May 7, 2005 - Kiki & Paul's Perfect Day

[Kiki]

Or that's what it was supposed to be. And despite everything that happened 7 weeks before the wedding, it still was.

I met Paul online back in November 2003 and we got engaged in June of 2004. We started planning a very simple wedding here in my home town. At first we thought maybe November, then March, but finally settled on May 2005. The first weekend of the month, not realizing that was Mother's Day weekend, but that's okay.

Paul planned on travelling across the country with a friend and entering Canada from the United States about 2 hours from here. We planned on a March entry and he would stay in the apartment and I would live with Mom for a while. At least that was the plan. But Immigration had other plans. We were unaware that you cannot enter Canada as a visitor with the purpose of marrying and immigrating to Canada. :ek: So Paul was turned around at the border to make upper NY state his home for the last few weeks. He got set up and I helped to pay his room in a home in a town one hour from the border. And we changed all our wedding and honeymoon plans 7 weeks before the wedding. Oh, and did I mention that this all happened TWO DAYS BEFORE MY BRIDAL SHOWER?? I was a mess.

So we contacted the local congregation there of the religion we both belong to, and arranged to use the local congregation's place of worship for our ceremony. Of course now we needed to contact the person who was going to officiate here in Canada and cancel. And we had to get a NY license. And we had to plan to get rooms for family and friends and arrange for some place to have a wedding dinner. The reception would still be booked at home in July. The Thursday before the wedding, I still did not have a location for dinner, but I had invitations asking for RSVP for dinner. Yikes!

More to come....

[Kiki]

So I worked right up until Thursday here in Canada. Let's just say that it kept me sane given that everything was turned upside down.

Friday morning my mom and I drove down to NY for the wedding. I had to have paperwork with me to prove that I was entering NY to get married but had every intention of returning to Canada a little over a week later. They did ask for the proof, like a letter from my landlord and boss stating I had a year's lease and a permanent job. We checked into the hotel and got settled into our suite. I hung up my dress in the living room, and pulled out the train to try and get rid of any creases. It was only chapel length so I wasn't too worried about that.

The week before, my mom and I had scouted out local florists to see what we could find in terms of tulips and filler. We found a perfect store and they said they would have tons of tulips the following week. So Friday afternoon before the wedding, we went down to choose the flowers for the bouquets and have them set them in the back for pickup on Saturday morning. Yes, I made the bouquets and bouts myself the day of the wedding. Nothing like a little additional stress to add to the day. Good thing I was going for the wild, informal bouquet look.

Then we went to the rehearsal, which went well. Little did we know that it was the first time that our officiant was actually performing a ceremony! And aside from the groomsman and matron of honour and flower girl and ring bearer all showing up late, it went splendidly. (They were all in the same car - my brother's family you see :wink: )

After the ceremony, we went to Applebee's with Paul's dad - the best man, and family in tow. It was great. Then back to the hotel to bed, but not before we made plans to go to breakfast the following morning at Denny's of all places. (It was attached to the hotel, so it made sense at the time). Oddly enough I could sleep, which was good.

Saturday to follow....

[Kiki]

Saturday morning I woke early and got ready for breakfast. I went downstairs past the pool to Denny's and saw Paul and his dad there too. Oh well. We had a nice breakfast and his dad handed us both cards from his mom who couldn't come to the wedding. The cards touched us both, and the cheque included didn't hurt either, even though it was a modest amount.

Then off to collect my matron of honour, her daughter, my flower girl to go to JC Penny's salon for our hair dos. They had been in the pool and Anna the FG didn't want to leave the pool. The poor dear was so good at JCP. She sat there getting all her hair curled into ringlets with purple sparkles. She almost fell asleep in the chair. My MOH had her hair done, but didn't like it and later took it out at the hotel and redid it! I didn't mind mine at all, and we flew back to the hotel to get ready.

I got into my dress, put on my makeup and then it was picture time with my mom.

[Kiki]

Naturally Mom was teary, and then I started to need to dab my eyes too.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5db39b3127cce91e5ba7cf33f00000055108GcNmblu2Y

Then off to the wedding! We all piled into cars, and after waiting for my BM to come back upstairs to get the flowers (for 20 minutes), we decided to go downstairs and see what was happening. The FG was walking around in the lobby with my BM!!! Her dad, my bro, was in the car waiting, and my BM or her dad didn't have the sense to get her into the car. So we were running late. Then we hit every light in town, and arrived late. And to make matters worse, the FG fell asleep on the way there. 5 minutes before arriving we were yelling at her "Anna wake up!!!" And because she was so tired, she started crying. But we got there!

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Me in my wedding shades

Take off the shades someone yelled!
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Then my brother informed me that I wasn't going to have a RB. He was upset that he was pulled from the pool to go to Kiki's wedding! So I started to go a little bridezilla, given that my hubby was at the front of the hall, and had no bout!

Okay, everyone, places!
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[Kiki]

My handsome hubby seeing the girls walking down the aisle.
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One of my bestest friends, the BM
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d820b3127cce91bb542f727c00000016108GcNmblu2Y

My MOH
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d820b3127cce91bb542d727e00000016108GcNmblu2Y

My darling neice, the FG
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d820b3127cce91bb5420f34300000016108GcNmblu2Y

Again, coming down the aisle. My dear grandmother who just passed away last month is in beige.
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[Kiki]

When I first walked in and caught DH tearing up
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Me on my brother's arm coming in
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The vows
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And of course...the KISS!!
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We were announced as man and wife, but he forgot to do the ring exchange! So we did it after!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d806b3127cce923b2e7580ff00000016108GcNmblu2Y

[Kiki]

And now, the OMG, what was I thinking when I made this face??? (Oh yeah! WE'RE MARRIED!!!)
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d820b3127cce91bb5428f34b00000016108GcNmblu2Y

So we went and formed a receiving line totally informal afterwards and took some informal pics. Of course, as you can tell, we had no professional photographer.

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And then some more formal shots.

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The boys (including the *lovely* RB front and center)
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[Kiki]

The wedding party
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Oh sure....now you can look adorable!
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d806b3127cce923b2f1fc00d00000015108GcNmblu2Y

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d806b3127cce923b2f12413000000016108GcNmblu2Y

The dinner (we were pretending to dance):
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[Kiki]

Then off to the honeymoon in Lake Placid! Oh yeah...don't go before Memorial Day weekend in the spring. Nothing's open!

Now then...the reception! I'll just post pics. No story. Except to say that someone actually had the nerve to cut into our wedding cake before we did!

We had a friend take pics in a park nearby before the reception. She did an awesome job!
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Onto the reception!

[Kiki]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d926b3127cce92f150b6dcd500000015108GcNmblu2Y

Our first dance to You Are by Jimmy Wayne
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Again the brother and sister team steal the show!
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A private moment thanking Mom
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[Kiki]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d926b3127cce92f163179cf500000016108GcNmblu2Y

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d926b3127cce92f1617e9c9d00000015108GcNmblu2Y
Oh, and I did my own hair for the reception.

Mom and Paul
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Me and bro
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Oh come on Mom....Charlie's Angel!
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The shoes
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And yes...finally...the pre-cut cake
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That's it folks.

[*Ashley*]

Woot! Okay now I can post -- don't you love kids? He just wants to swim, LOL -- one track minds!

[Carrie429]

I love reading your story and all of your pictures are great!! I love the black and white ones (esp. the one on the bridge) and the picture of the flower girl and ring bearer dancing is too cute!!!

[belle67]

I have never read your story before!
Everything turned out so great, even after all the little mishaps. :)

[Kiki]

Thanks Carrie and Jennifer!

[Jules]

I have always loved the grabbing-the-butt shot! :lol: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!

[Kristie]

Nice to see your pictures again!! I really like your B&W shots!

[~LeAna~]

You guys look so happy!! I love the shot of you in the wedding shades! I might have to have one of those!!

[mrs.g]

Love your pics and story!!!

[smiles]

I love reading your story. It all turned out so great, that's what matters.

[Sk8ermaiden]

Your wedding was beautiful! But who the heck cut into your cake? I would have gone so totally bridezilla it would not even have been funny!

[Emily]

Your pictures are great! Congrats!!

[rowanmayfairs]

Congrats !!

Everything looks like it came together in the end and it was beautiful :)

[Andrea]

haha only you kiki...haha you looked all innocent in that butt shot haha sure...now all im gunna think of when i meet you is "sweet innocent keek"

[TeenieBeanie]

Congrats Kelly-Ann! You were so beautiful & yalls pictures turned out wonderfully!! My fav picture has to be you grabbing his butt, HOW CUTE! :)