His Handmaiden: february 22nd...and the day came.

The whole thing felt surreal, I look back and I'm still not sure it happened, so it's a good thing I've got picture evidence!

My sister Caitlin came and spent the night before with me, we were up quite late putting together bouquets, River's mom Rhonda and Caitlin had gone out and bought a huge variety of flowers in all the colors I was looking for. I actually love that we put together things ourselves rather than have them done, it was fun and a great time for us as sisters to spend before the wedding.

Woke up bright and early that morning, loaded up the car with everything, and went downtown for some breakfast, but more importantly, coffee!

Then it was to the salon, I used the stylist that I've had for the past couple years, she doesn't normally do weddings, but gave this to me as a gift. We had a bit of a mix up with things at first, the week before the wedding I had gone in to get my color done and ended up with purple hair, purple! Needless to say I had a bit of a freak out moment. But she managed to fix things for me, after freaking me out some more by doing some bleaching, and then some toner over it all.

And off to the church! After another coffee stop, how I was not shaking I have no idea.

We wanted the day to be relaxed, no stress, no feeling like we were performing a ceremony for a huge audience, just us joining together as husband and wife and then celebrating that fact!

We had a brunch beforehand with the family and enjoyed spending some time together before things started, then once I was in my dress didn't see each other until that moment the doors opened for that walk down the aisle. Gotta say, I was never nervous, just extremely happy and excited!

My grandparents flew up from California and Grandma brought with her a Norwegian penny that brides in the Carstensen family have worn in their shoe for many generations.

I am not a glitzy glamour type girl, but I had always wanted to wear a sparkly pair of high heels for my wedding. Guess a little bit of me does like the glamour.

...but for when those heels became too much, I had my cowboy boots on standby!

That moment before those doors opened, I had everything and nothing going through my head, it was a whirl, and as it all spiraled around in there the only thing that came out clearly is that I was about to be married, to my best friend, my blue jean knight, the man who I had cared for and hoped and dreamed about for so long, and I was glad we didn't pursue anything sooner, I needed that time to learn who I really was, I loved my single years, and this wasn't an ending or a beginning, just a continuation, of life. Life was about to change...