Weddingbee bios

Who are we?... Well together we're an awesome couple that has let God do awesome things in and through us... BUT leading up to that we were just.... Amnysti, a girl letting Gods grace heal a broken heart, and Justin, a boy that let God Himself touch him so that he may be healed.

 

I, the girl, started this journey a few years ago.... a single mom just divorced. For years I battled all the things that come from a relationship filled with abuse, but God...... on February 22, 2008 began healing my heart in it's entirity to be ready for what He had for me....... A new life with the start of my education to become a Medical Doctor, a job doing Bookkeeping, a ministry where I get to help show broken girls the love of Christ, & a relationship that would turn into the marriage that will be the vessel to carry out God's plans for not just us but a world!

 

   

Justin, on the other hand, began his journey as a boy seeking out something better. Not having the same heart hurts I had endured but knowing that the life he saw around him wasn't all there was. Starting to truly seek God, Justin came to the fight of a life time being diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma. It was through this fight that Justin's heart truly began to take shape as to who God had him to be and on January 14, 2008 he was supernaturally healed! Not just for himself... but for ME.. and we didn't even know each other in a manner more than fellow Church members....

So that's us individually.... but soon it would be "us" together...

Well....

In my book our meeting began to be set up in 2007 when I took out a pen and paper and let God breathe His spirit into my "List" with the scripture Ephesians 3:20 on the top... the "who" I wanted to meet and the heart I needed him to have.... still not knowing why God told me He could do "more"

The offical boy meets girl happened at our home Church in 2008! We both attended, and continue to attend, the Young Adults Group, EPIC, and it was there that we had our "official meeting" and began our casual yet intimate friendship.

In the beginning Justin was still going through treatment so we didn't see each other very often. Really though, now that I think about it... we never really "hung out" through the entirity of our "friendship"....

After being healed Justin was focused on getting to know and grow more in God and became apart of the ministry internship at our church, and I was rather busy with school and working to provide for my son. It was in this time that God was really preparing us... growing him as a Godly man, and healing my heart to be a woman to accept true love, that agape kind of love.. building our friendship through phone conversations that showed Justin's heart to help me and show me that God is more than able to make my life all it could be. (Thank God for a man that will call his bride out from what she was to what God had her to be all along!)

It wasn't until the fall of 2009 that we really began to "get to know each other" (or rather me get to know him) outside of Epic, and it was almost immediate that I became like that giddy school girl wondering and wanting him to be as crazy for me as I was for him... Come to find out later he loved me all along ;)

We started dating, and having already known just about everything there was to know about me, my past, and my heart, it wasn't long before everything Justin was in his heart and as a man was checked off on my "list" and things went from dating to engaged..... And that's when God told me that Justin WAS my Ephesians 3:20!... That's a story is for another time though...

So as following our story, it wasn't very long into our dating that Justin proposed... officially.

It was November 7th.. just 1 month and 7 days after we began dating. Yep, that's right ladies.. We're one of "those" couples. tehe. Seeing we had already been friends for years and we knew each others core values and what we desired in our lives as far as following after God's heart, we knew that we held the same desires and that our love for each other could only make us stronger for His glory.

It was on the way home from His family reunion that we talked about our future and, in simple passing almost, Justin said "Well why don't you start planning a wedding..." I could have sworn I heard wrong and said "What?!... I can start planning a wedding?!" And thus the conversation of forever was opened.

When we got back to town and had more of a chance to talk he proceeded to tell me how he loved me and Gavin, my son, and how not seeing us the week before just settled that he couldn't imagine his life without me! All I could say in response was "You do.. you love Gavin?!" and then starting crying knowing that our God is so awesome that He would bring me a man that would not just love me right, but love my son... being the father he deserved & needed! <--- The official proposal.

Considering Justin was still in a full time internship we knew that it wouldn't be until February that he'd be able to invest in a ring so we kept our engagement to ourselves and immediate family... it was sooooooo hard not to "spill the beans" to all of our friends, especially since we see and serve with them on a weekly basis!

So............ I kept quiet for the looooooong 3 months until one of the best days ever February 19th, 2010! It was on this day that we drove to Austin to get my ring... found by a client of my mom's who sells whole sale diamonds! He had it set and everything and met us at Starbucks. We bought the ring and then came the great debate in the mind of Justin.... time for the down on one knee proposal.. but where to do it....

Considering we still had to drive back home for me to make it to our Church's Womans Conference Justin got down on his knee right there in the middle of Starbucks and told me how the woman I am is all that he could ever ask for and formally asked that I would spend the rest of my life him.<-- formal proposal

As casual, totally aware of, and unplanned as it was I couldn't have asked for more and it was so amazing!.. AND what better timing than before our Conference where I got to show of my ring to all my favorite ladies!... Infact, our Pastor's wife (Young Adults Pastor) who was 2 rows in front of me actually turned around to look at something during worship and did a double take as she saw my ring! Congratulations came all throughout service and there after.

It was GREAT!

We had a friend that we go to Church with be our wonderful photog! We couldn't have asked for more! 3 Outfits... 3 Locations... Here are some of my Favorites =)

Starting with Just Us

Having some fun out in and around the barn

And this is when our friend asked us "Did I miss the wedding?"

How about some "Sound of Music Fun"

 

It's like I had just said YES!!!

Time for some fun in the park

Now for the first time all the girls met.Yay for lunch and Bridesmaid dress shopping!!!!! (as you saw... it went VERY well) tehe

Left side

Brittney - MOH and my lil sis

Jennifer - My BEST friend (this girl keeps me sane)

Right side

Nancy - the one that's always level

Ashley - who I've known since my "old life"

Here they are mingling just before we went in for Rehearsal                                 

(my DOC was talking to the boys making sure they knew what to do. tehe)

Here are the guys lined up as I "practiced" walking down the aisle...

From left to Right

Phillip - Best Man.... wearing MY sunglasses. lol

Darrick

Joseph

Tyler - (the BEST bridal party attendant EVER.. everything ordered earlier & right!)

I finally got to try it on! I found my dress online at DB months before I was able to make a trip to Austin to actually see it.

Here was the only "Dress Shopping" trip I needed. Best part was when the lady had to bring me a SMALLER SIZE! Woohoo!... I made my order for "White" just a few weeks later! =)

So after getting 2 months into planning I found our theme... and scrapped EVERYTHING

now we're going for a 60s/70s retro All You Need is Love.. =)

Here's my final Inspiration Board... I do have to say though that there were definitely some changes made to the final "Big Day".. but those are for another post ;)

So....

As I mentioned in our Proposal Story, we got my engagement ring from a client of my mothers. A whole sale diamond dealer.

It's a 1 ct round solitaire in a 6 prong setting on an 18k white gold band...

valued at 4600 costing us a whopping 1700! can you say WOOHOO!

and then a few "pro" shots I took myself ;)

Oh the fun we have with iPhones tehe

And now for our Bands together... again some iPhone photog as we left for our honeymoon!.. I totally made my DH give me his hand to snap a pic... I mean who cares if it's his far hand and he's trying to drive?!.. Bwahaha

I just LOVE our Rings!!!!!!!

Just get white and ADD your own embellishment!

So, very early on we decided that the guys were gonna wear Chucks! And to make me and my Groom different from the rest of the party we limited the color blue to JUST US!

DH went with the classic Carolina Blue hi-top........

boy did you know that Carolina Blue is one of the hardest blues to match?!.. well it is!

So I found myself in QUITE a predicament.... as a solution I found a simple white sandal and made a trip to the local Hobby Lobby, where I found the best Scrapbook flowers!

Here's what we ended up with!

I can't wait to add our pro pics!!!!!! =)

When I couldn't get a solid appt with any of the florist in town I began looking into DIY. First into bulk flowers...... until I had the thought about my luck to get a bunch of dead flowers delivered to my door! EEK!

So I revamped my stance and starting researching what else I could. After WEEKS of searching I found some AWESOME paper flower tutorials. I picked the 2 that I liked best... got me a great 2 sided paper pack to go with our 60s/70s All You Need is Love theme and got to work.

First with MY bouquet of course! tehe

And then of course my girls bouquets.... which to make different than mine were made up of only the rolled roses =)

They all turned out great and went with our decor perfectly! The girls loved them and were so excited to be able to keep them!

Can't wait to be able to post our pro pics =)

Again with our offbeat theme and decor here is a...

close up of the Table Number "Centerpieces" and Vinyl Recrod charger plates.... all set with a DJ Song Request Card =)

And a quick shot of the full table's after we set up.... before the blur of the next day

It was different, fun, colorful, and SO us!

Our invites and entire theme was found upon the picture I found to use for our RSVP cards. I designed everything from scratch (in my head)... and successfully learned my way around Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator having never used either before..... Don't loose hope ladies, it IS possible!

Assembly of the completely DIY pocketfold invites were done by ME............ and....... some very lovely ladies that I don't know what I would have done without.

So, now for the big reveal (kinda even though they were already posted via thread) tehe

and our monograms =)

Lots of fun again! =)

So when deciding to DIY our programs I quickly concluded that I wanted something a little more extensive that the normal fan or front/back single sheet.

So... I decided to include the normal order of service, bridal party, and lyrics of the worship song

BUT... decided to add PICTURES!!! Drawn pictures by my Son, Engagement Pics of me and DH, and Portrait Shots of the Bridal Party! They Came out GREAT!

Our wonderful Save The Dates...Oh the things we learn through trial & error and the process of wedding planning..... software, online printing, fonts, and more!

This is what I heard from my wonderful DOC as I stood in my getting ready clothes... TOTALLY NOT DRESSED! eek!

Great thing was my wonderful DOC was so calm and just said... "that's okay... just get dressed"... so that's what I did. lol

Other than that moment the morning was a pretty stress free morning.... oh wait... aside from some minor hair issues. lol

I had planned on doing my own hair and make-up without any thought that hair just isn't really my forte. Luckily, I had friend that was invited that just so happened to pop her head in and came to my hair RESCUE! YAY!

So everything fell into place... I got beautiful and started one of the most wonderful days of my entire life!

 

Here's my... "So help me I'm fixing to throw this brush through the mirror" face >:/

 

But just like anytime I get frazzeled... It doesn't last very long. Atleast I can laugh at my incapability! lol

 

It wasn't until AFTER it was time to get ready that we realized there was no where to get my dress hanging pic b/c well there was NO WHERE To hang it... grrrrr.... And b/c of the rush we missed the getting in the dress BUT they still got the shoes! =D

 

My wonderful beautiful mother helping me get my jewelry on before heading over to the Chapel!

 

And here we go.... Walking over with my Dad =)

 

The Big Day .... The day when life as I knew it would never be the same!

DH and I decided early on that we want to really incorporate our hearts into our ceremony. so we decided that instead of doing the tradtional Unity Candle or less tradtional Sand Ceremony we were going scriptural on it and had Worship!!! By far one of my favorite parts of the day! We then took communion together as our first act as husband & wife.

It was so great how God presence filled the place and how hand in hand with my husband we both were totally submitted to God!

 

Oh yea..... I also couldn't get Justin's ring past his knuckle!!!!!!... and did I mention that when it was time to exchange rings we BOTH forgot which hand was my right hand?! BWAHAHAHA... great moment of the Ceremony!

From what I was told from our Primary Photog.... our 2nd shooter was assigned the "first kiss" shot and when it was time it apparently sounded like a machine gun going off in the back.... he checked his camera... and gave our primary guy the "thumbs up"

 

Some of my favorite shots of the day are these... we just poured our hearts out to Christ and it was like God came down on us right there!

 

After worship & communion our Pastor and loved one prayed and called God's Blessing from Deuteronomy into our marriage.... of course our Munchkin had his own ideas of what should be going on....

 

And yay!!!!!!!! We're MARRIED!!!!!!

We had a wonderful Brunch reception, no alcohol, and a VERY strict guestlist BUT... that didn't stop anyone from having a BLAST! The food was amazing and everything went perfectly!

 

Here Come's The Sun:

 

 

Head Table shot... And I can't help but notice 2 things. 1. It gives the look/feel of the Last Supper. AND 2. Our Best Man eating, obliviously ignoring the 2 ladies talking through him (My MOH and his FI) BWHAHAHA

 

And now for the toasts.... First our Best Man and then my Sister & MOH...

 

My Sister gave the most wonderful MOH speech... she had both DH and I tearing it up!

 

So I've come to the conclusion that there is just NO nice way to feed each other cake...

 

Time for the Bouquet Toss!!!!!!!

 

Which my mom totally claimed as HERS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Garter Time..... We had NO idea the Best Man was going to do this! EEK!!!! LOL!!!

 

And boys just wouldn't be boys if they didn't try to get each other in the face with cupcakes! LOL

 

Retaliation!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So the munchkin decided that he  should get to run through FIRST!!!! tehe

 

We had originally planned on a bubble send off with a bubble machine... BUT I totally forgot to pick it up the day before.... that's okay our friends and family certainly did a sufficient job!!!!

Off to the Honeymoon!!!

Even though both Dh and I aren't really much of what you may call "dancers" we both enjoyed ourselves VERY much!

DH and I had our first dance "Unforgettable"...

Father Daughter dance to "My Wish"....

Highlight dance.... Grease Medley

Eixt Song "More Today Than Yesterday"

So DH and I decided that what we wanted was CUPCAKES..... but also wanted to have the traditional cut the cake picture.

We went up to the local bakery.... asked for a 6" tier designed like the picture I took and paid them a whopping 20 BUCKS! woohoo!

It looked great! Tasted great! and the Pocketbook was HAPPY!