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Wedding Week: Our Wedding Ceremony


Our wedding ceremony was maybe -- MAYBE -- 12 minutes long.  I know it sounds like I am exaggerating, but I am really not.  We did not want a long ceremony, but we did want it to be a "concentrated" version ... full of love and meaningful vows.  We recited traditional vows.  Our marrying minister said some really nice words about us and what he'd observed about our partnership.  We had countless people come up to us at the reception and rave about how they loved the short and sweet ceremony!

I did have one little surprise for Ian.  As you saw, Ian and his two best men were in kilts for the ceremony.  I'd hired a bagpiper to play at the entrance of the venue so it sort of set the mood as people walked up.  (Ian knew this part.)  We both knew we'd be busy getting ready while the bagpiper was playing, so it was no shocker to either of us that we'd miss that part of the day.  Well, Ian's late father was very proud of their Scottish heritage, and so as a special surprise to Ian, I asked our minister to put in a moment of silence into the start of the ceremony to remember those that were no longer with us.  On cue from my wedding planner, when our heads dropped and eyes closed, the bagpiper -- who was hidden all the way down the hallway -- started playing "Amazing Grace" on the pipes.  It sounded distant and dreamy.  It was a great moment.

Anyway!  Back to the ceremony.  Enjoy!

The view from the back of the room.  The decor was simple and understated with live topiary trees at the front. 

The chairs on either side of the aisle had rosemary from our lakehouse's garden tied to them with grey grosgrain ribbon.

I'd hired a harpist to play for the ceremony music. I walked down to "Trumpet Voluntary" and my bridesmaids walked down to "Canon in D."  Classic, tried and true.

We repurposed some of the arrangements from the prior night's rehearsal dinner to decorate the window sills for the ceremony.

Ian escorts his mother down the aisle
Right before they walked down the aisle, our photographer snapped this great picture of our mothers.

Almost time!




















Exchange of rings

Sealed with a kiss!

It felt wonderful to be pronounced man and wife!  Tomorrow's Wedding Week post will all be centered around the reception decor, including some things that were DIY projects.  Thanks for joining along!

21 comments:

  1. Absolutely gorgeous wedding!! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. You look gorgeous. Love that you surprised your husband with the bagpipes. I would love to do something special for my fiance. I need to brainstorm. I think we will have a 10ish minute ceremony too. xo

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  3. Your dress was gorgeous! Love the bagpipes. We had originally talked about doing that too, such a great detail.

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  4. I am hoping for a 12 minute max ceremony too. I loved the BM's dresses!!!! And what a sweet surprise for Ian!!!

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  5. The pictures are beautiful and the decor was divine - simple, classic, perfect. Even so, my favorite shot is of your mothers! What a beautiful keepsake of their families coming together. (And won't your future children love it? I know I would!)

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  6. Wow, what a perfect moment you created for Ian at the beginning. I bet that was really touching for everyone there, most importantly for yall!

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  7. Just got the chills, April! Keep these posts comin'!

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  8. LOVE this! Your wedding dress, and every details seems perfect!

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  9. Such a beautiful ceremony April! I love that you used rosemary from your family lake house on the aisle. I love classic ceremony decor like you had so everyone focuses on the couple and the vows :) xo

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  10. This is so great! I love seeing what other's did for their special day. Can't wait to read more. :)

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  11. GORGEOUS!!! I am loving your wedding coverage... keep it coming :)

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  12. Gorgeous! My husband, his best man and my dad wore kilts too. Too much fun!

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  13. What a beautiful, intimate Ceremony! I loved the rosemary on the chairs!

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  14. I love all the surprises you planned for Ian!

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  15. I absolutely have tears in my eyes after reading this!

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