My Sunhat Off to You

Happy New Year's Eve, Hive! 

One year ago today, I put on the most beautiful gown I've ever worn,

arrived at our gorgeous church,

and married the love of my life.

Made in the Shade: Party Like It's 2012!

After we rang in the new year, the party kept on going!  The DJ turned the music up and some of the guests went a little nuts with props that had found their way to the dance floor.

Made in the Shade: Happy New Year!

You can't get married on New Year's Eve and not have a big countdown at midnight!

Once the goody table was set up, our guests snatched up beads, hats and blowers, and the anticipation in the room started to build.  I put on the beautiful mask I purchased just for this moment, and glasses of champagne and strawberries were passed around.

Made in the Shade: Polish Traditions

Ball Cap and I are both of Polish heritage, and we wanted to incorporate a few traditions into our wedding day.  We had already served our guests some Polish dishes with dinner, but there were three things I clearly remember from Polish weddings I attended as a kid that we wanted to include during the night. 

The first was the removal of the bride's veil and an apron tied around her waist. Traditionally, this took place on the first day of the Polish couple's two day wedding celebration, and it symbolized the bride giving up her innocence and accepting her duties as a wife, mother, and hostess.  The removal is done by a married woman, or in my experience, my mother.

I took my place on a chair in the middle of the dance floor.  I completely forgot that I should have been sitting on Ball Cap's lap for this part!

Made in the Shade: Bouquet & Garter Toss

The bouquet and garter toss can cause quite a debate in the wedding planning community.  Should you do it or not?  Is it outdated?  Does it isolate and embarrass the single folk?

I can understand both sides of the argument, but the thing is, I really wanted to toss that thing!  I've been on the receiving end more times than I can count, and I wasn't about to pass up my one chance to be the girl who gets to chuck the bouquet. Not only that, Ball Cap definitely wanted to do the garter toss - he was all about it!

We thought long and hard about our song choices.  Ball Cap wanted something he could really get down to.  "Mannish Boy" by Muddy Waters couldn't have been more perfect. 

Video via Youtube.com

Ball Cap started struttin' his stuff.

Made in the Shade: Get Your Booty on the Dance Floor

It was finally time to bust a move!  The DJ cranked the music and everyone piled on to the dance floor.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves!

MOB and her daddy cuttin' a rug!

Made in the Shade: Unexpected Photobooth

Before the party really got started, and dancing took over the evening, our photographer set up a backdrop, and anyone that wanted a formal picture could take advantage.  And boy oh boy did our guests jump in on that action!

Ball Cap and his family - gotta love the sassy pose by Sister A and the silliness of our Best Man!

Made in the Shade: Blessings and Toasts

I apologize for the break in my recap posting.  Life has dealt us some curve balls lately, but I'm ready to get back to it and share more wedding goodness with the hive!

Once the first dances were over, it was time to get our grub on!  The bridal party was seated at the head tables and my Uncle Mark did us the honor of giving the blessing before the meal.

Made in the Shade: First Dances

Ball Cap and I had a difficult time deciding on a song for our first dance.  The problem was that we didn't have one song that we considered to be "our" song - we had several!  After some deliberation, we narrowed in down to two - Jack Johnson's Better Together and Coldplay's Sparks. 

Ball Cap is a huge Coldplay fan and we just recently went to their concert in Chicago (amazing by the way!).  Before I met him, I had no clue who Jack Johnson was (I apparently lived in a hole).  Both artists and their songs have built the soundtrack to our relationship.

It felt wrong to choose one song over the other, so why not dance to both?  I e-mailed our DJ and we decided to dance to the first half of Better Together and the second half of Sparks. Our DJ did a great job and the transition was seamless.

Video via YouTube.com

Song transitioned around the 2:15 mark

Video via YouTube.com

Song picked up around the 1:50 mark

Made in the Shade: Grand Entrance & The Cake

We made it to the reception venue just prior to the start of cocktail hour.  We were able to see the space before anyone arrived.  This also allowed us to stand by the entrance in a sort of informal receiving line and greet our guests as they arrived.  I didn't know how much time we'd have later on in the evening to speak with everyone so I was very happy we took the time to do this.

We were serving a fairly large meal after the one hour cocktail hour, so hors d' oeuvres consisted of bruschetta on toasted baguette and spinach and artichoke dip on toasted baguette; both served butler style.  I didn't even try one!  I was on such a high and was so excited to see everyone that food was the last thing on my mind.  I did have someone grab me some water - I was parched from talking so much!

As cocktail hour wound down, the parents, along with us and the bridal party, lined up in the lobby.  The DJ cranked The White Stripes Seven Nation Army and everyone strutted their stuff to a round of applause.

Video via YouTube.com

Made in the Shade: Reception Decor Details



Capturing the reception decor was definitely a priority on the photography list.  After months of hard work and DIY projects, I wanted to be able to look back and remember every, single, detail.

When our guests first entered our venue, they were greeted by a festive table (decorated by my venue coordinator!) that held our thumbprint guestbook.

This photo captures so many amazing things.  My Uncle/Godfather passed away the year before the wedding, so having my Aunt and cousin with us was so important.  My dad's side of the family is notorious for sticking out our tongues when concentrating, and my little cousin is no exception!  Our guests did an amazing job completing our guestbook and we have it proudly hung in our home.

Made in the Shade: Second Location Pictures

We had plenty of time before we needed to be at the reception venue, so we drove around in the party bus and enjoyed the high of newly wedded bliss.  Mr. Ball Cap and I did want to try and capture a few outdoor shots (we were hoping for snow - as you well know by now!), so we scouted a few locations prior to the big day.

We wanted a location that was on the way to the reception venue and that would offer a fun backdrop.  A local restaurant, Teibel's, has huge evergreens surrounding their property and during the holidays, they cover them in lights.  It was perfect!  Well, almost.

By the time we made it there, the temperature had begun to drop and the wind was gusting.  Not exactly ideal conditions for outdoor pics.  Since you only live once, Mr. BC and I went for it.  Our photographer ran out and set up his equipment and got one of the groomsmen to hang on to the light so it wouldn't blow over.  We got the okay and ran out of the bus, clutching my veil to my head. 

Even though we weren't able to have the whole party involved, it was still a fun time that resulted in some memorable shots.

Made in the Shade: A Few More Special Shots

Many, many years ago, Mr. Ball Cap's grandparents were married in the very same church we had just said our vows.  On that day, they took a beautiful photo in the entrance to the church.  When Mr. BC's brother was married in 2010, they recreated this photo, and his parents requested we do the same.  The end result is a trio of amazing kisses in time.

From left to right:  Mr. Ball Cap and I, BC's grandparents, and BC's brother and SIL.

Made in the Shade: Formal Portraits

Our photographer was on the ball and our formal shots were completed quickly and efficiently.

Warning:  Major picture heavy post ahead!

Mr. Ball Cap and I were up first.

 Love the color contrast on this one.

Made in the Shade: Church Exit

Since we didn't have a first look, any formal pictures of Mr. Ball Cap and I together had to wait until after the ceremony.  Seeing that these could take a while, and we didn't want our guests to be waiting on us, we did a "faux" exit after the ceremony.

After Mr. BC and I made it to the end of the aisle, we snuck off into a side room at the back of the church to wait until everyone had exited. (We may have gotten in a few more kisses during this time!)  As our guests walked out, a friend of the family passed out the bells I had made many months before.  When the coast was clear, our photographer came and got us and we were able to capture some fun exit shots.

Watch your step!  I think everyone was holding their breath that I wouldn't trip!

Made in the Shade: Our Catholic Ceremony-Conclusion & Recessional

After our first kiss, our Sister-in-Law returned to the podium and read the Prayers of the Faithful.  These prayerful petitions remind us not to forget the needs of others in the world.  Seven were read during the ceremony including:

For those who are sick, lonely, discouraged,

or oppressed that they may be strengthened

by God's help and aided by their friends,

let us pray to the Lord.

Response:  Lord hear our prayer.

Made in the Shade: Our Catholic Ceremony-Vows, Rings and a Kiss

Hive, I have a bit of a confession.  Maybe I'm not the only one, but I feel pretty silly about it. 

I kind of forgot about the part of the ceremony where we say our vows. 

Now, obviously I knew we were going to say vows, but after choosing the version we wanted during a meeting with our Priest, they never really crossed my mind again!  We weren't writing our own and we didn't go over them during rehearsal.  The weeks leading up to the wedding were filled with final details and I knew Father would guide us through the ceremony, so I never went through it in my mind. 

After Father's homily, he asked us to turn towards one another and join our right hands.  I immediately had a brief flash of panic.  This was it!  It was time to say our vows.  How could I not have thought about this beforehand?  However, by not going over that moment in my head, the emotions and feelings were natural and raw.

Made in the Shade: Our Catholic Ceremony - Readings

There was no question that Mr. Ball Cap and I would have a traditional, Catholic ceremony.  We were both raised in the Catholic Church, attended private Catholic grade school, and are active members in our church community. 

Father began Mass with the opening prayer:

Almighty God,

hear our prayers for Sunhat and Ball Cap

who have come here today

to be united in the sacrament of marriage.

Increase their faith in you and in each other,

and through them bless your Church.

We ask you this through our Lord . . . Amen

We asked Bridesmaid K's son, (MOB's Godson), to read the Old Testament reading.

Made in the Shade: Walking to the Altar

The guests were seated and it was time to start the ceremony.  Promptly at 3:00 p.m., our organist began to play and the bridal party started their procession.

Please feel free to listen along!

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Made in the Shade: Dad's First Look & Bridal Photos

The ladies had to get in on the picture action as well.  The church was stunning with all of the holiday decor and it made for an amazing backdrop.

Where's the snow?!  It was a gorgeous day, and relatively warm.