EMILY AND BROCK'S WEDDING
4 JULY 2000

Our Engagement

Brock and I became engaged in December of 1999.

I really didn't get serious about planning for the wedding until some time in February other than trying on dresses in Salt Lake City. Up in Montana, Mom started checking into places to have our ceremony and reception, and looking for ideas on reception decorations. When Mom visited Salt Lake in February 2000, we did all the shopping for silk flowers for the wedding baskets that would be at the church. I had chosen blue and yellow as my colors, and we were able to find all the fabric for the bridesmaids' dresses, so we bought all that in February, too.

Mom started working on ideas for table decorations. She'd send me an email picture of ideas, lists of food possibilities, etc. and we'd talk things over just about every day. Sometimes it was hard for me to decide, and one day Mom and a family friend just made up 25 of the table decorations and sent me a picture.

So that relatives and out-of-town friends could attend both of our weddings, we all decided that it would be really great if Lisa & Jeremy's and Brock's and my weddings would be on the same weekend. Some time around the middle of April, we set the dates for their wedding on Saturday, July 1, and our wedding on Monday, July 3. Mom really got busy with the fabric, because she had to make dresses for my five bridesmaids and one little flower girl. She probably made 15 trips to Missoula and back squaring away everything from room rentals, to shopping for table decorations and groceries, and dress fittings, to spending a day with a friend making 1000 meatballs for the freezer.

A Shower for Me

In May, one of my best friends in Missoula put on a wedding shower for me at her home. We all had a lot of fun, and I got a good start on household things we would need. Also got started on our dishware, stainless, and crystal. Now it was seeming more and more real.

I drove up to Missoula from Salt Lake on Tuesday, June 27 so I could attend the shower being held for my sister, Lisa. Laura also flew in from St. Louis so she could be there, too. We all had a great time there. My aunt Celeste was going to keep my parents and Laura at her home, and Lisa and I, and her friends from Europe, were going to stay with another friend. That didn't work out, and they all ended up staying at my aunt's home. The next few days were a whirlwind of activity.

My Sister's Wedding

After being a co-maid of honor with our sister, Laura, at Lisa's wedding on Saturday, it was hard for me to believe she was really married, and that I would be, too, just the day after. We really had a wonderful time at her reception, made all the more special since my fiance was able to get there in time for Lisa's wedding. He'd been scheduled for Guard that weekend, but his clearance to come to his own wedding was put off until the very last minute.

Our Wedding Rehearsal

Now we really had to "change gears," from Lisa's wedding to my own. Sunday afternoon we were allowed in to decorate the church, and hold our rehearsal. Tension was building, and all the little things that can go wrong, did. My dad ended up being our "wedding consultant" who directed the whole ceremony -- telling who walks in what order, now a critical pause, who stands where, now song no. 1, when to say what, etc. People had to rush out to buy more ivy, more candles.

We were finally all able to relax at the rehearsal dinner at the Country Kitchen buffet.

The Wedding Day

Our Honeymoon

This candle was lit on the 11th of September, 2001.
Keep it burning for our children.