I grew up two miles away from my parents' current home.  Though it was weird for my family to move after 15 years, I had to admit that this new house would make for a gorgeous wedding location.

And it was.

After my 10 minute power nap, I quickly readjusted my veil and lined up behind the wedding party, arm in arm with my dad.  Jerrae asked my flower little girl, Sicily, if she remembered how to drop the rose petals.  Sicily nodded enthusiastically and pretended to do so.  She was so excited to show off her beautiful "wedding dress," and all day we kept telling each other that we matched.  Her brother Breckyn was the ring bearer. 

The song "The Power of Love," covered by Gabrielle Aplin, has been my favorite love song ever since I heard it during Mary and Francis' wedding scene in the CW show Reign when I was a teen. It began to play, and the wedding party followed their cues to march down the aisle.  I hugged my dad before we walked past, the chorus swelling beautifully as I stepped out before my siblings, my Girouard grandparents, my theatre directors, and dozens of other who I love so much. 

Dallin's Grandpa Woods was the officiator.  In the temple, the other officiator had talked about how, at his wedding 50 years earlier, the only advice he remembered was to keep a vacuum.  Now, Grandpa Woods joked about how he had gotten us a vacuum!  Ironically, my Grandma Lundgreen had also gotten us a vacuum. 

He told the audience that we had been sealed in the temple for time and all eternity, and then he talked about the symbolism of a ring.  Uncle Brig, who we had asked to share a poem, sang us a lovely ballad.  Then Breckyn bore our rings, and we slipped them gently onto each other's fingers before sharing a kiss. Grandpa Woods asked us to tell the audience what we loved about each other.

When the mic was handed to me, I suddenly blanked on everything I wanted to say, and I probably sounded super awkward.  But I was too excited for it to matter! "Before I met Dallin," I started, " I thought love at first sight was something just in books.  How could you love someone you hardly knew? When he came along, I wouldn't say that I loved him at first sight, but I sure had the biggest crush from the moment I met him!  My heart would race and I would get so nervous that I could never figure out what to say!  It didn't take long, however, before I came to truly love Dallin." I talked about Dallin's hard work ethic, his ability to make me laugh, and his genuine, caring love for the people in his life, among many other things.  Dallin too totally forgot what his planned speech was, but he offered some very sweet words. 

   Then Bruno Mars' "Marry You" played and the procession started!