Wedding Day

The day of the wedding Sparky and I had to get up a little early (9:00) to go to the Court House in Bradenton to get a marriage license. I was a little nervous because our paperwork said we needed a drivers license and a social security card. I had both, Sparky only had his drivers license. Great. It didn't end up being a problem. While we were there a group of people came up to get their marriage license too. One really old, really swankily dressed man with two young Latino women. Um, right.Who is here to become a citizen?
We walked back to the car and I got a parking ticket for not feeding the meter. I totally didn't even see the meter in my excitement to get the license. Oh well, it is only for $15. Could be worse.
We were then supposed to meet with the officiant at 11:00. I was late because I couldn't find his house.
I had no idea why he wanted to meet with us since my mom and I just met with him at the end of October. My mom was guessing it was because he wanted to be paid. So we arrived and I handed him his check. Then we sat down to see what he wanted. He asks me what time the wedding starts. I told him 4:30pm. He looks at his schedule and says, "I have you down for 5:30. Sometimes brides change things last minute and forget to tell me. Did you change your mind last minute?" Um, no. I have had 4:30 pinned down since before I met with him in October and before the invitations were printed off. He has another wedding today at 4:30. This is the first time he has ever done this. Hm...
He opens his file and realizes then that he already met with me in October. Duh. His wife assures me that we didn't verify a different time. I called my mom and she told me she verified the time with him in October. She tells him to check his notes. He sees where he wrote our time way back in October.
Apparently the other bride just met with him before me and changed her time from 4:00 to 4:30. So they called her back and made her change her time back to 4:00. His wife told me that she will try to get him to my wedding as close to 4:30 as she can, but she assured me that she drives fast and she knows all the cops on the island.
We left there and headed back to the hotel. I was hoping to take a little nap.
I was not so fortunate. My hairdresser was there to do my hair, so I gathered all my stuff together and went to my mom's hotel room to start getting ready.
Samantha did my hair, my mom's hair, and my sister's hair. I did my makeup.
Amy and Kim helped me get into my dress. I love my dress. So much for getting pictures of me getting ready. As Kim was lacing up my dress the photographer arrived. She took pictures of me finishing getting ready. We took some pictures in the garden area of the hotel. Then we went to the beach for some pictures. Before I knew it, it was time to go to the Sandbar!
I got there and stood in the office until it was time for me to be seen. We had to wait for Reverend Shook to arrive for about 15 minutes. Oh well. The rest of the wedding went really well. My sister started laughing hysterically during the ceremony. How rude. She says she was laughing at the expression on Sparky's face. He said all his vows looking at Reverend Shook instead of me, so I think they might be legally married now and I might be single, but I am not sure. The brides maids walked up the isle to Hawiian Wedding Song sung by Elvis Presley.
I walked down the isle to The Bridal March played on an acoustic guitar (on a CD).
The officiant said some stuff:
Dear friends, we have gathered here in the presence of God to join together "Sparky" and Sarah in Christian marriage. Marriage is a sacred commitment of body, mind, and spirit and is therefore not to be entered into thoughtlessly, but reverently and soberly. No other human ties are more tender, no other vows are more sacred than those which "Sparky" and Sarah now assume.
I ask you both to remember that love makes all relationships sacred. It is an eternal gift given to us to add meaning, beauty and depth to our lives. In marriage, love must be the cornerstone on which all later experiences build. What you promise today must be renewed tomorrow.
A reading from the apostle Paul 1 Corinthians 13 "If I speak with the eloquence of men and angels, but have no love, I become no more than blaring brass or crashing cymbal.
"If I have the gift of foretelling the future and hold in my mind all human knowledge, and if I also have the absolute faith which can move mountains, but have no love I amount to nothing.
"This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience--it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive; it is neither anxious to impose nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. It is glad when truth prevails.
"Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no dashing of its hope. It can outlast anything! It is in fact the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen. Love is the greatest power in the world!"
"Sparky," from all the people in the world you have chosen Sarah to be your wife. Do you promise that you will love her, comfort her, honor her, and be faithful to her as long as you both live?
("Sparky" says, "Yes, I do.")
Sarah, from all the people in the world you have chosen "Sparky" to be your husband. Do you promise that you will love him, comfort him, honor him, and be faithful to him as long as you both live?
(I say, "I do.")
Who gives this bride in marriage?
(My dad, who has been standing up there by me this entire time says, "Her mother and I do." Then he gives my hand to Sparky and he is finally able to sit down.)
It is fitting that we recognize the love and support given these two persons by their parents across the years. Although "Sparky" and Sarah have left the homes of their childhood, they continue their need for family support, love and understanding. As parents, will you pledge to give these two your deepest blessings as they enter this new season of their lives? Will you honor and support the commitment they make to one another today? If so, your answer is "We will."
(My mom and dad and Sparky's mom and dad say, "We will.")
"Sparky" and Sarah, as this moment, you are filled with joy and anticipation. You have come here to place your lives--all of your hopes and dreams--in each other's keeping. May God help you to assume this sacred responsibility as you give yourselves now in love each to the other.

I take you Sarah to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, through all the changing experiences of life, to love and to cherish for as long as we both shall live.

I take you "Sparky" to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, through all the changing experiences of life, to love and to cherish for as long as we both shall live.

The circle, represented by this ring, is a symbol of the sun, and of the earth, and of the universe. The circle is a symbol of holiness and peace. For centuries, the wedding ring has been an external sign representing the eternal union of two spirits. This beautiful symbol of unity now joins this two lives of "Sparky" and Sarah in one unbroken circle.

"Sparky" says- I give you this ring as a symbol of my love. I promise that from this day forward you shall not walk alone. For my heart will be your shelter and my arms will be your home.

I say- I give you this ring as a symbol of my love. I promise that from this day forward you shall not walk alone. For my heart will be your shelter and my arms will be your home.

In as much as "Sparky" and Sarah have declared their intention to live together in christian marriage, have pledge their faithfulness each to the other, and have expressed their love by joining hands and by giving and receiving rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit.

Sand Ceremony to The Forrest Gump Suite.

Eternal Father, we thank you for the lives of "Sparky" and Sarah and for the love which has brought them together. Bless their marriage with the same measure of devotion which they bring to teach other today. Give them strength to keep the vows they have made. Teach them to give themselves unselfishly so that their loyalty will be strong and their love eternal. Grant them the grace to make their home a haven of blessing and a place of peace.

And now, o Lord, as "Sparky" and Sarah are about to embark on an exciting new adventure, grant that every bend in the road may be a happy surprise and every hill a challenge to be met. And when clouds appear, help them remember the beauty of these moments when before you and their loved ones, they took their solemn vows. Make of their love one love--that together they may be blessed by your presence and your peace. Amen.

May the Lord bless and keep you and so fill you will all spiritual benediction and love, that you may so live together in this life that in the world to come, you may have life everlasting. Amen.

Dearly beloved, it is my privilege and joy to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. "Sparky" and Sarah Scranton.
We had our recessional to the song Better Together by Jack Johnson.

The end.

Then the photographer took a group shot of everyone at the wedding. Then she took formal pictures. Everyone else then was free to eat hors de ordervs while Sparky and I had our photos taken on the beach with the beautiful sunset. The photographer said she had never seen such a beautiful sunset in her life. It was so beautiful that the photos look fake. She showed us some.

We were introduced at the reception and had our first dance to Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk.
Then my dad and I had our Father/Daughter dance to Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman. He let me dance on his feet. :o)
We ate a beach barbecue dinner. We then cut the cake to Sugar, Sugar by The Archies. Then we had a group dance to Twist and Shout by the Beatles.
The night ended with our last dance to Come What May from Moulin Rouge.
My parents drove us back to the hotel and we watched Repo on TV until we fell asleep. We were so tired from all of the festivities.