Treely, Madly, Deeply: The Ceremony - Part Two (the vows are in this one!)

After B had finished her reading and returned to her seat, Rev. Fun announced that it was time for our vows. I went first.

I wrote part of my vows while on a bus ride home from work one day early in our engagement and finished them the October before our wedding in May while at work - hey, when inspiration strikes, you have to take advantage. Mr. Palm Tree and I both emailed our vows to DOC/Friend E, so that someone would have a copy of them if we - God forbid - forgot them and also so that someone else would read them and make sure that they were at least a little related, since we weren't sharing them with one another. To say that I am proud of both of our vows is a complete and total understatement: I am head-over-heels, damn-near-obsessed with them.

*all photos courtesy of Limelight-Images

Steph: We met eighteen years ago and you hated me. I just wanted to play kickball and action figures with the boys and you just wanted the annoying crybaby tattletale to go home. Despite this tumultuous beginning, fate stepped in and kept our lives intertwined.

Treely, Madly, Deeply: The Ceremony - Part One

Oh, Hive, I am so excited to share this post with you all.

Our Ceremony is completely and totally handcrafted. Rev. Fun wrote the entire thing on her own and Mr. Palm Tree and I knew nothing about it until it was happening. Mr. Palm Tree and I wrote our own vows (which, surprisingly, was his idea - long ago, I brought up the topic and he was all, "well, of course we're writing our own vows." Easy peasy), which we kept secret from each other. Friend B read I Like You, by Sandol Stoddard Warburg (another Weddingbee find!). It was so unique and freaking perfect. I love every single second of it, which I think is evident in our photographs.

*all photographs courtesy of Limelight-Images

Sidenote #1: I'm using real names in this post because I don't want anything to take away from the authenticity of these words. They are so powerful to me and I hope that can come through as you read, even just a little. 

Rev. Fun:
Friends and family, welcome to the beginning of a day that has been 6,135 days in the making. We are here today not to witness the beginning of what will be, but to honor what already is.