Day 5: Monday, August 21, 2006 (Our Wedding Day)
Note** This next installment was written last October. If anyone has ever read
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, you will understand where I am coming from with how detailed I wrote this recap of our wedding day. I wanted to remember every detail, every single second of the day, hoping that it would help me to always remember this once in a lifetime day. So, I sat down last October and began typing away in a Word document. I wrote, and wrote, and wrote. I still havent completlely finished, but this has encouraged me too!! I am cutting and pasting a great deal of this "recap" I wrote (eventually I hope to have it typed and put into our wedding scrapbook) so please bear with me and all the silly detials and descriptions
Here we go!
If you were to ask why I would ever sit down to write about the intimate details of our wedding day, it would have to be because I am a die-hard, true to the last drop romantic and I fear that as time passes on, as the days turn into weeks, the weeks sew into months, and months evolve into years, I have a burning fear that the memories of our wedding day will soon begin to fade as well. Sure we have photographs that captured the beautiful moments-in-time, forever frozen with the perfect positioning and smiles. And we will always have our incredible video that my parents paid a fortune for to help relive the day over and over again in all its brilliant color and density. But what about the intimate moments? The feelings, the thoughts, the emotions that carried through that day? How do you begin to capture those with a photograph or video clip? Its those feelings and emotions that create a wedding day, and it is those feelings and emotions that defined our wedding day. The feelings I had just as I woke up that morning, laying next to Mark knowing that for the rest of my life, he would be the face I would get to see. The feelings I had as I watched my parents leave the brides vestibule, leaving me in a surprisingly calm state of solitude, the feelings I had as Mark tenderly kissed me on the forehead as we embraced for the first time as husband and wife.
. It is those moments that I never want to lose. Not the crispness of my wedding gown or the scent of my bouquet, its those once-in-a-lifetime moment that can never, nor will ever, be replaced. I write my story because I always want to remember our wedding day and all the beauty and fulfillment that went along with it. For as long as I live, I want to remember the feelings, the bittersweet walk down the aisle, the I never want it to end first dance we shared. I want to remember the details and never ever let time get the best of them. I want those precious moments to remain as crisp and clear 50 years down the road as they are right now, at this very moment. I begin the story of our fairytale.
Ever have that feeling as a little kid, when you were waking up on Christmas morning and the night before you didnt think you would ever be able to fall asleep because of the excitement and anticipation you knew would be awaiting the next morning? And when you finially did nod off to sleep, and awoke Christmas morning, for a total of 3 seconds, during that hazy, half-asleep, dreamlike state, you actually forgot it was Christmas. And then, just like that, your brain sounds a bell and sends a feeling to your stomach. Its an incredible feelings of adrenaline and nerves, like something big is about to happen. It used to happen to me every Christmas morning as a little girl. I always describe it now as the feeling of childhood. The feeling of innocent wonder and imagination. The feeling that there was magic in the air and no matter what anyone else said, you did believe in the impossible. As I grew up, I found it harder and harder to retrieve that feeling. With the grown up realities of deadlines and dates, business and bills, I sometimes can only get that feeling again on the morning Mark and I leave for a big vacation, especially Disney World. When that dreamlike haze ends and you realize all at once, Yes! Its really here! and your stomach fills with that feeling of endless possibilities that await you. It was that very feeling that greeted me on the morning of Monday, August 21, 2006. Our wedding day
It was an incredible feeling, I lay there for a few minute just enjoying the sensation in my belly. I knew that the day would be filled with business and exciting chaos so I took these precious moments and just lay still, not wanting the bubble in my belly to burst just yet. I, as I did so many years ago, let the feeling envelope me. I slowly rolled over and saw my future husband, my beloved Mark sleeping on his side. His body looked so peaceful and calm. I watched him breathe in and out, his shoulders slowly rising and falling with each inhale and exhale. This would be the very last morning I would wake up next to someone that was not my husband. This would also be the last morning I would wake up next to my fiancé. I had loved using that name for Mark. Besides wearing my breathtaking diamond on my finger, introducing Mark as my fiancé, was one of my favorite parts of being engaged. It was such a stepping stone in our courtship, a precious milestone that we had waited with so much excitement to reach. And here we were again, on the brink of another milestone. Today, this sleeping man beside me would become my husband. When you dream of your wedding your whole life, the way I have, its surreal when the day finally arrives. Its like you imagine what you might feel or think, and then its here and you dont know what to feel or think.
After taking time the few moments that I did to take in all that would be happening this day, I think quickly returned to the Sarah that we all know and love. I practically jumped out of bed, and began to head for the bathroom. It was about 7:00am and my sisters would be coming for me in about an hour and 15 minutes. They had planned to take a taxi over from the Beach Club where they were staying with George and Jeff to pick me up. It was Annies idea from the very beginning to do this, and I loved her for it. Being my maid of honor, she couldnt fathom me taking a taxi, all by myself, on my Wedding day. She said it broke her heart and she refused to let it occur. So, she promised she would take a taxi and get me. I am so glad Katie decided to come too. It seemed like a perfect way to begin the day; a quiet few minutes with my sisters who I loved with all my heart. They had been there for me through every step of my life. Watched me through the graceful periods of my life, like proms and graduations, and the not to graceful parts of life, like getting my wisdom teeth removed or fighting the flu. Every phase of my life, beautiful or ugly, they were there. They were 2 of my best friends.