The McMurray Life: brunch, bobby pins, and bridesmaids

here's alittle pre-wedding action captured by my sweet friends

first, let me tell you about rehearsal dinner:

We had a chilly, breezy rehearsal at the venue after quickly working to set everything up (the whole reception hall and the doors for the ceremony) while I could have my eyes on it. (being the DIY bride I was, I really wanted to be able to have my hands in on the decorating). We practiced the timeline of the ceremony, music, and the walk-in/walk-out sections. I was so excited to see it for real!

We then all went to Fullbelli’s restaurant in downtown Sherman. It’s a precious restaurant built in the middle of a indoor boutique mall. We all ate dinner and mingled. I was intending on my maid of honor’s to speak at this dinner, but Cody had other plans. He had told me that he wanted to pass out his groomsmen gifts here, I thought that meant literally hand them off but he had a small speech for each guy in his wedding. He started off standing off and just thanking everyone for being there. He looked down at me and started telling me how in love with me he is and then realized….oh wait, I’m in a room full of people, this is not what I’m trying to talk about… and refocused back on the group. He then went 1 by 1 through his ushers, offiiciant, musician, and groomsmen and told each of them what they meant to him. It was the sweetest thing ever. Many of my girls were in tears by the end. An overall theme we wanted for our wedding was that it would be intimate, personal, and Jesus centered. Cody did an AWESOME job at portraying that.

Then I went to Claire’s and stayed with a few of my bridesmaids J

The wedding day:

((confession session: I struggle really bad with anxiety, I’m always in fear of the worst that could happen to my parents and Cody. I opened up about it to my close girlfriends this summer about the thought of my wedding day was so hard for me to visualize because I was so fearful that it wouldn’t happen. Thank you Jesus for allowing me to be freed from this anxiety. My wedding day came.. and went.. and it was perfect))

Like I hosted Shelby’s brunch on her wedding day, she hosted a brunch on my wedding day. All my bridesmaids and my mother, and Cody’s mother met for brunch. It was a rainy, rainy morning. I had this huge underlying peace about the day so I didn’t let the awful thunderstorm outside affect me at all. My sweet bridesmaids tried to encourage me so much every time the sun made a tiny peak though ;) We spent most of the brunch talking about Cody’s silly antics, it made me so excited to marry that boy!!

^^myself and the mothers :)

My mom, sister-in-law, and I went to our cabin at the venue first. I got all the girls navy plaid button-ups and shorts, and put them on personalized wire hangers. I wore one of Cody’s white button up shirts to get ready J All my girls starting arriving and doing eachother’s hair and Dani got there to do mine. I thought the day would’ve dragged because I allotted so much time for everything but it.flew.by. Quickly after hair came makeup. All day I could hear a loud rush outside and realize it was POURING rain and I would notice my sweet bridesmaids closing blinds or distracting me with excitement haha. I knew it was raining but I wasn't going to let it "rain on my ~~parade~~ wedding day". ;)