Looking back: The day I became a Mrs.

One year of marriage!  Woohoo!  I can't believe today (June 26) marked our one year anniversary.  The time has flown by so quickly, and Caleb and I are so thankful for the past 12 months.  We can't wait to spend eternity together!

In true celebratory fashion, I'm reminiscing by sharing some of the photos from our wedding day.  (This post is going up kind of late tonight because I spent the entire day with mi amor.)  It was truly a spectacular, magical, stupendous day!  It was modest, but perfect; quaint, but filled with love - and I wouldn't change a thing about it.  These pictures will always remind me of the joy my wedding day brought me and the beautiful life I started with my Caleb.

*Disclaimer: You are about to enter picture overload.  Sappiness will ensue.  You've been warned.  :)

Fixing my mom's hair.  This wasn't atypical - to this day, I do my mom's makeup and hair when I visit home.  I've always been her girly girl.

Putting on the dress in my church's choir room.  I got married at the church I grew up in, and they didn't have any kind of special bride room like some churches.  It didn't bother me, though!  I was just happy to be getting married!

I call this picture "Teamwork."

I was very pensive in the moments leading up to walking down the aisle - but excited nonetheless!

One of Caleb's groomsmen played You Raise Me Up on the saxophone right before the ceremony...it was beautiful.

In a non-traditional move, my sister-in-law Maggie was our ring bearer.  She escorted our flower girl and niece, Keira, down the aisle.  Keira was distraught because she had always thought she was going to marry Caleb.  By this point, she figured out that I was and wasn't too happy about it!  It was pretty hysterical!

My dad walking me down the aisle.  (We had to stage this shot because he was either looking down or had his eyes closed in the originals...I think he was nervous.)

We broke a lot of rules on our wedding day.  Here, you see a large wedding party, but our actual wedding was pretty small.  (About 85-90 people total - including everyone involved in the wedding.)

Keira wasn't giving up without a fight!  We comforted her...Caleb was such a great sport, and Keira definitely made the ceremony memorable!

After awhile, Keira just held my bouquet and stood with us.  It was so cute!

Exchanging the rings!

The KISS!

The moment I realized I was a wife was so surreal.

The two bridesmaids on the left (Stephanie and Marisol) are friends from my childhood, and the two bridesmaids on the right (TD and Brenda) are friends from college.  My friend Susan from college was also supposed to be a bridesmaid, but there were some complications with her study-abroad dates.  We were both devastated that she couldn't be there, but she was there in spirit!

Stephanie was my maid-of-honor.  We've been friends since we were 11, and we've seen each other through the ups and the downs and everything in between.  My wedding day wouldn't have been the same without her there!

Boys will be boys.

With the parentals.

We love our niece!

My siblings, in order of age.  We may not look like it, but I promise we came out of the same womb.

My mother, my hero, my mentor...she truly taught me what it means to be a faithful wife, a loving mother, a compassionate friend, and a woman of God.  I wouldn't be half the person I am today without her example.

When I was a freshman in high school, I got my first ever B in Spanish class.  I'm a bit (okay, a huge) perfectionist, so this was a big deal for me.  My teacher, Mr. Davis, told me that if I graduated without ever getting another B, he'd buy my wedding cake one day.  Well, I didn't get another B - I was actually my class's valedictorian - and Mr. Davis kept his promise and bought my cake!

We used a Willow Tree topper to start our own Willow Tree collection.  (We now have 5 Willow Tree figurines on the mantle on our fireplace underneath my bridal portrait.)

Our college mascot was a Lumberjack, so Caleb got our school's ax symbol as his groom's cake.  (It was also carrot cake instead of the traditional German chocolate, and it tasted divine!)

The reception venue, before most guests arrived.

Caleb was feeling pretty good about himself!

We had to stop and admire the setup!

This is my all-time favorite picture of my mother...hands down.

Joyous.

Our first dance was to I'm Yours by Jason Mraz...and we sang to each other.  (Even though we both know Caleb can't carry a tune to save his life.)

I danced with my dad to Tiny Dancer by Elton John.  It's been "our song" for as long as I can remember.

Caleb opted for humorous route and danced with his mom to Chicken Fried by the Zac Brown Band.  The guests got quite a kick out of it!

Caleb's Best Man caught my garter, and my maid-of-honor caught my bouquet.  The Best Man is getting married in September, and let's just say that the Maid of Honor is in an EXTREMELY committed relationship.  That was some potent juju!

I love that girl as if she were my own!

It wouldn't be a party without dancing!

Leaving the reception in style.

I had to stop to say goodbye to my brother.  (You can't see him in this photo.)  He flew out from San Diego and was returning before I came back from my honeymoon.

Caleb celebrated with a little dance move!

Our lovely friends and family waved us off!

It was a blissful day!

wedding gown - Alfred Angelo

going away dress - American Rag

Note: Photos were taken by Bluefire Photography.  I purchased the rights to these photos in my wedding package and have  not violated copyright laws.