Once Upon a Time

I hope you don't mind another post commemorating my anniversary, but I can't stop thinking about the day I got married. It was a beautiful summer day, during the middle of the monsoon season in Arizona. (read: HOT and HUMID) For some reason, I didn't notice the heat much. I was focused on something a little hotter- a man I would eventually come to call the husband.

These are some of the stand-out memories of my day:

• As I mentioned, it was hot- 117 degrees.
• My mom sewed my wedding dress. It was my dream dress- complete with 40 yards of tulle. And the skirt was like a giant bug net. While we took pictures outside the Mesa temple, I kept finding little bugs caught between the multitudes of layers of tulle. Still, love my dress!
• The husband's grandfather was a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple and got special permission from President Hinckley to make the journey to seal us in Arizona.
• For some reason, he called me Melanie (which is not my name) throughout the ceremony. It threw a few people off. But, we made sure he got my name right in all the important parts.
• The husband never lets me forget that I was late arriving at the temple. In my defense, I was only a few minutes late- but he maintains it was like a half hour late. I say no- only 5 or 10 minutes.
• Before the ceremony, the husband and I were able to sit alone in one of the empty sealing rooms and visit. It was heaven.
• All five of the husband's siblings were in attendance at our sealing. As were his parents.
• My parents and two older sisters and their husbands were also there. As were various friends and extended family.
• My mom, master cake decorator and designer, made the cakes for my reception. She made a big wedding cake and then had a separate wedding cake on every table- of assorted flavors.
• After the reception, the husband and I stopped off at my parents house to hose down our car before checking in at our hotel. Someone had really decorated it while we were greeting guests.
• Our first meal together the next day was Subway on our way out of town for our honeymoon.

I think that is how fairy tales begin.

Mine did.