My Wedding Day − 17 November, 2007
Wedding Days are interesting aren't they? I half expected to wake up to "Chapel of Love" on my iTunes. I must have seemed like the most calm groom ever, I was absolutely fine.
My fiance Chris stayed at the Copper Leaf Hotel the night before with the girls. I had my mom and dad and Deryck and Devon at the house.
We woke up and had breakfast and went to the Cornerstone Chapel in Appleton, WI around 1:00 pm. We were the first there, but after 10 minutes the ladies arrived.
Before I go any further, I'll tell you who was who:
Bridesmaid: Sarah Werner (Chris' best friend)
Bestman: Roy Zimmerman (My father)
Bridesmaids: Stephanie and Alyssa (Chris' Daughters)
Groomsmen: Deryck and Devon (Chris' Sons)
My dad, Deryck and Devon, and I got ready and put our tuxedos on and I was able to go out to visit people. There weren't that many, 5 from my side (including my parents) and about 40 from Chris'.
Pretty soon, the ceremony began and I was a mess. Not a mess, like, "Wow," he's a cry baby, but "Let-me-stretch-my-face-out-and-blink-hundreds-of-times-so-I-don't-cry-Damnit!-there's-a-tear" kind of mess.
When I was watching Chris' parents walk up the aisle and thinking, "Wow, they approve of me" , I cried. I cried when my dad and I were walking my mom up the aisle. I cried when I saw Chris for the first time as the doors opened at the back of the church, I hadn't seen her since the rehearsal dinner. And I cried when I was saying my vows and listening to hers that we made for each other. I had to pull out my groom's handkerchief many times for Chris too.
My vows to her:
I love you so much. Enough to do anything for you; give my life, my love, my heart, and my soul to you. Enough to be silly around you, to never have to hide anything from you, and be myself with you. Enough to want the best for you, to wish for your success and to encourage you to fulfill all your dreams. Enough to keep my promises to you and pledge my loyalty and faithfulness to you. Enough to fight for you and compromise with you and sacrifice myself for you if need be. I love you enough to spend the rest of my life with you, to be there for you when you need me and want you to be there for me. Enough to never want to leave your side or live my life without you.
I came to this chapel today as a man standing alone; I will walk from it by your side. Today, I cross the threshold with you and enter into a lasting lifetime commitment. I will love you forever, in good times and bad. When life seems easy and when it seems hard. Today and for the rest of my life, I commit myself to you as your husband.
Her's to me:
Brian, because of you I laugh, I smile and I dare to dream again. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. Caring for you, nurturing you and being there for you in all life has for us.
I will laugh with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will share in your dreams and support you as you strive to achieve your goals. I will respect you in your successes and in your 0-9 volleyball seasons.
I love you, not just for who you are, but for who I am when I'm with you. I love you for the way you love and care for the kids as if they were your own.
You are my best friend and I will love you always.
(The 0-9 volleyball seasons refers to my first year as a high school varsity volleyball coach in which my young team went 0-9. It made me laugh and the families did too.)
After the vows, I was fine. We had a sand ceremony and it involved the kids more than a unity candle. The rest of the ceremony was a celebration and fun.
The reception was fun and we had more people there than at the ceremony. I almost cried at the reception too, during my toast, but I held it together. I did cry though when I danced with my mom and the song was "What a Wonderful World." I had the DJ dedicate it to my grandfather and I knew in doing so, my mom would cry. Seeing her cry is definitely one way to get my to cry.
Throughout the entire night, I drank about 30 Dewar's "Scotch and 7s" and I didn't feel a thing. I guess people are right when they say that you are too hyped up on your wedding day to get drunk.
The day was small and intimate and a day I will never forget. I became the luckiest guy in the world today.
(pictures to follow)
My fiance Chris stayed at the Copper Leaf Hotel the night before with the girls. I had my mom and dad and Deryck and Devon at the house.
We woke up and had breakfast and went to the Cornerstone Chapel in Appleton, WI around 1:00 pm. We were the first there, but after 10 minutes the ladies arrived.
Before I go any further, I'll tell you who was who:
Bridesmaid: Sarah Werner (Chris' best friend)
Bestman: Roy Zimmerman (My father)
Bridesmaids: Stephanie and Alyssa (Chris' Daughters)
Groomsmen: Deryck and Devon (Chris' Sons)
My dad, Deryck and Devon, and I got ready and put our tuxedos on and I was able to go out to visit people. There weren't that many, 5 from my side (including my parents) and about 40 from Chris'.
Pretty soon, the ceremony began and I was a mess. Not a mess, like, "Wow," he's a cry baby, but "Let-me-stretch-my-face-out-and-blink-hundreds-of-times-so-I-don't-cry-Damnit!-there's-a-tear" kind of mess.
When I was watching Chris' parents walk up the aisle and thinking, "Wow, they approve of me" , I cried. I cried when my dad and I were walking my mom up the aisle. I cried when I saw Chris for the first time as the doors opened at the back of the church, I hadn't seen her since the rehearsal dinner. And I cried when I was saying my vows and listening to hers that we made for each other. I had to pull out my groom's handkerchief many times for Chris too.
My vows to her:
I love you so much. Enough to do anything for you; give my life, my love, my heart, and my soul to you. Enough to be silly around you, to never have to hide anything from you, and be myself with you. Enough to want the best for you, to wish for your success and to encourage you to fulfill all your dreams. Enough to keep my promises to you and pledge my loyalty and faithfulness to you. Enough to fight for you and compromise with you and sacrifice myself for you if need be. I love you enough to spend the rest of my life with you, to be there for you when you need me and want you to be there for me. Enough to never want to leave your side or live my life without you.
I came to this chapel today as a man standing alone; I will walk from it by your side. Today, I cross the threshold with you and enter into a lasting lifetime commitment. I will love you forever, in good times and bad. When life seems easy and when it seems hard. Today and for the rest of my life, I commit myself to you as your husband.
Her's to me:
Brian, because of you I laugh, I smile and I dare to dream again. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. Caring for you, nurturing you and being there for you in all life has for us.
I will laugh with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will share in your dreams and support you as you strive to achieve your goals. I will respect you in your successes and in your 0-9 volleyball seasons.
I love you, not just for who you are, but for who I am when I'm with you. I love you for the way you love and care for the kids as if they were your own.
You are my best friend and I will love you always.
(The 0-9 volleyball seasons refers to my first year as a high school varsity volleyball coach in which my young team went 0-9. It made me laugh and the families did too.)
After the vows, I was fine. We had a sand ceremony and it involved the kids more than a unity candle. The rest of the ceremony was a celebration and fun.
The reception was fun and we had more people there than at the ceremony. I almost cried at the reception too, during my toast, but I held it together. I did cry though when I danced with my mom and the song was "What a Wonderful World." I had the DJ dedicate it to my grandfather and I knew in doing so, my mom would cry. Seeing her cry is definitely one way to get my to cry.
Throughout the entire night, I drank about 30 Dewar's "Scotch and 7s" and I didn't feel a thing. I guess people are right when they say that you are too hyped up on your wedding day to get drunk.
The day was small and intimate and a day I will never forget. I became the luckiest guy in the world today.
(pictures to follow)
