How did it go?!?

It's been a little over a year since Chadd & I tied the knot. I revisited this blog and thought it would be good to tie up some loose ends. Some of you may be wondering, how did everything go? Did you end up using the guestbook alternative? What did the flower girls end up wearing? How did it turn out?

Guestbook Alternative
Well I ended up getting a simple canvas and paint from Walmart. Luckily those college drawing classes finally paid off! I painted our guestbook alternative myself based on my previous digital mock-up. I must say that I think it turned out pretty well, but you can judge for yourself. Some people were a little confused and kept asking if there was a guestbook, despite one of my friends standing by the canvas and explaining how it worked. The kids loved it!! And some even "signed" with their thumbprint multiple times. This is currently hanging at the end of the hallway in our house. I must say that I get a lot more joy out of seeing it hanging somewhere, than a traditional dusty guestbook that I would never look at.

Flower Girls

I must admit that one of my absolute favorite photos from our wedding was of the flower girls. We went simple jean dresses (also found at Walmart!) and then asked them to wear purple leggings and boots. I think they ended up looking adorable and really added to the entire wedding.

The Verdict?

One thing that I sometimes find myself regretting is that we didn't hire a professional photographer, not that the pictures turned out badly, but because we forgot one of the most basic pictures, me and my Mom!! Overall though, I think it is the memories that are most important. And the photos that we did get were fantastic, and I wouldn't trade the day for anything in the world. Something that my Mom told me, that guided me through the planning of the wedding turned out to be incredibly truthful. She said, "At the end of the day, one way or another, you are going to be married. You won't really remember everything that went on anyway, it will be a whirlwind." 

Do I remember everything about my wedding a year after? Mostly, but I imagine the little things will continue to fade. The important things, like my family and friends being there and getting married to the man I love will remain with me forever. At the end of the day, I really wouldn't do anything differently. I loved my dress and so many material things about the wedding. But what I really loved was seeing my Aunts and friends chip in to help my immediate family out with getting everything decorated before-hand. I loved getting to know my new extended family when the little girls ended up running the karaoke. And the small dent in the bank versus the big dent didn't hurt at all!