Almost every little girl dreams of her wedding day from the first time she lays eyes on Wedding Day Barbie.  I know I did!  My dream has always been to get married barefoot on the beach, with a small intimate group of people and nothing but the ocean sounds as ambiance.  It’s rare that people actually GET their dream wedding but I did!  However… it wasn’t all a dream ceremony but the little stuff that went wrong just made it more memorable!

I literally could NOT have asked for a better wedding day weather wise.  It was sunny, warm and there were blue skies.  I was REALLY worried about 3 main things with weather 1 – rain/storms, 2 – hurricane and 3 – extreme heat.  I was VERY lucky and avoided all three – the temperature the day of the wedding was just around 80 degrees – with the breeze from the ocean it was pretty much perfect!  All week they had been calling for rain and storms so I was one happy girl the morning of the wedding!

Now onto the ceremony!

Before everyone took their seats on the beach, they were able to pick up programs, bubbles, fans and water on the deck of the rental house.  I watched from above in the house while everyone gathered and talked.  This is a picture of Eddie, my godparents son.

A picture of our program overlooking the ceremony area on the beach.  LOVE this picture.

Chris and his mom waiting to walk down the aisle.  I forgot to mention it before but in lieu of flowers I decided to have starfish boutonnieres instead.  I LOVED them.

By far my favorite shot of the ceremony location.  I’ve always loved Sea Oats and in an ideal world, I’d have had them in my bouquet.

I rented the chairs and the arch came with the package we chose from the officiant, Dr. Dave.  Simple and perfect!  I didn’t want people to stand for the ceremony and I think the white chairs were perfect!

Dr. Dave (our officiant) and the guys make their way to the altar.

Chris’s poor sunburned feet!

After a potty break, Lisa and Petra made their way down the aisle.  While she didn’t drop any of the seashells, she did try to give the basket away!

If you know me, you know that I am accident prone.  Right before I walked down to the deck from the house, one of the shells on my bouquet stem broke off and the needle that was behind it went into my hand, OUCH.  We finally hammered the needle into the bouquet so it wouldn’t poke me anymore and started walking down towards the beach.  Then another calamity struck, I got a splinter in my foot!  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run around barefoot on this deck – we’ve rented this house quite a few times.  I have NEVER got a splinter before.  With some help from Rob and my Wedding Coordinators, I was on the road again… laughing the whole way.  I was worried that Chris was starting to wonder where I was but luckily Petra enjoyed the spotlight and took her sweet time getting down the aisle so no one knew that it took me longer than anticipated to get there!

My hubby waiting for me!

The overview of the ceremony location while I was escorted down the aisle!  What is funny is there are a ton of point and shoot cameras out but to this day I think I’ve only seen pictures from two people’s cameras!!!

I finally made it!!!!

Love love love this picture.

During our ceremony, we had words said for our fathers who had recently passed.  My Dad died the year before, Chris’s Dad died the month before.  We were both tearing up and so I squished my eyes closed.  I forgot about my neat party trick – I can catch my eyelashes behind my eyelid which then flips my eyelids inside out.  So when I opened my eyes again when the saying was over, my eyelids were flipped inside out.  Chris started giggling and so did I.  We laughed literally through the rest of the ceremony.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Trying to be serious.  It’s not working though.

The exchanging of rings, gotta love this part!  I also love that since we were on the open beach, Brooke and her crew were able to run around and get all kinds of angles.  That’s the one thing I loathe about church weddings, you are usually VERY limited when it comes to getting shots of the ceremony.

Hmm, what is Petra up to you ask?

I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the arch was shaking but I assumed it was because of the breeze.  When Dr. Dave shifted, I noticed that Petra was actually the culprit!  She was SHAKING the altar with all of her might!  We all started roaring, it took a few minutes to stop laughing.  Perfect ending to the ceremony!

Once we were able to control ourselves, it was time for the kiss!

I love this shot!!!

The hug!  I love hugs at the altar – even at my own wedding!