they did it!

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Garrett

August 4, 2012

They're married!!!

It was such a wonderful day.

All of Kiely's vision came together beautifully!

So...

here we go for the longest post in history~

After securing the date, church and photographer it was time

to search for THE DRESS!

This is a day that most girls dream about...finding the right one!

This is Kiely trying on her dress.

I knew that she would make a beautiful bride...

...and she did!

Judging by the look on Alan's face, I think he thought so too!

This picture was taken when Kiely was walking down the isle.

Then, one has to think about who her bridesmaids will be

and what color they will wear~which also determines the wedding colors.

Kiely chose navy dresses and her closest friends, sister-in-law, and step-sister.

Let me introduce you...

Becky, whom is married to Kiely's brother Chad,

was Kiely's Matron of Honor.

Lisa, Kiely's beautiful best friend was her Maid of Honor.

 Casie, a best friend/childhood friend from grade school.

 Lindsay, another sweet best friend.

 Lizzy, her step-sister.

Jerrica, best friend and soon to be bride herself!

Avery, a step-niece of Kiely's.

These girls are so special to Kiely and they are all so close!

They each were there to help Kiely whenever she needed it.

Besides packing a wedding emergency kit

(which they should patent btw) 

full of toothpaste, toothbrush, bobby pins, safety pins, scissors etc.

they were also there to help her get into her dress,

 slide on the garter...

 ...make sure everything is just right and,

help out with the veil.

They ALL couldn't have been more attentive!

And speaking of the veil...

Kiely has some pretty amazing work friends/ladies lunch group women

that have also worn the same veil in their weddings!

It's the traveling veil...and it was beautiful!

AND

so are these women...inside and out!

So pretty!

Flowers were chosen next.

Kiely's other color was yellow and she wanted that to be in her bouquets.

What is Kiely pointing at?

She wanted to have one of her mom's breast cancer pins on her bouquet...so sweet.

The next pictures were hard to be in but it was

our sweet daughter, sister, mother and mother-in-law

represented in that pink flower and it was an honor to try to smile through the tears!

Kiely recognized Lori by having my mom lay a pink rose by the unity candle

after she and Phyllis lit the candles.

She also had the "courage quote" that is engraved on Lori's headstone,

on the back of the program:

"Courage doesn't always roar,

sometimes courage is the quiet little voice at the end of the day saying;

I will try again tomorrow." ~Anonymous

And in lieu of wedding favors, Kiey and Alan

remembered Lori and Alan's dad, who is winning the battle against lymphoma,

by providing support to

The National Breast Cancer Foundation and

The LiveStrong Foundation.

These two young adults are pretty amazing if you ask me!

They seemed to think of everything and this gesture was icing on the cake!!!

Speaking of Cake!

Isn't it just simply elegant!?

She just wanted a white cake with navy organza ribbon.

I also love her cake topper..a simple wooden "G" for

GARRETT!

The wooden "G" and soooo many other items for the wedding came from Etsy.

If you haven't used Etsy online before, you might want to now

after I show you all of the great

items she purchased:

The sign-in "book"!

Everyone signed a leaf and Kiely is going to hang this

with all of her wedding pictures...such a creative idea!!

The bridesmaids earrings

The yellow flowered bobby pins for their hair

(Kiley even made sure that Lindsay's pins were gold to match her blonde hair!)

The "clothes pins" that held the table numbers

The lanterns

The corks that held the guests names

so they could take them to their tables.

They had sayings like "I do, Mr. and Mrs." etc.

It matched the same stamp that I had used on the wood pieces

tied to the ribbon and twine on the ball jars which...

...Kiley also stamped the notes on the welcome packages for the guests.

This was Uncle Phil and Aunt Lois' on my parents bed because they stayed with them.

Here is Kiely and Gma stuffing the bags with

water, granola bars, gum, mints, crystal light flavor packs and Kiely's step-mom

layered cookie mixture ingredients in a ball jar which was added later.

It really made a nice package for all of the out of town guests!

Again, that girl thinks of everything...and executes it!

Back to another Etsy product...

The bridesmaid's bags were filled with

their earrings, flowered bobby pins, ipod nano's with their names engraved in their favorite colors

and flip-flops that they wore while getting ready and at the reception.

The groomsmen had shoes bags that had their names on them and were filled

with their ties, ipod nano's, and the ushers were filled with pocket knives.

So, the dress, flowers, cake and bridal and out of town guest bags are ready.

All that was left was printing off the guests names for the corks,

table numbers,

 and figuring out where everyone was going to be seated.

We used paper plates as our tables and post-it notes as chairs so that they could

be ripped off of one plate and added to another until it was perfect!

All Kiely's vision, late night Etsy purchases and shopping sprees to Hobby Lobby

led to a successful assembly day!

After Graham was finished playing in the sand...

He practiced the song that he was to play during the lighting of the unity candle and

Kiely and Alan's first communion as husband and wife.

The song was "Marry Me" by Train.

Rehearsal night,

and at the wedding.

He was a little teary-eyed while playing it...it was beautiful!

And this little guy played well too!

This is my cousin Stephanie's (from my mom's birth family) husband and children.

Precious!

Before the rehearsal dinner night we all gathered at Gma and Gpa's for

a pool/bar-b-que party!

Lizzy and Kiely

Alan's cousin, Brad.

Yeah, just like old times!

Gma said that they were going to lose their membership if they didn't behave!

It was nice to unwind for a moment...But, Alan and Kiely had to get ready for

a dinner with each other's parents because they hadn't yet been introduced.

And then it was finally rehearsal time!

Everything was already in place when we got there!

The tree, programs and one of the card "boxes".

This bucket I found in an antique store here in Pendleton.

It used to be an old coal bucket for the NY Central RR.

I added some burlap and string,  Alan printed off the letters, and

Becky strung the letters with the twine.

I love group projects that turn out so well!

The other "box" I didn't get a picture of but it was a

big oblong washtub that had the same letters strung on twine with burlap over the top.

Soon, it was dinner time!

Alan and Kiely treated all of the wedding party, grandparents and guests to an

Italian dinner at Jrazzo's in Carmel.

(the invitations to rehearsal dinner were also purchased through Etsy ;))

Alan and Kiely thanking everyone.

They were the perfect hostesses!!

...Yeah, it was THAT good!!!

Bridesmaids!

Groomsmen and ushers!

It was such a fun night!

Brad and Z!

(Z is Lindsay's boyfriend and it was a pleasure to get to know him!)

Alan and his pretty Momma!

Becky!

Time to call it a night and get ready for the BIG DAY!

Speaking of getting ready...here are lots of pictures of that event!

The bridesmaids got Kiely a shirt that says bride...

 ...maid of honor,

 matron of honor,

 bridesmaid!

Avery, flower girl getting her hair done by her Aunt Lizzy :)

Chad snuck out of the man cave into the princess parlor!

One last toast and laugh before getting into the dress and walking down the isle!

I think that she's ready!

(earrings, bracelet, and garters all from Etsy too!)

I think that they're ready!

She's ready!

Mom's are ready!

(Phyllis told me on more than one occasion she was so glad this day was here!)

Can you tell! :)

We're ready!

I wonder if the guys are ready?

Yep!

More than ready!!!

Let's go to the chapel!!!

I drove Kiely, Lizzy and Becky to the chapel.

It was a little rainy!

But the ladies at the church ran out and took care of the situation...

they were so good about helping Kiely at rehearsal and on her wedding day :)

So...

I have heard the saying:

"Happy is the bride that the sun shines on!"

But, I have never seen a more happy bride!

The sun might not have been shining on them,

but I know that the SON

was blessing their wedding vows that afternoon.

When the ceremony was over, out came the sun and pictures were taken outside!

Amazing!

Candles were lit.

Passage readings by my mom and Alan's sister Amy were read.

 Vows were taken...

...and the first kiss as husband and wife were given.

It was a beautiful family ceremony.

Kiely's Uncle Lavone married them, 

Grandma and Sister did the readings and Cousin on guitar...PRICELESS!

All of that time you spent working at Fripp payed off, sweetie!

Time to freshen up and take all of the group shots!

Tabitha and Brittney (high school friends) joined the group for a shot!

And Debbie did too! :)

Mom and her best friend, Jane!

My Aunt Lois and her new grand baby, Jacoby!

Lizzy...who was there most of the day with me :)

The room is ready...time to get the party started!

Here comes Chad and Casie!

Aaron and Becky!

Lisa and Brad!

 
And Alan and Kiely!
Alan isn't very happy...can you tell! lol!

Dancin' around the cake!

What an entrance!

It really put everyone in a happy festive mood :)

Best man and Matron of Honor speeches!

First dance as husband and wife!

And a dance with Chad honoring their momma :)

The monitor in the background had pictures of Lori with them...

Not. A. Dry. Eye!

This girls voice was amazing!

She and her band got the party rolling.

She works with Kiely and they were even neighbors for awhile.

Thanks for playing the best music. I have never had so much fun!

 And neither did they! lol!

After mingling with family and friends,

it was time for us all to hit the dance floor!

There was the anniversary dance.

Kiely's grandparents and Alan's mom and dad were the last one's dancing...

But, Grandma and Grandpa won!

54 years!!!

The dollar dance!
Evan is dancing with Kiely and Lizzy with Alan.

Graham and Kiely!

Uncle Troy and Kiely!

Garter toss!

Z got it!

I didn't get any pictures of the bouquet toss and I don't even know who caught it!

Sorry, Kiely :(

But, these will make you smile...

Evan got Aunt Lois out there :)

Evan and Lizzy!

Lisa and Alan!

Alan and Evan!

Evan and Lisa

Becky and Graham!

Lisa and her "fake boyfriend" Graham!

Chad, Graham, Kiely and Evan!

Evan and Grandma!

Me and my Momma :)

When the party was over guests were treated to Garrett popcorn balls!

I know that this has been the longest post in the world but I would like to close it by saying:

Congratulations Alan and Kiely!

You two mean the world to me.

Kiley,

you planned this wedding immediately after graduate school where you earned two masters degrees, one in hospital administration and the other a masters in business.

You also sold TWO homes and accepted

a new full time position that involves travel and sales!

But this doesn't surprise me a bit because you showed the same maturity and responsibility

when you were a senior at Ball State.

You took care of your mother while trying to finish up your senior year

and even took a final exam upon her death.

You have such determination and drive and you do it all with grace and a smile on your face!

I am so glad that God picked Alan to be your husband.

Alan,

you too have been busy selling and buying houses, traveling and accepting a new position and saving the Cleavland Clinic Account at Roche!!

You are such a joy to be around and it melts my heart to watch how sweet you are with

Kiley. You show her such love and RESPECT.

I'm not sure if I'm happier or if the boys are the happiest that you are a member of our family :)

Suffice it to say, we are ALL happy!

What an accomplished young couple you are!

I look forward to watching you grow in your marriage and in your own family!

I leave you with a few more photos of the day into the night...

Thank you both for such a lovely party!

Wait! There's one more...

That's all folks!