This post is about to be REAL heavy on the picture end.
I'm gonna try to keep the talking to a minimum
but there are some things I would like to share :)
The Rings:
I love bragging on our rings.
Reed did an unbelievable job picking out my ring.
He planned for over a year and worked really hard.
He didn't just go pick out a ring in the store, he designed it!
He attempted to use one of his grandmothers diamonds but was told it wouldn't work.
The jeweler gave him an unbelievable trade.
Using Nanas jewelry he was able to get a diamond that is over 100 years old!!
The age of the diamond makes it unbelievable, they don't cut diamonds like this any more.
Making it completely one of a kind!
After hearing all of the hard work he put in to my ring I knew I had to do the same.
I found an amazing shop via Etsy that made custom wedding bands.
(check it out here: Rings by Johan )
This shop made wedding bands using deer antler!
HOW PERFECT?!!
The Dress:
I 100% believe that our wedding/marriage all happened exactly how God intended.
I would have thought this anyway but he wanted to make it perfectly clear and gave Reed and I so many blessings that there is no question that God was just as ready as we were.
My dress was given to me as a gift.
Yep, I have unbelievably gracious family and friends who wanted to bless me with a dress that I loved as much as they love me.
It still blows my mind to think that someone can love me enough to be so generous!
PS. This is in the living room at my parents house, LOVE IT!
Hunting:
If you have ever met Reed you know he is a hardcore hunter/outdoors man.
He can hit about anything with a bow and has a list a mile long of animals he hopes to harvest one day.
Saying this, he puts LOTS of time, energy, and money in to his hunting gear and trips.
The biggest piece of advice he has been given for our relationship is for him to hunt me.
His mom always tells him that he needs to put as much if not more time in to our dates than his hunting and fishing trips. It has kind of become a thing that a few of his buddies check up with each other on.
I hear him on the phone some times "Hey, have you been hunting Kendal?"
(Our great friends Penn & Kendal share a lot with us, including the obsession of hunting).
Reed really wanted a picture of him hunting me.
It may sound goofy but I love that he can pursue me in a way that makes HIM happy :)
The Green Truck:
This was a HUGE deal.
The green truck means the world to my family.
It was my Granddaddy Smiths truck that he drove off the lot in 1971 brand new.
When he passed away the truck was left to my dad and he has had it ever since.
In many ways this truck was one of the biggest connections us kids had to Granddaddy Smith.
We rode around in the bed of that truck on the dirt road all the time.
Sadly, about 10 years ago it was no longer in running condition.
We have tried to fix it up over the years but it just never worked out.
Luckily the wedding was something that made everyone work their hardest to get the truck running.
The truck was used to drive the girls and I down tot he ceremony.
So in many ways, not only did my dad walk me down the aisle but so did Granddaddy Smith!
Stepping Stones:
Daddy put these stepping stones in place for Reed and I as a surprise.
His desire is for our marriage to be set on a firm foundation from day one!
Our family and friends at the wedding, along with God, wanted us to know what Reed and I are stepping in to... or on too :)
The ONLY Firm foundation for marriage is LOVE
but not only our love for each other but God’s love!
These stones helped us take our first step in to a marriage with a firm foundation, and will one day be laid at the entrance to our home so that we are constantly reminded of our "solid rock" and foundation in Christ.
2 part epoxy ( JB weld):
This was a gift from Rhett (our pastor).
He wanted us to join together (be united) and BOND! like JB weld.
-This was an object example, two tubes that come together to form an unbreakable bond
- We came together August 4th – to stick together through thick, thin, forever!
- BUT it is Christ in us (God’s Love) that makes the commitment stick!
Our Covenant of Marriage only has HOPE because of God’s Covenant with us
So – As we came together to become ONE – we will continue to Surrender Completely to Him
1. Stay connected to God – seek Him first in…in ALL things (Trust & Obey)
2. Stay connected to Each other – talk/pray and sleep together
3. Stay connected to a Christian community – 2 touches (worship & fellowship)
• The Love Feast should be just the beginning of MORE connectivity (stickativity)
(Pretty awesome for epoxy right?!)
Parents Prayer:
This was a time that we asked our parents to come lay hands on us, and cover us in prayer.
Here is the prayer that Rhett said at this time:
For this reason I kneel before you, our heavenly Father,
from whom your whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
I pray that out of your glorious riches
You may strengthen these two with power through Your Spirit in their inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith.
And I pray that they, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to You who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to Your power that is at work within us,
to You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
The Love Feast:
Reed and I chose this name for our wedding because we wanted it to be a time for fellowship and worship. We care so much about all of our friends and family that we really desired to spend as much time celebrating them as they spent celebrating us.
Our family (relatives and church family) really came behind us and made this wedding happen.
We had so many donations, gifts, and volunteers that almost the entire day was a surprise to me!
Here are a few pictures of the amazing generosity they poured out on us at the Love Feast.
The Fry guys! SO GOOD!!
The food was completely done by women of the church.
They helped prepare and collected donations so that my parents wouldn't have to worry about the food at all.
The women also helped decorate and set up the reception.
The dinner was set up in the church supper style allowing every one to have a full tummy
to celebrate with!
Just Married Sign:
Reeds Aunt and Uncle made this sign a few years ago to help celebrate marriages in the Walpole family. Every couple that has gotten married "recently" has taken a picture with the sign and then signed their names with the date and place of the ceremony.
It really is such a fun way to connect a family!
And makes for really cute pictures too :)
So that was a lot of writing and not as many pictures.
I guess I will just have to do another post with a few more pictures :)
Those where just a few of the details that made our day so special.
And if you want to check out our amazing photographers here is their sight The Mondays Photography
