Details: Wedding Week

Wedding Week is coming to an end.  It was so much fun sharing our special day with you.  Today I am linking up with Amy over at Fresh and Fancy!

Would you believe it if I told you my dress cost $400?  Yep!  Fully beaded in Swarovski crystals.

Every Sexton woman has worn this broach on her wedding day.

I loved that both of our rings are family heirlooms.  M's ring is made from one of his fathers rings.  My engagement ring is with the center stone his father proposed to his mother with.  

Our Cupcake Cake!  The most delicious things ever.  They were the hit of our wedding.   

I loved my bouquet 

I was OBSESSED with the bridesmaids bouquets.  I thought they were beautiful  

I loved the tulips and curly willows as center pieces at the reception.

We had a very limited budget compared to the national average.  You can have the wedding of your dreams within your budget.  M and I are blessed that our parents both contributed to our wedding fund.  When I was in college I worked for one of the top wedding planners in Atlanta as her assistant for 4 years.  The Four Seasons and Ritz became my home on Fridays & Saturdays.  Each wedding felt very cookie-cutter.  When planning your wedding remember: 

There are no rules, create your own traditions!

  

If you don't want to do something don't do it.  At the end of the day the only thing that matters is you and your partner are happy.  Don't let anyone tell you any differently!

The Reception: Wedding Week

From the very beginning of the planning process I said I didn't want our reception to feel like a typical wedding.  I wanted it to be a party.  Since this was the last time I was going to see a lot of our friends and family before our move it was also a going away party.  I wanted to get the "wedding traditions" out of the way in one big swoop.  The timeline went something like this...

First Dance, The Way You Look Tonight.  We were awful and should have taken lessons.

Father-Daughter Dance to My Girl

Mother-Son Dance to Somewhere Over the Rainbow

M dancing with my mom.  They have such an awesome relationship!

Parents welcoming toast!

Love this one!

My mom with 2 our of 3

My SIL, Allie, and I at dinner

Marco's grandparents dancing to their song, I Left My Heart In San Francisco:)

Beans rocking out! The glasses were a hit.

M with his dad and brother

We Are Family dancing tradition!!!

Cutting the cupcake

Rocking out with my dad, a dancing machine.  This must be where I get it!

Or from this special woman, my aunt Laurie!  A Twist champion, for real! 

Love this one of my dad with his drinking buddies {all teachers}!  Many long night on my parents deck  just hanging out and talking about the youth of America.

Kristie & Rebecca

I hated the night was over.  If I could I would do it all over again tomorrow!

Link up here!

The Ceremony: Wedding Week

Today I am linking up with Natasha at Schue Love to recap our Wedding Ceremony.

We were married at Alpharetta Methodist Church.  At the time it was very important for me to get married in a church.  I was raised Episcopal, but my parents now attend a non-denominational church which don't conduct weddings.  We had the hardest time finding the perfect place.  My SIL had just started dating her now husband.  He recommended this church to us.  His sister was married here just a few months prior.  It ended up being perfect!

Rounding the corner with my dad.  I love the look on his face.

Walking towards my groom!

A reading from my second parents growing up.  This was a no brainer to ask them to read.

The beautiful church

Mr & Mrs Garcia

The perfect bridal party!

This is my favorite picture from our entire wedding.  When our pastor pronounced us husband and wife I threw my bouquet up in the air and yelled, "Finally!"  Our friends and family burst into laughter.  I will forever love how real that moment was.

Before the Ceremony: Wedding Week

Today {a day late} I am linking up with Valerie for Wedding Week!  

I have a confession to make before I start writing about our wedding day.  I was completely over the weekend before it even got started. 

I know that sounds really bad right?!  

Leading up to our wedding was beyond stressful in our personal lives...Marco moved to LA in July and would be unavailable {in person} for the next 3 months, I quit my job & started waiting tables again, 3 weeks prior to our wedding I flew out to LA for us to find an apartment, had to have my entire life packed because 2 days after the wedding we were driving across the country.  I told someone this story the other day and said I could only do this when I was 24.  I didn’t have a care if the world and as long as I had M by my side I knew life would be okay.  To me, regardless or how perfect or not perfect our wedding was, I wasn’t going to let this day define us as a couple or be the pinnacle of our relationship.  Needless to say, I checked out.

The day of our wedding I woke up at my parents house with one of my bridesmaids, Mel, my dad made us breakfast and we watched College Gameday.  This is so typical of us!  We reserved a suite for hair and make up at a hotel close by and then headed to the church.  I was the first to arrive and it was perfect.  I was just so excited to be getting married and having an awesome party afterwards.  I didn’t have a care in the world.

My sweet family 

M with his family

 My beautiful sisters

 My beyond amazing bridesmaids!

 Marco and his groomsmen

 My Godmother and my mom with their living paper dolls 

{Growing up my Aunt Donna would make gorgeous dresses for us and out moms would play dress up with us.}

 M and his brother getting ready.

 M and his film school friends.  The day wouldn't have been the same without them!

 Hanging out before the ceremony with my MIL and SIL

 One of my favorite photos from the day!

 Waiting to walk down the isle...