Hi Friends and Family,
I hope when you read this blog you’re enjoying a wonderful day without sorrow, anxiety, or regret about anything. If given a choice (which we are) who wouldn’t choose joy, calm, and happy after a big event such as a wedding? I would! But, there’s no denying that negative nuances such as sorrow, anxiety and regret weave among us like annoying gnats. No matter how hard we try to avoid them.
Savanna’s wedding has come and gone. The build up was intense; the celebrations vibrant beyond expectations. Prayers were answered…and then some. It’s time for reflection. What the heck just happened?
Like everything in life, there were highlights and lowlights orbiting Joey and Savanna’s marriage. However, it’s humbling to say that the highlights far exceed the lowlights.
I was a mere part in what took place during Joey and Savanna’s wedding weekend. There were dozens of us that had blood, sweat, and tears in the mix. My dream would be to have this blog be excerpts of other’s stories. But, since that would take eons to execute here are a few thoughts from the mother-of-the-bride’s [emotional] perspective:
Sorrow?
A little. Not in the “grief” sense. A tad in the “teary” sense. Church of the Apostles is a majestic sanctuary full of beautiful people and biblical truths. Though I knew full well that Jeff would be walking Savanna down the same aisle that our family has taken many strolls down, the site of them stunned me. Savanna is and always has been a Mommy’s girl. To see her holding Jeff’s arm and looking Princess Perfect welled tears that fell from my eyes. Phew, I gathered myself hearing her whisper, “it’s okay,” as she passed me.
Oh Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you – Psalm 38:9
Anxiety?
I don’t savor speaking in small groups let alone holding a microphone to address over a 100 people. Sharing thoughts and gratitude with an audience is a foreign language to me. But I was determined to publically thank God, the organizers, and everyone else. A couple things didn’t go as expected: our planner Sean, whom I aimed to personally thank wasn’t in the room, and the DJ introduced Joey’s grandmother and Diana — both of which were woven into my repertoire.
Here’s what I intended:
Hi Everyone, Thank you for being here to celebrate Joey and Savanna’s wedding with us. I want to take a moment to thank a few key people who helped pull this off. The first would be: GOD, with a very close second being Sean O’keefe and Rebecca Dey, our wedding planners; also Denise and the entire Ansley staff; and, of course Greg and Mary Ellen Garde and Scott and Sarah Ellyson. I would now like to introduce Joey’s grandmother, Joy, and Savanna’s sister, Diana. They will say a few words and raise a toast and here is mine to all of you!
So ya, it went well and swell until the introduction part of Joy and Diana. My heart was full throttle pounding while my hands competed with it by shaking madly. There was no Plan B. Up went my glassless hand in the air to toast because champagne would have flown all over the place from all the jiration. My delivery wasn’t as perfect as I hoped, but I did get my thank you out to God and everyone there and I was grateful to receive heart-felt feedback.
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul” – Psalm 94:19
Regret?
Not really, but maybe a little. Jeff, Savanna, Diana and I received humbling comments from many people. Several said it was “the best wedding they’d ever attended,” “so much fun,” and even “perfect.” Nothing could make us happier! The food, drink, DJ, flowers, décor, photo booth, cake, weather, bar, colorful sunset off the veranda, silly boas and plastic glasses, amazing wedding designer, dancing with friends and friends of friends and friends of my girls, a fancy golf club, acquiring new family and friends, and on and on and on were as close to perfection as we could ask for. …But…
With all those frilly tidbits being said, there are regrettable instances — a couple big ones, flesh form. It’s all good though because, in the end it’s clear that those unfortunate instances were for the greater good (thank you!). Everything really does happen for a reason, even bad and sad things.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour – Peter 5:8.
At times the planning was intense. Over the past month or so I’ve big-time bribed Diana to elope. But the joy, happiness and aftermath calm that has finally started to settle on our lives has me…surprisingly…ready to give it another go!
Guess we better start fattening that piggy bank back up.
Thank you for reading!
Love, Shelley
An intimate ceremony at The Church of the Apostles
This is the one I’m begging to elope…but not really…
P.S. Pictures on the way but here’s a link to a few preliminary photos Facebook
Here’s Diana’s take with a less dramatic slant than moi’s: