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Published: August 10th 2009
Sewing ... Again
Someone said ... who can sew .... The knot is tied! And we believe tied tight.
The plans have been in the works for months, and I can't even begin to imagine the time that Annie and her mom Kristi and the rest of the family have put it to this point. My hat is off to them!!
I only have candid pictures and a few pictures that I made at the same time the photographer was making before the wedding. Once I get more I can post those, but I will be honest - we are so thrilled we just couldn't wait! So, my apologies to all the family that was at the wedding but are not seen here in these few pictures, I'll get them up when they are available!
Anthony, Joshua, myself and my sister Tammy arrived in Paducah at the wedding site at 1 on Thursday. We immediately were put to a task of ... guess what ...? SEWING!! But not a quilt, the netting for the tents, (it was an outdoor wedding - at night!) the guys attached lots of strips of toole (netting) to the inside ceiling of the tents, and then chandaliers in the center. Tammy and I
Like Mother Like Son
Joshua gave the sewing a try too! started sewing the tool to the ceiling and then to the sides of the roof of the tent. All the bridesmaids were there helping, doing whatever Annie needed done. I am sure that they all have tons of pictures on their facebook accounts, but I want to mention their names because they are all sweet girls, who are great friends of Joshua and Annie, and over the last few years we have gotten to know some of them a little, some a lot and I thank them all for being a part of this incredible weekend.
Maid of Honor - Katie (Annie's sister), and Caroline (Annie's sister)
Bridesmaids - Marcy Hammons, Tori Dobbs, Lindsey Bolton, and Inabeth Donaldson
House Party - Minnie Guzman, Melissa Ritchie, and Jenna Ware.
Tammy and I kept sewing with our arms in the air from 1:30 to about 9, Anthony helped a lot as well and we went to get something to eat, and then headed to the church building to decorate for the rehearsal dinner. We hit the sack at after midnight!
Friday morning we were up and headed to Hobby Lobby to get the place card holders for the tables.
Table Settings
One of the tables at the Rehearsal Dinner - if you want to know about it ... it was CHEAP! We had two different kinds and some of them kept turning over because the pictures that we were putting on the tables, which my sister Tonya did for us, were too heavy and kept turning over. Sue Anne Turner, a good family friend loaned us some that were perfect and we were able to find the very same ones to use in place of the others.
Then we bought flowers.
Now, I have to say that up to this point my sisters Tonya, Sonia, and Tammy had done a lot of pre-buying for me. Tonya drew up the table placement and one weekend a few weeks ago Anthony and I drove up to moms and we laid the tables out in several different way to see which looks best. Some things that you have in your head, don't work once you have it in real life and sitting in front of you. In the end, what you see is what we came up with. It was beautiful! If you want to know about the individual items in the pictures and how we made them (WE MADE IT ALL FROM SCRATCH) ...well we didn't fire the clay pots -
Anthony's Flower Arrangements
The older Anthony gets, the more talents he finds buried in there somewhere! put we did spray paint them - just let me know !!
When we started picking out the flowers, Anthony was right there to suggest baby's breath and then he made as many of the arrangements as Tammy and I! He is a jack of all trades!
We got those done, and it was all ready for the dinner that night. The only thing left was the food! Which wouldn't arrive until much later ... so .... plenty of time to see what the HUGE HANCOCKS FABRIC store offered!!!
Then Tammy and Anthony dropped me off for the Bridesmaids Luncheon, which was so nice!
Next was the dinner ... which I will say I didn't get as many pictures as I thought with my camera because I was too busy having a great time eating and talking! Go figure on that one! HA!
The rehearsal was just what it is meant to be ... getting the kinks worked out and after we finished we got to bed very very late yet again.
Saturday ... whew! Let me just tell you before you read any further .... some of you may need a tissue!
Eating ... who would have thought
Joshua is always up for a good meal! We arrive about 5 to get our pictures taken as grooms parents and really enjoy some time before the wedding with the groomsmen and bridesmaids, Annie's parents, Kristi and Steve Meiners, and her grandparents. They were laughing and cutting up after a long day of taking all of the pre-wedding photos all over town.
The groomsmen are all great friends of Joshuas. We have also, over the years gotten to know them and their families. Colby is family ... Ryan and Nate have played ball with Joshua since Jr. High. Braden and Jason football from Harding. They joked and kidded but you could tell they were happy for Joshua.
Best Man - Braden Brinkley, Groomsmen - Jason Thomasson, Colby Webb, Nate Winslett, Ryan Nievenhuis.
It was the first time we had seen Joshua and Annie in suit and dress. A mom always wants this beautiful bride for her son, and believe me Joshua hit the mother load. Annie was a princess. He was so very handsome that it took my breath to see them both together. They could have been a couple in a Brides Magazine.
Once it got close to the time for guests to
Groomsmen
Joshua and his entourage! arrive, the wedding party went inside and we stayed outside to greet them. We were so very very thrilled to see a van load of our Pinewood Family come to share this with us. They have grown with Joshua into the incredible man that he has become. We also, besides loads of family had dear friends from Texas that we very first met in Tanzania. And as a side note, after worship Sunday morning we found out that Anthony and I were married on the exact day and time, the exact number of years ago as Elizabeth and Phil. That was a goosebumps moment!
Once all the guests were seated, it was our turn. The grandparents were seated first, then our turn. Joshua takes my arm, wraps it in his and we start to our seats. Anthony is right behind. We get around the side of the seating and he looks down at me and says, "I am walking you to my wedding" and winks. Is this the stuff movies are made of or what!
Then if it couldn't have been better, when he seated me he kissed my cheek and gave Anthony a big hug.
Kristi
Guys and Annie
She weighs 103 ... Braden didn't need any help holding her .. the other were just there for the dress and the hair was escorted down, and when she got to her place, instead of sitting, she came across the isle, took my hand and the two of us lit the unity candles. At that point I worked hard to hold it in, but got control, this wasn't about me, it was about Joshua and Annie.
Just before Annie walked down the isle, Anthony mouthed to Joshua with a smile, .. "too late now" and Joshua grinned the biggest grin!
The ceremony was traditional, Marcy sang during the lighting of their candle, and it was so typical of Joshua that once they got back to their place while the song was continuing, he and Annie carried on a private little conversation right there in front of the entire crowd. It was so sweet to see them winking and smiling and whispering to each other in a way that you could just see ... they were in love ... truly in love.
They did say I do, they exchanged rings, and had a nice long kiss to seal the deal.
The reception was so fun, and I know everyone had a wonderful time. They mingled, ate, did the garter and
Bridesmaids
All the girls were visions of beauty! threw the bouquet and left in Steve's antique truck to a group of folks that had sparklers sizzling in the dark about 10 pm.
Those that were still around started clean up, and basically all the sewing that took more than 7 hours to put up, came down in about 30 minutes! We took down as much as we could with just the twinkle lights to shine the way, then once again got into bed late, tired, but very very happy.
I cried more Sunday morning at worship services holding my mom's hand during a prayer than I did the entire wedding! My mom remembering the day I left home, and now I know that deep love for my own son, and the pull between the void that will be there now that he is gone, and the joy that we have for we know he has found his soul mate in Annie. Not to mention the fact that my odds just got better! It's 50/50 now guys!
Joshua heads to the Carribean Monday morning with Annie, husband and wife .... and off my couch!
I gained a daughter ... and the only loss ... is
Wedding Party
Steve made it clear - NO DECORATING his fully restored truck! a tax exemption ...
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Anita Hochdorf
non-member comment
Great Pics!
Hey Y'all, love the pictures and the back ground- the barn, the truck... way cool. I hope they will be very, very happy!!!