My Daughter, The Bride

It happened, the day I thought about for the past 26 years became a reality.  My sweet Daughter, my baby  became the most beautiful Princess Bride I've ever seen on June 12, 2010.  For years you think about who the Groom will be that God has in store, you think about all the little fun things, the gown, the place, the time, and then everything is real. 

In October of 2009 a young man came to our home and asked for our Daughter's hand in marriage.  My Husband said he felt like he had been hit with a mack truck, but yet he knew this young man would be good to our girl, he would treat her so well, as parents we could not say no, so my Husband gave his blessing and then we had to be quiet for the next month until Jonathan decided the time was right to pop the question.

On Novemember 21, 2009, we were invited to hide in the bushes as Jonathan proposed to Melissa.  It was a sweet surprise, very well planned and thought out.  There was no way she could say anything but yes!  I snapped photographs as I was requested to do so, friends hid with us and once the answer was given we popped out to say congratulations!

The next six months were a whirlwind as Mother of the Bride planning this beautiful wedding 300 miles apart from our Daughter as she lives in Tallahassee, FL and we live in Fayetteville, GA.  I was most thankful for internet, cell phones, text messaging, sharing photo's by phone, technology made this task so much easier than it should ever be!  We had idea's flying among us and yet both knew what this special Bride had dreamed of in her 26 years.  As the Mother, I wanted to make certain every dream was fulfilled, nothing left out, this was her most important day of living!  Frankly it was likewise very important to me as well. 

Missy trying on a gown with my Mom helping us.

Is this the dress?

YES!  This is the one!

Missy's gown was very special to her and I as we found it the day we did.  She simply wanted to add some custom features and only one special lady we knew we could trust.  Miss Coleen was always the one that created and sewed our gowns as Missy grew up, but we truly thought she lived in South Florida and was so very ill that we did not know if she had survived, but fate brought our paths together after not seeing her in close to fifteen years!  The store where we found the gown gave us their alterations lady phone number and card, I could not believe my eyes when the card had Coleen's name on it!  God answered one more prayer.

We took my veil from my wedding thirty years ago into Miss Coleen and she "blinged" it up and made it just like Missy wanted it to be for her own wedding!  My girl wore my veil for her something old!

I made this special collage to document the special moment.

Once the gown was ready we set up the date and found a southern home with all the dream details owned by friends and this is where we made the Bridal portraits!  I took these for Missy, my Mom went with us to help and enjoy our day together.  What a very special time it was that I'll treasure forever!

Bridal Portrait photography by, Debbie Rader-Clanton of 88KEYZ Studio & Designs, Fayetteville, GA

Missy chose the date using the same date as my parents wedding!  We celebrated their 55th anniversary at the reception with a small cake for them as well.  She also chose the colors, the kind of flowers, the attendants, the attire, the time, the place, the venue for the reception, the look of her cake, Jonathan at her side they worked through these details.  Her choice of invitations was absolutely beautiful!

I designed the programs and put each one together to match the inivtations and keep her theme

I coordinated everything, designing the altar decor, putting together the rentals, creating strands upon strands of crystal beads to give that bling factor Missy wanted, but one thing was for certain in my mind, I needed help to set things up and take them down as we would be celebrating!  I decided to run a craigslist add for a florist and decorator.  Delighted to get one phone call, this lady felt she could not handle this large of a wedding, so she gave me a name of her friend and we set up a meeting to go over details.  I drove to Tallahassee and we all met at the church, I had such a peace, God sent me the perfect lady, her twin sister and their team of florists to make this dream come true!    Marilyn Granger of Southern Magnolia Wedding & Event Decorating & Planning entered my life to become a friend I'll never forget! We worked so well together, everything we put together, they created.  After the months of planning and detail sharing our time had arrived to set things up.  The altar was transformed into the most beautiful sight my eyes have seen.  The crystal beads with the candlelight looked like water falls, the aisles were adorned with greenery, candles and crystals!  I could never have been happier in my entire life and more proud, it was a setting that was like no other, simply put, made for a Princess! 

The altar before decorating

The altar is halfway finished!

The process is amazing to achieve the perfect look.

The attendants for the Bride wore chocolate brown gowns, the precious flower girls and bell ringers wore ivory dresses with pink sashes and pink floral head bands.  The men wore black tuxedo's with ivory shirts, brown vests and ties, the ringbearers matched the men.  Flowers were ivory and pink roses along with accents of greenery fern.  The atmosphere was so beautiful as the violin, guitar and piano played the prelude, happiness was abundant among everyone that entered the Sanctuary.  Soon, the time arrived for myself to be seated and it hit me, the tears flowed, I looked back at my Husband and he was having the hardest moment of his life knowing he had to give our baby girl away.  No matter how much preparation you do, you are never prepared enough when that exact minute arrives.  There is no way we as parents are every totally ready.  Without a choice, the music continued and I had to take my seat.  I watched the wedding party enter the aisles, taking their places with excitement and then the music stopped, it was quiet as the little girls skipped down the aisle ringing their bells announcing "Here Comes The Bride" over and over.  How precious this moment was to see.  As the organ and trumpet started, I stood and turned to see the most beautiful sight I have seen in my life.  My Daughter on the arm of her Daddy, my Husband!  A Princess, My Prince and all our friends and family standing there supporting us, it was really happening!  They slowly made their way down the aisle and as they turned for the altar, my Husband reached out to take my hand and just give me that squeeze and he in turn his squeeze we both needed to get through this moment, this milestone in our lives.  He did a wonderful job giving her hand to Jonathan's, we'll never really give her away, but we'll share her with him.  One thing I know parents will all agree with me about is that.

Chuck and Missy as the moment arrived

(Photo's by Debbie Hughes Smith, friend of the Brides family)

There is a beautiful sight!

The ceremony was beautiful, it glorified God above!  The music, the vows, the sand ceremony which was performed by my brother and Missy's Uncle, Dennis as he is a minister.  It was just magnificent!  Finally the announcement from Pastor Jerry, they are Husband and Wife, it is finished!  Now, the breathing starts back and we know it is time to celebrate! 

After the photography session in which I did not do myself, my precious cousin is a fabulous photographer and she took all our photogaphs for the big event!  Jessica is just so talented, I can't wait to see them all! The professional photographs may be viewed or ordered at Photos by Jessica Lynn of Jackson, Ga.  Other photographs contributed were gifted to the Bride & Groom from Allen Adams Photography of Tallahassee, FL as he is a friend of the couple.  We are thankful to all the guests that have shared their photographs with us to have as keepsakes!

Thank you Jessica for these fabulous photographs!

The couple were treated to a special ride in a 1960 Rolls Royce to the reception venue at the Capital City Country Club and as they entered the drive up to the club, they stopped with their wedding party to make some true southern portraits under the big swagging oak trees on the golf course, truly a setting like in a movie! 

This 1960 Rolls Royce belongs to Wayne & Linda Bates

very special friends of ours that live in Dothan, AL

While waiting on the couple the guests were having "Tea time and Hors d'oeuvres", it was hot, but the Tallahassee Swing Band made it tolerable with their fabulous swing music!  Finally the arrival of the couple and their party set the time for everyone to move into the Magnolia Room where the dining tables were all set for each guest to have a seat. 

The cakes were beautiful, the centerpieces looked like focal points beyond our dreams, everything was perfect!  There was a buffet dinner, it was delicious, the cakes were so moist and the laughter and love was abundant. 

After dinner and cake, the time arrived for the couples first dance.  My Niece Ashley played the keyboards and sang for them as the Bride & Groom danced together, it was a beautiful time.  Then, Missy had her moment dancing with her Dad as the swing band played and sang "Daddy's Little Girl".  Oh how touching it was!  For the Groom and his Mother's dance, my nephew Shawn sang and played his guitar to make it so special for them.  After the formal dances, Missy danced with her Grandfathers, and then everyone joined together to celebrate on the dance floor.  Later they tossed the garter and bouquet on the dance floor to the "next couple" as tradition says.

The Bride and Groom twirling on the dance floor!

The Father & Daughter dance was most special!

A special love between Mother and Son

(the photo's of the dance's were taken and shared with me by Allen Adams)

As the couple prepared to leave for their special week of beginning their new life together, they changed into their going away outfits, and the sparklers were passed out as guests lined the walkway to bid them farewell.
The Rolls Royce awaited their run through the sparkles of love and off they went like an ending to a movie, the new journey has begun for them.  With a lump in my throat I watched them leave and knew my life would not ever be the same, although blessed and now an addition to our family, I just knew my sweet little baby now had her turn to become what she always dreamed of.  For at that moment I knew, dreams do come true!

                                   This photo was made by Jonathan's sister and radiates happiness!

Yes, after 26 years of thinking I would be prepared for her big day, that special moment, I must say, a heart of a Mother is never prepared, but you always go through and go forward as you know your little girls dream has come true!

Congratulations to Missy & Jonathan!  May God bless your lives together and forever.

Enjoy my other sites displaying photography by Debbie Rader-Clanton of 88KEYZ STUDIO & DESIGNS www.88keyzstudioanddesigns.com 88KEYZ Studio & Designs on FaceBook