We got married on a Saturday in October, along with a million other couples in the Mesa, Arizona LDS temple. I chose the 12:40 slot, which meant I only had to wake up at 7 in the morning [as opposed to that time my older sister got married at 10 a.m. which meant she awoke at 3 a.m. She’s neurotic like that]. Poor Kyle was staying at my big sister’s house and we all (me, Poor Kyle, big sister, and mother) carpooled to the temple a few hours early for photos. We forgot the bouquet. My brother in law brought it. It was too hot for October.

There was a great bit of drama about which photographer to choose. So many people had warned me that skimping on their wedding photography had been their biggest regret. I have mixed emotions about ours. She took a lot of photos from down below, pointing her camera up at us, which gave us all double chins the whole day…but she got some really poignant shots, too. I’m happy to have all the photos we did get.

We got into the temple and they almost didn’t let me in on account of my recommend not being activated correctly. I was just about to call the whole thing off, thinking it was a terrible omen, and that my real purpose in life was to move to New York and get discovered in some fancy career that required me to own and wear shiny black stilettos, when the Temple President gave me the okay. [Still, though, there was such a long wait {probably only like 20 minutes, but it seemed like a lifetime} before we actually got married, I seriously did give it second, third, fourth and fifth thoughts. There were lots of short moments that I pretty much figured I’d never go through with it. Luckily I re-thought a sixth time, and by then the wedding had gotten under way, and here I am married.]

The actual ceremony was lovely, I’m sure. One of these days I need to get a recount of things that were said, because I certainly don’t remember a word. I was having a major major overload.

It is both disrespectful and not allowed to take pictures inside the temple, but I like this one the photographer captured of us the moment we exited. Look at how timid we were…I really had no idea what to do with myself. I just couldn’t get over the fact that I was married.

Here’s most of the people at the wedding. Some were in the temple, and some were waiting for us outside. The big drama of the day was getting my grandpa to take off his baseball cap for the photos. He wouldn’t. I didn’t mind, not a bit–like I said, it was too hot for October. Can you find him?

All my aunts and uncles were there–I don’t know why I only got photos with half of them. It was hectic, I suppose.

Most of my cousins were there, too (the older ones, anyway). It’s funny–I never really thought my cousins liked me very much, but most of them showed up for the big day, even though it was so hot [for October]. I was touched. I should tell them sometime. Maybe at Christmas.

Some of my very dearest friends were there (with the exception of a few who were away at school, or off in Brazil on missions). Again: touched.

I never considered having flower girls on account of I don’t like kids (and there weren’t any aisles for them to walk down tossing petals), but Kyle’s nieces were so excited to play the parts, I couldn’t be the one to crush their dreams. I don’t think these two girls know me very well, but they certainly are adorable. And they were passionate about flowers. More photos of them at the reception will follow.

This was the last picture taken of us at the Temple–afterwards, we were off to RigaTony’s for lunch. But it’s one of my favourites–it captures the real importance of the day: not baseball caps or soiled dress hems, but the fact we were able to get married in the temple. That means, should Poor Kyle have the strength to handle me for the rest of our lives, he’ll be stuck with me throughout eternity, too. What’s not to love about a promise like that?