The wedding post III: Reception!

PS- again...still waiting for more pictures and the CD from our photographers. Not that anyone will go back and check this post again, but I'm going to add more pictures later!! So if you get bored in a few weeks-check it out!

After a really fun 2 days leading up to the wedding and then the day of and ceremony, it was time for the reception. All the preparation, meeting with caterers, décor discussions, timeline, decisions that were made…..it was like I was walking into the finale of wedding planning story we’d been living for the last year. And I have to say, the minute I walked off that trolley and saw the balloons and our dogs (dressed up) outside the entrance welcoming us…I was all smiles. And then when I walked into the reception, I’m pretty sure I almost lost it. It was beautiful and perfect. Everything I could have imagined and planned for…and more! What I knew as the commons area of a high school, had been transformed into a beautiful wedding reception just for Jimmy and me! It was perfect!

We arrived around 5:30, 30 minutes before the reception actually started. And here is what you saw....


Here were our greeters---the dogs :) Milly, Willy and Toby said hello to everyone first!! They loved it and thanks so much to my cousins for taking care of them!!

Since Jimmy and I could have a processional at the church because we only had a limited amount of time to take pictures after the wedding before we had to be out of the church, we decided that we would greet every guest as they came in. This was Marilyn’s, our caterer and décor lady, brilliant I idea and we loved it! Getting to see everyone right as they walked in was amazing and we got lots of hugs from everyone. Then came the infamous wedding intro video that Jimmy spent lots of man hours on. It was awesome! After the wedding party and the new Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Carter were introduced, it was time for an amazing meal. With a delicious salad to kick off the meal, then a FULL plate of chicken artichoke, smoked brisket, twice baked potato, and mixed vegetables was delivered to everyone’s table. The Treat America staff did a great job of getting everyone’s meals out fast because I’m sure all the guests were hungry.


Jimmy & I at the dinner table- ready to eat!!


Some really pretty bridesmaid bouquets at the head table!

Next were the speeches and toasts. And these were awesome! I think Jimmy and I have watched these 3 times now on our wedding video, and every time I watch them, I cry every time. My dad did an amazing job of naming the Top 5 things he likes about Jimmy Carter, Bobby was very kind and talked about the first time I met the Carter family and then how he never thought he and Jimmy would be best friends and how they are now, and Lyndsay went on to talk about us growing up and cried a few times…..in which I cried too! They all were so heart felt and thought out and just SO SO kind and wonderful. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family ☺

Then the cake cutting- in which Jimmy shoved a way too big piece of cake in my mouth, our toast, then the first dance (to Brad Paisley, “Then”), then the father/daughter dance (to Darrius Rucker, “It won’t be like this for long”) and then the mother/son dance (to James Taylor, “Sweet Baby James”). It was really fun because per the suggestion of our DJ, about half way through the father/daughter and mother/son dances, he asked all the other father/daughter or mother/son’s in the room to come and join us dancing and it was great and lots of people did!!

Finally: it was party time! They kicked it off with the Cupid Shuffle and Carlo, the DJ’s assistant, helped teach everyone the dance! From there, the rest of the night was honestly a blur!

I remember running over to the faux to booth to take a few pictures with Jimmy.

I remember running over to the sundae bar to get what I wanted so bad…sundae with white chocolate chips and gummy bears and then as I took my first bite being told it was time to throw the bouquet and toss the garter. Then forgetting my sundae on the stage and then getting it later, but never really eating it because I was talking!

I remember getting one beer and then setting it down on the table half full because someone wanted to take a picture and then not knowing which one was mine….and leaving it to go dance.

I remember talking to friends and family and dancing with our friends!! I barely saw Jimmy all night because we were both busy talking and dancing with people!

I remember at the end of the night going to the bar to get a diet coke, eat some cheez its and then cursing myself for not bringing different shoes to change into because my feet hurt so bad!

Then I remember it being last call, the last dance, lights going on and the clean up crew coming in.


Here is a picture that one of the ladies cleaning up took of me because she wanted to get all the centerpieces :)

Jimmy talking to a little girl who’s mom was on the clean up crew and giving her our left over cake, and then dragging Jimmy out of the reception to finally get in our car and take my shoes off!! From there, we went to my parents house to change and say goodbye to our dogs and then we were off to the Marriott at the airport. We finally got there at 1AM, checked in, changed, slept, woke up 4 hours later…..packed our stuff back up and were off to the airport…

What a day! I’m exhausted just writing this post ☺ But really, it was an amazing day that really did fly by! It was so fun being with all of our family and friends and we are so thankful to everyone who put so much work into it. Our vendors were all amazing and they truly made the day wonderful!

Wedding planners: Ande & Jill from Something New
Caterers: Treat America
Ceremony flowers: Hy-Vee
Reception Décor: Marilyn Tinker from the Innovative Event
DJ: AMAZING- Jeff Vaughn & Carlo from Two guys, a girl & some speakers and he's also the producer of the Q104 morning show
Photographers: Zach & Sarah Henderson from Henderson Photography
Videographer: Nathan Shriver- his dad, Dave Shriver did the editing

Also, of course a big thank you to both our parents. They all went to lots of extra work to make the day so special- and it wouldn’t have been possible without them and their love and support!

Then we were off to Mexico as Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Carter….