What Most Brides Won’t Say About Their Wedding

Ah.. I have had so many topics bouncing around my head for the last couple of weeks, it was difficult to figure out which one I wanted to start with. I guess the easiest way to start is just by sharing about my wedding experience and how much I learned in the process, considering this is why I haven’t been able to write in the first place. As many of you know, the reason I have been so absent on the blog is because all of my energy the last couple of months has been focused on my wedding. I have deeply missed writing though, as it is one of the things I cherish so deeply, so I am beyond happy to be jumping back into this head first. I am so excited to share all the topics I have for you and cannot wait to hear your feedback. I’m very excited to see the direction the blog is going to take over the next couple of months, and you, my followers, are the ones helping me to mold it.

So where do I begin? My wedding day… was the most magical day I have ever experienced in all my life. Yes, I know, I know… We all say that. But truthfully it all seems like such a blur and trying to remember everything, now three weeks later, is very hard. The parts that stood out to me most were the vows, and feeling like a total princess. Evan and I used traditional vows but added our own special touch to them. We didn’t have the ceremony recorded (which I didn’t think I would regret until after the wedding was over and I wished I could go back and see it) but thankfully, my aunt, who was sitting in the front row recorded this special moment for us on her phone! The whole process leading up to that moment was not something I think I would ever want to do again, at least not as a bride, because that was stressful to say the least. By the time my wedding day came around all I could say was “I’m just ready to be married” and I’m sure Evan would probably tell you the same.

Like most brides, I had all these expectations. I had expectations of my bridal party, of those coordinating our wedding, of the venue, the décor, everything that could possibly go into wedding planning, I had big expectations for it. And to my distress, not all of those expectations were met. This left me frustrated, annoyed, offended, and stressed to say the least. Relationships were tense, some even strained or ruined, and the days leading up to my wedding, I’ll admit, I was probably a difficult person to be around. All of this is fairly difficult to admit, mostly because I don’t want to sound ungrateful or unsatisfied because everyone that helped meant so much to me, and it was truly the most beautiful day ever.

The day of the wedding, everything came together in such a fashion that I had never dreamed possible. People worked together beautifully, everyone got along, my hair and makeup artists made me feel like a movie star, and the magic I had always wanted was definitely there, at least from where I was standing. The moment I entered the sanctuary, saw all my loved ones in one room, and my incredible (almost) husband standing at the alter waiting for me, everything felt perfect. The only thing I remember was looking at him, he looking at me, saying “I do” and then the rest of the night was a blur. It all happened so fast, I was married, to my best friend, and about to start the most incredible journey.

When we heard stories from our guests about their experience at our wedding, we were just amazed that the presence of God resonated throughout the entire thing from start to finish. I was in awe that so many people, even those who said they would never step foot in a church, said there was no denying that Jesus was in that room and the amount of people who were curious to know more was stunning. It was shocking, and all we’d ever wanted of our wedding. Evan and I have always put God at the center of our relationship since day 1. We even started our dating relationship by reading marriage devotionals together, crazy as that may seem. But to find out that our relationship with Jesus, our Savior, translated into our ceremony of love, we just could not have asked for anything more.

Contrary to popular belief, and the way things were portrayed in photos, our wedding was certainly not a “fairytale experience”. And I am so happy that this one day was not the highlight of our lives but merely the start of something wonderful. The part that made it “the best day of my life” was that it is the day that I pledged to love my husband no matter what life was going to throw our way. The day we “sealed the deal” if you will, and I was about to embark on the greatest adventure life had to offer.

My wedding may not have been a fairytale but my first few weeks of marriage have been nothing less. The relationship I have with Evan is a story only God could have written, it’s that perfect. And no, I am not saying this because I think my relationship is any better than any of those around me. I am blessed to know so many incredible love stories and so many thriving marriages in which we look up to. The thing I have noticed though, is that each amazing love story I could share with you all has one thing in common, Jesus. You cannot have a storybook romance without the love of the savior, it’s just not possible.

The bible teaches us how to have a relationship, and marriage is a blessing that is mentioned from the beginnings in Genesis, to the roles and blessings of marriage in Ephesians, to the celebration of marriage in Revelations. Marriage is displayed in the ways that Jesus loved his church, and in that way, husbands are told to love their wives, Ephesians 5:25. And women are to submit to their husbands like they would to Christ, Ephesians 5:22. The marriages I have seen and that Evan and I are modeling our own after are those who do these two big things. They are marriages who honor God before their spouse, and their spouse before anyone else. I know that we are still in the “honeymooners” stage of our marriage and the newlywed thrill will eventually wear off and we will face real struggles at some point in the future, but I am so ready for that, knowing that I have the best kind of husband, a Godly one, to do it with.

Much Love,

Caylee