Happy New Year! We know it has been awhile since we blogged and we sincerely apologize. As many of you know, holidays get to be hectic yet very enjoyable. We thought that as we start a new year we should recap a big event from 2013.
On September 7th, 2013 WE GOT MARRIED!!! Yep ladies and gentlemen, we finally tied the knot! It was an absolutely amazing time, filled with family and friends. We will recap the highlights, but let’s be honest… the pictures tell the best story.
Wedding prep began on the Tuesday before the wedding when Denise traveled with her friend Amber to her home town of Sabetha, KS where the wedding would be held. Sabetha is a small town with lots of charm and home to the parish that she grew up with (Sacred Heart Catholic Church). Luckily, Denise’s sister Cat and best friend Brenda were already in town when they arrived. Wednesday consisted of manicures, last minute gift wrapping, and prepping for the long day on Thursday. Dan also left St. Louis after work on Wednesday and traveled to Sabetha to help with final prep.
Thursday was “set-up” day. Our reception on Saturday was held at an old armory-turned-event center that we rented for the occasion (Sabetha Event Center). We were so fortunate to have access to the space on Thursday since it allowed us to finish set up and then relax on Friday before the whirlwind of the wedding began. In the morning, we met with Sabetha’s parish priest for a last minute conversation about the big day. Then we hustled over to the event center and got to work. Denise’s three sisters, her friends Amber, Brenda, and Shannon, her parents, and several family friends from Sabetha all pitched in to make the space absolutely beautiful (and boy were we tired afterwards! 😉 ). My mom’s best friend Sharron was the genius behind the center pieces/table decorations, which were all incredible. As Dan and I remarked later, when we looked out during our reception we felt so touched and loved since we knew everyone who placed each place setting, center piece, tablecloth, etc. This mere fact added such a unique and personal touch to the day.
Friday was another day of set up as we helped Dan’s family prepare for the rehearsal dinner that evening. After the morning, Denise held a “thank you lunch” at the Mexican restaurant while the boys went with Denise’s Dad out to the Country Club for lunch. The afternoon was relaxing, of course, since everything was done for the big day. We had a rehearsal in the evening and a delicious and fun dinner to follow. Plus, we were so lucky to have a Deacon from our parish in St. Louis in town to help celebrate the mass and lead us in our vows. He was quite influential during Dan’s RCIA journey and was so generous to give his time. After dinner, Denise’s roommate from college, Sarah, and her parents went back to Denise’s parents’ house for wine and much catching up. Meanwhile Dan and his family stayed over at the Fairview Lodge, a local hunting lodge, that his family rented for the weekend.
Wedding day is here! It was a beautiful, sunny day filled with excitement. The day began at Denise’s parents’ house with all the bridesmaids and the “wedding woman” (i.e. Brenda) congregating to get their hair styled by a fabulous hairstylist named Christie. She did an amazing job as usual and everyone was so pleased with their up-dos. During this time, our photographers Chrystal and Lisa of Chrystal Rae Photography ( http://www.chrystalraephotography.com/# ) arrived and began taking detail pictures. We cannot say enough about how incredible they were throughout the entire day; both were professional, funny, and able to put everyone at ease while we took many pictures. Again, we will let the pictures speak for themselves. We had an amazing reception with delicious food prepared by Steve Roberts, proprietor and chef of the Country Cabin (http://www.thecountrycabins.com/ ) , a restaurant in a nearby town. Our cake was designed by a local Sabetha woman who made a beautiful and decadent creation. Flowers were by Village Sampler, and I could not have been more pleased with how gorgeous and well put together they were. Our DJ, Andrew, from Complete Music in Manhatten, KS,did a wonderful job working the crowd and getting everyone involved. To top it all off, Complete Music provided a photo booth as well, which was quite popular. Finally, Dan’s personal request, a candy bar, was a huge hit with both kids and adults alike.
So this blog turned out more long winded than expected, but so much thanks and recognition needed to be said! We had the perfect day… surrounded by helpful and loving family and friends, we began our new life together with so much happiness and joy. We hope you enjoy the photos and have a blessed New Year. Thank you for reading!
Dan and Denise
Denise’s dress she purchased from Brides by Demetrios
Dan got Denise pie from a local cafe!
WeDo 