Chris & Rach's wedding details and photos

Rach · 07-26-2005, 05:20 PM

Copy/paste from our journal...and please forgive the horrible grammar, i am getting over being sick and my brain isn't working at full capacity.

So, i guess i should do a recap of the wedding for those who have been very patiently waiting...*cough*andrew*cough*

I guess i will start out with my bachlorette party that was wednesday night. It was a surprise, all i knew was what time they were picking me up. So, Sarah my maid of honor, Christina my bridesmaid and Amber my good friend (who was unable to come to the wedding) picked me up, and had made a veil thing for me to wear as well as a red lei. We went to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner, which is this really fun and crazy seafood place where they have loud music playing, the waiters and waitresses dance and just an all around fun place. There was where they gave me my gift, which was called "Sex in a bucket" which was a bucket filled with fun sex stuff. After that, we went to Christina's place and hung out for a while, letting our stomach's settle, then we went to Claim Jumper and had dessert. YUM! I got their famous Mud Pie and it was absolutely divine! Then back to Christina's where we changed into comfy clothes (that they had told me to bring) and we played games and talked. It was so much fun...my friends are so awesome.

Next was the "Meeting of the Parents" which was Thursday nite. I was getting my hair cut and highlighted so i got there a little after Chris' parents got my my parents house, so i wasn't there for the initial meeting. I am assuming it went pretty good because they hadn't killed each other or physicall harmed each other by the time i got there about 20 minutes later. Anyways, when i got there they were sitting around talking and we continued to do that for a while. My dad showed off his 64 Fairlane to Chris' dad, who wasn't too impressed (being that he isn't a car guy whatsoever. But it was cool. Then we ordered pizza and ate outside where we continued to chat. It seemed as though Chris' parents felt pretty comfortable and the conversation flowed easily. After dinner we played cards, which really got everyone comfortable, since our families play several of the exact same games. After that it was pretty late, and they had just gotten into town that day so they headed home. Afterwards my parents said they really liked his family and found it very cool that our families are so much alike. *Whew* so the meeting was a hit and they got along great.

That next day (Friday) i hung out with my girls, got manicures and pedicures and got checked into the hotel suite. Also picked up the rental car that my parents got for Chris and I to use after the wedding for our honeymoon.

That night was the rehearsal. We had our rehearsal at the hotel and after a couple small blips, it proceeded. I was totally stressing, making sure everyone knew where they were supposed to be, where they were supposed to go and when they were supposed to go. We went through it a couple times, and i was feeling better by the end of it. I was getting a bit frustrated at my dad because he was seemingly joking around too much and not taking it too seriously. But i realized that it was just his way of dealing with the fact that he was giving away his only daughter the next day, so i tried to go easy on him. After that all of Chris' family and all of the out of town guests came over to my parents house for a hawaiian themed dinner. That was when Chris' entire family(grandparents, aunts, cousins) met my family and that went extremely well. We all just pretty much hung out and talked, ate and just got to know each other. It was a blast. After that, me and my girls (Sarah [maid of honor] and Christina [bridesmaild]) went back to the suite and Chris, Samm (Chris' bestman) and Art all came up and we hung out, the girls got to know Samm, and visa versa and learned a line dance to the "Men in Black" song for our bridal party dance(minus Chris' dad who was the groomsman because he was already in bed). Haha...it was CRAZY fun. It was a great way to loosen up and a great fun way to spend the night before the wedding. At about 12 or 12:30 Samm, Chris and Art left to do their own "Bachlor" thing and us girls got ready and got in bed.

The Big Day

I had vowed to myself that i would not stress or worry or anything this day, but just enjoy it and let it all sink in, taking the time to remember all of it because i knew it would go by so fast. That morning we woke up about 10am when the phone in the room rang. It was Samm asking if Christina was ready for the jog/walk they had decided the night before to go on. After Christina left, Sarah and I ordered room service and sat in bed eating it and watching TV. Chrisitna got back, picked on our left overs a bit (she didn't want to order anything) and then we sat around and waited for Michelle to get there to start on our hair and make-up. Michelle, who is a good friend whom i have literally known all my life is a hair stylest and make-up artist, so she was able to come to the hotel and do our hair and make up there. It was *SO* nice to not have to go anywhere that day, be able to get ready there in the room. So she got there at around 11:30 and started on Christina, then Sarah and did me last. Brandon (Cadence) came up around the same time and was taking pictures of us getting ready, and took pictures of my dress (see picture above) and stuff. About 4:00 my parents and brothers got there and got ready in the suite and i got my dress on with the help of Sarah and Christina, and got my pearl jewelry on as well. Then, it was time....

Sarah, Christina and I walked down to the ceremony site and while we were walking there there was a little girl walking through the hotel with her mom and when she saw me she said "Look mom, a princess!" I nearly started crying at that moment but i held off knowing they would come later. Then we went into the bathroom right off from the ceremony site so Chris wouldn't see me and we got our bouquets and the girls scooted off to meet up with the guys to be escorted down the asile. Then, the doors closed and i walked out to meet my dad so he could escort me down the asile. We waited while the song "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlise started and got to the point where he sings about giving his daugther away. The doors opened and there was Chris, standing up at the front and i started walking towards him. Oh man, with the very emotional song playing, my dad crying, and just the whole emotion of it all...my parents giving me away and becoming Chris' wife just sent me to tears.

It was a positively beautiful ceremony. Pastor Kevin, one of the pastors at my parents church did such a beautiful job. And the music, wow...it was perfect. My good friend Natalie and her husband did the music, he alternated between an electric piano and guitar and she alternated between the violin and singing. They did such a wonderful job, it was better than i could have imagined. We did the unity candle, had communion, exchanged rings...all of the traditional stuff. Then, we were pronounced husband and wife....and then, the kiss...

. The whole ceremony was positively beautiful....wow, i cannot even begine to describe it. It was perfect, exactly how i had dreamed it would be. Wonderful.

Then, we partied down at the reception. We did the family pictures and all that, then we went to the reception and had a blast. It was a nice reception, with a sit down dinner and all that. Very elegant and nice. We had a DJ and after dinner had the traditional bride and groom first dance, and then the father bride dance. Then, it was time to let loose and have some fun. They kicked up the music and alot of people got out on the dance floor and had a blast. Chris and I scooted away for a bit so Brandon could take some pictures of just us around the hotel, then we came back and joined in. We did the bouquet toss, where Sarah my maid of honor caught the bouqet and the garter toss where Samm, Chris' best man caught the garter (while knocking over about 5 people). Later we cut the cake and did all that fun stuff, then did the bridal party dance. HAHA....it was NUTS. Here i am out there in this 50 lb dress, trying to do this "not so simple" line dance...it was crazy. But it was *SO MUCH FUN* and everyone loved it. We had a blast. Then we just danced some more...walked around and tried to talk to all the guests, thank them for coming and visit a little bit with those i hadn't seen in a while. Then the the party started to wind down....

That night Chris and I had the same suite that the girls and i had the night before but this nite was free since we had the wedding there. So, once the party had winded down, my mom and i went up to the suite so she could help me out of my dress and Chris went to his parents room so he could get out of his tux. When my mom and i walked into the suite we found that Sarah and Christina had snuck out of the reception and with the help of their boyfriends had decorated our room with rose petels and had made a huge sign and put it over the bed saying "Congratulations Mr & Mrs Coffee!!", they had put candles around the bedroom part and made chocolate covered strawberries. It was beautiful. So, my mom helped me out of my dress, hugged me and i thanked her for all that her and my dad had done and then she snuck out and i waited for Chris to come up....and the rest, is well....only to be shared between husband and wife.

For our honeymoon, we stayed at that hotel for 3 nights, then went down to Dana Pointe (which halfway between LA and San Diego) and a really REALLY nice bed & breakfast for another two nights. That monday after the wedding which was the 4th of July, we went over to my parents, along with all of Chris' family and we had a BBQ, opened our wedding gifts, and then watched the fireworks from the front lawn. The street my parents live on is always blocked off for the 4th for a huge block party, where they do all kinds of picnic stuff up and down the street all day then at night people light off fireworks in front of their houses in the street. This year we watched that as well as a *TON* of fireworks in the sky, which are illegal in the city. It was really cool because alot of Chris' family had never seen anything like it before, so they had a really fun time, especially his sisters and cousins who were playing with sparklers and stuff.

Anyways, then that Thursday we came back to my parents and helped Chris' dad and grandpa load up a uhaul trailer and the truck they drove down with all my stuff that i had still at my parents for our apartment. Amazingly all of it fit...which was quite a feat. My mom had to work that day, so Chris and I went and met her for lunch, and said my very tearful goodbye to her and then went back to my house where we loaded up our luggage and my dad took us to the airport to fly on home.

So, that is about it. I am sure there are tons of stuff that i left out or forgot to include. I have been working on this entry for about an hour and a half, so who knows what i forgot. Anyways....i have some pictures to post that we got from his parents this weekend. I am going to try and get those posted later day...we'll see.

Rach · 07-26-2005, 05:34 PM

1) My mom on the left and Chris' mom on the right lighting the unity candle
2) Christina(my bridesmaid) on the left and Sarah(my maid of honor) on the right
3) Chris on the right, Samm (best man) in the middle, Burl (Chris' dad and groomsman) on the right
4) Me and my dad as he is giving me away...you can tell that both of us are crying
5) Chris and I

nix · 07-26-2005, 05:37 PM

Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! PHOTOS!!!

Great day it sounds like

Rach · 07-26-2005, 05:40 PM

1) Chris and I reciting our vows
2) Chris and I's first kiss as Husband and Wife

3) Pronouncement of Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Coffee
4) Me and my dad, after the ceremony
5) Me and my family

Rach · 07-26-2005, 05:45 PM

1) Me and Chris' parents
2) Chris and his parents
3) Chris and his sisters
4) Chris and his family
5) Me and my brothers

Rach · 07-26-2005, 05:51 PM

These ones are rather blurry..sorry about that, all these pics so far are from his parents...

1) Our wedding cake
2) The bridal party seated up front
3) Chris and I's first dance
4) Chris and I dancing some more
5) The garter toss

Rach · 07-26-2005, 05:52 PM

That is all of the pictures i have for right now...i have another picture CD that we got from a friend that Chris has in his car (he is at work now) so i will post some of those later. Not to mention the professional pics.

**+Donny** · 07-26-2005, 05:56 PM

Quote:

5) The garter toss

He ran over children!

nix · 07-26-2005, 05:56 PM

Can't wait!!!

***Art*** · 07-26-2005, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by +Donny

He ran over children!

He was violent! I've not seen anything like that before. The women are usually the more violent ones. Brandon got a REALLY good series of pictures for that one.

the flamingo · 07-26-2005, 07:42 PM

awwwwwwww.

outdoors. beautiful.

congratulations mr & mrs meeeeatfinger :P

**meatfinger** · 07-26-2005, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Art

He was violent! I've not seen anything like that before. The women are usually the more violent ones. Brandon got a REALLY good series of pictures for that one.

I've known Samm for a long time. He has no qualms beating down women and children for his own personal gain. Especially when he thinks it's going to get him some play. And this was extra special, being that his "play" would have been a ~~hott~~ maid of honor.

swim2112 · 07-26-2005, 08:21 PM

All I have to say is... Oh my GOSH... how beautiful is EVERYTHING.

Also... you sooooo had the colors that I want for my bridesmaid's dresses

***Art*** · 07-26-2005, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meatfinger

I've known Samm for a long time. He has no qualms beating down women and children for his own personal gain. Especially when he thinks it's going to get him some play. And this was extra special, being that his "play" would have been a ~~hott~~ maid of honor.

I've known him for a short time, and I could already tell that he was that kind of person.

tropicana · 07-26-2005, 10:55 PM

Beautiful wedding.

Congratulations, ~~Mr. and Mrs. Rach~~ Rach and Chris.