I can honestly say I married my best friend.
Haley's thoughts and recollections of her wedding day, December 27th, 2011.
Getting Ready
The morning of December 27th, I was frantically rushing to get ready. I wanted to look perfect. I had previously gotten acrylic nails and was using Crest whitening strips. I put my hair half up in a bun using a fake hair piece. I curled the rest in ringlets. I also did my own make-up. Looking back, I really wish I had someone else make me look pretty... My hair didn't turn out well. Oh well.
Chloe and Jasmyne came over early for moral support. I should of woken up earlier so I could have more time. Because I was so preoccupied with getting ready, I didn't really have time to focus on what was aout to happen - it wasn't until the car ride to Manti that I realized I would be married in less than 2 hours! It wasn't until we were actually driving that I began to become nervous. Not real nervous - just a few butterflies. I clutched Michael Bear in one arm and held Michael's hand with my other hand. We rode up with my parents.
The Temple
When we got to the temple, Michael and I were separated. I went with my mom into a special room just for brides, where she and another temple worker helped me into the temple clothing.
After, they took me back downstairs where I met Michael also dressed in Temple clothing. He looked so handsome and I felt an unbelievably powerful feeling of love for him, Michael James Brooks, the man I was about to marry, the one who I was going to spend the rest of my life with. He wrapped me up in a loving embrace.
We were led into the sealing room. There, we met our sealer, an old brother from the small town Scipio. He talked to us for a bit, and then our guests started filing in. Before the actual ceremony the sealer gave a nice speech and words of advice. I was so submerged in my multiple feelings (anticipation, nerves, wonder, undying love) that I didn't pick up on what he was telling us. I'll have to find someone who was there and can jog my memory. Maybe Michael remembers. During the ceremony, if I wasn't looking at the sealer, I was looking deep into Michael's eyes. I felt so so blessed to have him across the alter promising to love and take care of me. I surprised myself by not crying. Michael's eyes watered a little. Seeing him emotional was really touching. It made me feel so special and loved.
Just like that we were married.
My name is Haley Brooks (I wonder how many times I have written that before we were actually hitched :) He would be surprised.)
There was a small ring exchange, and my mom forgot to grab the rings!! She had to run and go get them. Ha ha.
Michael and I stood by the door while our loved ones hugged and congratulated us. Nadine was proud to inform me that I was #60 of her family. It's cool because if I'm remembering correctly, I'm #60 in the Wilber family as well. Grandpa Wilber by the way came all the way from New York for the event. He couldn't witness the temple sealing, but he still came. I felt special.
After the sealing, I went back to the dressing room and changed into my wedding dress. I had white gloves, a tiara and I honestly felt like a princess. I walked down the stairs, and what happened next was not what I had anticipated. For one, Michael was not in the waiting room and secondly everyone else was! I had imagined meeting Michael and then exciting the temple to the group of people who would be waiting outside who would cheer as we came through the doors. I guess I couldn't blame our guests, it was cold outside! But where was my husband?! Who ever heard of a bride waiting on the groom? Well... that was me, and it was super awkward. I was waiting on him for over 15 minutes! Well, maybe not that long, it's just what it felt like. Finally, Michael met us in the foyer, and I say just how breathtakingly handsome he looked in his tuxedo. Michael's uncle Mike ushered the guests outside the temple and ten things proceeded to go as I had imagined. We walked outside where we were met with cheers and hugs. After, with persistent inquiry, Michael finally admitted the reason he was late was because he had some digestive problems. Ha ha! That is something that is definitely going to go down in history.
Outside the temple we took pictures. My bridesmaids were so pretty. Chloe, Jasmyne, Grace, Kimberly, Jessica, Abbey and Wendy were the girls I had asked to be my bridesmaids. I also loved how his nephews were all dressed in the red vests Camille had made for the occasion. I mean OUR nephews! I'm an aunt now.
We were very blessed to have nice weather. It was chilly, but the sun was out and we had no snow whatsoever. I'm very grateful.
After the group pics, our guests left and Michael and I walked around the temple while his uncle Mike and Tiffany filmed and took pictures of us.
I'm so happy I got to be sealed to Michael in the Lord's house for time and all eternity.
The Luncheon
We left the Manti temple and drove straight to Mapleton where Camille had planned a luncheon in a nearby ward building There, I changed out of my wedding dress into some church clothes. Camille really went way out. The gym looked really nice. All the tables had table clothes and red fabric. Each one had some flowers and a picture of Michael and me.
Michael, his parents, my parents and I all sat at a head table. The lunch consisted of bow tie pasta with bolomaise sauce, salad, artisian bread and brownie cupcakes with cream and strawberries on top. Bonnie made the dessert. All the food tasted incredible!
After everyone ate, Kimberly sang "When I Fall in Love." I wish I had a voice like hers. Then, Michael's uncle Mike played a slideshow of us growing up and then of us together and at the end, there were some bridals he had previously taken. It was put together really nicely. I absolutely loved it. During the show I glanced up and Michael and he was crying. Once again I felt and indescribable love for him. I am so blessed and lucky to have Michael in my life.
After the slideshow, was when everyone got up to say some nice words. I was very first... I said a few short words about how much I love Michael. It was kind of lame compared to some of the other things that were said, but I was really nervous and didn't know what to say. I just hope Michael knows how I truly feel about him. My feelings for my loving husband can't be put into words.
My dad got up and got emotional. Michael was a little emotional too. I'm glad I was wearing waterproof mascara because those two most important men in my life made me cry. Many people got up and said nice things. Grace got up and said how she loved me and was going to miss me, but she was excited to have her own bathroom. Ha ha. I felt so proud and special that she got up in front of all those people. It's scary! Chloe said something about how a couple years back I showed her a picture of "Mr. Brooks" and told her that was the guy I was going to marry. We both just laughed, and then it actually became reality! So many people got up and praised Michael. I just smiled and agreed with every one of them. Michael is just so perfect. Chloe mentioned something after about how I must feel so lucky to be with Michael after all the nice things that were said. I responded that I already knew all those things and I've always felt lucky to be with him.
The Reception
The reception took place the day after we were married. We decided to make it two days for a couple of reasons:
1. It put more emphasis on the Temple
2. So the bride (me) wouldn't be under too much stress and so I could focus more on the details of the events and be less likely to forget.
I know it probably wasn't very convenient for a lot of people, but those who loved us came to all three events.
Like the previous day, I got myself all prettied up while Michael played Mario Kart with Adam. And just like before, I was late getting ready. Grandma Barb made us English muffin sandwiches so we wouldn't be starving. Michael and I rode to the reception center in his car. I was trying to put lipstick on when he stopped short and I got it smeared above my lip. I had fun trying to get it off.
W arrived at Primrose at 5:30 for pictures. It was very pretty all set up. The tables looked great with the table runners borrowed form Emily and Jareed's wedding. My parents made homemade center pieces to go on each table. There was a giant mirror where I stood in our wedding line- that way people could see what my dressed looked like from behind. There were some black and white chairs and couches for people to sit down and relax if they chose. The entire place was very elegant. I couldn't have been happier. I had always imagined having an outdoor reception, but Primrose was just as good if not better!
The refreshments that were served at the reception consisted of: chicken salad and turkey cranberry on croissants, meatballs, fruit and chocolate and red velvet cupcakes. To drink we had a raspberry/sprite beverage, or water. Primrose catered it. I never got to try the meatballs, but everything else tasted great.
Like I stated before, we went at 5:30 so we could take family and bridesmaid pictures. It was a little frustrating because relatives from both sides of our families showed up late, but everything turned out fine.
The Ring Ceremony
The ring ceremony was short and sweet. It started at 6:00pm, and was opened with a prayer. My bestie, Chloe, played a violin piece. She's amazing! Susan Thompson, my former Young Women's president, said some really nice words as well as Bishop Tervort. Then we exchanged rings and kissed. The ring ceremony was mainly for the people who were not able to witness the actual temple sealing.
Back to the reception. At the temple I carried a silk flower bouquet, because we were worried it wouldn't last in the winter weather, but at the reception I had a real one. My bouquet was very pretty. It was made of red roses, white carnations and it had some sparkly silver spirals coming out of it. I loved my bouquet.
The reception lasted from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The receiving line went in this order: my dad, my mom, me, Michael, then his parents. We had so many guests come and congratulate us. Here were the top four questions of the night.
1. How does it feel to be married?
2. Where are you going to live?
3. Are you tired of smiling?
4. Are you anxious to get out of here?
Answer to question one (for me personally): It feels great! Two: Here in Spanish Fork. Three: I can't help but smile, he makes me so happy! Four: It seems like I would be, but honestly, I love getting all the attention and I feel like a princess. (I didn't actually answer #4 like that, I just felt that way)
I loved that people could see how happy I was to have married Michael.
Toward the middle of the reception we cut the cake. Sister Amy Walters made our cake. It was chocolate with a vanilla custard filling. It was white with black ribbon, swirls and candy beads on it. On top, we had a topper made of red roses. My cake was beautiful. Amy did a really good job.
I told Michael prior to the cake cutting, I wanted him to feed it to me nicely but I was going to smear it in his face. His response: "I'll respond the same way you do." So basically, if he got cake smeared in his face so would I. We cut the cake together. My cousin, Seth, said something like, "They look so intense, it's as if their a couple of black belts." Ha ha. After we had gotten a slice, Michael fed me first. He was very nice. I was slightly more violent feeding him, but lucky for him, it all made it into his mouth.
A little after the cake cutting, it was time to throw the bouquet. I accidently threw it too short, and it landed on the floor... The girls hesitated for a few seconds, but then Chloe came and got it. I'm glad my maid of honor got the bouquet.As for the garter, Andrew got it. The best man. I thought that was awesome!
Before long, it came time for the daddy-daughter dance. We danced to butterflies by Miley Cyrus. I thought I might cry. I also thought my dad might cry, but neither of us did. After, Michael and I danced to True Companion. I love that song. I love my boy!
When the reception was over, we excited to our family members waving sparklers and blowing bubbles. It looked really neat.
When we arrived at the car, we weren't surprised to see it completely thrashed. Adam and Tanner had written things like "get some" and dangled coke cans from the back of his car. (They drank 3 cans apiece right then!) Someone else had written "just married" and "together forever" on the sides and stuck Oreos all over. The inside of the car was completely covered with balloons! Michael had to throw a lot into the parking lot just so we could fit. It was crazy!
We were driving away when we suddenly heard a voice say, "so... where are we going?" I screamed as Jacob Cochran emerged from the balloons with a video camera. He honestly scared me to death! Michael pulled over next to K-mart and firmly told Jacob to get out of the car. Ha ha. I haven't seen the video yet, but I'm sure everyone got a kick out of it.
After Jacob got out, we finally drove off to live our happily ever after.
My dad said I had a fairy tale wedding, and it's absolutely true. I DID have a fairy tale wedding. I'm so grateful for my parents and all the money and effort they spent on it. I had the perfect wedding!
