Pure perfection. Heavenly bliss. Eternal love.
THAT was Kierra and Riley's wedding day!!!
Never in my life have I seen more sincere, deep, heartfelt gazing into each others souls...
ALL DAY LONG!!! They LOVE each other and we couldn't be happier for them!!!
HAPPY WEDDING DAY RILEY AND KIERRA!!!
My day started at 5:30 am with a shower and getting ready for the day. By 7:00 Kierra was up and doing the squealing happy dance in the bathroom with me!!!
She couldn't hardly believe that the day was FINALLY here!!!
We got started in the bathroom with a prayer together asking Heavenly Father for His guidance and love, and thanking Him for all of these amazing blessings...because they have been so great, and so many!
I worked my magic on Kierra's hair while she worked on her make~up.
One by one, the house began to wake, and Clint and the siblings began joining us in the bathroom...
Our good friend Traci Day showed up with all of the bridal party flowers for us, and we hugged her and received well wishes from her...
and the little sisters came in for their turn to get their hair done too!
Everything went smoothly except for the moment when we couldn't find Kambriella's headband (but only for about 30 minutes;)
(And THAT was seriously the ONLY thing that was remotely stressful about the day...which pretty much shows there was NO stress!!!) The day was absolutely PERFECT.
I LOVE Kambriella's expression on her face because it pretty much says it all! ;)
Kambriella and Kesslyn were Kierra's little flower girls, along with Eden, Riley's brother's little girl...
This of course was before we did their hair...
but we just had to capture the happy dance together with their big sissy...;)
We got everyone ready and headed to the temple. Kierra rode to the temple with her brother Carew, and Clint and I rode together in the suburban FULL of all of the reception decorations!
When we got inside the temple I met Kierra and Riley and some friends that were already gathering and hugs were given all around. I went with Kierra to the beautiful brides room where the stained glass windows were glowing with roses in them...such a gift with little details that added so much beauty to this already special day... I LOVE how Heavenly Father is in all of the details of our lives, even the littlest ones...
After I helped Kierra get dressed I left them and went to the waiting room with all of the other wedding guests and visited quietly. We were called to the sealing room when it was time and as we entered, the room was full of warmth and light both literally and spiritually...The stained glass windows once again were illuminating the most beautiful roses, and the chandeliers were breathtaking...everything was clean and bright, and the feeling of the Spirit and the imagery of those who were present that we could not see with our human eyes made me feel happy and comforted and full of love. More tender mercies of the hand of a loving Father aware of all of the details of our lives...
I sat in a chair with my mom at my left and Kierra on my right, with Riley next to her, and Riley's mom and Grandma next to him. Clint and Riley's dad were across from us sitting in the witness chairs and looking so handsome, happy, and proud.
The sealer taught for a long time about the sealing power that has been on the earth for so long...but mostly I was taken back by what I was seeing and feeling. The smiles of Kierra and Riley, the thoughts and feelings I had of the plan and purpose and significance of what was happening right before my very eyes...I felt such immense and indescribable deep JOY...
When it was time for Kierra and Riley to kneel down across from each other at the alter, they looked deep into each others eyes with the biggest smiles and never once broke their stare. They smiled and stared as they listened to the amazing eternal covenants and promises, and then said "Yes." Yes to an eternity of commitment, love, and growth together. Yes to an undying commitment to each other and to Heavenly Father and to the family that they will be creating together...
So hard to put into words...SO much JOY.
It was just so good.
After the ceremony was over, Kierra and Riley exchanged rings and kisses :) and then we got to hug and kiss them too. I thought my heart would burst. They are married! They are so happy!!!
After we left the sealing room I met Kierra back down in the bride's room where I helped her dress in her gown for pictures, and fix her tear stained cheeks. We touched up her hair and she looked amazing. My baby girl is married and oh so beautiful!!!
I went outside and told everyone that they were coming!!! We gathered their flowers and had everyone gather outside of the doors they would be coming out of...and we waited...
My life long sister/friend Nicky and her husband Joel were able to drive up from Arizona for the celebration which made everything that much more special...This is the friend that Kierra is actually named after too!!!
When Nicky and I were little girls we promised each other that we were going to name our first daughters after each other...and we did!!! Kierra Nicole Trickett, and Kinley Susette Anderson! :)
Nicky had never even met Kesslyn yet, and when she did, they immediately became soul mates! :)
As the doors of the temple opened and out walked Kierra and Riley, everyone shouted cheers of Hooray!!!
CONGRATULATIONS Kierra and Riley!!! Mr. and Mrs. Johnson!!! :)
They kissed...
...and kissed...
...and kissed...
...and kissed some more...
...and REALLY REALLY KISSED!!!!!
They are so cute together!!! SUCH a beautiful couple!!!
I am going to have the world's cutest grandkids!!! :)
(Someday ;)
Everyone came up to them and started hugging and congratulating them...especially those who were not inside of the temple with them...like sweet little Kambriella...
...and all of the other little siblings...
Just look at the love that is written ALL OVER their faces!!!
Wrapped eternally in the arms of His love...
We went around the temple grounds with the photographer and videographer taking pictures and capturing this moment in time...NEVER to be forgotten!!!
The Payson Temple is gorgeous and breathtakingly beautiful!!! And so are Kierra and Riley! ;)
It was about 3:30 when we finished up the picture taking and I went again with Kierra into the temple to help her get changed. As we came out, I sent her off with Riley for the first time for them to be alone as husband and wife. They went to get a bite of food ;) ;) and then were going to meet us back at the reception center to get ready for the evening.
Clint had taken all of the kids for me to get a bite of lunch while the pictures were going on.
I drove straight to the castle with all of the decorations where they were waiting to help me unload and get things all set up. The florist Alexis from The Vintage Petal was there waiting with the most stunning arrangements of flowers you have ever seen! They were very pricey, but worth EVERY penny!
I LOVE how beautiful the centerpieces turned out!!! And if you look closely in the picture you can see all three different centerpieces that we had...The lantern picture frames designed by me, and made by my sister/friend Natalie and her husband Bryan, the cake stands with flowers sitting on top of the "castle" mirrors found by my sister friend Susan, and the wooden candlesticks topped with flower balls and mixed with the rose gold goblets sitting on top of clocks...absolutely STUNNING!!!!
GORGEOUS!!! AMAZING!!!
(I had soooo many people ask if they could buy the lanterns from me and I said, "No!" These are staying in the family as future wedding decoration and heirloom pieces for SURE!!!
In the entry way to the castle we had pictures and picture frames with different signs and decorations...
"Our Love Story" created by Natalie...
that Kierra and Riley will get to keep as a decoration for their own home too. :)
I didn't get pictures of everything because I was so excited about getting to spend more time with Kierra helping her get ready for the reception...BUT if you look close...in the back right side of this picture was the gift table topped with the Payson Temple picture engraved with their names and wedding date...
I also didn't get a picture of the cake that was made by Kierra's aunts...or the children's room...or the bride's room...BUT I KNOW that the photographer was busy capturing all of these details for me so we should have pictures of all of these things coming...soon!!!
Also in this picture was a friend of Clint's that is also a police chief of West Wendover, Burdell Welsh. His gift to us, was to be a "behind the scenes photographer" taking pictures of all of the things that we may have not otherwise seen...like Clint sleeping in the groom's room before they went up there to get ready for the reception!!! :) I am so excited to see those pictures too!!!
The Castle looked absolutely amazing!
My sweet sister/friends all helped me with my little ones and the set up...
Here I am with Natalie and Nicky...
...and my beautiful angel sister Tiffany who is ALWAYS there supporting me in EVERYTHING!!!
I LOVE these girls guts!!!!!
And of course we had to get a little silly...because that is what you do when you are throwing the biggest party of your life!!! :)
Natalie, Susette, Tiffany, Nicky
I helped Kierra get back into her wedding dress, we took more pictures before the reception started, and then the guests started arriving!!!
At one point in the early hour of the reception, Nicky's husband Joel came over to me in the line to show me this tender picture...Kesslyn had fallen asleep in Nicky's arms!!! MELT MY HEART!!!
I LOVE this picture!!!
We stood in line and warmly thanked everyone for their love and support and for sharing this beautiful day with us...we saw friends and family and some friends we hadn't seen in years...we danced and had crepes Suzette for the food along with a vineyard spritzer and berry water. We watched them cut the cake, take off the garter, throw the bouquet, and dance, dance, dance the night away!!! Before we knew it , it was time to bring the evening to a close...
Once again I headed back up to the bride's room to help Kierra change out of her wedding gown and into a dress so she could run off into the night with her prince charming. :)
We danced around the bride's room, ate her crepe, and hugged and squealed...then I took her bags and set them inside of Riley's car that was decorated by his groom's men in only the way the groom's men would do...;) and then I went back inside for one last hug goodbye. I wrapped my arms around both Riley and Kierra and hugged them tight, said "I love you" and have such a good time!!! :)
We went outside where the sparklers were all being lit...and then Riley and Kierra Johnson walked out of the castle hand in hand taking their first few steps onto their journey down this path of life as husband and wife!
Cheers and squeals and screams of well wishes and delight accompanied them all the way down the path to their car, where Riley found the decorated car and quickly threw the pool noodle like a spear at his brother, got into the car and sped off into the night!!!
That was it...they were off!!!
I wish I had more pictures of the rest of the night...
After Kierra and Riley left, we all headed back into the castle to begin cleaning up. Everyone helped and it went so fast. We loaded all of the decorations and gifts into cars, some of our friends in our ward came and took some of the flowers for their wedding reception that was to be the very next day... and as we all started winding down, we realized that the wedding cake was just sitting there...with no one to eat it! SOOOO...
Me and Nicky went over to it with our hands and began eating pieces of it with our fingers!!! The next thing we knew, Riley's dad was joining us, then his Aunt Julie, then his mom, then the brothers and the rest of the family!!! Before we knew it, the entire cake was gone!!! ALL with our little fingers!!! :)
It was a fun ending to a fun day. :)
After everyone headed out, Clint drove Kierra's car back to Provo to drop off all of their gifts to Riley's Aunt Julie's house, and I got in the suburban to drive it home with all of the decorations. Tiffany and her kids drove my kids home since we didn't have room in our cars...and just as I was ready to leave, I went to start the car and realized...I didn't have the car keys!!!
I called Clint and sure enough...he had them in his pocket! So, I sat on the steps of the castle by myself, pondering on the events of the day, looking at the pictures that I had, and saying a prayer of gratitude in my heart for the perfect day for Kierra and Riley.
After a bit, I sat in my car and fell asleep until Clint got back with the keys.
When he pulled up it was about 11:00 and pitch black. Everyone had gone home for the night, and we were finally on our way home too. I drove home with the radio off and just thought again about this perfect day that we were blessed with. All the time and all the preparation was sooo worth it and I couldn't have been happier for my sweet Princess Kierra and her charming Prince Riley.
They are off on their honeymoon now and having the time of their life, I'm sure of it!
Kierra and Riley, I love you two and wish you an eternity of happiness...which I KNOW you will have if you always continue to be as committed and devoted to each other as you are today.
Congratulations on the beginning of your "Happily FOREVER After!!!"
1 comment:
I love you Susette. What a wonderful way to document the whole day. Kierra looked so beautiful.
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