a ton of fun, although my only sort-of regrets were not getting a portrait of just me in my dress, just me with my family, and just me with my mom. No biggie though. I love our pictures together as husband and wife, and getting a few golden hour shots was also super special. Meanwhile, our guests were having cocktail hour in the ballroom with a few appetizers. We only served beer and wine, but that was enjoyed by all (and perhaps too much by some). Only a few guests got wild, but only in a friendly fun way. Our families and best man only had to play bouncer once for a guest who was trying to interrupt the toasts.

We made our grand entrance, and totally nailed our first dance! Our DJ started the song early, but once he backed it up everything was great. We took lessons at a local ballroom, who provided a routine for our song. We’re fairly good dancers on our own, so it came naturally to us and we learned a ton. We practiced a lot, and it paid off when everyone was so impressed with our dance! I got lots of cheers when I twirled around in my dress, and my husband got lots of compliments on his footwork.

I loved the decorations and how everything turned out – my hard work and hours of planning all came together, and the space felt beautiful, elegant, romantic, personal, and timeless. My mom made a photo collage of my husband and I at various ages, which everyone loved looking at. We had 5 toasts (dads, brothers, and MOH) and all of them were perfection – funny, brief, and heartfelt. Everyone also complimented the food – although it was chicken, the flavors were great and the portions were generous (it was a plated meal which also made it feel fancier). Parents appreciated the kid’s meals for their little ones too. We loved having a sweetheart table so we could chat privately. I could barely eat anything (nerves + tight dress), but I did my best. Our cake was also delicious, but we ran out of the preferred flavor quickly and some people complained – no biggie at all. We visited each table during dinner as well, which I think people appreciated.

Dancing was a ton of fun, and the DJ did a great job! Everyone was really into it. The bridal suite was right next to the ballroom, so I was able to periodically escape the heat/music/crowd to take a breather which was invaluable. I had packed my bags for the mini-moon the night before, so it was just a matter of packing up what we brought to the bridal suite and getting it to my husband’s car. The best man (his brother) was very sweet and helped us out by packing up the car before our grand exit. We hadn’t planned anything special, but just naturally the entire crowd put their hands up and formed a tunnel that we walked through together on our way out – our music was still playing, and it was a really fun and cool moment that just happened organically. I also got to see everyone’s faces and say bye one more time for the night.

Our families and bridal party (and even my MOH’s date) helped gather all our stuff from the venue and get it to my mom’s car after the reception, which was a huge help. We had a lovely wedding weekend at a fancy hotel in Dallas, and an even more amazing honeymoon in Mexico at an all-inclusive resort the following week. We stayed for 5 days, which was the perfect amount honestly. Now the fun of name changes begins!

Thanks for reading!