Our wedding

I'm sure you've heard many couples say that their wedding day was the best day of their lives. I've had many best days, but all I know is I've never been as happy and had as much fun as our wedding weekend. And even when you try to breathe and soak it all in, it still flies by too quickly. It was magical summer night with sunlight gleaming through the trees long into the evening, laughter everywhere we turned and a super moon shining overhead as we danced. 


It's funny how everything you planned so intently, everything you scheduled and thought out and mulled over for months can all wash away in your mind as you get caught up in the day. It's easy to just go through the motions and worry things won't go as planned. But it's better to just kick back and let it all happen. Not everything went just as I had planned it to a tee (the guys forgot their boutonnieres, my dress bustle ripped), but looking back it all went as perfect as a wedding day can go. Because in the end, as a friend told me, it's really not that day that matters most, it's every single day afterward. 
 

And there's a little white church on a hill in Bodega that will always remind us of June 22, 2013.

Here are a few of my favorite moments...

Getting ready for the big day. We rented out the Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa for our family and the wedding party and it was so nice to have everyone there in one place.

 Isn't my mama beautiful? She custom-made her dress by herself.

Our flowers were grown just for our big day from a family flower farm in Sebastopol called Devoto Gardens. Jolie did such an amazing job. The bouquets took my breath away.

It felt like we had hours and hours to get ready, to braid and curl our hair, to make sure every earring and eyelash was in place, but before we knew it my dad was waiting at the door ready to drive us to the church.

Another favorite moment...

 

Walking down the aisle with my dad. It was a very surreal moment to see the faces of our friends and family, many of whom I hadn't seen since I was very young. Everyone had their cameras and phones out and it felt like the paparazzi in there. :) I didn't even glimpse Andrew until I got all the way up to the altar. Dad lifted my veil and gave me a kiss. I took Andrew by the hand and we turned to face the altar. I couldn't stop smiling. 

 What are those mothers laughing about? ;)

More favorite moments...

Just before we walked in for dinner, Andrew and I were alone for probably the first time that day. I think in this photo we were trying to figure out how I could hold my dress up, my flowers and his hand at the same time...

Listening to the speeches toward the end of dinner - Kim's, Matt's, Andrew's dad and my dad - all did a great job and their words were so heartfelt, funny and personal. I know people think wedding speeches are corny, but I love their originality and anecdotes. 

Dancing with my dad. We danced to Tim McGraw's song "My Little Girl." It was the first time I really lost it that day.

  Dancing the "Tarantella", a good old Italian tradition. Everyone held hands in a large circle around my grandparents Amy and Angelo, who have been married for 58 years, longer than any other couple there. 

This is one of my favorite photos - love that smile between the newly minted brother-in-laws.

*SHOUT OUT TIME*

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, to all of our dear family and friends who flew, drove and even took trains from different countries, states and cities to be there for our big day. It meant the world to us to have you there (and yeah, it was great meeting some of you for the first time as well! Andrew and I still laugh when we remember our receiving line as we introduced loved ones we hadn't even met yet from each other's sides of the family. :)

All of our gorgeous wedding photos are by the very talented Kirsten Manick Photography. Thank you endlessly for your patience and creativity, Kirsten!! I still have trouble picking my favorites, because they're all so beautiful.

View more photos on Kirsten's blog here! 

P.S. Posts about some wedding crafts and the honeymoon coming soon...don't think I'm done here! ha...