Wow. It was an absolutely amazing weekend. most of the memories I have are more flashes — moments and emotions more than perfect recall. What I do remember entirely clearly, though, are two things. One, the incredible outpouring of love and happiness. Two, the fact that everyone seemed to have an amazing time. Really, those are the two most important things. The details are what really helped make the day, though, and oh man the details.

The whole thing started earlier in the week, when family started showing up. Wednesday we had a BBQ at our house, where Pete’s mom, step-dad, and stepbrother met Andrea’s family for the first time. Thursday night, we all headed out for our bachelor and bachelorette parties. I believe sushi and lots of sake were involved with the bachelor party. As for the bachelorette party, it was off to the community college salon for manicures and pedicures. After that, we went to dinner at The Globe Bar and Grille — they have an amazing thing called “Custom Cuisine” where they custom-design a meal for you. It was a late night of chatting, laughing, and generally enjoying ourselves.

Friday morning, it was up and at ‘em… actually, pretty late. Everyone came over for breakfast, and we plotted, planned, and scheduled. Thank goodness my sister’s brain was fully engaged, because my list-making brain just wasn’t working. We each got our assignments, and we were off and running. Andrea’s brother-in-law was put to work slicing meats and cheeses. Andrea’s sister acted as master of the lists, making sure that everyone knew where they were headed. Mom worked on the wedding cake while everyone else picked up rentals, set up tables, and got the backyard looking amazing. Peter went hard to work on his vest and clothes, and Andrea got to cooking.

By 6 p.m., everyone started arriving for the rehearsal dinner. Homemade mac and cheese four ways (including gluten-free), salad, and lemonade were on the menu. The rehearsal was fun, with lots and lots of laughs and plenty of pantomime. Family was in and out, food was eaten, and everyone had fun. We even found a solution to the fact that our harpist had canceled on us with just a few days to go. Relatively late in the evening, everyone started clearing out.

Saturday morning, the first and most important thing on our list was “sleep in.” Sleep in we did. It was glorious to not have the alarm go off until late in the morning. We woke up, though, to thunder and rain. By the time we got to the Corbin Arts Center, things were already in full swing. Tables and chairs were already set up, and all of the family was getting everything set up. It was a frenzy and flurry activity like none other. After a quick walk around the grounds with Shannon to bless the space, Peter and I split up to our respective prep rooms. It took an hour and a half to get hair and makeup and corsets and clothes and shoes and pictures done in the bride’s room — and an hour to get Peter’s hair done. A quick and gentle hike up the back of the hill, and we actually got to see each other. It was an exciting moment, and one that just made us both smile. While we took an hour with the photographers, the guests began to arrive, mill around, and chat. A few of the reporters also showed up. It was still raining and drizzling throughout all the pictures, and it was a last-minute decision if we should move inside or not.

Just a few minutes before 4, when the ceremony was supposed to begin, the sky magically cleared. It stopped raining, the sun began to shine, and it stayed that way for the rest of the day. While I could rehash the entire thing, the truth is that it was beautiful and wonderful. Here’s the video:

It was a moment that was… transformative. Not the “oh my gosh we’re married!” but more the “we’ve confirmed everything we already knew” way.

After the ceremony, Peter and I escaped for a while. Everyone else got the party started, but we signed paperwork and had a few moments, just to us. After that, came the party! Food and fun were to be had everywhere. So many friends from so many places and it was great to get at least a few minutes with all of them. Both Peter and I got a chance to eat, though leftover nerves made both of our tummies a little unsettled. There was everything from sandwiches to vegan salads, custom cookies, even fruit salad. In short, the potluck turned out incredibly well.

Then, as with most receptions, it was time for the formalities. We cut the absolutely beautiful cake and announced that safety lectures for the bouquet and garter tosses would soon be happening. I would imagine that’s not the kind of announcement that is usually made! Here’s the garter shot and bouquet toss, with our own medieval re-creation flair:

So very quickly, it was ending. We made sure that the out-of-town guests knew about the afterparty happenings, and chatted with everyone we could. Soon, though, we were so exhausted, it was time to go. Shannon, our officiant and good friend, drove us to the hotel. Our friends and family were once again amazing, and got the whole venue cleaned up.

The next morning, it was a sunshiny day, and breakfast was even better. We met up with family to feast on leftovers, and ended up laughing and sharing stories for most of the day.

It was, in short, an amazing weekend. A beautiful wedding. It couldn’t have happened without friends, family, and a good bit of luck. At the end, we got married, and reports are that everyone had a good time. It was truly our dream wedding — and we couldn’t have asked for anything more. The official photos are still a week or two out, but you can see what photos we do have on Offbeat Bride and the Wedding Cans Flickr Pool.