Wedding 411 :)

I am getting married in less than 6 months! I get to become Mrs. Green in 180 days. What a blessing! Life right now is a mixture of preparation and celebration. Enjoying the moment and looking forward.

I have been working on a wedding website - but we don't have our engagement pictures yet and there are some details that are still forthcoming. We may, one day, have a website completely dedicated to our wedding...but I don't mind blogging about it and sharing details this way.


Wedding Details

We will be getting married on October 1, 2011 at 5 p.m. The setting is Campbell University's Butler Chapel; this is the perfect backdrop for our union. Campbell was the only college either of us applied to, it's where we met, where we became best friends, where we fell in love, where we earned our degrees and became passionate about Communication, and it's where I'm blessed to work now. God has blessed us so much through Campbell!

The reception will be at the Dunn Shrine Club - 15 minutes away from Campbell. The outside doesn't look like much, but the inside has everything we are looking for.

Bridal Party

I am so blessed with so many wonderful friends. These girls constantly bless my heart and uplift my spirit. I have more than a handful of beautiful women that have grown up with me; they are the backdrop for so many of my memories. Their influence in my life made me who I am today. And I truly, deep within my heart, wish that more of them could be standing up next to me on my special day. But I am so thankful that they will all be there to celebrate with me in many different ways.

I am so honored to have the four beautiful women who make up my part of the bridal party standing up next to me on my wedding day. I am looking forward to so many moments and memories with them along the way!

Matron of Honor - Whitney Bauer

Whitney and I became best friends in 4th grade on the swing set, and we have been best friends every since. 8th grade was a favorite time for us, full of crazy memories, and 9th grade held a lot of challenges. I could write a book about our friendship...so I'll leave it with this: There are those people who not only know all of your memories but were there for all of your memories - that is Whitney. We even went to college together and, some fourteenish years later she is still my very best pal. I loved seeing Whitney fall in love with Aaron - and am inspired by the love they have for each other. I was blessed to be her maid of honor, and even more blessed to have her as my matron of honor.

Whitney and Derrick knew each other before Derrick and I were romantically interested in each other. They met when Derrick wore a Chris Tomlin shirt, and Whitney commented on it. Then the three of us had Biology lab together...where Whitney and I did all the work and entertained Derrick with our adventurous tales:) Whitney and I also agreed, long before Derrick and I were together, that Derrick was cute enough to tip extra for :) Now, it's such a blessing to have Whitney and Aaron as some of our best friends!

Bridesmaid - Jessi Chiu

Jessi and I were always friends-ish...but I didn't want to get to close to someone who serenaded me with "Renee's Got a Banjo!" and kept me up until 5 in the morning because she thought her dad was a burglar.  Senior year we took current events together and played with each other's hair. And, one spring break day senior year, I get a call from Jessi, asking me if I wanted to go prom dress shopping with her..we fell in love that day. She has been through many college experiences with me and has been a constant friend through many growing pains. We both act mature, but share a "wow, is this really happening?" mentality and a love for cute underwear. She and Evan met and fell in love quickly - but I am amazed at how real and supportive and fun their love is.

I enjoy watching Derrick and Jessi interact; he definitely loves giving her a hard time. No worries - he cares enough about her to make sure we have pasta at the wedding so she can eat :)

Bridesmaid - Bethany Taylor

Bethany and I are third cousins, playing Mother May I and Simon Says at family reunions when we were little. It wasn't until middle school, right after she had came to Wake Christian, that we became friends. We may have began hanging out because we were related...but she is now one of my dearest friends. We have been through a lot together and made so many memories in middle and high school and recently...I have loved seeing her become the woman that she is today. She knows where I come from. She gets it. And I can always count on Bethany to be there for me. She was the first to get married, and I am proud of the wife she is. 

Bethany was the first of my friends to friend Derrick on facebook (other than Whitney) - as she was curious about this new boy that I was interested in. She and Jeremy are great friends to us, and it's nice that they're right down the road. 

Bridesmaid - Jessie Green

 

The first time I met Jessie was in the Moe's parking lot. I'm pretty sure she tried to warn me about Derrick that night, but I fell for him anyway ;) I've never had a sister, so I'm so blessed that Jessie is in my life. She and Derrick have always given each other a hard time, but they love each other fiercely, and I love the way that Derrick looks out for his little sister. Jessie and I have many memories together - and I am looking forward to many more. Plus, it's great that my kids are going to have Jessie as an aunt -  she can babysit anytime she wants to :)

Special thanks to my wonderful parents and supportive family for all they are doing to help out! My mom has been so great about the details and my parents have always been a wonderful example of marriage!

Derrick's family has also been an active, supportive part of this process - and I'm glad to be marrying into their family! His parents are always there to offer their advice, assistance, and support.

Registration

We just went to register yesterday! It can be very overwhelming - trying to think of everything we may need. But I already feel so overwhelmed with blessings...and I have a hard time understanding why people would want to give up their time and money to shower us with love and gifts. I have a hard time sitting back and letting other people do things for me. I want to be the one planning, preparing, working hard... But I am thankful for the love of all of my wonderful family and friends. It truly warms my heart.

Currently, we are registered at Walmart and Target - and you can find links to our registries below:
http://www.walmart.com/giftregistry/gr_detail.do?registryId=44580931001
http://www.target.com/registry/wedding/E83983FW70XY

We also invite people who want to give us a gift to give us gift cards. Of course, we need basic kitchen supplies, and we tried to register for things we know we'll need - so check that out. But there are so many details and things that we'll need to choose for ourselves or that we'll forget to register for. We would love gift cards to Target, Walmart or Kohls...and, if you want to give us something a little different, there's always Kroger, Food Lion, Ruby Tuesday, Zaxbys, and McDonalds :)

Thank you all for sharing in this time with us! 

The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." ...But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Genesis 2:18-24