This weekend, my little brother Austin got married. Jordan and I took off work on Friday to head south to Texas, and from there it was a blur of family coming into town, rehearsal, the big day, and then cleaning up and saying goodbye to family. My brother Daniel was the best man; Jordan was a groomsman; and my sister, Sarah, and I were a bridesmaids, so you could say it was truly a family affair.
Everything went really well, the venue was gorgeous, and Amy did such a great job on a lot of cute little details.
Let's be clear, though: they were not tears of sadness. I think Amy is such a great addition to our family, and I was so happy to see Austin and Amy get married.
I expected to get emotional about my little brother getting married, but I completely underestimated just how emotional I would get. Let's just say I cried the entire three-hour drive back to Oklahoma on Sunday. Jordan thought I was insane. Not that that's really anything new.
Let's be clear, though: they were not tears of sadness. I think Amy is such a great addition to our family, and I was so happy to see Austin and Amy get married.
They were tears of nostalgia, I guess. (Probably coupled with some tiredness and stress that comes from being surrounded by extended family.)
I don't know if you know this about me, but I don't like change very much. And as I watched Daniel give the best man speech and tell stories of Austin growing up, I just kept thinking about how awesome my family is and how much fun we have together, and then I got sad that those days of it being just the four of us siblings are over.
This is a fact that clearly escaped me three years ago when Jordan and I got married, so you could say I'm late to the nostalgia party. But it suddenly hit me just how big of a deal it is to get married and bring someone else into the family.
I took this picture at the rehearsal dinner. Growing up, they fought like brothers do, of course. I don't want to paint too a rosy picture of my family. But seriously. This is our childhood summed up in a photo. Cracking up about something silly.
Excuse me while I go bawl my eyes out.
So yeah. Before I start tearing up again, let's move on. Please enjoy this photo dump of scenes from the weekend. I'm excited to see the actual professional photographer shots!
Happy and emotional times, family weddings (although I've only ever been to one, which was my sister's, since nobody seems to get married in my family and circle of friends!). I love the pictures, and I understand this feeling of nostalgia too. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, ya know.
Looks like a beautiful wedding! If it's any consolation, I ugly-cried during my sister's whole wedding ceremony. Luckily, I collected myself and was able to give my matron of honor speech without any tears.
Congrats!!!! What a beautiful family you have! I love all the decor and even better that it was in Texas!
I never thought about pertaining to my own wedding either but you are right that is is a big deal not just for the people getting married but the whole family! I am happy though my brothers are still far away from marrying age as I know I will cry my eyes out too when it happens!
The pictures are gorgeous!!! I don't have any true siblings but I did the same thing at my best friends wedding for hours. Change is so hard and so beautiful at the same time. It's truly a blessing to be overwhelmed with our love for awesome people in our lives. I'm so glad you had a wonderful weekend to celebrate.
How fun!! I just love weddings. I totally get what you mean about the tears though.. I have had my time or two of being emotional at weddings and I always wonder why. Because when people are crying you assume they're sad or something, but nostalgia really sums it up! Also, the iPhone picture, is that their wedding website? I'm so intrigued!
congrats for your brother. i love the green colour that you wore. you look gorgeous! and....you ought to be emotional.
ah, now you get me thinking if my little brothers getting married. now i really think that i would cry when the time come.
Aw, congratulations to your brother! You look lovely. :)
Oh my gosh, did you guys play bingo?? that's so fun!
Looks like such a fun, great wedding! I think it's wonderful that you get so emotional about your family - my family is fairly disconnected (always been that way) and I can't tell you how many times I grew up wanting that easy going relationship with them. Luckily I've been really blessed to have some amazing in-laws who are giving my daughter those memories!
Ahh - I'm emotional just seeing these. I love weddings. Good thing since I'm photographing another wedding this weekend. I get emotional at every one of them :)
I cried at my own brother's wedding... & I don't even LIKE my brother! (KIDDING!!!)
Tears are a good thing! I completely understand. Just wait til a niece or nephew comes around and then the tears really flow. ha ha!
Glad you guys had a good wedding!
Beautiful photos! Weddings always get me too, they seem to be designed to make people cry. But happy tears are good tears!
Yes! That is a pic of their wedding website. I randomly went to it the day of because one of the bridesmaids wanted the address of the reception, and I loved that it said "Today" on the top. So cute. Now it says "Married." I had no idea they changed like that.
We did! Bingo is something Amy had always wanted to do. It was really fun!
What a beautiful wedding! :)
Great shots! It looked like an absolutely beautiful events. And weddings totally get me, too. Maybe it's being so happily married, but they make me cry all over myself. Waterproof mascara? A MUST.
SO sweet, your words and the photos! They make a beautiful couple :) I think when my sister got married I was still young/naive to some of the feelings you're feeling now. It was like cool, I have a brother-in-law?! But now that I'm married, my sister has a family, Jared's siblings are married/getting married... I totally get emotional over weddings and our growing family!
Beautiful! The couple, your family, the details...all of it. Bingo sounds like so much fun! Maybe we need more details in a separate blog post? Love the idea!
this. is. so. sweet!
what a wonderful time spent with your family and celebrating the marriage of your little brother!
girl, when my little brother goes to get married i will be bawling buckets, happy buckets, but still buckets!
i want to hear all about this bingo game?! :)
It looks like such a beautiful wedding! I cannot imagine how emotional I will be when my little brother gets married, but I had a similar nostalgia experience as I was unpacking after our honeymoon. Not sad tears, just tears at all the change and how big of a deal it all is.
What a beautiful wedding, but I can't imagine the emotions like that!!
Okay. This is making me totally tear UP because my little{and only} brother is getting married August 1st. Seeing this made it suddenly feel super duper real! ahhhh
A huge congratulations to your brother and his new bride! :-)
Your sister has a long way to grow of she wants to continue the each kid is a bit taller then the one before trend!
Great pics! Looks lovely!
Those pictures are so pretty! I love your dress and color! My older brother is married and it has been about 12 years since it was just us siblings - I"m not sure where the time goes!
So much fun! I know I'm going to cry so much when my (3) little brothers get married - but I will also be very glad that we're getting some more women in the family to equal things out. :)
What a beautiful wedding! I will be emotional when my younger brother marries too! Congrats to him and your family!
i think i sighed the entire time i was scrolling down this post - so much happiness, and you can tell how much austin & amy are in love. she seems like a sweetheart too - what a nice addition to the family:) and the bingo! ah! loved the bingo :)
seriously I love wedding bingo!! That is brilliant!
Aw this looks like such a sweet day with your family. You are definitely blessed. :) And wedding bingo?! I need to hear more about this! So fun!!
PS - Your hair grows soooo fast!!!
Aww, this is so sweet! I love all the little details from the wedding. Looks like a beautiful family-filled day :)
What a beautiful wedding! I would be emotional too! :) I love all the rustic accents! :)
It looks like an absolutely beautiful day! Mazel Tov to your brother!
I was pretty emotional when my big brother got married two years ago. I predict that if my little brother ever gets married, I will be an absolute puddle!
Love all the little personal touches - looks like a gorgeous, fun wedding! And totally understand about the emotions... I definitely got way more emotional than I expected when my little sister got married! It happens :)
Aww I love it! All of the details were precious! The colors were beautiful too! So fun!
Ahhh, congrats to the happy couple! It looks like it was a beautiful wedding. Your family is just gorgeous and you can tell from the photos that you have a great time with one another. :)
-Amy
Oh man, even thinking about either of my little brothers getting married makes me soooo emotional. I can definitely understand the crying :) Oh and it looks like it was a gorgeous wedding!
My little sis got married a couple months ago. I was her MOH and totally fine until I saw the look on her future hubby's face as she walked up to join us at the front. I was a hot mess!
How very exciting to get a new sister in law. Tears of joy are always welcome. You have such a wonderful family and being able to add new stories of happiness, hilarity and silliness is great blog material! ;)
Thanks! I don't know why.... I get it cut maybe once a year :) Maybe it's the baking soda!
Thanks so much, Ashley!
Thanks, Amy. We really do have so much fun together!
So cool!! But I can definitely relation to feeling emotional about it! :) I can't imagine what it'll be like, watching all of my little siblings get married. I think for me, in thinking about it, there's a little more of a fear factor, because I have all little sisters--you know, I don't worry about my brother, no one could hurt him too bad, but girls are a little more vulnerable. It is funny when you start adding new people to your generation. Angel fits in so well with my family it just feels like he's always been there---the little girls discuss whether Isaac or Angel is their favorite brother.
Feeeeels. I am going to cry my heart out when I see a milestone like this with my little brother. Also, I love the birthday calendar idea.
What great memories to capture, you got some good pictures! I love the bingo idea!
those pictures…. are so… freaking…. BEAUTIFUL.
This will be me in five months at MY younger brother's wedding. Send the tissues.
Also, BEAUTIFUL photos! And that wedding dress... love.it.
Aw, this is precious! I love everything! The bingo game is such a good and cute idea. I know I'll be a mess when my little brother gets married. He's the only boy. But that will hopefully be many years from now--he's only 16!
a) what a beautiful wedding!
b) obvi to the crying. Jordan should have expected it. duh.
c) but you STILL get to have those amazing family moments - even more so, in a way, because you now get to share them with people you and your siblings love! the awesomeness is multiplied exponentially when you get married :)
I want to know how the bingo and prized worked!!! Can you please email me telling me about that? :) I LOVE that idea. :)
Yes! I'll email you :)
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