Hi, everyone! I’m very excited to share something so special to me today, my sister’s wedding! She and her husband got married the first Saturday of October and although it was exhausting, it was the most incredible day I have yet to be apart of. I know I’ve mentioned her in a few of my previous posts, but Samantha and I have been inseparable best friends since birth. Being only 2 years apart, we grew up doing absolutely everything together. We are a very tightly knit, but very large family. There were about 200 guests at Samantha and Andrew’s wedding and I would estimate about 120 of those guests were our family members. Andrew popped the question on Christmas 2015 after many months of conspiring and ring shopping with yours truly. It didn’t take long after the engagement to start the planning process. We started off with a bang – an engagement party for the happy couple! (Lots of champagne and cake was necessary to celebrate)!
The planning was very sweet and fun for us because Samantha and I have both always loved weddings and we just couldn’t believe she was getting married! Years of looking up pretty dresses, dream venues and wedding flowers on Pinterest was finally getting put into action. As an aspiring future wedding planner, I couldn’t wait to get started! We started her journey the only way we knew how, Twirl!! On a cold Saturday in January, two wonderful things happened. Samantha found the wedding gown of her dreams, and asked me to be her maid of honor with all our friends and family (there were many tears involved in this day). Our next task, nailing down a venue. Since Samantha has always envisioned a formal, classic and elegant wedding with an evening reception, The Bluegrass Wedding Barn was the perfect fit to make her dream a reality. With their chandelier elegance and Kentucky southern charm, it was everything she wanted. The entire summer was full of fun and festivities. Not all wedding planning is fun and parties, but it is fun watching all your hard work come together and the look on the brides face when she sees how loved she is.
As the day drew closer, final touches were completed and the anticipation was building! The Thursday before wedding day, Andrew’s parents came in from Alabama and both families got to enjoy dinner together (the calm before the storm). Andrew’s family had welcomed Samantha with open arms since the beginning, and the next day they threw Samantha, Andrew, the bridal party and each family a beautiful rehearsal dinner. City Barbeque catered the dinner and lifted our spirits after a stressful day of practicing ceremony details. Next up – wedding day!!!
The entire day was fast and hectic, but as a maid of honor, it was my job to keep it together! The bridesmaids stayed in Lexington in a hotel, while the groomsman stayed in Andrew and Samantha’s new home. The ladies woke up at 7 a.m. sharp for hair and makeup after a restless night. After a Starbucks run, lots of makeup, and some wedding songs Pandora, we were all dolled up by noon and ready to rock and roll. The ladies and groomsman were in separate rooms at the Bluegrass Wedding Barn with a wedding coordinator making sure there were no accidental run-ins during pictures. Samantha and Andrew chose not to do a first look, and waited to see each other until a very emotional ceremony. After some devotionals, dancing and mimosas, we took some pictures and prepared for show time! Samantha was visited by mothers, grandmothers, friends and flower girls that consistently showered her in love and encouragement in the bridal suite before the ceremony so her nerves were calmed. Each bridesmaid made her way down the aisle and as my turn approached, I watched the anticipation in her groom’s eyes as he awaited her. I had never seen anything like it. When she walked out, everyone stood. The couple wrote their own vows, which led to many tears. They let it be known that God was the cornerstone of this marriage. There was worship and scripture being read while they took communion and as they sealed this commitment with a kiss, there was cheering and clapping.
The reception was beautifully decorated and full of her color scheme preferences all pulled together by the wedding barn coordinator. There was deep red, champagne and greenery on every table with dimly lit chandeliers and candlelight. After Andrew and Samantha were swept away for pictures and a little one on one time, they came back and the DJ introduced them as husband and wife. As cocktail hour came to an end, everyone was more than excited for food. Andrew and Samantha chose to have the entire bridal party and close friends sit at their table with them for dinner because they love celebrating with their friends. During dinner, the best man and I gave our speeches along with our dad, Chris. After the speech the pressure was off and it was time for dancing! The rest of the night was smooth sailing and so much fun. (I had never seen so many grandmas get down on the dance floor). There was lots of catching up, eating cake and talking about how happy we were for this new married couple. Samantha and Andrew were ready to be on their way around 10:00. Each guest gathered around them as we sent them off to their honeymoon and a life of happiness together. It’s still surreal to me that my sister is a married woman and there are no words to describe how much effort goes into planning a wedding, but its all a labor of love and well worth it. Samantha was smiling ear to ear all day long, and loves her husband more and more every day.
So to all you maids of honor out there – keep pushing through! I know the small details can be frustrating and this wedding and all it entails will take up most of your time and paycheck, but there is nothing more worth it than your sister or best friend remembering how special this day was. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week! (Header photo from the wonderful Rainwater Photography)
XO
Danielle
