another one bites the dust.

Jordan & Elisse's unique invitation: A letter from the bride's family!
I love unique touches and this whole puppy was letterpressed!!

I ran into a friend last week who asked me if I'd gotten into the wedding planning business because of the amount of weddings (and wedding-related events) I've attended the past few months, and I had to laugh. You'd think I'd be sick of it by now, seriously, but no signs of it yet! 

Introducing the newlyweds!

This past weekend, we had the joy of witnessing the marriage of two friends (Elisse of the swanky Bakersfield shower and Laguna Beach bachelorette party finally married Jordan, Tim's best friend and former roommate).  Their wedding took place at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa (where Desiree from the Bachelorette had her first date with Bryden, and where Jimmy Kimmel just got married). Um, hello gorgeous!!!

The beautiful bridesmaids. They all wore different J.Crew dresses and the same adorable punchy wedges. LOVE!

All of the groomsmen, with Jordan on the far left. Tim was one of the Best Men (he gave a toast at the rehearsal dinner along with one of Elisse's Matrons of honor). The guys to the right of Tim were on a step; he's not that short!!

The stunning bride was escorted in by her dad and step-dad, wearing an absolutely stunningly unique art deco dress. She looked absolutely amazing, I couldn't get over it!

Can you believe her gorgeous DRESS!?! She looked fantastic. 

Elisse bidding goodbye to her dad and stepdad

The couple had written their vows to each other, and I am not exaggerating when I say that there was not a single dry eye in the courtyard. Every word was filled with so much love it was palpable, and this couple has endured a lot to get to this day. I was a hot mess from the instant they began talking and it didn't stop until they were introduced as Mr. & Mrs.

Elisse reading Jordan her vows  // Jordan's vow ended with the phrase "I'm yours"

After exchanging rings, they kissed and were pronounced man and wife. WHOO HOO!!!!!!

Mr & Mrs!!! It's real!

SO HAPPY

After the recessional, the wedding party took a few pictures while the rest of us guests were released to cocktail hour. UM SO FUN. They had so many fun little appetizers like corndogs, two types of fries, quesadillas, coconut shrimp, etc etc etc. I could have eaten my weight in it all *coughMAYBEIDIDcough*. 

Kasey and I during cocktail hour. It was her 25th birthday that day too!!!

Wedding party pictures were over SO FAST, so for the first time in the history of ALL THE WEDDINGS WE'VE BEEN TO EVER (when Tim is a groomsman, that is), I got to hang out with my husband during cocktail hour. Props to photographer Jessica Fairchild!

We matched, more or less.

LOVE THIS MAN!

Donnie & Nat, who left THE NEXT DAY for South Africa // Best Man #1 Matt, Donnie, Skye, and Tim (best man #2)

The Santa Barbara Six, minus one. Tim & I, Donnie (sans wife Natalie), Kasey & Skye. Love these guys.

After cocktail hour, we were released into the ballroom for dinner and dancing. Wives/husbands got to sit with wedding party spouses at the incredibly long head table (there were 18 of us total seated there, including Jordan & Elisse). It was a party.

For favors, Jordan & Elisse roasted their own coffee for each guest. They live in Seattle, so duh coffee is a huge part of their lives, but Jordan also started a coffee roasting business with his cousins right after college for fun so it was doubly meaningful for them.

We very much appreciated the coffee, since the cottage we rented didn't have any. We may or may not have snagged a few extra ones that others had forgotten on their tables when the night was over haha.

Toasts and first dances happened before dinner. Elisse's sister Amanda (one of her two MOHs) threw her prepared toast out the window because she was too emotional and just spoke from her heart, which was so sweet. Elisse's dad and stepdad both gave toasts, as well as one of Jordan's best men, Matt. Tim was the second best man, and he gave his toast at the rehearsal dinner (he knocked it out of the park, btw).

Amanda giving her toast // Elisse & Jordan surveying all the people who love them

Sweet first dance

Elisse also danced with her father and stepfather, and Jordan had a fun salsa dance with his mama before the floor was opened up to the rest of us!  We all had the night of our lives, and too soon the clock struck 11 and we had to pack it up and leave.

Groomsmen lifting up Bride and Groom during the final song.   

It was such a beautiful wedding for such a beautiful couple. We saw them once more before leaving on their honeymoon for Thailand (SO JEALOUS!), come back tomorrow to find out when :)

Jordan and Elisse: Thank you for letting us witness your special day. May God bless your marriage beyond all comprehension and keep you safe in Seattle. AND HURRY THE HECK BACK TO SB.

     

labor day at Great America

Labor Day weekend was NUTS. Tim had a bachelor party all weekend so I left him behind in Santa Barbara while I headed to the Bay Area with the bird and the dog for the weekend. Saturday was spent all day at the Delta in the boat, Sunday was spent at the Double Wedding Extravaganza.

Dev and Adri on the boat // Daisy loves the Delta!

For the actual day of Labor Day, though, we went to Great America, because we're patriotic like that (that, plus my mom had tickets that were going to expire and we could celebrate my brother's birthday early, since it was on Wednesday).

 It was Guest Appreciation weekend, which meant we got XXL t-shirts upon arriving and there were fireworks shows on Saturday and Sunday (that meant nothing to us since it was Monday, but still). It was not all that crowded, which surprised me being that it was a three-day weekend. We were able to ride the majority of the rides with less than a 5 minute wait.

It was close to a kajillion degrees outside when we got there, so the first thing we did was ride as many water rides as we could manage. There were a good number of them at Great America, so we got a good soaking. I made sure to ziploc bag my camera (I didn't bring the waterproof one with me because we LEFT THE CHARGER IN MAMMOTH), and my brother thought it was funny to shoot through the bag a few times.

Their rapids ride was probably the most fun water ride in and of itself (and we got SOAKED), but we had the most fun on the log ride. There were five of us there (my parents, my brother and Adri, and me), and we crammed all of us into the little log. It, ahem, wasn't made to hold that much weight, so it kept bottoming out. My brother and Dad also kept leaning one way or the other to make the little log canoe rock, and we almost capsized. TOO FUN!

There should be a weight limit on the log ride, but there isn't. We took full advantage.

The future Schultz couple thought the hot dog stand's name was funny and apropos.

Our dorky family, minus Tim, obviously. Missed you babe!

By the time lunch was over, though, the sun had snuck behind some ominous clouds and our choice to do all the water rides was slightly regretted.  We then remembered the free t-shirts I'd been toting in my backpacks so we changed! Ahem--in the middle of the park. We're dorks like that.

My parents on the gondola across the park

I thought this was hilarious. My brother (in the middle), mom (behind him), and I (in the very front right) all have the same face. Mine was staged, but theirs wasn't haha

Waiting in the longest line of the day, 15 minutes

double the fun - double wedding

So, this weekend was Labor Day, one of my favorite holidays growing up. It continues to be a favorite, part of the reason we chose to be married on Labor Day weekend two years ago.
This year, though, in addition to celebrating our anniversary, I got to celebrate the wedding of a dear friend from high school.

Here's the kicker though: it was a DOUBLE WEDDING!

The two brides, Katie and Christine, awaiting their grooms. Photo via @instatiffanywong

That's right; it was sister wedding day! Katie was marrying her groom Ernie, and her sister Christine was marrying her groom Ryan. Both brides had a ceremony of their own (with lots of overlapping bridesmaids and guests in attendance), and they had a shared reception. I only attended the one ceremony (which was so emotional!!!). I helped deliver lunch to the wedding parties before the ceremonies so I got an opportunity to spend some time with Katie and her girls before things got too crazy. 

Some of Katie's bridesmaids bustling her gown for pre-ceremony pictures

Bride #1 Christine reading her groom's letter to her // Bride #2 preparing to see her groom for the first time

Katie's bridal party. Christine had three overlapping bridesmaids, and bride sister Katie was also her  MOH.
Lots of costume changes that day!

The reception was insane, as you may imagine. I had a hard enough time getting two people to agree on wedding details; I couldn't imagine what it would be like trying to deal with four!!! An added insanity was the number of people participating in this thing: more than 400!!!!!!! The mother of the brides is a caterer so she handled all.of.the.food (for both rehearsal dinner AND reception!!!). An army of volunteers 

If you can see the teeeeeeeny father of the brides at the sweethearts' table, he's giving a dual toast to his daughters. 

The brides and grooms. Each bride was the other's matron of honor too, so they each gave a speech for her sister.

Father/Daughter dance. Katie danced with her father first, then Christine cut in for her turn. 

The first Dances. The Father of the Brides sang while each couple danced. #sobfest

 I missed the cake cutting because, well, try cramming 400 people into a corner of a room to watch 4 people cut cake. Katie and her new husband Ernie were demure, Christine and Ryan had a smashfest. (Tim and I did too, so I could relate to that!). The bouquet and garter tosses took place at the same time.

Double bouquet toss

It was a time of reunion as well. Our small group from high school had not all been together since high school. I moved away for school and we never were all available at the same time when I would come and visit, and not everyone was able to come to our wedding. It was so fun to get all of us together for such a special occasion!

Leah and I // Sheri and I
So much laughter!

Leah, bride #1 Christine, Sheri, and bride #2 Katie

brother Devon and Adri and Dilip and Stephanie, the next two couples to get married from back home.  

Brides bidding their parents goodbye

my silly parents preparing for the grand exit.

Both couples left for Hawaii on their honeymoon! Don't worry, they're on totally different islands; that would be weird! 

Katie and Christine (and Ernie and Ryan): Thank you for letting me be a part of your big day! You clearly put a LOT of work into it and it was so fun to witness. May the Lord bless both of your marriages abundantly! 

two years down, a hundred to go

Two years ago, we said "I do". 

Marriage is a funny thing; it is incredibly fulfilling while at the same time incredibly difficult. It has NOT been an easy journey by any means--the road has been littered with both big roadblocks and little speedbumps. Some days I want to just kiss Tim's face and other days I want to wring his neck.

But I love him always, with all my heart. 

He's my best friend, my partner in crime, my confidant, my love. He strives for Christ in our home and in our marriage, and I am so beyond blessed that God brought us together.

Cheers to two years, darling; here's to a hundred more.

first anniversary