July 4, 2020, Becky and Jason celebrated the first day of their happily ever after at Beacon Hill! So glad to have you as a part of the Believe Bride Family! Here’s to many years of love, joy, and happiness. Cheers!
The Big Day: Our wedding was everything I imagined it would be. At first I was a little disappointed that it would be smaller, but it ended up being low-stress, full of special touches, and a beautiful celebration of the long journey that led my husband and I to that day. Having it on the 4th of July turned out to be the perfect way to celebrate my husband's military service, one of his favorite holidays, and enjoy Spokane fireworks!
I knew from the beginning that I wanted to incorporate as many small touches as I could. My grandmother was a big supporter of our relationship and unfortunately she died in April 2019, prior to our engagement. To include her in our wedding, I wore her pearls and I took several photos in her veil. We also included both of my grandmothers' favorite flowers (gladiolus and lillies) in my bouquet and our ceremony florals (thanks Tia at In Bloom Flower Farm for making that happen!). Our ring bearer was someone very special to me. I am a special education teacher, and he is one of my former students. We have an incredible story, and he and his family hold a special place in my heart. When the pandemic meant he could not attend in person, we were able to include him as a ring bearer from afar thanks to technology and the help of some wonderful friends. It was so special, and I will treasure that forever.
Our wedding party was smaller than planned due to travel restrictions. Many of our friends are in the military, stationed across the U.S. While four of our dear friends were unable to stand with us in person, we wanted to include them as groomsmen and bridesmaids in absentia. We missed them, but their love and support was felt that day!
What was your favorite part of your wedding?: I have several favorite parts of the wedding. My overall favorite part of the wedding was all of the love we felt, from those able to attend in person and from those celebrating from afar. It was so special to have people from different aspects of our lives come together to celebrate our love story and offer their love and support for our future together. That love was tangible in the air the entire day. Another favorite moment was walking down the aisle with my dad. He and I have always been very close, and we love to joke and laugh. Our walk together was no different. Most of the photos show us cracking jokes and laughing--classic us. Jason and I also decided to forego a first look; our first look was when I met him at the end of the aisle. I will never forget the look on his face. It was everything I hoped I'd see on my groom's face: love, joy, excitement, and the man I love so much.
Special Memories: I surprised my dad for the father-daughter dance, and got him really good! I knew I didn't want to use a traditional song, so I went with an upbeat country song (Sneaky Snake by Tom T. Hall) that we used to dance to in the living room when I was little. I'd been keeping that a surprise since November. We loved getting to dance to a song that meant so much to us!
While COVID changed a number of our wedding plans, it also created some special memories that I'll treasure forever. My grandfather was planning to attend but as a family we decided that him traveling on a plane was not best. Thanks to the staff at his assisted living facility, he and I were able to FaceTime before the ceremony. He of course noticed right away all the special touches I'd included to honor my grandma. While it wasn't quite as good as having him physically there, I'll always be grateful to be able to have that memory with him.
We were able to honor a dear friend of ours with a couple of special touches at our wedding: he was our groomsman in memoriam and we gave a special toast. Wish you could have been there buddy!
What advice would you give to future brides?: My mantra the day of the wedding was "No stress." Remembering that our day was a celebration of a new journey together kept me present in the moment, and not stressing about everything being perfect. Bring a journal everywhere as you're wedding planning and having your ceremony. You'll want to write down all of those memories and fun moments from picking out your dress, bridal shower, getting ready, and your special day itself. You won't regret it!
Vendor Credit:
Venue: Beacon Hill Events http://www.instagram.com/beaconhillevents
Photographer: Danell Harrison http://www.instagram.com/labellebella.photography
DJ: Tim and Tina Coles
Video: Kelly Pendergest and Pam Lunger
Cakes: Krystal Hagerty
Florist: In Bloom Flower Farm http://www.instagram.com/inbloomspokane
Makeup: Kiss and Makeup http://www.instagram.com/kissandmakeup114
Hair: Kristen Swanson http://www.instagram.com/kristen_thehairsultan
