our wedding: the first look...

Although I would have enjoyed seeing Chris for the first time at the ceremony, our timeline wouldn't allow it.  We decided to do a first look so that we could take pictures before we got to the gardens.  I'll never forget that moment standing by myself waiting for Chris to meet me.

We both got ready in separate houses and the guys came over to meet the ladies.  I was still in my robe when they showed up.  Just hanging, laughing...doing a quick cheers. 

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By the time I got to my dress, it needed to be a quick turn around because poor Chris was waiting by himself in the front {typical for me to keep him waiting while I get ready, why change that on our wedding day?}.

Quick tangent- one of my favorite moments was watching my sisters learn to bustle my dress the night before.  So many strings leading up to so many buttons.  They did a great job when the time came!

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Finally putting my dress on... 

my littlest sister captured this photo on her phone, one of my favorites from that moment

For the first look, I was taken out to a field to wait for Chris and told to cover my eyes {obviously trying not to ruin my makeup!}:

meanwhile Chris was told to close his eyes and taken out by his best man to meet me {love everyone peeking through the windows}:

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1, 2...

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3!

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truly so happy...

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and then came the ceremony....