Wedding Series Blog Hop by MBC - Wedding Scrapbooks

6.18.10 Wedding Blog Hops sure are popular because Allison from O' My Family is doing one too. Weddings are so happy so I love participating. Check it out.

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5.25.10 "The month of May will feature my (Memories by Christine) engagement/wedding series! I'm having 2-3 blog hops a week throughout the month so we can all share memories of our special days. Even if you aren't a scrapbooker, you can still participate! Bridesmaid and maid of honor stories are welcomed too!"

Wedding and Honeymoon Scrapbooks
Our honeymoon was pretty much non-existent. It was driving to Idaho from Illinois for college.

Wedding perfect! Here's my Wedding Scrapbook (still missing some pages though - I like to have every detail in it)
Since I missed sharing the Favorites of your Wedding Day and Wedding and Reception Details (No idea where I've been that I missed this...maybe going crazy with lack of sleep while weaning my 17 mo. old son from his pacifier), I'll share them in this post too. Let's hope my memory is good.

We were married December 31, 2004 in the Chicago LDS Temple.
Colors: silver and white with accents of green and blue

Wedding Scrapbook Cover: the tulle ribbon has been pulled off so many times from my son that technically it wasn't like that, but it still looks good.

Before we went inside the temple to be sealed for time and eternity.

Favorite Moment: Being sealed to Mike forever in the temple. Seeing ourselves in the mirror, going forever.

Coming out of the temple where family and friends were waiting for us.

 Favorite Moment: One of my favorite pictures. This a blown up picture of the both of us that I cut in half to see our faces better. I think this picture shows how much we love each other.

 December 31, 2004 in Chicago - WINDY, but surprisingly it was in the 50s! My veil was flying everywhere....pretty funny.

 Carrying me around

I love this page. This paper had die cut windows for the pictures and was embossed. I went over  the embossing with a silver pen to make it stand out and to match my colors. I have others, but I ran out of silver ink, have to buy some more to finish the other pages.

 Walking around the temple grounds trying to figure out other photo ops.

 Luncheon at the Olive Garden

Favorite Moment: I had to go to the bathroom and we passed by this little girl. She whispers to her mom, "It's a princess" Awww

I used orange in this layout because of the sunlight going through the windows and I still added some silver and white embellishments.

Reception at the Church Stake Center's Cultural Hall

Decorated in silver and white with lots of white lights and glittery snowflakes hanging

Buffet style food - totally wish I had eaten more of it!

Sparkling cider bottles and hershey kisses were spread over the tables. Fake blue and green (accent colors) flowers sparkled with silver filled vases for the centerpieces.

We had a little Christmas tree decorated with silver ornaments balls that had our names and wedding date in white for favors.

We had a DJ playing songs that reminded me of Mike while guests were arriving and eating.

 We announced our little bridal party: parents, best man and maid of honor

 Since not many can attend the temple, we had a Ring Ceremony for all our guests to share our feelings for each other.

 Toasts by my Maid of Honor and the Best Man

After the toasts, we had a slideshow video of Mike and I and then some pictures of our loved ones.

Cutting the Cake

Funny Moment: Mike gave me a large piece and let go after I took a small bite....the rest of it went down my dress. I went to the bathroom to find it in my chest.

We danced to Chicago's "You're the Inspiration"

 I danced with my dad to "Butterfly Kisses" This was the first dance I ever danced with my dad.

Mike danced with his mom to "The Reason" by Hoobastank

My maid of honor and me. Plus a couple shots of Mike and I with her and her boyfriend then (now husband-4 1/2 years later)

Favorite Moment: Our car decorated in oreos and saran wrap...loved the one window that said "From here to Maternity" Right after the reception, Mike drove to the car wash, so anal - he's a lot better now.

Memories by Christine Engagement/Wedding Series - Bridal Showers

"The month of May will feature my (Memories by Christine) engagement/wedding series! I'm having 2-3 blog hops a week throughout the month so we can all share memories of our special days. Even if you aren't a scrapbooker, you can still participate! Bridesmaid and maid of honor stories are welcomed too!"






Bridal Showers and Bacherlorette Parties: Well I didn't have any bachelorette parties - they're not as popular with LDS culture. Plus I only had 2.5 months from the time I was engaged to married.

I was fortunate though to have 2 bridal showers in such a small amount of time. December 2004

For my first bridal shower, my awesome aunts threw me one at Chandlers Restaurant/Club. (Delicious Food) They sure spoiled me.

For my scrapbook layouts, I used green anf pink because in all my pictures, many people were wearing those colors.

The left layout was made at a Close to My Heart class/party. I hated it at first because it was all pink. Pink isn't my favorite color, but I'm more accustomed to it now. To add some style to the layout, I used a red pen to trace around words and shapes to make it stand out more. Before it was all faded and bland to me.

These are pictures of me opening presents. Also one of my most embarassing moments occured during this part. I didn't have a head table at my bridal shower because all I had was a maid of honor and no bridesmaids. I had lots of friends, but not many girls that I was super close to that lived around town (I had more guys friends). Anyway wearing a skirt and opening presents with nothing to hide me. Yeah....I got the pictures back. My mother had taken pictures of me opening like every single present....now the embarassing part, half the pictures you could see up my skirt! Ahhh! My own mother didn't even realize it, but I'm sure others did. I don't remember any signals to say close your legs! Maybe I was blind.

The pink left layout needs some sort of title  in the center or something. Still haven't figured it out after all these years.

I love the right layout. I used when of my gift bags from my shower on it. Those hearts are using foam stamps and paint, I think.

My maid of honor wrote the list of who gave what.

My friend made me my fake boquet (even though in a temple marriage, there's no Rehearsal) My other friends helped get the presents and put them away.

My table had all my friends at it that could come. I was barely 20 years old. The other tables were "the adults." I sure used to use tags a lot back in the day when I first started scrapbooking. They were so cheap and easy to use and great way to journal.

Again more tags are used. I love "My Moms" layout. I thought I was so clever.

The right layout, bottom left picture are my awesome aunts who spoiled me rotten with not only hosting a fabulous shower at a wonderful restaurant, but they gave me tons of gifts. I would open a present and it was say from the Sues (both their names are Sue). Present after present said from the Sues. In LDS culture, I don't think there's a lot of extravagant large gifts. Plus Mike and I are way simple and were going to college so we didn't go for the expensive stuff, so my aunts said they spent the same as they did on my cousins. Still I was way shocked at how much they gave me.

2nd Bridal Shower - hosted by another awesome lady, one of my best guy friend's mom at her house.

I invited many of those who couldn't make it to my first one or those who didn't make the guest list on the first one because I was limited to amount of guests since it was at a nice restaurant. A lot of church friends. It was more laid back and with games. I love playing games!

I used to be way more creative with ribbon in my beginning scrapbook days.

Did you know I was the maid of honor at my friend's wedding. Her wedding was the day before mine! Crazy huh! Well I hosted her bridal shower at one the home of another wonderful lady, she was one of our teachers when we were in YW. I played tons of games at that one. Like name all the objects on the tray. Write their addresses down on an envelope and do a drawing. That way she didn't have to address any thank you's later. There were  a couple other games, but I can't remember what they were.

I also co-hosted a small shower for a co-worker since she was out of state for college. We did the TP dress idea. We made fruit pizza - yum! Can't remember what else, but it was a really small event.

Since I couldn't be in town for my best friend's shower (I just had a baby, but I made it to the wedding!) Plus I made up for it by decorating her and her husband's hotel room ; D. Anyway to help with her shower even though I couldn't be there, I made all of her shower invites. I created something on word and then glued it on some purple cardstock (one of her wedding colors) and added some rhinestones to each one. They looked amazing. Why I didn't take picture - no idea! Usually I'm way good at that.

Engagement Story

First the Winner of The Hair Coverings $25 Hair Accessories is #5...

#5 is Kady from Take a Mom's Word for It!

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Join Memories by Christine's Engagement/Wedding Series BLOG HOP all during the month of May 2010!


I had done this for another blog hop too....back on February 9, 2010

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So I'm posting this one way ahead of time because I've been the last one to post on all the other days....so you can check my other posts out if you haven't read them.

Monday: How I Met my Husband
Tuesday: Best Date Ever

To Participate go to Mama M's My Little Life


We had been dating for 18 months at this point...most of the time being spent convincing him that we could be married, be okay financially and go to college (I had 1 year of college behind me, but he hadn't started yet).
Anyway about a month before he proposed he said he had to talk to my parents about something. Since my birthday was coming up; I thought maybe a surprise party or a proposal. After Mike spoke to my parents, my mom started acting differently...so I figured proposal, but just in case I kept thinking of something else that was good so I wouldn't be disappointed. As my birthday came closer, Mike let me know that he had my birthday present....I would tell him that it was a camera because I thought that would be nice to have...even though we both knew I really wanted the ring.
(I should preface this that he did give me a promise ring for my birthday the year before - mailed it to me while I was in college and wrote a sweet note promising when the time was right, we'd get married)
Since Mike couldn't come out on my actual birthday; I went to his family's that weekend...the 23rd and 24th (October 2004). I don't remember much about the weekend; I remember some details from church, but all I was thinking about was my birthday present. Mike said he'd give it to me when all of his family went to sleep; that night of the 24th his dad stayed up later than usual until around 11:30pm! Then when his dad finally went to sleep, Mike gave me my first clue. Here are the clues in his words. (Mike did this little scavenger hunt like Mike's dad does on Christmas for their big present)


Clue #1 : To find your present look where your wallet is...
Clue #2 :Your present is not here; you need to look underneath a chair in the kitchen.
Clue #3 : Sorry not here either. . . . you need to go to the place where you "relieve" yourself.
Clue #4 : Boo Hoo, no present here. . . .you should search your bag again.
Clue #5 : Wow you're good at finding clues . . . I would check where you wash clothes

Clue #6 : This is pretty long. . . .you excited yet? hahaha ok, your present is under (Mike's pillow)

Clue #7 : Haha, tricked ya, no present here : D Ok your present is on top of the T.V.
Clue #8 : I love tricking you; it's so funny. . . . Here is your last clue. . . . It's on the desk in Mike's room
Clue #9 : Look into my eyes and tell me what you see cuz I'm about to ask you. . . .

I had to turn around after the last clue; it was intense and still gives me butterflies. He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him (blushing profusely)....he didn't have the ring though; it was in his closet. I just hugged him and he's like hello what's your answer...I'm like oh yeah! I had to make him put the ring on my finger.

I had to do this whole scavenger hunt quietly since everyone was sleeping which was tricky because I had to go up and down the stairs.

My ring is a marquise cut, .54 carat diamond on a thin white gold band. It was beautiful and bigger than I expected.

picture of our rings on our 5th anniversary - sorry not the best quality ...I have other pictures somewhere.

Announcing our engagement to my extended family..later that night we announce to people at church at the Ward Halloween party. October 30, 2004

Engagement pictures

Mama M's Blog Hop Links....

Wedding Day

Check out Mama M at My Little Life for this awesome blog hop, Valentine's Day Extravaganza!

We were married 2 1/2 months after getting engaged....yeah not a lot of time! Totally stressful. But I wasn't about to defer another semester of college or plan a wedding long distance....so we did it all in 2 1/2 months. I recommend at least 4 months! =D

I have lots of memories from my wedding day.

                                   

50 degrees in Chicago December 31, 2004 - I was lucky!!! Still super windy though - oh well. It really was a perfect day.

My favorite wedding picture of us- so HAPPY - we were sealed for time and eternity in the Chicago LDS Temple.

 (I zoomed in on it and made it 2 separate pictures because I though it looked cooler for my scrapbook page)

At our luncheon, I had to go to the bathroom with my wedding dress on so my mom comes to help me. We pass this little girl with her mom and she tells her mom that I'm a princess. The only time I didn't mind being called a princess.

I'll always remember the way he looked (he cried- I love when he cries because it's so rare) during our ring ceremony at our reception.

                                                  

I love they way we look in these dancing pictures....so in love. We danced to "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago.

The cake: I was so nice and gave him a little piece...he gives me this huge piece which I only take a little bite of and the rest falls down my dress

Our car was awesomely decorated. First stop before our hotel, car wash! He used to be so anal about things - he's a lot better. =D

My favorite part about the car