A few weeks ago, I had my bridal session with our wedding photographer. I remember, when selecting wedding packages really not wanting to do a bridal session. Truth be told, I felt like I was too old of a bride to do the whole bridal thing and felt maybe I should just gracefully and quietly get married without all the fuss. I’m very thankful for the people in my life that encouraged me to choose the package that included bridals. Let me back up a bit.
Our wedding planning and experience has been slightly more complicated than it would have been otherwise. The day before I was offered my new job, I planned our entire wedding and booked all of the major things…in Canyon. The very next afternoon, I was offered a job that would take me out of the area, and over a 6 hour drive away from anything to do with our wedding. If I’m being honest, more than once I’ve been frustrated by how much of a hassle all the planning has been from far away. And being farther from friends and family makes the process feel much less fun. I can’t show my friends invitation samples and go on Hobby Lobby runs like most brides.
You see, I wanted to experience everything. Truly immerse myself in the process. I wanted to go shopping on the weekends for little details, go visit with wedding vendors in person, do cake tastings slowly and indulgently and have a lot of different options for what evenings to do engagement photos and bridal photos. I wanted to touch flowers and look at samples and see so many things in person. I have done a lot of events in my life, in my previous job, and the experience of planning it all is so much fun. But I am now living in the most remote location I have ever lived in my life, and for that, my experience has been all together different.
On the day of my bridals, we drove around 10 hours for me to take a few photos. We did a quick visit to my hairdresser, who I love so much, back to Canyon for a very quick cake tasting, back to Amarillo for makeup, back to my sweet friend Nancy’s house to get dressed and down to Palo Duro Canyon for my session. We were trying to outrun a thunderstorm. The entire day was rushed, hectic and a bit stressful. I did not allow myself enough time between appointments and underestimated the time each activity would take. But, after climbing down a slight incline, in 4 inch heels and a wedding dress, I looked up and saw my sweet Mama and Jarrett’s sweet Mama with tears in their eyes and I realized, it was completely worth it. Just because our wedding experience has been entirely different than what I imagined, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t savor the few traditional wedding experiences I can soak up. Thank you, to everyone who made that day special. Sweet friends, let me assure you, you are worth every hassle life brings your way. Embrace the hassle, and enjoy the experience. Much love precious friends.
