Ceremony Bliss

Our wedding ceremony was unforgettable and hands down my favorite part of the wedding.

[invitations by dawn]

The best way to put it was that our Ceremony was unique and SO us. 

My most memorable moment of the day was the 5-10 minutes when I was waiting upstairs alone to walk down the staircase and down the aisle. The songs being played were Christian worship songs that were a declaration of our love as a couple, which is modeled after how Christ loves the church. As I listened to the songs, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Jesus and how he had made McCray for me. Seeing my bridegroom waiting for me was such a precious moment. Even though I'm not much of a crier, I couldn't help but tear up (and smile) with such joy! 

[save the date via wedding paper divas]

[shoes by modcloth.com ; I added the ribbons for my 'something blue']

[this hanger was a gift from our fabulous photographer, Lauren Wright Payne!]

A few of my dearest friends from high school who helped hand out programs before the ceremony!

The Grandparents

The Parents

The Vows:

We wrote our own vows which I highly recommend. We laughed and cried through them, as did the audience. I might have even slipped in "I promise to be your best friend…with benefits"... [haha]

The Feet Washing:

Our first act of marriage was to wash one another's feet. We modeled this after Jesus, who washed his disciple's feet and then told them to go and do likewise. It is our desire to serve one another selflessly throughout our marriage. 

During the feet washing, our bridal party read some of our favorite Bible verses about marriage & love. Let's be real, I have a lot of favorite verses…so we weren't sure if they'd fit in the foot washing timing or not-- but it worked out perfectly! 

The Prayer:

When our friends and family laid their hands on us and prayed, it was so powerful! We felt so blessed to worship and pray with all of our loved ones around us. 

Our friends and fabulous musicians, Nate Moore and Shelby Frank provided the music for our ceremony

The Music:

Processionals: 
Come to the Table by Rick Pino
Made A Way by Matt Gilman
Do You Know The Way You Move Me? by Corey Asbury/Misty Edwards

Bridal Processional: Where I Belong by Corey Asbury

During Ceremony:
Waterfall by United Pursuit Band
I Want to Know You by Chris Quilia

Recessional: On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons

If you're still reading-- check back soon for the reception & other fun details.

If you missed them: check out our gatsby rehearsal dinner, wedding morning, & first look! 

Happy Friday!

First Looks & Wedding Party Fun

The idea for our wedding stemmed from a winter theme- sparkly and beautiful but also a little woodsy and cozy. Our colors were light/ice blue, silver, cream, & a woody brown (the brown is mainly coming from things like pinecones & tree stump candle holders). 

McCray and I met working at a summer camp and we love the outdoors so it was only fitting that we bring some of the outdoors into our wedding! The venue was a large southern house with multiple fireplaces that was a warm and homey escape from the cold outside. 

It was our desire that our family and friends would have the opportunity to see our hearts for Jesus through our ceremony, a little bit of our story and personality through the decor, and how much fun we have together during the reception.

[All pictures were taken by our lovely wedding photographer & assistant, Lauren Wright Payne]

The First Look: 

If I had doubts before, I do no longer. 'First Looks' are the bomb. At first McCray and I were hoping to opt for the traditional route- but having a winter wedding meant the sun was going to set far too soon for any good pictures. Seeing my groom before the ceremony was easily one of the best parts of my day. As I walked out the doors towards him, I shouted, "McCray! I'm so excited- and I'm not nervous at all, you know why? Because you're my best friend!". We had a blast taking pictures together and with our bridal party. It was much less stressful than trying to squeeze it in between the ceremony and reception. 

The Dress:

My wedding dress was originally a strapless sweetheart dress that I LOVED but sleeveless isn't really my style (and it was a winter wedding) so we added on the sleeves! 

The tailor, Billy Lochridge at Lochridge Limited, created the sleeves from matching lace and lace from my mother's wedding dress (my something old). 

 Last year I lived in Costa Rica and taught at an International school for a year. This was a very impactful and special year of my life so all of my jewelry worn was from Costa Rica. I wore peal earrings, which were a parting gift from a friend in Costa Rica (my something new), and for my "something borrowed" I wore a bracelet that I bought for my mother and gave to her the day of (I also gave my sister and mother-in-law matching ones that day, as well). 

The Girls:

I couldn't stop telling them how beautiful they looked. As I've mentioned before, these powerful women have been a source of encouragement and joy through every season of my life. I was so proud to have such lovely ladies standing by my side.

The Boys:

These studs are coffee connoisseurs, cigar enthusiasts, and powerful men of the Lord. I am so thankful for how well they have challenged McCray over the years! Oh, and they like to have fun!

The Wedding Party:

I debated for a while about whether or not to try to fit it all into one post, but finally I decided that I would split the day up into a few posts. If you're still in the wedding mood, you can check out these links and check back tomorrow for more wedding recaps!

Gatsby Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding Morning

[Lauren]