All photos courtesy of Enigma Productions.
So, everything was good to go, all I needed to do was get dressed.
I like to be on time. I prefer to be early. So instead of the frantic hour before the wedding, I just kinda waited around for everyone then finally figured I might as well get dressed. That half hour right before the wedding slowed down. It seemed like 2 o’clock would never come.
A few words on dresses. I was pretty adamant that neither I nor my bridesmaids would wear strapless. I figured since I wouldn’t do it normally in church, why would I do it on this most important day? That being said, I realize our dresses aren’t super modest either. Well, I tried. At least there were no awkward pulling up the dress moments!
First the girls got dressed.
The girls wore J. Crew Sophia dresses. I wasn’t too worried about what they would wear, but I did want it to be a cotton sundress. Navy was an easy color that looks good on everybody, though I did really like the champagne color, too. That got vetoed pretty fast. I think navy falls into the “it is possible to wear it again” category, but I don’t know if any of them have since.
My turn.
Every bride has their dress hanging up picture. And I think mine is pretty cool. We got dressed in the church library because no one was there to meet us when we got there, and it was the only room unlocked. Apparently we weren’t supposed to. *oops*. Anyway, it drives me quite crazy that a) it’s hung on an ugly plastic hanger, and b) the the straps are slouched down like that. Why didn’t I just fix it? I think I was a little too unfocused on the details. Maybe you can be too relaxed on your wedding day!
Time to get in the dress.
Apparently it was really hard to get me into my dress. The photographer wanted that “moment” where they all help me into the dress. Unfortunately, the snaps were clear and it created a tense moment of my mom and sister trying to convince me there were no snaps on my dress, and everyone wanting to give it a try. Can you see how many hands are trying to go for it?
Finally I convinced them to just let me do it. I mean, I was the one who had been trying it on all this time anyway!
A few last make up touches. My little sis bought me some lipstick before the wedding because she knew I was a poor former JV and wouldn’t have done it myself!
I think this picture is kinda awesome. I remember the photographer saying the dirty mirror was “killing him.” But I like the effect. It makes it look like a rainy window. Maybe its just me, but its one of my favorites.
My little sister decided to help me with my earrings. I don’t think it ultimately worked out and I probably did it again myself, but it makes for a darling picture. Especially the way my flower girl/cousin is looking at me. I smile every time I see this picture.
But that reminds me. Earring drama. Years ago, when I left my college apartment, I drove myself home in my 2 door car. Not everything fit, and I left 3 boxes at a family friend’s house. His son would be coming by my parents house in a few weeks and could drop the boxes off then. Plans changed, and I didn’t see those boxes for 2 years. The friend was a Deacon, the one who was marrying us in fact, and he promised to bring the boxes with him for the wedding. I don’t know why I left the box with some of my most precious things at their house, but I did. One of the things in the box was my favorite pair of earrings, ones that my grandmother had given me when I graduated from high school. Simple, elegant drop pearl earrings. I knew I would wear them on my wedding day before I had anything else picked out. Unfortunately the box didn’t get dropped off until the day after my wedding. I ended up borrowing some simple pearl earrings from my mother. Not quite what I wanted, but I had my something borrowed.
I just look so pretty now, don’t I? I remember feeling very pretty. Fun times.
One last word on my bouquet. I don’t have a good picture of it, but my something old was a handkerchief that my Godmother gave me for my first communion that she had carried in her wedding. My something blue was a rosary that my mom had lent me. I had trouble wrapping it around the bouquet though, and so this is what we were trying to figure out here!
Okay, finally we were all dressed. One more thing to take care of before we head down the aisle, though!








You look absolutely incredibly gorgeous. I love your hair and the dress and your skin — that picture where you are putting on your shoes? SWOON!
Thanks! It’s one of my favorite pics. Which of course is why I posted it. I’m not gonna post all the ones where I am making weird faces.
These pictures are so beautiful! I love the dress hanging in front of the books, I think that’s the first thing viewers will focus on: the white and the books. I didn’t notice the hanger or the straps until you pointed it out. No wedding day is perfect, the picture looks comfortable, beautiful, and “lived in” (if that makes sense).
[...] post about why she’s an advocate for abolishing the death penalty. And just for fun, This is the Day: All Dolled Up features photos of her wedding day taken while her bridesmaids helped her get dressed. Jacqueline [...]
What a wonderful wedding day story. Before reading about you on Angela Barton’s Thrifty Threads I had never heard about the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. I will be remembering that for my kids. Always nice to meet a fellow Catholic.
It’s a great program! I did the Northwest chapter, and I think it’s much more prominent out here than in other parts of the country. I hadn’t really heard about it either until right before I decided to apply!
Nevermind, answered my own question. I already actually have this dress bookmarked as a bridesmaid dress choice. I think it’s so simple and elegant. Did your Mom and Mom-In-Law where the same dress just in different colors? Your dress is stunning, too! I saw your link on WeddingBee and am slowly making my way through your blog
Aren’t they great? My one warning about them though is they wrinkled really bad. We did our picture afterwards, and everyone had been sitting through the whole mass so you can do the math.
They wore different dresses but yeah everyone did kind of look similar! I had nothing to do with that. They both picked out their own dresses!