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Ellis's Wedding … Part One … What We Wore


Hello dear friends! After what feels like way too long
I am back here
in one of my favorite spaces to share my personal stories.

The wedding has come and gone
and 
it left me so full of love and emotion
I have been stymied for days as were to begin.

I finally realized today 
just to share the day from my perspective
as Mother of the Bride.
Because
right here this is my space.
My online journal of sorts.
I know everyone who was at the wedding
came and left
with their own version and experiences.
It was a magical night to be sure!

I have decided to share first
What We Wore
then
The Wedding Ceremony and Reception
Mother of the Bride Advice.
and
Untangling an Estrangement

Because isn't that what so much of life is about
sharing our stories honestly
in the hopes of helping others.


Of course crowns were a plenty at the wedding!
From the ones we wore here
to Ellis's fresh floral party crown for the reception
to crowns for Ellis's gorgeous bridal party
and finally
crowns in dozens for props for the photo booth!

But the truly meaningful crown
is the one Ellis is wearing here for the ceremony.

It was one of the first crowns I made
even before she was born!

It is made out of millinery pieces gifted to me by Jeff's grandmother.
She had sent me one of my favorite gifts ever …
A box filled with pieces of millenary trims
from when,  as a young women
she worked at Saks Fifth Avenue in the hat department!
So how beautiful and meaningful that my girl chose this crown for her wedding day!



We had a fabulous photographer(s)
who expertly captured the men getting ready at the hotel
and
so much more
with a poetic eye!
I'll share more about Elyse in my next post
but until then 
I have huge gratitude for her captures
that we as a family will treasure always!


Elliot, the groom who thinks of everything
had all his groomsmen meet up in the morning
for a classic professional shave at the barber
before getting ready at the hotel.





And wow!
Did they all clean up ever so dapper!!


Meanwhile in our fabulous venue with it's own historic 
"getting ready room"
Ellis and her girls were also busy dressing for the day!



My favorite hairdresser Sydney Nelson
was there to make sure everyone had hair and makeup done!

I can't tell you how glad I was to have her there
because by the time  for my makeup to be done
I was such an emotional mess
I don't know if I could have even done my own!
So thanks again Syd for being there
not only for makeup and hair
but for your loving ability to calm.
I will be ever grateful.





One of my favorite parts of the wedding ceremony 
were the vows Ellis and Elliot did for each other.
Man, there was hardly a dry eye in the place.
And boy
did that set the tone for the evening celebrating love!



Did I mention Elliot thinks of everything
and
he also knows his girl well …

He had made sure she had a new Tiffany necklace for the occasion
and 
that was one hard secret to keep!
I think Ellis probably thought I had just dropped the ball regarding finishing accessories.
Like I ever could.


Finally it was time to put on her Vera Wang wedding dress
that had been hanging so patiently at home
bagged
waiting for it's big reveal!




With dresses and crowns in place
it was time for pre ceremony  pictures in the Rock Garden.




Time was made for a sweet blind hand holding …


Which left our handsome groom with love overflowing.
I have loved Elliot for a long time 
as he and Ellis have been together for over five years.
But I never have loved him more
than I do now
after the wedding ceremony
seeing just how much he truly loves our girl.

It's not an easy thing to marry off your daughter
at least not for this Momma
But boy seeing the love they truly have for each other
made it a Really Great Day.
A family milestone
reverently achieved.

As a parent
you couldn't ask for anything more
than to witness such love for your daughter
by her husband.
And her for him,


One of the other things I was really looking forward to …

When my husband saw his 'little girl'
for the first time in her wedding gown.
We arranged for the moment to be captured.
Priceless it was.







As in any wedding …

There were so many stories inside of the wedding story.
One of my very favorite
is right here.

Slater my son who had been estranged from the family for years
has been making his way back for over a year.
In a story so touching and personal
with his permission
I will be writing soon
about how we were able to
Untangle an Estrangement.

And we definitely have.
Slater was not only 'at' the wedding
but fully present
and
My Wedding Hero to be sure.
Always there to support when I needed it most
(which before the ceremony was  quite often).
He was the one to walk me down the aisle
and
 we were both overcome
at how far we have traveled back to each other over the last year.

Prayers can be answered.
And Hope does spring eternal.
I will share our story at a different time
as encouragement
to anyone who is traveling the painful path of estrangement.


Having my three together
for the wedding
meant everything to this Momma's heart.


So by now
in this part of our story
 everyone is dressed and ready
for the main event!



One oh so happy gorgeous bride …


Plus one super loving  handsome groom!

Stayed tuned for the ceremony
and 
all our fabulous reception decor!!


As always my friends

I wish you love and joy
as you style your life


Thank you ever so much for following along
on our family journey.  xoxo













29 comments:

  1. Beautiful Tamera! Shed a tear as I read your words and looked at these amazing pics of your Gorgeous girl and family!

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    1. Thank you so much Cindi! Big congrats on your last high school graduation! And best of luck as you prepare for day as Mother of the Bride!! xox

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    2. there would be so much to say, but first...the couple looked so happy, relaxed and beautiful.
      The pics captured all emotions of the day and after a long time (with all your lovely words)
      it shed a tear on me too. Very curious for the following chapter.

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    3. Thank you my dear for your lovely comment. I always so appreciate your visits! xox

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  2. Replies
    1. Aww thanks again ever so much for being there my dear!! It meant so much to me!! xox

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  3. Now I'm crying all over again. It was truly magical but I must tell you, I totally lost it when I saw you and Slater walking down the isle. Your words are so very touching today and the pictures . . . Well there really isn't words for those.

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    1. Aww thank you darling! I will always remember what a great friend you were to me during some of the darkest days of the estrangement. Thank you ever so much for being there for the wedding … to celebrate such a joyful day for our family! xoxo

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  4. Weddings always make me cry...even online! LOL

    Gorgeous photos, especially the one of the whole family together.

    bisous
    Suzanne

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    1. Thank you so much my dear for your kind words and visit!! xox

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  5. Again, congratulations!!! Such beautiful photos from such a special day! Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Such beauty ~ many, many congratulations! xx

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  7. What a gorgeous family. Love it all x

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  8. Beautiful images and words capturing such a very special day for your family. Your daughter is a stunning bride and you, a magnificent MOB. Your dress -- WOW, that fabric. And I must know--where did Ellis find those "getting ready" kimonos?

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    1. Marla Ellis ordered the 'getting ready' kimonos from Etsy … and for an incredible price I might add!

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  9. Forgot to mention: I just adore the story behind Ellis' headpiece. So very, very special.

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  10. I am so pleased to see this and to read this! What a lovely family and to see how happy you look is wonderful. As for the estrangement being over, that's such amazing news. L x

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  11. Beautifully written, Tamera, and what a wonderful day it was. You all look so amazing and happy, and that is the best gift of all. How beautiful are the gowns, both the bridal gown and your MOB dress which is fabulous. I hope you tell us more about it. xx

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  12. BEAUTIFUL.........ADORE the robes the GIRLS HAD ON!
    ADORE!
    I can remember meeting you at STARBUCKS in IRVINE when you had just heard the news..............
    EVERYTHING LOOKS PERFECT!
    XX

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  13. Simply beautiful! The photos are lovely and timeless. Thank you for sharing with us. I couldn't help but cry also. Well done you all!!!

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  14. The joy, the LOVE. Tamera, thank you for sharing with us. I adored every photo. I loved that she choose the crown that was made before she was born. That was meant to be. The photo's of your hubby seeing his "little girl" for the first time in her wedding dress. Absolutely priceless. Total perfection my dear. XOXO

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  15. The love and beauty of the wedding is expressed beautifully in your post. I cried all over again. Thanks for sharing!!! Dorie

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  16. Tamera your photographer was amazing! What gorgeous, touching, intimate moments these are. I literally got all choked up looking at those shots of your husband and Ellis! Oh my gosh how did you keep it together? And that 'blind' handholding was precious. There's so much to admire about the colors and style of the dresses. Ellis looked like a princess and you looked stunning. Looking forward to hearing more about this day.

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  17. Wow!! Congratulations to your entire family! What an absolutely stunning day! Every last detail and beautiful face just looks radiant! I look forward to more wedding posts and the story of your family's reuniting. :)

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  18. The wedding photos are gorgeous, Tamera. Congratulations to you and your family on this significant event. Your writing is as wonderful as always, and very tender. Your daughter makes a breathtaking bride. Thank you for sharing your elegant crowns with Hat Attack.

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  19. Congratulations to you and your lovely family. You looked regal and your daughter was glowing! Looking forward to the next part of this story. Cheers, Deborah

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  20. Best wishes to Ellis and Elliott . . . what a beautiful wedding so thoughtfully planned. The photography is amazing. I’m excited for your next post as the day continues to unfold for your delighted readers.

    I also want to thank you for sharing such very personal feelings around a family estrangement. You’ve written about this at a couple of times in past posts and while I haven’t commented, your words have been comforting for me as I navigate a similar heartbreak. Bless you for your bravery.

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  21. My heart's bursting! It's all so amazing, well done and congrats to the happy couple.

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  22. I am not sure why I am just getting this but am very happy I did.
    This is a gorgeous wedding from the flowers to the crowns.
    Where did the robes come from? I will haunt you forever until you tell me.

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