The Wedding

Happy July, everyone (hi Mom)! I'm currently engaged in an intense game of living room fetch, featuring Ella and her favorite pink rope. She is 45 pounds of pure terror and spoiled rottenness now. She just got "fixed" and everyone tells me she'll calm down, but I have yet to see much progress. I think I got the one hyperactive poodle mix in the world <insert crying face>. 

I've been so excited to write this post, but was occupied with lots of different things over the past week and am just now having a few minutes to sit and write about what was one of my favorite weekends of my LIFE. For those of you who somehow missed it, my brother got married last Saturday. I have to admit, since Jace proposed to Andreia my life was like a real-life version of "Inside Out" and then some. I have felt every emotion, as I'm sure they have, but in the end joy, love, and happiness overcame everything as usual. 

I got to go home to start participating in wedding weekend on Thursday evening. That evening was Andreia's last girls' night, and it was a blast as well as a precious time for all of us to relax and spend time with the amazing bride and get to know each other better. What happens at the last night as a single woman stays in that evening though, so let's move on, shall we?

Friday was a whirlwind of a day, starting with brunch at Andreia's aunts house, with most of the girls in the bridal partypresent. We got to celebrate her and game plan what needed to be done during the rest of that day before the rehearsal that afternoon. The rest of that day was spent tying up all of the loose ends that were incomplete and in the blink of an eye, it was time for the rehearsal.

Unbeknownst to some, I pride myself on not being a big crier, but I'm pretty sure I cried at some point or another for 4 or 5 days in a row, a record (just kidding). This started Thursday night, but carried into the rehearsal on Friday. Seeing my brother and new sister-in-law together preparing to enter into a monumental covenant in their lives was just pretty emotional. 

Thankfully, the emotions subsided a bit at the rehearsal dinner, where we had some amazing BBQ, then played a game of pumpkin ball. I was on the bride and groom's team and we lost in extra innings, but let's be real, they won everything else that weekend so God had to humble them somehow. 

The next day started early with meeting the rest of the girls at the reception site, none other than a Kansas farm (it was really awesome, you guys). The local nursing home was kind enough to let us borrow their transportation bus to get to the church and back, so we blasted the radio to the church and just had a fun time. Once we got to the church, it was time for hair makeup, and Taco Bell tacos in our 'Feed Me Tacos & Tell Me I'm Beautiful' tank tops. After we were as pretty as we could get, we headed outside in the heat to sweat through a couple hours of pictures! Thankfully our photographer was amazing and you can't even tell in the pictures that we were all pouring sweat! PS those photos are not mine to share so you'll have to stay posted for those. I assure you they're incredible though.

Once our photos were finished it was time to relax for about an hour, then we were ready for the main event! There were lots of people to witness this beautiful event. The bridal party formed a circle around the altar, then came Andreia down the aisle. She was (and is) a gorgeous bride, inside and out. There aren't many people on earth like her, and I don't say that lightly. For example, there were 12 attendants and multiple other people helping with the wedding, and she knew them all personally. I was talking to Jace before the wedding about how far people traveled to see them get married, and how Andreia had expressed how humbled she was by this; Jace simply said with a smile, "that's who I'm marrying." 

Most weddings are beautiful in some way, but never have I been to a wedding like this. I'm biased, yes, but this wedding was about more than just Jace & Andreia. They made sure their wedding reflected and emphasized our eventual wedding with Jesus, whenever that glorious day comes.  Christ was the central theme and filled this happy occasion with so much grace and pure joy that only He can provide. 

I will admit, I made it through the first 5 minutes or so without much display of emotion but once the pastor (a close family friend) began talking about Jace and Andreia, and their relationships with their families, I stopped gnawing a hole in my cheek and let a few tears roll. Then, he mentioned how close Jace and I have always been, and Jace made eye contact with me and we both lost it. I'm convinced the pastor did that just because he hadn't seen either of us cry before (sort of kidding). They continued with beautiful vows they had written for each other, lit a unity candle, kissed, and were pronounced the new Mr. & Mrs. Moore!

Then it was back onto the nursing home mobile to eat some delicious Mexican food and pie at the reception! The barn where the reception was held was decorated so elegantly, but had a small town Kansas feel to it, and it was truly awesome. The best man, maid of honor, a couple of Andreia's close friends and I were able to give toasts. I wrote my speech the Tuesday before the wedding, and read it a few times during the week. I hadn't made it through practice reads without crying, so I knew it was going to be challenging with Jace actually there at the reception. Most people will never understand our bond, and that's ok because it's pretty special and unique. I definitely cried like a little kid while giving the toast, and at one point even had to have Jace come up for a hug so I could get through the rest of it. But once it was over, the rest of the reception was pretty smooth sailing, full of lots of dancing and good conversation.

The newlyweds were supposed to be sent off with sparklers at 11:30, and we tried to send them away around then, but they wouldn't leave! That's just the people they are though, always thinking about others. They were sure to tell their guests thank you and goodbye before they changed and went away. I was able to give a big hug to my brother and new sister before they left, our first as a new 3 best friend unit (just kidding....I'm still adjusting to being BFF #2, but I'm ok with it). 

What did I learn? In four short words: Christ must be central. The entire wedding weekend was a bold reminder of the love Jesus has for us, even in our sinful state on this earth. I can't wait to see His face and unite with Him as His bride someday soon. Given the state of this earth right now, I hope it's REALLY soon. Thank you, Jace and Andreia, for this wonderful picture of God's love on display in real life. I love you both and can't wait to see how else He is going to work in your lives as the Moore's.

PS Stay tuned for the next blog post. I've got big news!
PPS Any encouraging words I can share with the new Moore's? Let me know in the comments!

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