Our Wedding | Part One | Fontainebleau Inn

I spent the first few minutes of my wedding day on my old childhood swing set. I looked over the rolling hills of Upstate NY, took a breath of crisp fall air, and let out all the stress and worry that had been clouding me the last few weeks and months. Today was the day I would marry Mike Connor. My best friend, my rock, the man who loved me most in the whole world. I talked to God, letting him settle my heart, then walked into a waffle breakfast and the beginning of the day.

These photos of me getting into my dress get me all emotional. Just a few months previous to this, I couldn't even imagine my mom being there, and I cried many gut-wrenching tears thinking about that possibility. For months she had been in and out of ICU's and hospital beds, fighting an undiagnosed blood-cell cancer. We planned our wedding to be near her, and I begged God to give her the strength to be there. She was not only present, but had the energy to be fully involved and engaged the entire day! That was my greatest gift.

My mom's mom, Grandma Jane, wasn't able to be there (she was partying in heaven), but my dress was her last gift to me. She always gave us $5 for every birthday and Christmas, which is saying a lot since she had 33 grandkids! When she passed away the year before, she left an estate, and I set aside my portion for my someday-wedding dress, which I bought a year later to the day. It just made it that more special to wear, along with it being the MOST comfortable, fun thing ever! If it wasn't super weird, I would wear it daily.

After reading the card from MC, toasting with champagne, and getting dressed, I was super ready to see my man!