The Wonderful Day

“I know what….let’s make a list of all the things we most loved about our wedding,” I suggested to Marnell a day or two after our wedding.  We kept discussing the day, talking about how much we loved it, and I didn’t want the memories to evaporate.

Here are some of the things we loved!

• Reception: The train trivia question from Ed & Nancy.  (What year did the first train go from Elkhart to Goshen? 1852, 1872, 1892?  A–1852)
• All day: the bridal party guys looked so fantastic in their matching white shirts and gray pants, and occasionally a picture with scarves.
• All day: the bridal party girls looked so beautiful in their white dresses and silver fur wraps with their dusty miller flower bouquets.
• Picture taking: the train engineer (Train 6983) that blew his horn at us and cheered when we stole a kiss on the train platform at the depot….and our photographer Mel (MG3Photography) who caught the moment! Does anyone know how we could find him so I could send him this picture?

• Reception: singing carols!  Joy to the World and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, both expertly led by Ryan Hoover.
• Reception: Kendall & Anne, friends of Marnells and now of me, who so kindly ran our hot chocolate, coffee, and water bar.  Marnell and I both remembered sitting down at the bridal table and looking across the room and seeing them standing behind the lighted bar with the snowflakes dangling above them.  They just really looked SO good back there, and we knew everything was in good hands with them.
• Ceremony: after giving me away, my Dad accidentally sitting beside my neighbor Mary instead of by his wife!  We missed it in the moment, but the livestream did catch it.  How can a wedding be complete without a little humor? (My apologies to those of you who thought the livestream wasn’t working! I should have given you the start time, because of course I posted it early.)
• Ceremony: How people loved Marnell’s white shoes and my dress (made by friend Connie Rodes, who also made my mom’s dress).
• Picture taking: Getting hot chocolate on the bus, thanks to bus driver Jonas Gingerich for taking us to Dunkin’ Donuts.  We were going to get donuts, but believe it or not, they were out of donuts!
• Reception: Did I mention the hot chocolate bar? Those skates!  Thanks to my friend Rosie!
• Reception: Laura Zimmerman’s table skirts and Marnell’s idea to put them continuously around the bridal table. Thanks Laura!
• Reception: the way the lights got positioned on the bridal table to really make it stand out in the darkened room. Thanks Norrell, best man!
• Reception: The string lights on the ceiling and the way they appeared to go on infinitely, and the way you could see them from the outside.
• Our limo ride to and from the reception and the way the driver shut the little window between front and back with “See you guys later!” Thanks Theodore!
• The sunrise and sunset sky and beautiful weather all day long! Thank you God!
• Ceremony: My brother Scott’s humorous and honest seven practical vows (“There should be a tear shed on each of these by the speaker”).
• Reception: even though I could barely taste, a spread of the world’s best desserts: lemon delight from Marnell’s mom, sugar cookies and hot chocolate from my friend Barb, white caramels from Lucretia, and cupcakes from Mini Delights with a delightful train.
• The way everyone was talking and laughing and seeming to have a good time, even when they had to wait.
• Reception: people getting caught in the Christmas parade on the way from the church to the reception!  I’m sorry they got delayed, but what a fun Christmas excuse for being late to a December wedding! (Norrell: “At least we were dressed for it.”)

A few of my sister’s iPhone shots from one of our favorite places in Elkhart…

Another sneak peak photo from MG3 Photography…

Everyone said the day would fly by, and it did! But I’m so grateful for the memories and the photos, and everyone who made them happen.