My Daughter's Wedding {Part 2}

 

 

 

From the beautiful church, to the happy and so in love bride and groom, the ceremony was everything we had hoped and dreamed. When planning a wedding, it is easy to get caught up in the reception details, but it is just as important, to make sure the ceremony is equally as meaningful.

The wedding took place at The Basilica of St. Adalbert in Grand Rapids, one of only two basilicas in Michigan and it was the perfect choice for a Catholic mass. The priest, a family friend, who has known Megan since first grade, traveled from the Detroit archdiocese to perform the ceremony and none of us can imagine the day without him. We needed very little floral decor; just a few bunches of greenery tied to the pews, because the church is so ornate. It was a magical setting on a lovely summer day.

The day started early with hair and makeup at the hotel, mimosas and sweet bridesmaids keeping Megan calm. I know all brides are beautiful, but we think she looked stunning and her dress, veil, hair and makeup all came together just right. She was more than ready to get in the car with me, her dad and sister to drive the short distance to the church and finally see her husband to be.

The ceremony was so personal, with family members doing the readings, godparents bringing up the gifts of bread and wine and Father Brian speaking so eloquently of the relationship he has had with our family over the years. It was truly a joyous celebration as Megan and Adam walked back down the aisle, finally married.

The professional photos from our photographer will not be a available for some time, but luckily a few friends and family snapped some candid shots from the ceremony . Some are a little blurry, eyes may be closed, but they still show the emotion of the day.

 

 

 

 

Her dress was new, her shoes were blue and the florist attached something old (grandpa's cuff link) and something borrowed (my cross pendant) in the bridal bouquet.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy parents popping some champagne!

 

Next post: the unique reception venue and so much fun with family and friends.

Happy Tuesday!

 

My Daughter's Wedding {Part1}

 

 

Family dinner (missing Adam's brother and his fiancé) Thursday night. Of course, we started the fun with a champagne toast!

 

We are still on cloud nine, almost a week later, and by going back and sorting through these photos, it's easy to see why. We had so much fun the whole wedding weekend. It wasn't a destination wedding per se, but since we don't live in Michigan any longer and most of our friends and family were coming from other states, as well as other cities around Michigan, we treated it as such and planned events in addition to the wedding. Grand Rapids is a beautiful city, with a lot to do and is easily walkable. We were able to acheive an urban vibe, without some of the inconveniences of a larger city like Detroit or Chicago.

 

Welcome lunch Friday, for whoever was in town early, at a pretty outdoor space in one of the brewerys Grand Rapids is known for.

 

 

 

Trolley ride with wedding party to the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner

 

 

 

 

Rehearsal Dinner Fun

 

 

Welcome To Town Cocktails - post rehearsal dinner.

 

I am so glad we rented the trolley, as it was a fun way to get the wedding weekend started for the bridal party. From the church, we spent some time riding around downtown, with a pre dinner cocktail, before arriving at the restaurant. Adam's parents hosted a lovely dinner, with three kinds of sangria (red, white and mixed) and a delicious family style tapas menu. It was intimate, casual and broke the ice for those in the bridal party who didn't know each other as well.

We all took a short walk back to our hotel (past the love statue of course) and arrived at the hotel bar (outside and overlooking the river) to welcome our friends and family members to Grand Rapids. Everyone was so excited to see Adam and Megan and looking forward to a great wedding day on Saturday.

I can't wait to share the wedding with you in my next post.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Sneak Peek

 

 

 

We are back home from our daughter's wedding and feeling all the emotions. Tired from a lot of early mornings and late nights, relieved that everything came together just like we had hoped, filled with love and joy for the newlyweds and most of all very happy. Our two families came together so seamlessly and I can honestly say, everyone had a weekend filled with fun.

I'll be posting more photos in the days ahead, but wanted to give a sneak peek of the photo our photographer posted on her Instagram. I barely touched my phone all weekend, but plenty of others took photos, so I will have some great ones to share with you.

Happy Tuesday from a very happy (and tired) mother of the bride!