When I walked into Mary Olive’s hotel room, I greeted and met all the sisters, moms, brides maids, and of course gave my love to the getting-ready bride. At this time, I asked for the details she wanted photographed, such as the rings, the hairpiece, her shoes….but what I was not expecting to see were a giant, silver….nut and bolt included with everything else.

Luckily I wasn’t the only one slightly confused. A few of her bridesmaids asked what they were doing here, too. So of course Mary Olive HAD to tell the story – we were all dying to know.

It all starts with Memorial Day weekend. It always has with Mary Olive and Eric. It’s an important holiday for them, and that’s why those to be married over this weekend. And that’s why Eric just KNEW he had to propose to Mary Olive on Memorial Day, two years previously. The timing was tight, though, and he anxiously waited for a family diamond to be mailed to him so he could propose. It made it to the post office in time…..but Eric didn’t. So, the ring sat at the post office over the three-day weekend, sealed tight and ready to be put on a finger. But Eric didn’t wait. Instead, he marched right over to the nearest hardware store and picked out the next best thing to slip on Mary Olive’s finger: A nut big enough to fit her. That Memorial Day weekend, with the family heirloom ring he was supposed to propose with tucked away in the post office, Eric got down on one knee and presented the love of his life with a big, clunky nut! And of course she said YES!!

As Mary Olive finished her story, everyone in the room heaved a giant, romantic sigh and said “Awwww!!” in unison. Eric’s mom said, “I raised him right, didn’t I?” and I nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

As if their day wasn’t dreamy enough, let’s talk about Mary Olive’s dress. It is – just like her ring (the REAL ring), a family heirloom. Five other women in her family have worn this exact same dress in the last 50+ years, and now it is finally Mary Olive’s turn. I felt like she stepped into that dress and ….became a bride. It sounds cheesy to say it that way but it was obvious how honored she felt to be carrying on the tradition of the women who have gone before her. She carried herself with such elegance and grace. Mary Olive is naturally a defined woman, but standing there in front of her, as she zipped up this shared, legacy of a dress….it felt like she was made of magic.

Mary Olive and Eric had decided to give each other letters on the day of their wedding. Mary Olive presented hers to Eric during their First Look. They had a good laugh because Mary Olive had picked out the exact same card that Eric almost picked out for her….but instead he had decided to go more romantic while she had gone with a funny card. It was just another reminder of how perfect they are for each other!

After Eric finished reading her letter, she presented him with a gift: The nut – and now a bolt to go along with it – that Eric had used to propose to her. Eric’s look was one of true, genuine surprise and adoration.

Before the ceremony, the bridal party presented Mary Olive and Eric with a gift that they had been collaborating on for the last several months. It was so hilarious to hear how these people – who very few knew each other – communicated via email and tried to negotiate a gift idea, decide on details like what it should say and, more specifically (and more important!) what font it should be written in. It was funny to hear them joke about it, but everyone knew what it really meant: These people who didn’t know each other very well came together on behalf of two people they loved very much. And that was enough of a bond for them.

 

This was one of those weddings where a good friend of theirs just knew tissues would be needed! I love this!

 

Up on the mantle was a photo display of every single woman that had worn that dress before this day, photographed on their wedding day.

 

They didn’t have the the traditional bouquet toss, garter toss, or parent dances. They didn’t even have a cake….instead, they had popsicles!! It was so fun and perfect for them. This little popsicle truck, called Pleasant Pops, just rolled right up and started handing out these fancy flavors of popsicles! They were a huge hit.

 I on’t normally write my wedding day blogposts like this. I usually don’t like to interrupt the flow of the photos with text, but there were so many intimate details about their story that I just simply had to share them. It’s truly what made their day so special: The little moments. The little memories. Because really, the little things ARE the big things. And it was a BIG thing for me to be a part of this day, to be a part of their brand new story. These photos will tell their story when their words are gone from this earth. When their voices have diminished, I hope their posterity looks at these images and remember: This man and this woman loved each other. And on this Memorial Day weekend, they started a legacy.