Our Wedding Day - Part Three: The Reception

Hope that you all enjoyed "Part Two" of the Newlyweds Next Door wedding series. I bet you can guess what "Part Three" is...


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This collage really sums up our wedding reception. It was such an awesome whirlwind time.

We had a fabulous Dance Band, The Ultratones!


We did our grand entrance into the ballroom to the USC Fight Song! Go Trojans!


We danced our first dance to Crazy Love by Van Morrison. We had taken dance lessons and we were still so nervous! Ha!


The Mr. gave me giant kiss when it was over!


Then we danced, danced, danced the night away.


I did some really fun DIY details for our reception...

Our escort cards were pencil starfish and the ribbon color that tied on the tag indicated meal choice.


I created several photo collages of us as kids and of us as a couple over the years for people to look at as they entered the ballroom.


Instead of favors we did donations to Alzheimer's Association and gave people a Sand dollar to signify that donation at their place setting.The text read:"A dollar for them, a dollar for you For each of our wedding guests we've donated a dollar to Alzheimer's Association."
We chose Alzheimer's Association in memory of my Grandpa Jack and in support of Mr's Fraternity Philanthropy.


I had toasting flutes made up for us and they sat our our sweetheart table.


Our reception centerpieces were giant glass cylinders centerpieces filled with turquoise beads and orange roses with floating candles on top surrounded by small tea lights and rose petals. We decorated each place setting with starfish and sand dollars. Each table was named after a beach that had significance to us.

This table was Dockweiler Beach, where I was baptized!

The ballroom featured aqua and tangerine uplighting. Loved it!


I designed our wedding cake with the baker. I wanted it to be beachy without being too cheesy. So I opted for just starfish and sand dollars and turquoise line running down it like water. On the table around it were pencil starfish and votive candles.


What I really loved out our reception is that we got to celebrate with friends from various parts of our lives -- childhood, high school, college, sorority/fraternity, work, church, and beyond. I think that's one of the coolest parts of a wedding, having almost everyone you're close with in one place.

Our Wedding Day - Part Two: Cocktail Hour and Photography

Once the ceremony was over the guests went to cocktail hour.


And we went to take pictures!

When I booked our photog, I knew I didn't want "generic" shots. So I hired an awesome photog who does many styles including photojournalistic and industrial.

Here are a couple of our "industrial" shots. I think they look like something from a magazine...



And, because we're a super beachin' couple, we got some fun candids and posed shots on the beach too...



We also took pictures with the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

My Bridesmaids were my two best friends from Elementary School and two best friends from college. My matron of honor was my best friend from Kindergarten!

They all wore silk chiffon halter dresses by Maggie London from Nordstrom, in the color "Clear Pacific" (turquoise). I loved summery and feminine they were!


The Groomsmen were the Mr's three younger brothers and his best friend from college. His Best Man was his best friend from preschool!

They wore traditional black tuxes with turquoise vests under them.

Our Wedding Day - Part One: The Ceremony

It's true what they say about your wedding day being a blur. Let me just say that I'm SO so happy that we got a videographer and a wedding video. I love that we have a video of our entire ceremony, because it was such a wonderful ceremony.


{click to enlarge the ceremony collage}

We got married in San Diego, CA on Mission Bay at the Mission Bay Hilton Resort. It was a beautiful, hot August day and the sun sparkled off of the bay and across the lawn where we wed.


I'll never forget how it felt walking down the aisle with my Dad. The beauty of the setting, the stringed trio playing the wedding march, the love I could see on the face of my husband-to-be, the support of friends and family. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.


Our Pastor did an amazing job officiating. He was funny, well-spoken, and delivered a beautiful message about God's plan for marriage and what biblical love looks like.

Our families are very important to us, so we had my Mom and his Dad do a reading. My Mom did a medley reading which included words and poems from Kahil Gibran, The Velveteen Rabbit, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Jerry Maguire, Robert Munsch. It was amazing. I've posted it here.


And The Mr's Dad read from Romans 12, our favorite Bible verse.


We chose to our own vows. The Mr's vows were truly amazing. I laughed, I cried, I loved him.


After the vows Dad played the guitar and sung a song which was soooo special.


He sung "The Wedding Song" while we did our Sand Ceremony (in lieu of a unity candle). After the Sand Ceremony the Mr and I went aside and prayed while my Dad continued to play. It was such a sweet and intimate moment for us.


The the Pastor pronounced us husband and wife! And the Mr. definitely "kissed the bride."


We'd selected "All You Need is Love" by the Beatles as the recessional but I was so excited I didn't even hear it.


After the ceremony was over we couldn't stop laughing and kissing. Looks like the paparazzi caught us!


I should also take a minute to say how much I loved our ceremony decor.

I loved how the turquoise and tangerine elements looked against the backdrop of the ocean, I loved the pencil starfish everywhere, and I loved the beautiful flowers.