liz & zach – part 1: ceremony

my saturday morning, i started off running a few errands before i head over to old stone church. it was a picture perfect day outside while i greeted guests at the church’s doors. liz and zach’s ceremony was probably the most memorable ceremony i’ve witnessed yet.  i’ve also never cried at a ceremony so much, let alone for people i really don’t know that well. you might think, being a girly girl wedding coordinator, i cry at just the thought of wedding vows, but to tell you the truth… most ceremonies are a lot alike. same structure, similar readings, same songs, and so on. but not this wedding! let me explain:

there were several very unique things about liz and zach’s ceremony. first, liz asked her great aunts to be her four flower girls! her great uncle served as ring bearer. isn’t that the most darling wedding idea ever? i wasn’t able to get photos during the processional as i was assisting guests, but i caught three of the four flower girls after the ceremony. they had a blast being a part of the day in such a fun way. i hope i can see the video from mystic image video in the near future!

the second unique thing that i have never seen done before was the development of the bride’s bouquet during the processional. liz, who walked down the aisle while a friend sang “she’s got a way” by billy joel – getting choked up thinking about THAT, too- was handed long stem roses by friends and family who were strategically placed in the pews near the aisle. by the time she got down the aisle the few flowers she started with became one regular sized bouquet (that neil leeson’s staff did end up hand tying and clipping for post-ceremony photos if you were wondering.)

third, liz’s cousin christine co-officiated the wedding and she was wonderful. her homily was so thought-provoking and touching as she referenced portions of the velveteen rabbit story while integrating liz and zach’s relationship. again, more tears.

the readings done were also touching moments that brought on a rush of emotions for the audience as many remembered liz and her sister/maid of honor’s nanny who had just lost her battle to cancer two days before.

while i suppose a paint of picture of tears and emotions, it was a sweet and joyful ceremony too. liz has one of those voices that makes you smile when she talks. during the vows she proclaimed very surely EYE DO! which got a round of happy laughter. post ceremony, the guests filled the front of the church and were prompted to start blowing bubbles by the photographers who were setting up the grand exit shot for the bride and groom. like i said, the weather was perfect and the wind was just right for a bubble exit!

i, of course, did not get a great shot of liz and zach as they made their way through the crowd as i was trying to stay out of the photographers way, but i did catch a photo of them rounding their way back into the church. as you note, zach wore his dress blues for the ceremony. another detail i just love – grooms in uniform! classy!

guests loitered outside and i made sure they knew where they were going before checking on the formal photography going on inside and then heading to the reception.

coming up next: liz & zach – part two: the reception

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liz & zach: vendor preview