Rehearsal Dinner

Sorry for my long absence on the blog, but I had to work 10 days straight when we got home from the honeymoon. So I haven't had much time to edit more photos. I figured I'd start at the beginning and work my way through the wedding and then onto the honeymoon.

So here's our view when we checked in to The Inn at Crestwood on Thursday afternoon. It's such a great place with a fabulous view, an indoor pool and a spa. We chose a King balcony room, which was huge and comfy.

 And here was the view on Friday morning....The weather certainly didn't look good. As the guests arrived I assured them that the mountain view I'd promised really was there. Luckily the weather forecasts predicted sun for Saturday.

As we drove the winding mountain road into Blowing Rock for the rehearsal dinner, we saw just about the worst fog we'd ever been in. But all arrived safely to the Mellow Mushroom in Blowing Rock, which was packed.
It was a fun night, complete with a great dinner, an awesome cake and a slideshow lovingly put together by my best friends Kylie and Amanda.

Thanks to Jim and Deanna for a fabulous rehearsal dinner! I couldn't ask for better parents-in-law.

Wedding photobooth

Our wedding day was the best day of my life! It was a beautiful sunny day in the North Carolina mountains with our closest friends and family. All of my planning and mason-jar-lantern-making paid off. It came together beautifully with the help of my mom and Billy, Scott's mom Deanna, my Dad and Judy, and my friends Jack, Kylie and Amanda. Thank you all, and thank you to everybody drove and flew in to share our day. You could definitely feel the love in the air. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, family and friends. And I'm excited to be a Whittamore. I couldn't have married into a better family.
Update: A special thank you also to Byron for helping to light the candles (I just watched one of the videos) and to Faith and Carter for being the best flower girl and ring bearer and to Dena for helping them get where they needed to be and for dressing them so well.

photo by Jon Gardiner

I will slowly write more about the day and our fabulous California honeymoon as I comb through thousands of photos taken over the last two weeks. Thanks to my great photographer (Jon Gardiner) and my very talented friends, we got some great wedding photos and video. I'll start with a few photos from the day and then......the photobooth photos. It proved to be a hit with all the guests, I believe. Even our grandmothers got into costume and had a little fun with it. The following photos are by Kylie and Amanda.

And now for the photo booth...... so much fun, complete with homemade mustaches and lips.

Bridal shower

Yesterday, my good friend Molly and my mom threw me a bridal shower. It was a great time, and I think everyone had fun. I know I did.
Thank you so much, Molly! The shower was gorgeous. You've been a great friend since the day we met more than eight years ago and I really appreciate everything!
I had such a great time with everyone - my wonderful friends from work, my mom, Scott's mom Deanna, my future sisters-in-law Emily and Dena, my future niece Courtney, and Debra and Dee.

Dena and Courtney

Deanna, my future mother-in-law

Then when I got home this was in the mailbox. I invited the President and Michelle to the wedding, and we finally got a response! It doesn't look like they'll be attending, but they sent a really nice card that will go right into the wedding album. I think it's a super cool keepsake.

Soccer

Yesterday, Scott and I went to Carter's soccer game. I decided to bring my camera to get some photos, because there's nothing cuter that 5-year-olds playing soccer. He played so well! We're a proud soon-to-be-aunt and uncle. We can't wait to see Faith play, too.