Wedding part 3.......

The following weekend.... we were up and at it again!

May 21, 2010- Our ring ceremony. The weekend before was about us. This weekend was for our friends and family. To show them how much we love each other, and to include them in this big step in our lives. We decided to incorporate some of the traditional symbolism of a "typical" wedding...... flower girls, wedding party, aisle walking, music, and the exchange of rings (which we had not done).  It was very important to us that they felt apart of everything! We felt by doing it this way.... we got that best of both worlds!

Getting ready...... I was still nervous, and still very very excited!!!

My favorite girls in the whole world!!!!

Bride and the beautiful bridesmaids!!! (The rain let up for about an hour for us to take pictures.... how perfect was that??)

Handsome groom.... with his handsome groomsmen

 Our HUGE wedding party!!!!

Montoya gang! I love my family!!

Fitzgerald gang.... I love my new family too!!

Erik's whole family.... cheering us on!!

Us with Grandma Fitzgerald

With Grandma and Grandpa Fiksdal (Erik's mom's parents)

Whelp...... guess we're not quite fit for parenthood just yet....

Us with The 4 most amazing people... our parents!!!

The cute flower girls!

Yep.... I tripped. Leave it to me! And not only did I trip.... I screamed as I did it. Graceful, right?

Jeff Earl performed the ceremony. He did amazing!!!!! Could not have asked for anyone better! I love this man.

Exchanging a few words to each other.....

You may kiss your bride!!

Mr and Mrs. Fitzgerald! Party time....

The venue....

The Cake.... (We literally sent a pictures about 6 months ago to the caterer.... just as an idea of something I liked..... and didn't think anything else about it). We walked into the reception and saw this cake (identical to the picture)...... we were so pleased!!!!! 

 

Toast time!!! Our DJ let the best man (Greg) and the maid of honor (my sister, Rachelle) give their speeches (which were awesome by the way), and then turned the microphone over to anyone else who had something to say. He told me before hand that usually the parents will say something, and then people will hesitate so he moves onto something else quickly. The parents each said something sweet and heartfelt (lots of tears..... I contained myself *shock!!!* but my sweet hubby on the other hand...... showed his soft side). Then we literally had a line of friends and family who wanted to say something to us. Everyone kept it short and sweet.... but it meant so much to us to hear what everyone had to say. We really are blessed with some great people in our lives!

Erik's mom...... who put EVERYONE in tears!!! But quickly had everyone smiling as she told the story of the bride getting left the night before at the rehearsal.

Story: We had rehearsal the day before, and then had to rush off for rehearsal dinner. I was in the house changing into my dress for dinner.... and walked out of the house to see everyone was leaving. I quickly walked around the house so my ride could catch the end of the line and not get lost..... oh wait.... there was NOBODY left!!! No family, no groom.... nobody!! I came with my parents.... but told Erik I was going to change in the house real fast, and was expecting to head over with him (still can't decide who's fault this all was). I slowly walked to the barn where the owner and her workers were fixing up a few things. With my head down, I asked if anyone was in there waiting for me? She started laughing.... and thought I was joking. I said "no really..... I got left!!" She responded in the mists of her laughter "They left the bride??? You have your own car though, right?" Wrong. No car.... stranded. No way of getting to rehearsal dinner...... who needs the bride there anyway, right?? This, of course, sent Johanna (owner) into another burst of laughter. Right then, my phone rings...... It's Erik's mom, "Kimber...... where are you?" She asked in a shaky voice. She said she got a bad feeling in her gut and pulled over and thought "I didn't see Kimber get into anyone's car." I responded as calmly as I could "Wine and Roses..... I got left." She felt terrible and said she was turning around and would be right there!!! So there it was....... Julie (Erik's mom) was looking out for me and took care of me!!! Not Erik..... not my family by blood...... but my mother-in-law!!!! I love her!!! Needless to say, it was quite the topic at the rehearsal dinner. Everyone got a kick out of hearing the bride got left behind!

Cake cutting....

Cake fight..... I'll admit, I got dominated!!! In my defense..... look at how much longer his arms are than mine!!!!

Cake completely up the nose..... he thinks he's sooooo funny!!

Erik with all the beautiful single ladies for his LAST time!!

Bouquet toss...

Oppps........ I hit the chandelier right above me and it landed (with it's pedals scattered everywhere) like 2 feet behind me. Dang it!!!! Can't I do anything right? Sorry ladies.  They need to teach the uncoordinated brides, such as myself, how to do these things!!

Guarder toss..... I have always found this as an awkward tradition..... and this is exactly why!! In fact.... I'm pretty sure I could see my dad through my peripheral vision at this exact moment in my life....

First dance.... "I'll take today" by Gary Allan

Good news...... he still finds me funny :)

Daddy/Daughter....... "Brown Eyed girl"

What would I do without him??

Mother/Son...... "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

The DJ was awesome and so much fun!! The caterer was amazing and the food was fantastic (stuffed chicken and salmon). The venue was beautiful, the landscaping was gorgeous, Johanna (owner) was a sweetheart. Two families coming together. It was perfect! I couldn't have asked for more. Okay..... So it rained. Oh well.... We were in beautiful Seattle. Small price to pay! Besides..... what do they say about rain on your wedding day??? Life time of happiness? Good Luck? I can't remember.... But I'm pretty sure it's good. Guess we're guaranteed lots of luck through this journey of ours!!

Wedding part 2.....

May 15, 2010- Wedding day! This was our actual wedding day. The day we signed our marriage licence, the day Erik saw me for the first time in my wedding dress, and the day we were sealed for time and all eternity! We were married in Salt Lake Temple (picture above).

For those of you who don't really understand a "Temple marriage" or a "sealing".... let me briefly explain. It's not really what you think of when you think of your typical civil wedding. There is no flower girls, no bridesmaids, no aisle for the bride to walk down, there is not even a ring exchange. It is still beautiful, it is still meaningful, there is still symbolism, still tears and laughter, still love, and most of..... it is still the uniting of a husband and wife. The main difference between a temple sealing and a civil marriage is that you are "sealed for time and all eternity" versus "till death do you part". And as most people know.... not everyone is able to witness this ceremony.  It was hard to not have most of my family in the room with us, and none of Erik's family with us..... but we kept our heads high and knew this day was truly about us. Erik and Kimber. Husband and wife.... making promises and commitments to each other, and covenants with the lord. It was perfect.

Wedding day: I got up early because I had quite a bit to do. I slept great the night before!! Everyone kept telling me I wasn't going to sleep at all..... wrong! I stayed at my aunt's house..... and we were up until about 1am trying to fix my dress (yikes!!) and passed out the second I hit the pillow. Erik, on the other hand, slept at my grandma's house and I guess didn't sleep well at all! He's the one in the relationship who worries...... he thinks about years down the road and it really hit him what was about to happen the following day. He claimed he wasn't nervous at all to marry me..... but his mind was racing, and he was a little nervous for all the attention he was going to receive. 

Erik and my family headed back to my aunt's house (where the reception was taking place later that evening) to finish setting up tables and chairs, linens, centerpieces..... and everything else we didn't finish the day before. I worked on the slide show, got my hair and make-up done, got ready and had to head out to meet my mom and Erik by noon. Our ceremony wasn't until 3, but they wanted us (bride and groom) there by 1:45. I wasn't nervous at all...... My brother (who was driving me) kept asking "Are you nervous?" "Is it hitting you yet?" Nope. Nothing. The moment I saw Erik in his suit I got a little flutter in my gut. Not nerves though.... excitement! Erik was a mess!! haha.... my family kept making fun of him, and was shocked how calm I was. 

Temple: The Salt Lake temple is huge. It's gorgeous!! It's grounds and landscape is incredible! Therefore.... it's crazy busy ALL the time. Erik and I were one of 53 weddings in the temple that day. Note: The man performing our sealing mentioned they were so busy that they had lots of general authorities and President Monson had even performed a few of the sealings.... how cool would that be?? Erik and I went our own ways to get ready. There was about 11 other brides in the bridal room getting ready with me. It was a bit hectic.... but I found much amusement in it all. (There was one bride who had apparently put on a few extra lbs. and she was literally laying on her stomach as two ladies were on top of her trying to get her dress zipped.... it was hilarious!!) I had my dress and everything ready to go the fastest (I was even ready before Erik). I was ready to get this show on the road!!! I sat and watched the other brides until someone came to tell me Erik was ready. They guided me to where he was..... then I started to get nervous, and my heart started beating really fast!! It was the first time Erik had seen me (or the dress). It was amazing!! We were nothing but smiles. 

Sealing: The sealing was not more than 10 minutes long. The man performing our sealing was awesome!! He made us laugh..... even making fun of my future cooking (we felt like he really knew us.... even though we had never seen or talked to this man in our lives). He gave us great advice and had most of us.... especially me in tears! The sealing was beautiful and something we will both never forget!

And just like that..... BAM!!!!! Married!!!! Husband and Wife..... for time and ALL ETERNITY! 

Us with grandma Reeder (mom's mom)

Us with my parents!!

With my immediate family......

With my best friend Whitney, and her hubby Cody. Love these guys! They are both still in school.... so they left after their classes Friday night (from Washington), and drove the 11 hours to Salt lake. They arrived at 6am Saturday morning (day of wedding), stayed awake and was apart of everything all day Saturday, and then turned around and went back home Sunday morning. What troopers!! It meant so much to have them there!!

Brothers...... Kade is so excited to finally recruit some men into this family!! Love these boys!!

Sisters...... my best friends!

Husband and Wife :)

Then off to the reception we went...... only a half hour late....

Us with Grandpa Montoya (dad's dad).... he literally would cry every time we came around him. It was so sweet!!

My aunts and sister (Rachelle..... the cook in the family) spent days cooking homemade Mexican food..... my favorite!!! Thanks for all the work. Beautiful picture of me stuffing my face.....

Cute niece Aubrey....... found the dessert table

Sweet niece Olivia..... sick :(

Huge thanks to my Aunt Weda and Uncle Brian for letting us do this at their house! They have a beautiful house and yard, and they put so much work into making this special for us! Again, to all my aunts (Aunt Vivian who even flew in for the weekend just to help cook) and Rachelle for all the awesome food. Aunt Suz for the beautiful centerpieces. And my mom's family for making drinks, and desserts and salads. Everyone helped out..... Thanks!!

Let the dancing begin!

Wedding march!!

Money dance! Erik and my cousin Kalee

Me with little sister Demi

Cutting our cute little cake.....

cake fight..... (I won this one!!!)

Look at that technique!

And Rilee catches it!

And we're off...... tired and exhausted!!

But wait.... the car we borrowed to take to the hotel..... Thanks siblings and cousins!!!!

What a great day it was!!!! Thanks for all the hard work everyone put in!! Again our "simple little dinner" turned into something much more than we were expecting. We love our Utah family!!!!

So we leave you...... the new Mr. and Mrs. Fitzgerald!!!