The Journey of Parenthood…

Claire’s Wedding Weekend

After our visit to Yellow River Game Ranch we had some time to kill before nap so the boys went for a swim. Our room was GREAT b/c they allowed dogs (hello saving $ on kennel fees!) and our room was on the first floor with a door going straight to the pool. Made me wish I’d brought my bathing suit along. But it worked out b/c during nap Mom and Zach got some sun while I slept off my migraine 🙂

the water was COLD

tell me these posted “signs” are not hilarious???

Rules of the Pool:

The wedding started at 6 so Zach and I had plenty of time to get ready after Kye got up from his nap. He and Mom enjoyed more swimming (and Mom especially enjoyed all the attention her precious grandson got from the other hotel guests!) when we left.

It was ironic because the wedding started at the exact time the world was supposed to end…obviously it didn’t end but it was funny that when the wedding bells rang at 6 we all kind of smiled b/c we were still alive 😉 The preacher even announced at the end of the ceremony that we survived the end of the world! haha!

The ceremony was beautiful and I got more emotional than I have at a wedding in a long time. I’m not sure why…maybe pregnancy hormones? Maybe because it was so close to our wedding anniversary? Maybe because Claire is THE sweetest person on earth and loves the Lord with all her heart so I am so overjoyed for her to find happiness? Maybe because so many things in her ceremony reminded me of my own? She wore an amazing long veil and you don’t see that very often…I too had a long veil and it was my favorite thing I wore on my wedding day. I just love the statement it makes! She and Dan also said their own vows and I LOVE that Zach and I did that. It adds SUCH a personal touch to the ceremony and it was beautiful to hear the love that Claire and Dan have for each other.

I also LOVED the programs they handed out…I’m all about gathering up little tips for the day when Casey (Zach’s sister) gets married. I’ve been to SO many weddings lately that I feel like Casey’s is gonna be the best one ever b/c I can get all these ideas from everyone else haha! At the back of the program Claire and Dan had a message to all the guests and it was so unique. Not going to write the whole thing here but here’s part of it: To those with whom we have shared memorable moments: birth, childhood, high school, college, today. Each line said a different thing that they have shared with people (sports, travel, meals, etc). I LOVED it because it was SUCH a personal touch!!! I also adored the guest  book – they (and by “they” I’m pretty sure I mean Claire haha) found pictures of them with all their guests and had us sign near our picture. Mine was of me and Claire from a Braves game our senior year in high school 🙂

After the wedding we headed to the reception at this beautiful country club. It was the most elegant reception I’ve ever attended. The appetizers were super yummy and the tables were beautifully set. We really enjoyed the night!!!

Friends since 4th grade!!!

Enjoyed another opportunity to spend time with Danielle!

Zach enjoyed the meat 😉 I guess Jonathan liked the mashed potatoes?

So good to see Mr. and Mrs ORR too!!!

I didn’t take tons of pictures but I am SO excited to see the professional ones when they come out. I LOVE the sneak peak of their wedding video that’s posted online (you can view it here, how awesome is that???) Another great thing about their reception was that Claire sang! She didn’t technically sing but someone was sneaky and played a cd of her singing, it was so beautiful. I’ve grown up hearing Claire’s voice: from chorus together, to riding in the car being silly, to our high school graduation, to my wedding day, to other friend’s weddings, and now her own wedding day. Zach really adores Claire and thinks she’s so cool and down to earth but also says she really should be a professional singer, she’s THAT good – I promise!!! 

I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll be saying it plenty of times in the future – I LOVE photo booths at weddings. I think it’s super fun and I love being able to take home a memory from the wedding day. Claire and Dan made it even more personal by having the photo booth company print off doubles. The guest got a copy and then the other copy was pasted into a scrapbook where we wrote a message to them by our picture. Isn’t that so fun? It was a perfect wedding for a perfect bride 😉 I’m so thankful we were able to be there and we enjoyed bringing home the homemade jelly favor from Dan’s family’s farm too!

Kye CRACKED up at this picture of us 😉

One more wedding to come and then we’re done with weddings for awhile 🙂 Zach is pretty glad b/c it did cost us some dough, but I SO enjoyed going to each of them and getting to spend time with my good friends!!!

We got in late that night and hit the road first thing the next morning to get home, it was SO sweet of Mom to come along to help us watch Kye and we had a fun family weekend together!

Emily Parker
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