Such a Perfect Day, Part 5

There’s little I can say to adequately summarize how much fun we had at our reception, but, nevertheless, I’ll try :) Most people say that your reception flies by, and you won't remember anything; but, since we accomplished the feat of actually having a small wedding, and planned everything ourselves, I think Matt and I managed to enjoy every little nuance of the evening. We started off with a cocktail hour and some intense mingling to replace the receiving line. We drank sparkling chardonnay out of beautiful Lenox flutes on loan from our friend Janey. We sampled all of the yummy hot hors d’oeuvres, and tried to say hello to everyone in attendance.

Mom Keefer, Me & Mom Cooper

Matt's sister Teresa, and Marcia and Tom

One of my favorite things about the reception is the centerpieces that I masterminded and completed with some help from friends. Each table had a different fishbowl-like hurricane glass. Inside, there was a tall pillar candle, held up with sand that had all different levels, just like the sand dunes. The sand was sprinkled with sparkling glass beads, tiny shells, and multicolored rocks. Around the centerpiece were scattered smaller votives. Instead of table numbers, we did table names. Each table was named after the favorite places that Matt and I have traveled. Erin, our table name scrapbooking and bride makeup doing redhead extraordinaire, made beautiful table cards, using the names we gave her and photos of ours. The tables were: Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah; Coachella Festival, Indio, California; Cottonwood and Flagstaff, Arizona; Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona; Festival en el Barrio Viejo, Tucson, Arizona; Julia Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California; Luna Lake Campground, Alpine, Arizona; Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California; San Francisco, California; and, Verde Valley, Jerome, Arizona. The head table represented where Matt and I first met: Kohl Hall, BGSU, Bowling Green, Ohio. The chairs had plain ivory chair covers and blue sashes. For not a lot of money, the tables looked awesome!

Classic Freimark

College friends: Anjali, Caleb & Pinkelman

When the cocktail hour was over, we were introduced to the tune of Willie Nelson’s “Good Hearted Woman.” After Matt and I entered—for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Cooper—we went straight into our first dance. I have to say, the dance was a tiny bit of a letdown, only because we felt like it was a total failure. Matt and I took a few hundred dollars worth of dancing lessons before the wedding. We had our first dance down pat, and were so excited to actually look like we knew what we were doing; however, we had obviously never practiced the dance with me in my wedding dress. The moment Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell started singing “You’re All I Need To Get By,” I was barely on my feet, tripping on my train at every movement. Although I had a loop sewn into the dress, to help carry the tiny train, the train wasn’t substantial enough to bustle, and the loop wasn’t long enough for me to hold while dancing. Oh well, right? We managed to still lovingly gaze into each other’s eyes, and get through the dance without me doing a faceplant.

The Lydeckers and Pete

Dad, Alan, Mom, Uncle Bill, Jan, Kathy

Right after our first dance, I danced with my father to Cat Stevens’ “Wild World.” My Dad can cut a pretty decent rug, so no issues there. Matt danced with his Mom to Neil Young’s “My Boy.” And the DJ messed up our in-law song, but we got through it. One of the funny/odd moments of the reception came just as salads were being served. I think the DJ thought, like most other weddings, that there would be at least a few children present. Not the case at our wedding, but, all of a sudden, I realized he was playing a grandiose version of the Disney song “Be Our Guest.” Fail. We had a lovely dinner anyhow, with huge portions of everything.

Mom & Dad XOXO

Uncle Mark, Lesley (photographer/bachelorette party organizer/commissioner of fun), Reverend Topher

After everyone was eating, we started the toasts. Joe gave the official toast, which couldn’t have been more perfect or poignant or beautiful or heartfelt or warm. I still hesitate to call Joe Matt’s best man—I feel like he was our best man after the toast. The tears kept coming, as my father, my Uncle Bill, and others toasted us. And, just so it wasn’t too much of a “moment,” Dennis and Uncle Pete did a rousing rendition of a funny love song on guitar and with wavering, drunken falsetto and bass. It was hilarious! After dinner, the bridal party danced to Outkast’s “Hey Ya!” And so began the dancing portion of the evening.

Rah-Rah & Chris

Eamonn and my second mom, Sharon

I don’t think I’ve ever danced so much in my life, and not cared for a second what I probably looked like. We danced to The Temptations and Madonna and Springsteen; I danced with Hank (my new grandpa) to “Bad to the Bone”; and, we generally didn’t sit down for the next hour. Another favorite moment of mine was slow dancing to Radiohead’s “House of Cards.” A lot of people actually joined us for this song—a song that holds tremendous meaning in our relationship. I think Alan said it best: “Wow, this is cool. When do you ever get to slow dance to Radiohead?” It was a wonderful moment with each other and with our guests.

Gettin' down

At the head table

When it came time for the cake cutting, we had to stall a bit because Tom and Marcia were missing. This led to some funny photos and we got to enjoy listening to all of Thievery Corporation’s “Sweet Tides.” We did the garter and bouquet toss together, to the tune of Al Green’s “L-O-V-E.” The garter was the same garter that my grandmother, mother, aunt, and other important woman wore on their wedding days, so it was a special thing to add into the mix. We also attempted a money dance, starting with embarrassing Sharon and Eamonn by starting with Monty Python’s “The Money Song.” We followed, of course, with Pink Floyd’s “Money,” and trickled off into dancing in a huge group to James Brown’s “The Big Payback.”

Matt, Caleb (the bride-to-be), Jack, Me

We ended the reception by taking some time to thank everyone who helped us make such a beautiful week and night possible. Then, everyone joined us on the dance floor for the best last dance we could have ever picked: the Talking Heads’ “This Must Be The Place.” [P.S. Brian, this one went out to you too. P.P.S. The video of this is quite possibly one of my favorite. things. ever.] As the reception concluded, and people trickled out, our core group of the wedding party and a few friends stuck around for one last drink. I walked back into the main room to gather my stuff, only to hear Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash’s version of “Girl From The North Country,” and Caleb waiting to dance with me. I got a warm, gooey feeling in my heart, and danced the second last dance with Caleb.

Eamonn & Gretchen

Emily & Topher

Even though the reception was over, the fun was only beginning…

Such a Perfect Day, Part 4

When the music started, my first thought was, “Oh no, we didn’t practice getting out of the door.” For those of you who know my Dad, he’s rather large. I sort of panicked at the thought of both of us fitting through one side of a sliding door. But, somehow, we managed :) 

Father and the Bride

As I stepped outside into the sunlight, I was blown away by the faces looking back at me. Dad and I did our little walk to the end of the deck, and executed the perfect, memorable moment that Lesley had requested. I didn’t fall down the stairs or trip on the aisle runner. I took in the flowers, the beautiful day, and the 55 friends and family who were with us. And, as I entered the canopy, I saw the love of my life waiting for me.

The walk with Dad

Actually arriving on time, at the end of the song

The end of the perfect song on the perfect day delivered me to him. Someone said to me later, “It almost looked like you were pulling your dad down the aisle.” I kissed my father, hugged and kissed my mother, and my father, after shaking Matt’s hand, gave my hand to Matt. A lot of people told me that the ceremony would be a blur, but I allowed myself to really be in the moment—to listen to the words we had worked so long to craft; to hear the little nuances of change and whole sections of new writing from Topher; to look at Matt, our guests, our wedding party; to feel our hands locked the whole time; to look into Matt’s eyes.

The ceremony

I think even if I put the entire ceremony here for you to read, it would never convey what transpired during the meager 10-15 minute ceremony. Most people told us that they really felt what we felt, that the ceremony was different from anything they’d ever heard, that they could clearly see how much Matt and I love each other. Matt and I each shed tears during our vows, but there were no shaky hands or swollen knuckles during the ring exchange. After the many drafts of the ceremony, and each of us working so hard to articulate our vows, it was wonderful for it to end up being exactly what we wanted it to be.

Enjoying Topher's additions to the ceremony we wrote

The ring exchange

Our first kiss as man and wife

 After Topher told us to kiss, I realized that our recessional music wasn’t playing. We were supposed to walk back to Led Zeppelin’s “Thank You,” but, instead, we were presented with a surprise ending to our fairytale ceremony. A Scottish bagpiper, wearing the Stewart tartan no less, piped us down the aisle to “Scotland the Brave,” which, if you’ve read the earlier blog about the rehearsal dinner, was pretty ironic. Through teary eyes, Matt and I made our way back to the camp. As we took a moment to ourselves inside, my Dad shot off his black powder canon.

Scotland the Brave

Our solemn reverend

When we came back outside, we were presented with a second surprise: our golfcart, outfitted with a “Just Married” sign, and a string of Molson/Diet Coke cans. The piper struck up a song again, and piped our wedding procession up the road and around the corner to the reception site, where we started the best party we’ve ever thrown…

Big post-ceremony smiles

Just Married

Such a Perfect Day, Part 3

The next morning, I awoke to the sound of Chris’ voice gently rousing me. On my first look out of the window, I caught my future husband in his Buckeyes pajamas, sneaking behind the garage to take a leak—something all men enjoy doing at the camp. After a cup of coffee, I excused myself from the morning hustle and bustle, and took a glorious lavender- and cedarwood-scented bath, which was exactly what I needed. From that point on, the day progressed like a dream.

Our wedding bands

Our wedding feet

The local salon I hired showed up with donuts and mimosas. The bridal party, mothers, and Irene were treated to a day of hair, nails and makeup for everyone. A friend of mine did my makeup, settling on a flowerchild mixture of greens and purples to match my red hair, pale complexion, and hazel green eyes. 

Erin, scrapbook and makeup artist extraordinaire; and, Michelle, owner of A Cut Above in Pulaski

My "something blue" nail polish and freshly touched up Steelers tattoo

The hairdresser said she’d never seen a bride so calm. I think it was a combination of the mimosas and four months of exhaustion catching up with me—that, and the fact that nothing about marrying Matt scared me.

The bride, all put together

It wasn't just me who had to get ready - our Dads and friends and Alans were putting out chairs, measuring the aisle runner, trying to finish the last minute lists, and squeezing in showers at the last minute.

Matt and Joe are ready, but Topher, in the background, is definitely not ready for the ceremony...

My two Dads

Matt and Wyllie

After a few laughs getting me dressed and pulling together my accessories and shoes, I deposited myself into the freshly detailed golf cart, and Chris drove me down Chipman Lane to a neighbor’s Narnia-like garden. Matt was faced away from me, and Lesley, my cousin/photographer extraordinaire, instructed him to wait for my hand on his shoulder. With months of emotion stored up, I walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. When Matt turned around, I think we fell in love all over again.

Our "escart"

It was like our first kiss...

The next few hours were filled with “first look” photos in the garden, a trip to the beach for some wacky wedding party photos, and a family circus group of shots back at the house. I will always remember learning the uncomfortable but necessary: “weight on your back foot; lean forward with your chest; face forward; chin down.” I must say, Lesley is a real pro at her craft. She knows exactly what to do to capture moments without making them overly fabricated or totally unreal.

The "first look" in Hilde's garden

Wedding peeps at the Henneberger family beach

After the last of the photos, we cleared everyone out of the house for a few moments of calm before the ceremony. Unfortunately, after we all took a deep breath, our calm was destroyed by a stereo malfunction. After five minutes of tearing apart our pile o' wedding supplies for the spare music CD, and then programming an iPod, we eventually found a solution, but it definitely shook up the pre-ceremony environment.

Once the music situation was solved, it was time to get started. Our wedding party paired up; my aunt Dana stood ready at the door; and, Dad and I waited at the rear of the line. I heard the first strains of our processional song—“In My Life” by the Beatles—and then the ceremony began…

Such a Perfect Day, Part 2

We woke up Friday to cloudy skies—one of only two dreary days during our two week stay at Sandy Pond. (What’s even funnier is that it was beautiful up to the day we left then it has rained and been humid since.)

Even worse, we woke up to the lingering and loud presence of the last contractor finishing work on the well head. Matt and I exited stage left for a nice breakfast away from the chaos, followed by a haircut and a glass of wine. Our wedding party took the reins at home, finishing up some last minute tasks and clearing the air for the exhausted wedding couple. We all pretty much putzed around all day, watching the rain come down in sheets, soaking the new grass that needed water but also creating stress about the state of the yard for the wedding day.

Matt & Marcia

When we realized the rain wasn’t going to let up for rehearsal, we created a makeshift area inside. We measured out 76 feet (the walk from the door to the end of the aisle), and snaked our way through the hallway, bedroom, sunroom, and great room. We practiced our timing, figured out little details, and salvaged a rehearsal that could have been quite soggy or nonexistent.

Dad & Me

The best wedding party ever: Chris, Sarah, Joe & Teresa

Of course, after we finished the inside rehearsal for an outside wedding, the skies cleared just in time for the rehearsal dinner. We all packed into a convoy of cars and headed to my aunt Dana’s house in Henderson. 35 of the 55 wedding guests were family, so it was a nice, big gathering of the Keefer and Cooper clans. We drank good wine, had a great meal, and enjoyed the sunset over Lake Ontario.

Topher & Matt

At a certain point, Matt’s aunt Sue gave me a little envelope. Inside, was an antique tartan pin, featuring thistle made of amethyst. The pin was not only a physical gesture of welcome to the Cooper family, but it started an interesting conversation. The inside of Sue’s card read, “From a Duncan to a Stewart.” The funny thing is that Matt never knew he is Scottish; he always said he was British with a little German. We joked that after the wedding, I would be a Duncan-Stewart-McMaster-McMillen :) The idea of Scotland would reappear on the wedding day.

Us at Dana's

After dessert, Matt and I took a moment to hand out some cards and gifts, and to say a few thank yous to our wedding party and families. Normally, this would be enough for the typical rehearsal dinner, but not for the Keefers! We headed outside for 30 minutes of professional, finale cake fireworks provided by the master blaster himself, my father. It ended up being a wonderful evening after all.

Our love is like fireworks...

After we got back home, Matt and I stayed up for a little while longer, and then he moved over to the rental house for the night. Knowing that we would do our photographs before the ceremony, I wanted to spend the night apart to create some kind of excitement and expectation. There’s not a lot of “traditional” in how we chose to celebrate our wedding, but I wanted to honor at least a few of the traditions and superstitions. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow; Matt was a little thrown off by sleeping apart. But, we both got some good sleep on the night before our wedding.

Such a Perfect Day, Part 1

I’m going to take the sentiment of my last post to heart, and not attempt to convey the high level of stress leading up to the weekend and big day—suffice to say, tension was in the air, nerves were worn thin, and everyone needed a good nap. So, I’ll just focus on the fun highlights of the week…

Wednesday morning, Matt, Dana and I finished the last huge wedding task, which was to purchase the plants that would be used to create our outdoor aisle, and that would be foundation plants for the new flowerbeds. We ended up with salvia, hibiscus, delphinium, and hydrangea. After a nice lunch, we headed back to the house to begin greeting our first guests. By dinner time, our entire wedding party was in the house.

The wedding canopy

Our wedding party included: on my side, Sarah, my “like a sister,” and Chris, my best friend from college; and, on Matt’s side, his sister Teresa, and his (our) best friend from college, Joe. Combined, these four contributed to the perfect week and a perfect wedding.

Later on in the evening, the party arrived…

…and by party, I mean Lesley, my cousin/photographer extraordinaire.

She brought with her not only a bundle of energy, but all the supplies needed for an impromptu bachelorette party. So, the girls, my mom and I headed out to Taco Bob’s, an extremely local bar. Taco’s closes at 10pm; however, Tammy, the wonder waitress, stayed open for us. We drank awful drinks and even more awful shots, goofed around with local patrons and crammed in some much needed fun, girl time.

My sister-in-law Teresa, me, and my like-a-sister Sarah

Thursday was a day of rest and beach time that ended with Matt’s grandparents arriving, and a big spaghetti dinner. After dinner, Sarah and I headed to my last meeting with the reception coordinator. We went over details, and I officially let go of the last few tasks that needed to be accomplished for the reception. It felt really great to let someone else take charge.

Lesley and her new adopted grandparents, Irene & Hank

After the meeting, our wedding party, Lesley, my mom, and Hank and Irene (Matt’s grandparents – our only set), all piled into cars and headed out for an evening of go-cart racing and ice cream. 

Go carting!

We were the only ones there, and ended up having a good 15 minute race on each track. It was a blast! You how there's always one person who breaks the "No Bumping" rule? Well, in this case, it was my own mother!

Yes, that's my mom pumping her fist in a mid-"Waaahooo!"

Between eating bugs, bumping bumpers, and stretching our faces from gleeful, childlike grins, we decided go-cart racing just might be an anniversary tradition. We even convinced the ice cream store to stay open a little later for us, a theme that would extend into the weekend.