Thank you all again for allowing me to indulge in a look back at our wedding. We've had a lot of great feadback. Keep the questions coming!
These are questions that I ask my couples after their wedding day has passed (after the dust has settled). I figured it would be fun to end our wedding story with Peter & me answering the same questions. I didn't look at Peter's answers before I wrote mine, but we think a bit similarly it seems.
Peter
1) What is the stand out moment from your day?
For me, it's a tie between two moments:
1. Taking the first few steps down the aisle holding Lara's hand. I remember thinking, 'This is really happening right now. This is our wedding ceremony.' It felt good to see all of our people there in front of us, and to be walking towards them together.
2. Towards the end of the night we took a walk down to the water. We looked back at our reception happening - the building lit up, music playing inside, with our friends and family all dancing, talking, or milling about - and had a chance to think about the fact that we just got married, and that all these people from our lives were here to celebrate that with us.
2) How was your wedding day different than you expected it to be?
I didn't try to imagine or visualize the day beforehand. So in that way it was nothing like I expected it to be, I guess. But it didn't differ from what I would have wanted.
3) Any words of advice for engaged couples embarking on the planning process?
Don't let the wedding planning become more important than the marriage planning. Remember that the point of having a wedding is to get married to each other, and try to remind yourselves of that that when you're stressing out about details that are truly besides the point. That being said, be as fancy, or crafty, or simple as you want - but be sure to make your wedding yours.
Lara
1) What is the stand out moment from your day?
There are quite a few moments from our day that I've thought about over the last many months. However, the moment that I've gone back to a few times when I want to feel the feeling of our wedding day happened towards the end of the night. Peter & I went outside to look back on the building filled with so many of our family & friends - to take everything in. (I specifically requested that we do this weeks before.) We went outside and decided to sit in the arbor our friend had made for us. Someone grabbed our photographer and asked him to take a photo of us, which I'm so grateful we have now. As he was photographing us a song came on that means a quite a lot to us. We decided to sit on the bench and sing. We belted out the song and I felt completely content in that moment. One of the most favorite moments of my life thus far.
2) How was your wedding day different than you expected it to be?
I've asked this question of a few couples now. Answering it myself, I realize I never really thought about my day before we were engaged. However, while planning I hoped our day would feel like us. I imagined what it would be like to have so many of our family and friends there to support us. I was looking forward to one entire day to focus on the relationship Peter & I have worked so hard on - and to celebrate the future together. I have to say…it was everything I hoped for and so much more.
3) Any words of advice for engaged couples embarking on the planning process?
Your wedding should be a day that reflects who you are as a couple - whatever that means to you. You get one shot at it, so make it everything you want it to be. That may mean creating a day that's incredibly low-key and intimate, or maybe it means something far from an average day filled with details. Whichever you choose - make sure it feels like you. As long as the day is genuine to you - everything will fall into place to make your wedding day everything you want it to be.