I’d really hoped to share photos once we had all our photos back from our photographer,
but I am unfailingly impatient when push comes to shove.
And so, I figure I’d share a tidbit of what we’ve received back thus far because
as Ashley warned me it would, the day went by so fast, and I almost wish I could relive it again.
The day was simple and rustic, but at the same time it was timeless and beautiful.
I got ready at Stonehurst Manor in our suite, along with the other ladies,
while Ryan and the rest of the men got ready at my parents’ house that morning.
Ryan didn’t want to see me the morning of the wedding before the service,
so I made him cover his eyes and snuck him a quick kiss before I went to get my hair done.
Though we strayed from much of the extravagance of big weddings,
we stuck to some traditions,
and I wore my mother’s antique family heirloom choker from the 1800’s in the Netherlands.
That choker is all blood-red coral with a pure 18k yellow gold clasp at the front.
My mother wore it at her wedding,
and my older sister, Nikki, wore it at her wedding in 2010, so it really meant a lot to wear it, too.
I did my own makeup, mostly because I’m a bit of a control freak about the amount that’s on my face,
and I was really happy with how it turned out.
I stuck with a palette of golds and a coral-pink lip to accentuate the necklace.
The only thing I had help with was the liquid eyeliner because I wasn’t taking any chances on my wedding day.
My brother-in-law’s sister, Rachel, kindly lent her expertise.
In the end, five people that RSVP’d to attend the wedding ended up not attending,
but some of my very best friends in the whole world made it to New Hampshire to celebrate…
including my very best friend from Ottawa, Karly.
Karly and I went to school in Utah together,
and as two lone distance-swimming girls, we definitely bonded.
This girl just barely moved back to Ottawa from Edmonton,
but she braved the snow, the wind and the ice to be there for Ryan and I.
After not seeing her for 3 years but talking to her nearly every day, we didn’t miss beat.
There are a lot more pictures of getting ready to come,
and I’m sure I’ll need another post for them, but for now, I’m sharing what I’ve seen
because, well, it keeps that day alive in my heart.
I’ll be posting more throughout the week about the wedding, the ceremony and the details, of course!
*** all photos are courtesy of sarah nieman photography.
