Anyway, this blog was going to be about their wedding. Not our friendship. But it's just so amazing to me! Okay. Their wedding was amazing. One of the things that completely blew me away was the love and dedication that those two received from so many people. Not to complain because we did too! But their wedding and the way it was planned was very different. I didn't want anyone to be involved in the planning or set up process except those who I knew would listen to what I said. Because I'm a perfectionist and I wanted everything just so. Katherine is much more easy going, she designated each person a job, I was on flowers, Keryn and Val...well they did pretty much every thing else. And then lots of guys and family to set up tables and chairs.
The little town of Rocky Mountain House (where Devon grew up) was the location of their quaint, "golden era of travel" themed wedding. Val, Keryn and Katherine collected several vintage typewriters, globes, maps, books, vases, pictures, postcards, aviation anything, perfume vases, cameras, doilies, trinkets, suitcases, trunks and trophies. (They also used our table numbers...heehee.) Their wedding ceremony was in the Reformed Church there in the town and the reception was held just 20 minutes out of town in a little hick town called Condor. The hall there was large and perfectly simple layout for decorating for weddings.
When we got to the reception hall the day before the wedding I was given 5-8 buckets of flowers picked from gardens and given a simple task. "Make them look pretty." So I plucked leaves and arranged tiny bouquets, each of 2-6 flowers depending on the size of the bud vase. When finished they looked perfect for the theme! Wonderful idea!
The sanctuary where the wedding ceremony was taking place was simply decorated with big beautiful stems of red gladiolas tied to the pews. Perfectly simple. The ceremony was incredibly beautiful and so God centered. Katherine looked so elegant and just shining. The most beautiful bride I have ever seem in my life. I was so proud of that woman of God I saw walking down the isle to her groom. God's presence was there blessing their marriage. They had communion where they and a few others from the wedding party served everyone else in the congregation communion. It was beautiful. The couple also washed each others feet as a sign of their complete sacrifice and humble hearts toward each other for life. Such a incredible symbol.
It was so fun to be on the other side of things, getting to completely relax, watch the scenes. Watch my beautiful friend enjoy her big day. Smile pretty for pictures and then sit and wait. Then smile pretty some more and then go away for 'the couple pictures'. Sat and had some appies in Boston Pizza and then off to the hall for the reception.
The reception hall was absolutely incredibly decorated. The corners were laden with suitcases piled three together, top one open with flowers, pictures and trinkets inside. There were all of those collected vintage things on the tables in bunches of threes (long tables) gathered on vintage doilies. Each table with three bud vases of flowers. Blue and white adorned tables with whispers of Devon and Katherine's lives written all over them. Katherine's traveling past and love for the world and God's people and Devon's passion and love for aviation and photography. Perfectly captured in a little hall, in a little town in Alberta.
-- Kaela (& Shawn)
