The wedding: a community affair

Our wedding: What an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness and strength and a wonderful picture of the body of Christ. I can say truthfully that the wedding went on without a hitch. Everyone says that something has to go wrong on your wedding day, but it just didn't happen! It was a great celebration of the love between Seth and I and it was a perfect Morgan County extravaganza. The Lord reminded Seth and I over and over again how blessed we are to have such a wonderful community to support us and love on us. Literally, everyone and their mother helped out throughout the wedding weekend. The town barber (who gave Seth his first haircut) was our photographer, the school janitor coordinated our reception set-up, the high school cosmotology teacher/church lady and her daughter did our hair, the church ladies cooked for the reception, a high school media student did the video, and everyone else found random roles throughout the weekend. We wouldn't have wanted it any different! Friday of the wedding weekend was spent decorating and preparing food. While we were upstairs in the sanctuary decorating, the church ladies were down in the kitchen preparing a feast of chicken wings, meatballs, and a whole host of things. The rehearsal was that evening and a great dinner followed (catered by Guns & Hoses: one cook was a retired cop the other a retired firefighter, hence the name). The entire Watson family and the bridal party all spent the night at the Sunset Inn, a bed and breakfast in our town. We took over the place! Our wedding day could not have been more perfect. It was a beautiful fall day, 70's and clear skies. We had breakfast at the local mom & pop restaraunt and then we all headed over to the church to get ready. It was actually a pretty relaxed day, since the wedding wasn't until 6:30. All of us girls goofed around for the afternoon while we did each other's make-up and got our hair done. At one point I was photographed sitting in my wedding dress, eating cheese and chocolate covered strawberries with napkins stuffed down my dress to catch any drips. The ceremony itself was a great worship service. I have many favorite moments, but one sticks out in my mind. As we waited to go down the aisle, my brother Kyle led the congregation in the hymn "Come Thou Fount." I stood at the back of the church, with tears streaming down my face, as I listened to the voices of my friends and family sing a song of praise to our Lord. It was at that moment that I felt the Lord's presence. As I committed my life to my husband I have never felt such a sense of peace and overwhelming love. The rest of the evening was a blur with picture taking, dancing, great food, fellowship. What a great evening to start our life together!