Looking Back Part 3: Our Wedding Day

So the big day had finally arrived.  I can't say I was nervous or anxious because I was pretty comfortable with my decision to marry Chris.  I was just excited and ready for the ceremony.  As with the rest of our trip up to that point, we hit the ground running that morning.  First it was breakfast at the lodge and then it was time to start getting ready.  While I was getting my hair done and a pedicure, Chris was enjoy a massage at the salon.  We then had to swing by the dry cleaners to pick up my dress which had been dropped off the day before to be pressed before heading back to the lodge for the picnic lunch we had ordered.  Once again, I can't say enough great things about the staff at Berry Springs Lodge.  Lunch was waiting for us in our cabin when we got back along with the flowers my mother had ordered for us for the ceremony.

I mentioned yesterday that my parents came to Pigeon Forge for the wedding.  What I didn't tell you is that they intended to surprise us by showing up the night before and letting us know they were there.  However, I spoiled the surprise about a week before we left Texas by asking my mother point blank if they were planning on coming.  They had decided to make a weekend of it and drove to Anniston, Alabama so my dad could check out the stock of M-1 Garands they had for sale.  In typical fashion, my father purchased one of the rifles while they were there and proceeded to show it off to my (new) husband he had never met before shortly after the ceremony.  At least Daddy was there to give me away.

Mom and Dad arrived at the lodge around 1 while we were finishing getting dressed for the ceremony at 2.  It was about that time that the rain started.  We had had beautiful weather all up to that point.  But it proceeded to rain through the entire ceremony and most of our pictures afterwards only to be a gorgeous evening once everything was said and done.  The ceremony itself was quite lovely.  The rain had cooled the air off a bit and we had a nice breeze blowing the whole time.  Plus we had a fantastic view of the Smokey Mountains in the background.  The only issue I had was trying to keep my heels from sliding between the cracks in the boards on the porch of the lodge.  Well, that and the horribly ugly tie our minister was wearing.

I still think choosing to elope was one of the greatest decisions we could have made.  We got a wedding we could enjoy without all the stress of a lot of planning.  We still had a Christian ceremony which was important to us and we were able to have some fantastic photos taken as well.  The owners of the lodge made most of the arrangements for us, providing the cake, the minister, and the photographer.  Mom got our flowers and brought our toasting goblets (which we will use today with some sparkling grape juice since I can't have any wine).  And we picked out our attire and the wine to toast with.  The whole day couldn't have gone easier.

I am still upset though that no one got a picture of me walking from our cabin to the lodge in the red and black lumberjack checked bathrobe the lodge provided so my dress wouldn't get wet.  Nor are there any shots of me in my flip flops as soon as we were done with pictures.  My shoes were fabulous but they were also fabulously uncomfortable.  I couldn't wait to get them off.  

We rounded out the evening with dinner with parents and seeing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  For dinner, we decided to pay homage to our home state of Texas and hit up a place called the Alamo Steakhouse.  The food was pretty good and the outside was designed to look like the Alamo in San Antonio.  The show that night was great as well.  I have performed in Joseph several times and it is one of my favorite musicals because it is just fun.  The cast did a great job although they were able to pull off a lot more than we ever could have gotten away with at a Baptist college.

In the end, it was a great day that I think Chris and I both enjoyed far more than we ever would have if we had decided on a larger wedding.  We can look back on it and actually remember what all went on that day as well as the weekend around it.  Plus we were able to share the day with my parents which meant a great deal to me.