Dessert Buffet

One of my favorite parts of planning the wedding was thinking about this dessert bar! I spent many hours dreaming of the tasty goodness that would be found here. However, the reality was that I got one bite of my wedding cake at the reception and nothing else!! I know! More to come on that later. 

Anyhow, hopefully everyone else enjoyed these yummy treats at the wedding. Warning: you will probably be hungry after looking at these photos. At least I know I am right now!

This cake topper is one I found online and then got someone on easy to make for me. I think it turned out SO cute and I'm going to have to find a permanent place for it in our home!

Ceremony Reading #2

The Blessing of the Hands (read right before we exchanged rings)

"These hands you are holding on your wedding day are the hands of your best friend, strong and full of love for you. These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future. 

One of Kory's best friends, Kelly Futrell

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years. With a gentle touch, they will comfort you and hold you when fear or grief fills your soul. 

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and tears of joy. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children. 

These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it. And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch."

Ceremony Reading #1

Union by Robert Fulghum

Sister-in-Law Brynn Mereness

"You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that were held in a car, or over a meal, or during long walks – all those conversations that began with, “When we’re married”, and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” – all those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” – and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.

The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things that we’ve promised, and hoped, and dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.”

Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another – acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, even teacher, for you have learned much from one another these past few years. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same.

For after today you shall say to the world –
This is my husband. This is my wife."

This was seriously one of my VERY favorite parts of the entire ceremony. I love this reading and I love Brynn and everything about this was just perfect!

Wedding

Kory & I were married May 28th at Washington Ranch, outside of Carlsbad, NM. I believe it was about 107 degrees that day in Carlsbad, but thankfully we had lots of shade trees, a breeze blowing off the water and a late evening wedding so it was really not bad at all.

We were a bit concerned the day before when we realized there were a lot fewer chairs at the ranch than we'd previously been told, but it all worked out great and it was just the size of wedding we'd hoped for all along. Here are a couple shots from a distance to give you perspective before we dive into the details (you can click on them to enlarge the photos).

All Things New

With all the new things that have come in my life over the past two months, I decided it was time for a big change: a new blog!

I have a new home, new last name, new husband and now a new blog for everyone to follow along on our adventures together as Mr. & Mrs Mereness. I'll start by posting about our wedding and honeymoon, where all these changes began!