some traditions can be good to break

You all have been so patient with the wedding nonsense, that I just decided to push you a leeeetle more to see how much you can take.  [Because I'm a tyrant on this here blog.]  No not really...it's just that since getting our pictures back I've been having fun re-living different parts of the day.  I already posted a snippet of getting ready...that was great fun with my girls all at my house, fruit and yogurt parfaits, quiches and mimosas (which I didn't really have the time to enjoy after realizing that we had somehow forgotten an entire table for the reception).  My cousin did my hair, Katie and I did my makeup, we didn't leave enough time for anything and it still managed to come together.  I was so excited to go outside and see Will.

The idea of seeing the groom before the wedding is a topic that stirs up a lot of strongly-held opinions.  I completely understand the drama and excitement of seeing each other for the first time as the bride is walking down the aisle, but personally, I thought I would probably have enough emotions at that time without making it more dramatic.  Besides, I am a cryer.  And not just a cryer - a shockingly ugly cryer.  Red eyes, blotchy face, runny nose...the whole bit.  And I didn't really want to start the wedding like that.  If I manifested my emotions in that way when seeing Will for the first time, I would rather have that be in a less public forum.  No one wants to see that.

I also knew that, practically speaking, we wouldn't have much time with just the two of us that day.  And while having our family and friends around us was what made the day so wonderful, we wanted a little time for us too.  [And as it turned out, the whole forgetting-a-table thing made me stressed for one of the only times in our whole engagement, so I was so happy to be able to see Will and relax and remember what was important...which wasn't too difficult.]

I've seen lots of "first look" sessions in cinematic settings, with the whole thing carefully orchestrated to capture both initial reactions.  Those are great, but ours just consisted of Will in my front yard, both of us forgetting the photographer, not remembering to pose, and smiling like fools (as evidenced by the pictures themselves):

Anyway, it's not for everyone, but it was perfect for us.  I didn't stop smiling for the rest of the day!  (And really...that second picture.  Is he a stud or what?)