Utah Reception

Just a few pictures from the Reception we held in Utah, to give you an idea of what it was like.

Our gorgeous backdrop. And you kind kind of see my bouquet, as well. My sister put it together. She's awesome.

My sister was also the creator of our beautiful wedding cake. And by the way, it's funfetti cake....my favorite.

Here is the food. Very important to any social gathering. And it was super delicious. Little turkey and ham sandwiches on "knot" rolls because we "tied the knot." Fresh fruit, chocolate dipped strawberries, mini cheesecakes topped with fruit, and then raspberry lemonade to drink. Can you say yummy???

These are the centerpieces for the tables. I think my mom has like 8 bags of cherry cordial kisses left over.

"Devin" enjoying our wedding cake. And so you know, there was funfetti chip frosting between the layers.

Here's a fun story for you. As Tyler and I were cutting the cake...the handle snapped off the cake knife. This is an awesome shot of what happened. Apparently we don't know our own strength. So we had to cut the cake using a knife that had no handle.

Poor little cake knife.

Tossing the bouquet was a challenge because...as you can see from this picture...I couldn't lift my arms up very high. Definitely not above my head. I couldn't turn backwards or the bouquet would probably have hit me in the face. So I closed my eyes and tossed.

And here you have the lucky eleven year old girl who caught the bouquet.

So there you have it...my Utah Reception. I will post pictures of the South Carolina open house as soon as Tyler's mom gets the pictures, so stay posted!

My Wedding Day

This post will probably mostly be pictures, and not so many words. Honestly, what can I say? My wedding was beautiful and perfect and everything I could have ever wished for. The ceremony was beautiful. To tell the truth, I don't remember much of it. I kept telling myself to focus but all I could think was "oh my gosh! After 4 years we are finally here!"


The beautiful Rexburg Temple, where Tyler and I tied the knot. It's so wonderful to know that because we were married in the temple we can be together forever...so long as we keep our covenants.

I just really love how our photographer put this picture together.

Completely in love, and standing by the temple...our key to eternal bliss.

A bridal shot, to help you see the dress a bit better...though it's still covered...sorry...

My handsome husband. :) It's so fun to say that...husband...

Here we are, walking out of the temple as husband and wife. Hurray!

The wonderful friends and family who came all the way to Rexburg to support us.

My family (with a Ken doll in Leisl's hand representing Devin). L to R: Wesley, Leisl, "Devin", Tyler, Tenika, Mom, Dad, Aunt Nellie, Uncle Mike.

Tyler's family. L to R: Dad, Mom, Tyler, Tenika, Meagan, Emily.

Our friends, the Colliers. Funny story...Aaron and Tyler were roommates, and Rachel Mae and I were roommates...and now we are married to each other's roommates! lol. L to R: Abigail, Aaron, Rachel Mae, Tenika, Tyler.

The Wedding Itinerary

I'm pretty sure I won't be blogging again for a week or two, so I thought I'd do a quick blog entry now. It's just a list of things I've done in the past few weeks...

• July 17th: I finished up work at Courtyard. I still have dreams about the residents and miss them like crazy!
• July 19th: My sister's 18th birthday...and also the first time I met Tyler's youngest sister.
• July 20th-21st: my mom, Tyler's mom, and myself went up to Rexburg. We took most of my stuff up and got it unpacked in my new apartment. I had a job interview (it's not 100% but without actually saying the words "you're hired" I basically was told I was hired...more to come on that...)
• July 25th: I went through the temple for the first time...and also met Tyler's dad for the first time.

And the plan for the next few weeks...

• July 29th: my family will go up to Rexburg
• July 30th: my wedding! Pictures, marriage, luncheon...oh my!
• July 31st: the reception in Spanish Fork (come if you can! 6:30pm-8:30pm at the church by my house...call or email if you need directions)
• August 1st: Tyler and I fly to South Carolina to begin our honeymoon
• August 8th: our open house in South Carolina (6-8...again, everyone is welcome to come!)
• August 10th: Tyler and I leave South Carolina and real life will begin again shortly there-after.

I'll see everyone again...AFTER I'M A MARRIED WOMAN!!!

TWO WEEKS LEFT!!!

I am excited to point out that today is the two week mark until my wedding. Hurray! Every time I think about it, I get butterflies in my stomach. One of the residents at work, whose husband recently died, says she hopes I always feel that way when I think about being married and think about my husband. She told me that she never ever stopped being excited about being married to her husband. I thought that was so sweet. The people I have the opportunity to work with, give me hope in marriage. They still talk so sweetly about their spouses, and the ones who still have living spouses are so cute together. They give me a model to go by. It's fantastic.

Wedding plans are mostly done at this point. (One would hope so, huh?) We realized the other day that nothing had been done about music for the reception, so I spent three hours on Google and YouTube the other day trying to find appropriate background music. My sister knows of a website that will take songs you find on YouTube and download them to I-Tunes, so we've put her in charge of making a CD.

I'm still trying to decide what I will do about my hair for the wedding. Originally I had decided it would be fantastic to wear a nice headband. I don't like tiaras or veils, so I thought if I got a headband with diamonds and pearls...that would be nice and would pull everything together. Those things are crazy expensive though!!! So then I downscaled to a nice flower. I've been picky about the flower though. I don't want anything large, and I kinda want it to be a fake flower with red and white, and pearls in the middle. I had thought about making my own, but I can't find any fake flowers that aren't HUGE. So my current options: a) get one of those fake flower clips that you buy for your kids and accept the fact that it's only one color b) wear a huge fake flower c) I found a cute clip that has red shells that look like a flower with pearls in the middle (this is the option I'm leaning towards).

The other big thing that I'm trying to figure out for the wedding is an outfit to wear at my luncheon and at my open house in South Carolina. My first problem is that I'm so super picky. Seriously, people hate going shopping with me. My mom and I hit a bunch of shops the other day and I found two skirts I liked...the one had a black stain (it was in the clearance rack) and the other didn't fit. It seems like the popular style for skirts this year is to have it sitting way high on your waist...above your belly button. And I can't STAND wearing my skirts that high. So I've had less options because I don't like the popular style. But in talking to some of the girls I work with, there are a few more places I can look.

Friday (July 17th) is my last day of work. It is crazy to think that I am leaving for good. Since I started working at Courtyard two years ago, I've been an on again, off again employee. I work for a few months, go to school, come back and work some more, go back to school....the residents got used to my coming and going. And I got really used to it too. In fact, when April rolled around, I was ready to head back up to school and get a break from work for a few months. lol. But this time, it's a real good-bye. Unless Tyler and I randomly feel the urge to move to Provo...which I do not see happening any time soon...I won't be back working here. And even if we DID move back here...I don't know if I'd come back or find another job. I've met some great people and had some fun experiences, and those are memories I will always cherish. You'd better believe I will be back to visit!

Gosh, I still can't believe I am getting married in two weeks! My mom has this fear that we will forget something for the wedding...but I'm feeling okay. The most important thing is the ceremony, and the rest is, as my neighbor told me, "icing on the cake."

Ta Da!

So...my computer is RETARDED and won't let me move things around...and keeps deleting what I try to move. Sorry this post looks a little skee-whompis...I made up the spelling on that word, by the way. I just had to show off what I've done! The picture you see right above this paragraph...is the jewelry I will wear to my wedding! Hurray! And below are a few samples of work I've done in the past few days as gifts. :)



This is a necklace and bracelet for my mom for her birthday (today. Happy Birthday, Mom!) It would probably look better on a model, but that's okay. Use your imagination.


This bracelet is a birthday present for a friend of mine...but she hasn't had her birthday yet so she doesn't know this is hers. :)

This bracelet and earring set are a birthday gift for ANOTHER friend. July is a busy birthday month for me. Anyway...just wanted to show off my work. I've been enjoying it...and it's nice to know I have some tiny bit of creativity in me. Hurray!

More Engagement Photos!

These are my favorite photos from the photo shoot we took with my friend a few weeks ago. We took the pictures at a popular spot in the Provo/Orem area: The Shops at the Riverwoods. Enjoy!

If you are interested in her work and would like to see more, or contact her, check out: http://www.lauragreenphotography.blogspot.com/

Gotta catch up! It's the last day of May!

Selwyn (my rat) is jumping from my shoulder to the keyboard while I write this. So I apologize for any random letters that might appear. I'll try to edit this!

We are now less than two months from the wedding date, and things seem to be coming together fairly well. A friend of mine saw our engagement pictures and asked to use us as models to help her build her photography portfolio, so now we have two sets of engagement pictures to choose from. I don't have the CD from her yet, so I haven't posted any of those pictures. We really need to get started on the announcements soon though!

Today my dad and I went over the guest list and (following the suggestion of our caterer) counted the "yes", "no", and "maybe" guests for the reception in Utah. Holy lots of people! I guess I shouldn't expect any less considering the size of the family I come from. We have a little over 300 "yes" guests and over 80 "maybe" guests. For anyone who may be interested (or need to use this little skill for planning a reception or other party in the future) we take the "maybe" list and divide it in half, because our caterer says in his 30 years of experience, that's a fairly accurate guess at how many will actually show up.

Also, my sister and I started making lists for bridal showers. I'm going to have two. How lucky am I? My sister is in charge of one for the family (so aunts, cousins, etc.) and one of my best friends from high school is going to do a bridal shower for friends and coworkers. It will be interesting to see how it all works out. The family bridal shower is going to be a breakfast, and it will be more of an "open house". So come, eat food, talk, whatever. I don't know what is planned for the other one yet, but I'm guessing it will be more like the traditional bridal shower (meaning games and such). That will give me a nice variety.

Tyler and I have our apartment now. We took over the lease of another couple and start paying rent the middle of June. I'm glad we are doing it this way (though it means spending money for an empty apartment for a month) because it means we can start putting the apartment together before we have to move in. We already have a dining room table (with chairs) and a couch. We are lucky to be moving into a college town with lots of married couples! We've gotten good deals on both the dining room set and the couch because couples were moving away and anxious to get rid of things. It has really worked to our advantage.

Outside of wedding plans, there's not much going on right now. Tyler just started mid-terms this last week, which is keeping him pretty busy and stressed. He's doing a good job though. He's also caved in and will be starting a telephone research job this coming week. Money is money, and we desperately need it!

For myself, I am just working. For the next few weeks I'll also be playing Mom. My mom and my youngest brother have gone on a trip to New Zealand for the next two and a half weeks. My sister and I are taking turns cooking and cleaning. Dad was given one night a week to cook, but he's already found a way out of that! In his defense though, his excuses are legitimate.

My sister graduated from high school on Thursday and it gave me a chance to reminisce about my own high school days. Especially because we graduated from the same high school and she went to school with the younger siblings of some of the people in my graduating class. I can't help but wonder what everyone is up to four years after high school graduation. I guess if I go to my five-year class reunion next year, I will find out! I can't believe how much time has passed since I was in high school. I'm starting to feel old!

And for anyone who might wonder...Selwyn just stuck her nose in my mouth and then started licking my teeth. EWWW!!! Maybe she wants to be the first rodent dentist???+ <--this plus sign compliments of Selwyn

Engagement Photos

I finally got my engagement pictures back! I feel like I've been waiting FOREVER to get them. Tyler hates pictures of himself, so he probably hates that I'm doing this but I wanted to post some of them on here.


This picture is Tyler's personal favorite. I find it cute too. And my mom and sister both ooohed and aaahed over it, which I take as a good sign. Although I did a double take the first time I saw the picture because it almost looks like Tyler is sporting a faux-hawk!





I like this picture except that...Tyler's face is in the shadows! It has a very "angel of light, angel of dark" feel to it. Which is too bad.

I really do like this picture! I think that you can see just how happy we are when we look at each other. Leisl's friend made me promise that I would have at least one picture on my announcement that showed both of our faces...so I need to watch for that. She says she hates when she gets an invite and she wants to see this girl she's never met who is marrying her cousin or whoever...but you don't have a picture that shows their faces! And...I have had similar thoughts in the past.

I love the old buildings look! And I like black and white too. So I really like this picture. Again though...you can't see my face! The funny story behind this picture (or rather the place we took this picture) is that apparently it is private property that we aren't allowed to be in. We were in the middle of taking photos and got kicked off. Ooops!

This is another cute photo. I do like it. But I wish it was outdoors. I'm being picky, huh?!

Yes, I'm super picky. This photo is AWESOME...except that I look like I have creepy vampire eyes. I'm not sure what happened.

This picture is my absolute FAVORITE!!! I fell in love with it when I first saw it. Every time I look at it I just think...oh so cute!...all over again. When my dad saw it, he complimented my veins. Thanks Dad...ha ha. But seriously? I REALLY want to use this picture on the announcements...even though it doesn't show our faces!

I still don't know how we'll put the announcements together. I just want to print them off on photo paper (sooo much cheaper!), and just photoshop a couple pictures along the side or something. I dunno. But now you've had a little taste. :)

Details!

Sometimes I tell myself that my life is too boring for people to be interested in. Which is probably why I don't update my blog as much as other people do. However, I decided that I'm going to update you on the boring details of my boring life. Afterall, that's why I have a blog, isn't it???

Last weekend I went up to Idaho to spend some time with Tyler. I rushed to get out of work by noon so that I could get to Rexburg before 5, and therefore we could go get our marriage license. In Idaho, they don't expire for a year! And I thought...hey, I have to go up any way, why not get it done?! So I successfully made it to Rexburg before 5, and Tyler and I hurried down to the clerk's office. We open the door and a lady says..."oh no, are you here to get a marriage license?" Yes...as a matter of fact....Unfortunately for us, all the girls that have access to the computers decided to leave early for a baseball game. So...now I will need to make another trip up to Idaho on a weekday before 5 so that we can get our marriage license. Curses!

We did our engagement pictures while I was up in Rexburg over the weekend. That was the original reason I was going up. We found a student who does engagements and wedding pictures for a really good price. And I'm all for saving money. She suggested doing some pictures during the sunset in front of the temple. Cute, right? They were. Minus that we took the pictures across the street from the temple so that we could get the whole temple in and...ha ha. Usually that field has grain but right now it's just plowed dirt. So there will be lots of pictures of us sitting in the dirt. Wahoo! I think it will be okay though.



The next morning we met at the photographer's house to take some more formal pictures with a black backdrop. Then we headed out to take some pictures at a cute old building she'd found online. It was an old "seed house"...whatever that means. It was cute and old with slightly peeling paint and...just perfect. So we started taking pictures, and then a guy drives up in a tractor and asks us if we had permission from the owner to take pictures there. Basically...we got kicked off the property. lol. But not before getting some pictures...hopefully they turn out! Of course, we wanted to make sure we had some good ones. Especially because Tyler decided he doesn't want to use the temple ones.

So we decided to head to the gardens on campus. I'd been a little hesitant to do them there because I find it cliche (everyone takes pictures there) but...oh well. We get to the gardens and...surprise!...they are under construction. Don't worry, not ALL of the gardens. We can just take some by the waterfalls. Then we discovered that the waterfalls were turned off. Instead we just took some pictures in front of some rocks. So the photo shoot was a little disappointing...but I'm hopeful, overall. She posted a few of the pictures on her blog (and I posted them here!!!) and so far, so good.

Then Saturday night Tyler and I went to look at an apartment we were interested in. It's super perfect! Spacious, in our budget (barely, but still in the budget). It's got a lot of perks too. Washer and dryer, cable and internet, 2 bedrooms...and a club house that includes a hot tub, theater room, and exercise room. I don't have pictures of it, but Tyler will be signing the papers soon and we'll be able to start moving our stuff in by mid-June. Yay, we'll have an apartment!!!

Sunday there was a CES fireside being broadcast from right on campus. Elder Bednar was the speaker. We were hopeful that we could get tickets, but you can only get one ticket per student and I'm not a student. Stupid. We watched the fireside from the overflow location instead. And really, that's fine. It's the same fireside and the same spirit. And the seats are probably more comfortable anyway.

I came back to Utah bright and early Monday morning and made it to work before noon. Now it's back to work and long distance for Tyler and I. It's okay, we have less than three months to go before the wedding. We can handle this. Oh, and happy day! Tomorrow will be the one month anniversary of our engagement. Cute.

Wedding Plans

Wow, planning a wedding takes more effort than I want to put into it. Doesn't that sound lazy? It's just...there are sooo many details and formalities...some of which I would prefer to skip. Sigh. Oh well!

I started writing my guest list the other day and I am paranoid that I will forget someone. And not even because that person isn't important to me...but because as soon as I pulled out a pen and paper my mind froze up. Luckily I have a few months to add anyone I forgot to the list.

Tyler called the temple last week and set up our actual wedding (hurray!!!). The sealing room will only hold twenty people, so we have to be very selective. Hopefully no one will be offended when they don't get to come to the temple with us. Family first!!!

We are still working on where we will hold the reception. There are several options, we are just weighing the pros and cons. Such as cost...or how I kinda don't want to hold it inside...if only money weren't an issue, right?! I keep telling Tyler that if we were rich life would be so much easier.

Oh, another thing we are doing...looking for housing in Rexburg. It's a pain. Every time I look at the price of rent, I just shudder. The sad thing is, Rexburg housing is fairly cheap. It's just that we will be so poor. The two things we would really like in an apartment are internet and a washer and dryer. And we'd really, really like a two bedroom place. That way if we have little Tylers and Tenikas running around while we are still in Idaho, we won't have to move.

There is so much to think about before the wedding, it just blows my mind. Between a wedding license, housing, insurance, the reception, the honeymoon....yikes! How do people do this? I've always been scared of real life. If I wasn't so in love with Tyler, I think I might back out and vote to just live in my parents' basement forever...it would certainly be easier!

But of all that...the thing that's getting to me the most right now is being seperated from Tyler. How stupid is that? Not stupid because I shouldn't miss him...but because we've had a long distance relationship for so long...and yet I'm missing him more NOW than I did before we were engaged...why is that?! I am glad he's in school though. I'm actually a bit jealous of him...I want to go back to school. (I know, I know, what's wrong with me?!) It's okay, 100 more days and we'll be married and in the same state...permanently. :)

Wedding Bells...

Yup, it's true. Tyler and I are engaged, and incredibly happy.







Here's the story....I'd had a super bad day at work. I was overreacting, yes, but it was a build-up of stress and...anyway...not the point. I'm stressed and upset and just ready to LEAVE! Tyler came to pick me up and as soon as we got in the car, I just started going off about my day. He was very patient, listened, and helped me to calm down by giving me the opportunity to vent. (He's so wonderful that way!!!) Then he told me he had a gift for me and pointed to a wooden box sitting in the center console of the car.



I opened it up and...there was a little key. About three-ish years ago, when we had been dating like...6 months maybe??? I gave him the "key to my heart" and that's what was in the box. I have to admit, I was a bit confused and asked him why he would give that back to me...I don't need the key to my own heart! He agreed and said he'd keep it if I wanted him too, which I did.



So then he starts tracing letters on my knee with his finger. It took me a minute to realize he was writing something, so he had to start over. He wrote "Will you marry me?" And I said, "Haven't I told you before that I would?!" Because yes, we had talked about this before. Still though...way to ruin the moment, Tenika!!! Tyler's such a good sport...



That's when he pulls the ring out of his pocket and puts it on my finger, asking me again if I will marry him. Of course I will!



Tyler called the temple today and we are getting married July 30th....in the Rexburg Temple. Here's another cute story....we actually went to the groundbreaking of the Rexburg Temple (July 30th, 2005) together, and that was the day we told each other we had feelings for one another. So...very cute and special for us.



My ring is gorgeous (but it sure is hard to take pictures of super shiny little things like that!!!), yes we are happy, yes I will have to move up to Idaho after we get married...Have I answered everyone's questions???