{The Ceremony}
When I was growing up I would sit in mass with my family and imagine myself on my wedding day. I knew I was supposed to be "talking to Jesus", but as I knelt I couldn't help but dream about the day I would have my dad escort me down that long peach carpeted aisle, my long white train dragging behind, toward my Prince Charming who would be smiling back at me on the end...
One of our first decisions when Jim and I got engaged was where our wedding ceremony was going to be held. From my little memory above, you might think it was an obvious choice. Both Jim and I are Catholic, so at least religion isn't the difficult dilemma it can be for some couples. I had always told Jim that I wanted a church wedding and, if at all possible, at my church.
Us having met and gradated from St. Francis, we dabbled a bit with holding our ceremony there. Being a Catholic university, they have an absolutely stunning chapel that graduates are welcome to be married in.
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| The historic Saint Joseph's Chapel in the Motherhouse at St. Francis |
A couple that we met at St. Francis, Katrina Crone and Ryan Wolcott, are having both their wedding ceremony and reception at the university next June. I don't wanna say they beat us too it, but we decided around February that, although it holds a dear place in our hearts, St. Francis wasn't the place. I am, however, looking forward to Katrina and Ryan's wedding :)
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| Katrina and Ryan...awwww |
So from there Jim and I thought about it, and we decided that my church, Saint Mary's in Mokena really would be the place :) I was absolutely thrilled! My family has been attending the church my entire life, and my dad's family has attended back into the 50's. My sister and I received all of my sacraments in this church, and it truly does hold a sentimental place in my heart :)
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| My Church :) Image taken from Life On Prints Photography |
Father James Dvorscak will be marrying us. I love the way he speaks - very softly like he's always singing a lullaby. When Jim and I went to discuss our intentions with him, he sat Jim down and said "now, when she starts acting crazy with this wedding stuff - just shut up...she's always right".... :) He also took us back to the place I was baptized, which is now an office. The church you see about was opened a few months after my baptism in 1987. Like I said, I love this church :)
{The Date}
Deciding on a date was a decision we made around the same time we chose my church as the ceremony site. At first we were absolutely set on the last weekend of September 2012. It was the weekend that we had first attended our college homecoming together - not yet as a couple, but our relationship began soon after. However, another couple we met at St. Francis, Lacey Petrella and Chris "Shades" Zitko, had already claimed the end of September for their own wedding.
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| Lacey and Chris...awww |
So, instead of clashing with our friends, Jim and I decided to re-evaluate our date. First, we did it the practical way - since Jim and I are being modern about this and are covering the majority of the wedding/reception/honeymoon costs on our own, we made a budget of how much we could save each month and wrote out the month to month difference from May -November 2012.
August just felt right :) And we had first met in August, so we stuck to it. As far as the day, we wanted a Saturday - more expensive than Friday, but we decided we just wanted the convenience for our family and friends. Jim was actually the one who chose our date...the 22nd had always been our day of the month - we started dating on the 22nd of October, we got engaged on the 22nd January and celebrated countless "monthaversaries" on the 22nd of every month - but, he said, this was our wedding...2 becoming 1. And that's why he said the 11th was perfect :) Because it's half of 22..clever, right? So our wedding day is Saturday August 11th, 2012.
{No's}
As far as the actual ceremony, we both decided that we're going to keep it very traditional. We won't have a unity candle or be mixing sand. Father Dvorscak actually explained that the origin of the unity candle is from the Wicca religion. If the candle doesn't light, it's supposed to foreshadow an unfaithful spouse who will have their life force (and he paused for dramatic effect)...snuffed out.
We are NOT having our wedding recorded...neither of us can really see each other sitting down to watch it...and it's expensive. I'm not trying to sound cheap, but we'd literally be paying $1,000+ for a movie we might watch twice. I wouldn't pay that much for ANY movie. We'll have the photo's, my dress, and...each other, haha, and that's good enough for me to remember I'm married to Jim! :)
{Yes's}
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| Our friends, Megan and David Murray (who we ALSO met at St. Francis) exchanging vows last July. I'm so excited that they will be walking down the aisle as bridesmaid and groomsman at our wedding :) |
We're having ceremony programs...I don't know how exactly I want them to look, but that's why I have graphic designers to consult :)
And, of course...
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| Adorable ring bearer #1 : My little cousin Joey :) |
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| Adorable ring bearer #2 : My little cousin Alex :) |
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| Kylie, the daughter of Jim's childhood friend, Lauren, will be our beautiful flower girl :) |
Don't you just want to squeeze them all?! Too adorable :)
