Our wedding... April 30th, 2009
First of all, I would like to give a special thanks to Jon Bolden for all of our beautiful pictures. He was professional, creative, and very reasonably priced and I am deeply indebted to him for documenting our special day.
 Kyla Myers made lemon cake with lemon butter cream icing. It was amazingly delicious and I can't believe how beautiful it turned out. Nobody knew it has literally been wrecked, rear-ended by a Hummer just hours before. Great job Kyla! |
 I pieced all of my champagne glasses together with a lot of searching on craigslist. I loved the unique feel it lended to our simple reception. |
 I wanted to do special photo booth type pictures after the ceremony with our guests. I bought several frames at Goodwill and loved the way they got used later in the night for pictures. |
 My mom made my pretty flower arrangements with a few flowers from Whole Foods. She is so creative and has a great knack for making things beautiful. |
 We put our champagne bottles in our kitchen sink. I think it turned an ugly sink into a nicer looking display. |
 I always wanted a black pearl ring for my engagement ring. Beside it is the oyster that Brent used to put the ring in for the proposal at Eddie V's. I never wanted to be proposed to in a restaurant, since I worked in one, but it was appropriate since it's the reason we met. He also knew I wouldn't expect it to happen there; he proposed on 8-8-08. Between you and me, I had a feeling it was going to happen. |
 My amazing wedding dress. I found it on craigslist for half the listed price! What can I say, I'm a bargain shopper and think I did a pretty darn good job! |
 I don't like many of the pictures of me getting ready... I was so puky, ugh. |
 Brent's awesome wedding band. I won't go into the story as to how we need to find a new one, unfortunately, but it looks good here! My simple band, black and white diamonds, perfect for me. |
 I know, I know, you are tired of hearing of craigslist, but that's where I found my cool orange petticoat for $15 from a previous bride! |
 Brent always makes an entrance! I love that man. |
 I was so happy when he walked through the door, excited and relieved to see him. Was I puky because I thought he wouldn't show? |
There were so many great photos and this is one of my favorites, a testament of Brent's ability to most always make me laugh.
 The meter where we met. Oh how I wish I had been able to get it before the meters where torn down. Vanessa had the great forsight to decorate it and she did a beautiful job. She was really my right hand girl throughout the whole wedding planning. Thanks lovely V! |
 Jon's great idea for a shot. V and lupe only make it more beautiful. |
 We did a wine ceremony and wrote letters to each other to open either in 25 years or when we have our first fight. Brent's envelope said, 'Stop fighting and open this letter.' How romantic. |
 We inserted a little Vanilla Ice rap, Ice Ice Baby, in the middle of the ceremony. Quirky, fun, and us. |
 Ok, time to be serious. |
 Our friend Mark married us. He had actually offered to marry us just a few months after we met. We barely knew him at the time and we thought he was crazy! After time him and his wife have become great friends and we were honored to have him perform our ceremony. |
 Aaahhh, I can't believe it's happened! Lucky, lucky, me! |
 |
 Our small reception, in our home. Great shot with our friends and family behind us. |
 We did a photo booth type period after the wedding. I had a tub filled with things that were meaningful to Brent and I, in one way or another, that people could put on and take pictures in. The green jacket was my Daddy Roy's (grandfather's) pharmacy jacket. I miss him dearly and the glasses looked like something he always wore. The Hulk hands were from a movie premier that Brent and I attended. |
 A happy moment as Mr. and Mrs. Lane. Though Brent doesn't remember because he was, um, obliterated. |
 Just a couple of 'cool kids' chillin at J Black's for our after party. |
Brent had champagne and strawberries delievered to our room.
 We had the bridal suite at the Driskill. It's bigger than our condo! |
 The dressing room at the Driskill. |
Cafe 1886 has one of my favorite brunches in town. Cheesy grits, homemade biscuit and eggs, hangover curing goodness.
Our wedding Ceremony....
Introduction
Good evening,
Before we get started, let me introduce myself
And explain a little about the ceremony.
My name is Mark.
As many of you already know,
I am a good friend of Brent and Laura’s.
When they asked me to officiate their wedding,
<he inserted his thoughts here>
Laura and Brent have worked together
To create a ceremony that is meaningful for them
And celebrates the love and affection they share with you, their family and friends.
You all are much a part of this as Brent and Laura and even me.
You are not here to simply hear words uttered in ceremony,
Or just witness their first acknowledged kiss between husband and wife.
So, we ask for your active participation in this ceremony, just as you are active in their lives.
You should feel free to clap and cheer and laugh as the mood strikes you.
And towards the end, I will ask you to join me in pronouncing them a married couple.
Laura and Brent.
You are getting married!
Before we start, take a breath and look around you.
All the planning and preparation, has come to fruition.
Your family,
Your friends,
Have all come to your true home of Austin to share this night with you.
Thank you all for coming.
Box, Wine and Love Letter Ceremony
Before we proceed with the rings and vows,
Laura and Brent and have chosen as a couple
To perform a box, wine, and love letter ceremony.
(reach down and pick up the box)
In my hands I have a box, a bottle of wine, and two glasses,
And Laura and Brent have love letters from each to the other.
The letters describe the good qualities they find in one another,
The reasons they fell in love, and their reason for choosing to marry.
They have given much thought to these letters…. As has Laura insisted.
And they have been sealed in individual envelopes.
Neither Brent, nor Laura, has seen what the other has written.
Laura and Brent,
Should you ever find your marriage enduring serious hardships, as some marriages do,
You are to, as a couple,
open this box,
Sit and drink wine together,
Then separate and read the letters you wrote to one another.
By reading these love letters,
You will reflect upon the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other here today,
And share a new resolve to strengthen your relationship.
The hope is, however, that you will never have a reason to open this box.
And if this is the case, you are to open it to share and enjoy its contents on your 20th anniversary.
Laura and Brent, please seal the box.
(Laura and Brent put letters into the box with a lid, and tie a bow on top of it together)
In this day and age it sometimes may seem easy to give up on marriage.
By showing your unwavering dedication to one another here today,
You are demonstrating that you are entering your married life deliberately
And you will always work hard to keep your relationship healthy and happy.
Reading
From "The Irrational Season", by Madeleine L'Engle "Ultimately there comes a time when a decision must be made. Ultimately two people who love each other must ask themselves how much they hope for as their love grows and deepens, and how much risk they are willing to take. It is indeed a fearful gamble. Because it is the nature of love to create, a marriage itself is something which has to be created. To marry is the biggest risk in human relations that a person can take. If we commit ourselves to one person for life this is not, as many people think, a rejection of freedom; rather it demands the courage to move into all the risks of freedom, and the risk of love which is permanent; into that love which is not possession, but participation. It takes a lifetime to learn another person. When love is not possession, but participation, then it is part of that co-creation which is our human calling."
Vows
Laura and Brent,
Please join hands and look at each other.
These are the hands of your best friend of today, and every day.
These are the hands that will work along side yours as you build your future together.
These are the hands that will help you as you struggle through difficult times.
And lastly, these are the hands that, even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours.
My wish for you today is that you will be able to clear your heads and try to remember every word and cherish this memory.
For most people, this is the most memorable few minutes of their life.
So my wish for you today is that you enter your vows with conviction, with your hearts open.
Laura, please repeat after me.
I promise to encourage your individuality,
Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.
I pledge to nurture your dreams,
Because through them your soul shines.
I will do my best to help shoulder our challenges,
Because through them we'll emerge stronger.
I vow to be your partner in all things,
Not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole.
I promise to share with you the joys of life,
Because with you they will be that much sweeter.
Lastly, I give you perfect love and perfect trust,
For one lifetime with you could never be enough.
You have won my heart.
This is my vow to you, my equal in all things.
Brent, please repeat after me.
(M) Will you answer me right now, These questions as your wedding vows?
(B) Yes I will answer now , Your questions as my solemn vow.
(M) Will you love her if she’s rich? Will you love her in a ditch? From today until the end of time , though she won’t always act divine?
(B) I will love her if she’s rich , and I will love her in a ditch. And I will love her when she’s a b…eautiful princes.
(M) Will you love her forever, and I won’t accept maybe,
Or would you rather break it down like Ice Ice Baby?
<Brent and Laura rap and dance>
(M) Now answer the question.
(B) Yes I love her forever and I don’t mean maybe.
Brent, though I am sure it’s more meaningful to you in rhyme,
Lets do it different, for Laura, this time.
Brent, please repeat after me.
I promise to encourage your compassion,
Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.
I pledge to nurture your dreams,
Because through them your soul shines.
I will do my best to help shoulder our challenges,
For there is nothing we cannot face if we stand together.
I vow to be your partner in all things,
Not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole.
Lastly, I give you perfect love and perfect trust,
For one lifetime with you could never be enough.
You are my model and my accomplice, And you are my true counterpart.
This is my vow to you, my equal in all things.
Exchanging of Rings
Mark: By the exchange of these tokens of your love for one another, so are your lives interlaced. What one experiences, so shall the other; as honesty and love build, so will your bond strengthen and grow. Brent: You are my best beloved and my friend. This ring is a symbol of my love for you and my commitment to our marriage. Will you be my wife? Laura: I will. Laura: You are my best beloved and my friend. This ring is a symbol of my love for you and my commitment to our marriage. Will you be my husband? Brent: I will.
Pronouncement
Brent and Laura, before this service you signed the legal paperwork. You have made vows, and exchanged rings. Now, I ask everyone to join me in this pronouncement, saying together, in full voice: And please repeat after me: "We, your family and friends, <we, your family and friends> now pronounce you husband and wife!" <now pronounce you husband and wife!>
Brent, you may kiss the bride. (*Laura and Brent kiss! Hopefully everyone else cheers.*)
I am very happy to introduce, for the first time as a married couple, Brent and Laura Lane
Good evening,
Before we get started, let me introduce myself
And explain a little about the ceremony.
My name is Mark.
As many of you already know,
I am a good friend of Brent and Laura’s.
When they asked me to officiate their wedding,
<he inserted his thoughts here>
Laura and Brent have worked together
To create a ceremony that is meaningful for them
And celebrates the love and affection they share with you, their family and friends.
You all are much a part of this as Brent and Laura and even me.
You are not here to simply hear words uttered in ceremony,
Or just witness their first acknowledged kiss between husband and wife.
So, we ask for your active participation in this ceremony, just as you are active in their lives.
You should feel free to clap and cheer and laugh as the mood strikes you.
And towards the end, I will ask you to join me in pronouncing them a married couple.
Laura and Brent.
You are getting married!
Before we start, take a breath and look around you.
All the planning and preparation, has come to fruition.
Your family,
Your friends,
Have all come to your true home of Austin to share this night with you.
Thank you all for coming.
Box, Wine and Love Letter Ceremony
Before we proceed with the rings and vows,
Laura and Brent and have chosen as a couple
To perform a box, wine, and love letter ceremony.
(reach down and pick up the box)
In my hands I have a box, a bottle of wine, and two glasses,
And Laura and Brent have love letters from each to the other.
The letters describe the good qualities they find in one another,
The reasons they fell in love, and their reason for choosing to marry.
They have given much thought to these letters…. As has Laura insisted.
And they have been sealed in individual envelopes.
Neither Brent, nor Laura, has seen what the other has written.
Laura and Brent,
Should you ever find your marriage enduring serious hardships, as some marriages do,
You are to, as a couple,
open this box,
Sit and drink wine together,
Then separate and read the letters you wrote to one another.
By reading these love letters,
You will reflect upon the reasons you fell in love and chose to marry each other here today,
And share a new resolve to strengthen your relationship.
The hope is, however, that you will never have a reason to open this box.
And if this is the case, you are to open it to share and enjoy its contents on your 20th anniversary.
Laura and Brent, please seal the box.
(Laura and Brent put letters into the box with a lid, and tie a bow on top of it together)
In this day and age it sometimes may seem easy to give up on marriage.
By showing your unwavering dedication to one another here today,
You are demonstrating that you are entering your married life deliberately
And you will always work hard to keep your relationship healthy and happy.
Reading
From "The Irrational Season", by Madeleine L'Engle "Ultimately there comes a time when a decision must be made. Ultimately two people who love each other must ask themselves how much they hope for as their love grows and deepens, and how much risk they are willing to take. It is indeed a fearful gamble. Because it is the nature of love to create, a marriage itself is something which has to be created. To marry is the biggest risk in human relations that a person can take. If we commit ourselves to one person for life this is not, as many people think, a rejection of freedom; rather it demands the courage to move into all the risks of freedom, and the risk of love which is permanent; into that love which is not possession, but participation. It takes a lifetime to learn another person. When love is not possession, but participation, then it is part of that co-creation which is our human calling."
Vows
Laura and Brent,
Please join hands and look at each other.
These are the hands of your best friend of today, and every day.
These are the hands that will work along side yours as you build your future together.
These are the hands that will help you as you struggle through difficult times.
And lastly, these are the hands that, even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours.
My wish for you today is that you will be able to clear your heads and try to remember every word and cherish this memory.
For most people, this is the most memorable few minutes of their life.
So my wish for you today is that you enter your vows with conviction, with your hearts open.
Laura, please repeat after me.
I promise to encourage your individuality,
Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.
I pledge to nurture your dreams,
Because through them your soul shines.
I will do my best to help shoulder our challenges,
Because through them we'll emerge stronger.
I vow to be your partner in all things,
Not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole.
I promise to share with you the joys of life,
Because with you they will be that much sweeter.
Lastly, I give you perfect love and perfect trust,
For one lifetime with you could never be enough.
You have won my heart.
This is my vow to you, my equal in all things.
Brent, please repeat after me.
(M) Will you answer me right now, These questions as your wedding vows?
(B) Yes I will answer now , Your questions as my solemn vow.
(M) Will you love her if she’s rich? Will you love her in a ditch? From today until the end of time , though she won’t always act divine?
(B) I will love her if she’s rich , and I will love her in a ditch. And I will love her when she’s a b…eautiful princes.
(M) Will you love her forever, and I won’t accept maybe,
Or would you rather break it down like Ice Ice Baby?
<Brent and Laura rap and dance>
(M) Now answer the question.
(B) Yes I love her forever and I don’t mean maybe.
Brent, though I am sure it’s more meaningful to you in rhyme,
Lets do it different, for Laura, this time.
Brent, please repeat after me.
I promise to encourage your compassion,
Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.
I pledge to nurture your dreams,
Because through them your soul shines.
I will do my best to help shoulder our challenges,
For there is nothing we cannot face if we stand together.
I vow to be your partner in all things,
Not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole.
Lastly, I give you perfect love and perfect trust,
For one lifetime with you could never be enough.
You are my model and my accomplice, And you are my true counterpart.
This is my vow to you, my equal in all things.
Exchanging of Rings
Mark: By the exchange of these tokens of your love for one another, so are your lives interlaced. What one experiences, so shall the other; as honesty and love build, so will your bond strengthen and grow. Brent: You are my best beloved and my friend. This ring is a symbol of my love for you and my commitment to our marriage. Will you be my wife? Laura: I will. Laura: You are my best beloved and my friend. This ring is a symbol of my love for you and my commitment to our marriage. Will you be my husband? Brent: I will.
Pronouncement
Brent and Laura, before this service you signed the legal paperwork. You have made vows, and exchanged rings. Now, I ask everyone to join me in this pronouncement, saying together, in full voice: And please repeat after me: "We, your family and friends, <we, your family and friends> now pronounce you husband and wife!" <now pronounce you husband and wife!>
Brent, you may kiss the bride. (*Laura and Brent kiss! Hopefully everyone else cheers.*)
I am very happy to introduce, for the first time as a married couple, Brent and Laura Lane