How on Earth do you recap the best day of your entire life? I write about weddings nearly every day, but when it came time to sit down and capture my own I truly had no idea where to begin. How do you put in to words something that is so personal, and almost indescribable? Welp, here goes. Planning my wedding was one of the most exciting, stressful, rewarding, crazy beautiful experiences ever. I was a bride who loved every single step of the process (except for the guest list, let’s be real). After the final weeks of details and stress (and OMG HUNGER #weddingdiet) I was so excited for the day to finally be here. I couldn’t believe it was really here, the day I’d dreamed about since I was a little girl, about to marry the best man in the world. The morning getting ready with my mom and bridemaids was very calming. Mimosas, chill pandora and silk robes. My mom gave me the handkerchief she used on her wedding day, which was really special. Once we got to the Beverly Country Club for the main event, however, my emotions went into overdrive. I have never been more nervous in my life! I was triple checking my hair and makeup with shaky hands and when I put on my dress my heart was racing a mile a minute. When my Dad came into the holding room to see my in my dress, the tears started flowing. The emotional gravity of the day truly hit me.
The Ceremony
When my Dad told me it was time to walk down the aisle, it was everything I could do to hold it together. But once they opened the doors and I saw Brandon, all the fear melted away and it felt like I was walking on air. My favorite part of the ceremony was when my grandfather, who immigrated from Ireland in the 60’s, sang the traditional Irish wedding song. This had been a dream of mine since I was a little girl, and will always be one of the most special moments of my life. When we said “I do” and the officiant pronounced us man and wife I felt the purest happiness I’d ever felt.
The Reception
We could not have been happier with our venue at the Beverly Country Club. Our guests enjoyed a champagne cocktail hour on the outdoor patio that overlooked the beautiful golf course while we took photos. My second favorite moment of the day was when we entered the room (to Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors,” naturally) and all of our closest family and friends stood and cheered. There is nothing that compares to that moment, it was so, so surreal to be surrounded by so much love. The room was full of wall to wall windows so it had gorgeous natural light that reflected off the crystal chandeliers. Our colors were blush and gold, and there were touches all throughout the decor from the centerpieces to the cake and sweet table. Just like everyone warned us, the night went by in a heartbeat and before we knew it we were dancing to the last song. We did our best to take a few moments to soak it all in throughout the night, and our amazing photographer Kieffer of Greenkey Photography snuck us out for a mini-shoot during the reception to capture some photos with the full moon. We ended the night sharing a pizza (YES FINALLY) in our hotel room and sharing our favorite moments from the day. Our wedding was without a doubt the best day of our lives. My advice? Never settle. Wait for your true soulmate. They are out there, and when you find them, life truly does become a fairtytale. And I am so excited to live happily ever after 🙂
**See more of Brianna’s wedding journey here**
Vendors:
Photographer: Greenkey Photography//Venue: Beverly Country Club//Dress: Oleg Cassini//Florist: Windy City Flower Girls //Cake: Cozzie’s Creations//DJ: QuickStart DJ//Invitations: Minted
