"Meet you at the temple at 10," he said.
I couldn't believe the day was finally here. For those of you unfamiliar with LDS temple weddings--they're a little bit different. BK and I went to the temple in just normal church clothes, signed some paperwork (changing my last name on our church records)--and then went to change into different white clothes for the sealing (wedding). Family and friends are generally seated first in the small sealing room--and then when everything is ready, they bring the bride and groom in. In the St. George temple, in this particular sealing room, everyone in the room must be wearing white. Only those who have been to the temple and made covenants themselves are allowed to attend the ceremony because of its sacred importance in our religion. Generally speaking, sealing ceremonies are short and only close family members and friends are invited to attend. In our case, however, since we weren't going to be having a reception that weekend, we told all of our eligible family and friends that they were all welcome to come to the sealing because we were unsure as to who would actually be there.
BK and I sat in a room together during this waiting time, smiling and talking about how excited we were to finally be getting married. The temple sealer (the one who performs the sealing/wedding ceremony) came in to explain to us how the ceremony would work. From what I remember, BK kept asking when it was that he was supposed to kiss me. The sealer told him not to worry about it, that he would make sure we didn't forget that part. And then we followed him back into the beautiful sealing room.
What we saw was incredible.
In this small sealing room sat/stood 55 of our closest family members and friends all wearing white. If that's not what heaven is, then I don't know what is. We were completely touched that so many people would travel so far to make it to our special occasion.
The sealing was beautiful. Exactly how it should be--short, simple, beautiful. As BK and I made these sacred covenants with Heavenly Father, we were sealed (hence the name) for all time and eternity. As long as we keep these covenants here in this life, we have the opportunity to still be married in the next. It's one of the most beautiful truths in our religion--that families truly can be together forever, not just until death do us part.
After the sealing, we hugged our family members and went downstairs to get ready to go outside for pictures. In the St. George temple there is a huge wooden spiral staircase, and the nice old lady that was assigned to be my helper that day let me take my train down to walk down the stairs--I felt like a princess.
I walked back to the bride's room to do my make-up, etc. and I happened to be the only one in the gorgeous room. There's mirrors and vanities everywhere. I stood looking in the mirror at myself in my wedding dress, twirling like a little girl in dress-up clothes, still taking it in that I was finally Mrs. BK P. I got butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it.
After awhile, no one had come to get me to tell me they were ready, and I got a little concerned, but come to find out--BK had forgotten to pick up his tux (his ONE thing to be in charge of) and so his aunt had run to the mall to get it. Finally, he was ready, and we walked outside hand-in-hand to find an even larger group of family and friends outside waiting to see us.
What is it about guys in tuxedos?? Yum. Sometimes I wished we lived in the olden days where men wore suits all the time.
We had a wonderful time visiting with everyone. I don't think I've smiled so much in one day in my whole life. For your cheese-tastic viewing pleasure, I have included my wedding video-don't worry, it's the 4 minute one, NOT the 12 minute one! And be sure to turn up the speakers--you know, just to get the whole cheesy effect. And yes, BK really was 22, although he looks 12.Now that you have lost all respect for me completely, I can move on. For those of you who know me in real life, you know how un-cheesy I really am, which is why this whole thing is just so unlike me. But it's for posterity, people.
After the never-ending pictures, we headed to our luncheon with our family members. We had a great time visiting there as well--cut some cake, and yes, you bet I smashed it all over his 12-year-old face.
Let me digress for a moment and bear you my testimony of not having a wedding reception on your wedding day. Can I just tell you how NICE it was that we were completely DONE with EVERYTHING at 2pm that day?
A few people in our family had gone in to pay for a night at a local bed-and-breakfast for us, so we walked out to the car to head over there. BK's lovely big brother Coby shouted to us, "So what are you guys going to do at the bed and breakfast?"
I said, "Coby, what would YOU do?"
He winked and said, "Eat breakfast?"
"Yes, Coby." I responded sarcastically. "We're definitely going for the sole purpose of eating breakfast."
BK, being the drama-queen he is (not), literally peeled out of the parking lot.
Obviously, since I know there's 12 year olds who read my blog on a regular basis, I will stop there. But, posterity, just know that one of the best gifts you can give yourself is to remain clean for your future spouse. It's TOTALLY worth it. Okay, seriously. I'm stopping there.
As I mentioned before, BK only got one day off work. So he had to go to work at 7am the next morning. We would be staying at his parents' house the following week. Yes, people, I just said that we had our honeymoon at our in-laws. Are you still judging us for all the trips to Florida and the Caribbean for the the past 6 years? We had to make up for that! BK had to work every day, and I sat in an empty house and did homework.
The day after we got married, BK and I both sat down with our patriarchal blessings (a special blessing we receive a typed copy of). We had never shared them with each other before, as we didn't feel it was appropriate to do so. But since we were finally married, we took the opportunity to read each other's out loud. And again, keeping in mind the sacredness of the matter, just know that it was again confirmed to us that we had made the right choice in marrying each other. Just know that they fit together like a puzzle, including complete sentences that were identical and individual to us. It was a really neat experience.
Finally the day came that I had to go back to school. BK gave me a blessing, and it was a really neat experience to have him do that as my husband. He promised me that the Lord would take care of me, even though I would be alone.
I drove back to Provo in the WORST snow storm I have EVER seen. Complete white-out. But somehow, someway, I made it in one piece.
I grabbed my bags out of my newly inherited car (I just LOVE being married--all his stuff becomes "yours.") and heading up to my familiar room on the 2nd floor of T Hall. I became an instant celebrity as the "married girl" living in the dorms. Okay, "celebrity" might be a strong word, but seriously I felt like one. It was fun to put up my wedding pictures in my dorm room and have marriage-crazed freshman girls stop by to see and hear all the details every other day.
But really, I just wanted to live with my husband. Or even just see him.
And then it hit me: he was going to Iraq.
I wouldn't get to live with him for 1-2 years.
I was going to have to hold onto those 8 wonderful days for 1-2 years.
