Wedding Week: Rehearsal

After the bridal luncheon and the hurried trip to our reception venue for a drop off, it was time for our wedding rehearsal! Our priest had suggested that I lie to everyone and tell them that the rehearsal started at 5:00pm (when it was really 5:30), which I did. When your priest tells you to lie, you do it. Haha.

Best advice ever. When we arrived at 5:05ish, most of the group still wasn't there. Around 5:15 nearly everyone was there, but Jeff's cousin (who happens to be a priest who was co-officiating our ceremony!) didn't arrive until 5:25ish. So we ended up starting just about right on time. Moral of the story: Make sure everyone thinks your rehearsal starts thirty minutes earlier than it does. For the notoriously late people, make it 45. :)

When I got there with the bridesmaids, my Aunt Tracie handed me my ribbon bouquet!

Aunt Tracie worked on my ribbon bouquet throughout our engagement. Each time I had a shower my sister would give her all of the gift ribbons, and she would add them to the bouquet. She brought it will her from Dallas, and I was SUPER impressed with how pretty it was! Perfect for bouquet practice at the rehearsal. :)

I was so happy to see Jeff when he got to the Church. We hadn't seen each other since the wedding party dinner on Wednesday (and that was only for like an hour or two!), and I missed him! Between our BMs/GMs coming into town, bachelor(ette) parties, and other things we hadn't actually spent any time together for like three days. Which was weird. So yeah, it was good to see him. :)

Father John started out by having everyone (wedding party, grandparents, parents, flower girls, readers, random family members who showed up just for fun) stand in a circle while he said a prayer. He prayed for Jeff and me, for our marriage, and for all the people who love and support us. It was really sweet. 

Then the church volunteer ladies took over. Those women knew their stuff. I think they were born coordinating weddings. We did the actual ceremony part first, and then the processional and recessional.

Ceremony practice!

My bridesmaids were obviously paying attention. :)

Lining up in order for the processional...

At some point my bridesmaids stole my ribbon bouquet...

So we all learned when to walk/sit/stand, the bridesmaids and groomsmen memorized their pairings, the flower girls successfully pranced down the aisle, the readers read, and we were done. Father John reminded everyone to show up early for the wedding, and that was that! On to the Rehearsal Dinner!

All photos in this post from BM Amy!