Oh Happy Day: My Pride and Prejudice inspired Wedding

The first time I saw my husband he was dressed for a 1800's themed Christmas play at our church. He was performing on stage and my best friend leaned over and said "look it's Mr. Darcy!" I was instantly smitten. When I started dating him months later he quoted a line for Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" and I swooned. 5 1/2 years later we said our "I do's" in a light grey and pale yellow, lacy, P + P inspired wedding. Here are some photos from the eventful day!

The stage was decorated with lanterns and electric candles, along with lights, tulle, and a beautiful arch provided by the church. I collected lanterns from everywhere for 9 months before the wedding!

I decorated the center circle table with framed photos of Evan and I and then added dainty little antique trinkets to give it that 1800's look. Then of course I used a large lantern for the center piece.

I added little Darcy inspired pieces here and there around the foyer.

We decorated with many of our P + P inspired engagement photos which you can see on my previous blog post:

http://ohhappydaychelsea.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-modern-pride-and-prejudice-engagement.html

I created our guest sign in book at shutterfly.com

Having a little fun with my girls in the Bridal suite while getting ready! Don't forget to laugh and enjoy this day!

Evan reads my letter to him upstairs before getting ready.

Evan and I waited to be intimate until our wedding night, so as a joke I sent him a jar of maraschino cherries labeled "for practice"...tee hee hee. Guess that wasn't very Jane Austen proper ;)

Pop of Yellow, Shoe shot!

The beautiful bouquet made by my good friend Joy Boyer.

You couldn't see it but I had my something borrowed attached to the base. My father's handkerchief and my mothers broach.

My something old was my great grandmothers wedding band which I wore on my right hand, and my something blue was my garter.

Don't forget to get a shot of the Bride seeing her dad for the first time too. Such a sweet moment to remember.

The girls walked down to piano music called "Dawn" from the Pride and Prejudice Movie Soundtrack. They sported lovely, long, A-line, pale yellow dresses with Lace parallels.

The rings were tied to my grandfather's study Bible that he loves.

"The Face"

I walked down on my father's arm to "Beautiful Things" by Gungor. I couldn't contain my excitement.

We decided to add something special to the giving away. Evan and I are devout Christians and so my father said some words to Evan about being a Godly man of our household and made sure of his faith before handing me over.

Instead of doing unity candles we did a "Salt Covenant" This is a biblical promise where two people bring salt from their basins and add it to one jar. Thus the only way out of this covenant is if they can go back and pull out each individual grain of salt that is theirs.

"The Kiss"

We were pretty excited!!!

"The Wedding Party"

Don't forget a shot of signing the marriage license!

Having some fun down the aisle before our departure...

Limo Time!

We had our reception at the Eglin Air Force Base Officers Club where my dad is a member.

It was perfect once we got there, it had rained all morning but the sky lightened up just in time for arrival.

The Ladies

and the gents...

being silly...

Jump Shot!

We were announced to a Pierce the Viel cover of "Just the Way You Are" (Evan's pick). Evan proposed to me 6 months prior to the Bruno Mars version in a lit up Christmas Gazebo.

Yum!

So our cake didn't come as ordered, but it was still nice and delicious. By the way word to wise, I'd skip on using a small bakery for such an important event and choose a more prominent vender even if that means paying more. Our cake topper is right though!

I used my parents toasting glasses from when they got married!

Our center pieces were black lanterns with baby's breath around the bottom and pale yellow napkins. We then spruced up the table with more framed photos. Thanks to my lovely brother and his fiance for going early and setting them out!

I didn't get a pic of the favors but we had laid out pale yellow and white salt water taffy from our local Florida waters.

Evan chose his mothers signature vanilla cake for his grooms cake. Evan doesn't like chocolate and his mother has been making this cake since his was a baby. Thus nothing would due but his Momma's cake!

The head table was right in front of the beautiful big picture windows that gave a lovely panoramic view of the bay.

The sparklers set out for the departure.

*Hint I got them the day after the 4th of July for a big discount!

Our first dance was an orchestral song written by Evan's cousin Lance Preston. We did a self-choreographed dance to the beautiful number titled "Two Become One".

Evan doing a lift with me on the dance floor.

Father Daughter dance was to Steven Curtis Chapman's "Cinderella". This song has been special for my dad and I since I've been taking dance lessons since I was little.