Wedding

So there it was, the most memborable, important, and wonderful moment of my life so far. That moment I've been waiting for, dreaming about and imagining for as long as I can remember. Now, I must say I'm not one of those girls who had every detail planned and drawn out since she was 10, more like someone who is so clueless and easy going that I didn't even have the slightest idea of what I wanted, I just knew that I wanted to be married to Ben. I knew I wanted a white dress and an outdoor wedding and that I was going to enjoy my wedding food and cake. For being completely unaware as to the proper wedding etiquette and being totally carefree and open to whatever my mom, aunts, mother-in-law, dad, and any other random person or friend I would come in contact with suggested, it turned out to be perfect. The whole wedding was awesomely fun and it was exactly how I had "envisioned" it. We had a taco cart there along with tons of fruit, salsa, guacamole, chips, and brie cheese as well as rice, beans, cake, and Coldstone ice cream cake! (yes, I was in heaven!!! and even more so with my new husband!)

It wasn't without it's mistakes but I was still very happy.

• The photographer showed up late, but my Aunt Karla had decided to show up early to snap some fun photos of everyone getting all ready.
  
• Right before I walked down the aisle with my dad, I had heard that Ben was inside waiting for me. I was freaking out! How can I walk down the aisle and see the love in Ben's eyes if he was at the top of the basement stairs waiting for me? I walked out anyway... whatever happens happens right? and there he was staring at me with the strongest moment of awe and love and excitement I've ever experienced.
• During the ceremony, my mom's dog Tikki decided she wanted to be a bridesmaid (still not sure how she got outside) so she walked herself down the aisle and tried to start wrestling with Bear my puppy who had been part ring bearer. It was so cute, the actual ring bearers: Brody and Marcus (Ben's cousins) were petting and playing with the puppies the whole ceremony!
• When Bobbye showed up with the coconut/green tea wedding cake she opened the box and the cake looked kind of like a smashed watermelon! It was in pieces and there was frosting all over the box! Lucky for Bobbye, I was a very good bride to have a smashed wedding cake. She pieced it together, refrosted it, and stuck stargazer lilies over the damaged parts. It still turned out very nice.
  
• After the wedding, when Ben and I had already left for the hotel, Hailey (my sister) decided to give the groom cake (my surprise peanut butter bars for Ben) to Ben's family. We didn't realize until the next day so I called Sue Bauter and she said that it was already half gone but she'd save the rest of it until we got back from the honeymoon... :( sad day.
  

Okay, so these are out of order, but this is us in the hotel room just before Ben went out to put the parking pass in the car. When he had been gone for a couple minutes, I heard the door open and close again so I ran out to greet him but no one was there! He actually didn't show up again for another 5 or so minutes! ...they do say that hotel is haunted... who knows? This is in the getaway car that everyone so thoughtfully decorated with streamers, car paint, saran wrap, oreos, condoms and a pregnancy test! Yikes!!! Ben had to lift me up and set me in the car and then he ran around the car ripping off any problem decorations. Before we took off to the Ben Lomond Hotel! (such a cool place!)