Post-Wedding Thoughts

Though it’s hard to believe, my wedding day is over! I am married – something my friends continue to inform me of. (I think they are trying to shock me or something!)

I had the best of intentions to write a post on Thursday or Friday, but the amount of loose ends that needed to be tied up was somewhat overwhelming. I ran around like a mad woman for 48 hours trying to perfect everything. Place cards, favors, ceremony programs, and bridal party gifts needed to be attended to. It was a very stressful experience. My advice to others brides: plan ahead, don’t get angry with anyone (especially the groom), and take a breath! Everyone around me knew how anxious I felt and tried to help, but I regret feeling so stressed out. Now that I look back, I wish I had enjoyed everything a bit more and spent the time relaxing with family and friends.

The wedding day was just as busy as the two previous days. We were up at 7AM and off to our hair and makeup appointments by 8:30. The next few hours were like a whirlwind, filled with dresses, pictures, and flowers. Before I knew it I was at the Church.

The ceremony was very emotional for me. My dad and I are very close, so I held back tears the entire way down the aisle. As I passed those lining the pews, I realized that I was not alone; friends, aunts, uncles, and grandparents were all struggling not to cry. Seeing Dan waiting for me certainly helped. As I stepped onto the altar and kissed my dad, I knew I was marrying the right person for me.

Then, the party started. We cruised around in our limo for a while and took some photographs at The Stillwater on Delaware Avenue. At about 6PM, we went down to the reception. It was so great to see the room set up. Carl and the staff at the Embassy Suites did a phenomenal job of making the room look better than I had imagined. The night went exactly as I had hoped. Dan and I danced perfectly, the food was delicious, and everyone seemed to have a great time dancing the night away.

It is a rare thing in life to truly feel as though everything went exactly as planned. It is even more unique to have an experience be better than hoped for. I feel lucky to say that my wedding day was perfect in every way. It was a sad feeling to wake up on Sunday and know that it was all over, but Dan reminded me that I couldn’t have asked for a better day. I would like to thank all of the vendors that I worked with for doing such a fantastic job. Please e-mail me if you would like any further advice or would like to know what services I used for my big day – smburke7@gmail.com. Good luck and thanks for letting me vent about my experiences for the last year! ~ Shannon