3 years into forever...

Husband and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary yesterday. He came home from work early, I cooked our traditional anniversary meal, and we shared a cupcake on a stick, which was about the size of my head layered with cake, nougat, fudge, and nuts.

Our favorite part of anniversaries (much like new years) is reflecting on what we've learned as a couple over the last year, how we've changed, how we haven't, how we've handled circumstances, and where we want to head in the future. But I won't bore you with all that nonsense ;)

Instead, here are some scanned-in favorite moments from our wedding day:

One of my favorite pictures--

my hair was all messed-up from dancing (this is no way for a bride to look! Plus my dress is all lopsided!), Husband was tired of having his picture taken, and that little boy was just dying to have some of the "giant Moon Pie" groom's cake!

It's such a perfectly imperfect photo-- so much more fun to look back on than the frozen formals :)

The flower girls-- both my cousins-- were so mischievous during the ceremony. They were filling Husband's pockets with rose petals and tugging on my sash, whispering and giggling-- just having a ball! My bridesmaids kept trying to grab them as they darted by behind the altar railing, but they were slippery as cod fish and wiggly as worms, the little rascals!

The tiny, 150-year-old country church I grew up in, was filled to the brim with people we are so fond of.

And last but not least:

The pictures I didn't see until after the wedding and honeymoon were over.

Husband and friends playing on the church playground just before the ceremony.

If Scattering Lupines suddenly disappears from the Internet, it's because my husband deleted it after seeing a picture of himself hanging upside-down in a tuxedo on monkey rings published on the WWW.

I hope you enjoyed the lighter moments of our wedding day as much as we did...

pieces of a jekyll island wedding

We went to a wedding in Jekyll Island, Georgia this weekend.

(I think I had the handsomest date there.)

The Rehearsal Dinner was held on the docks of a seafood bar.

I loved the clever little sign, but I wasn't so sure about the dollar bills stapled to the walls. It seemed like a waste of resources. Maybe they should try decorating with Monopoly money instead?

The ceremony was held under ancient Oak trees overlooking the ocean. The air was salty and windy,

And the colors and fabrics were ideal.

The island is protected by lots of conservation laws, so there is still an abundance of natural beauty. It was perfect for pictures,walks, talks, play, and I do's.

The little tins were party favors filled with

these M&Ms printed with "Thank You"s and a portrait of the couple from their engagement pictures.

The large driftwood centerpiece was made by the bride's mother and aunt from driftwood they found on the beach. I'm not sure who made the sign, but I loved it. They really did have lawn games. Croquet and horseshoes were set up on the lawn overlooking the beach.

The bride made all the bouquets and flower arrangements herself the day before the ceremony, and her friends and family helped set up the day of the wedding while the bride got dressed and took pictures. It all came together beautifully.

She found her vintage cake topper at Goodwill,

and filled the rest of the table with homemade pies:

It was an honor to be a part of such an event.

I'll share more pictures when the photographer sends the link.

the shower

There was candlelight with the photos of the Bride and Groom's engagement photo shoot,

There were lots of shells,

black pebbles, and signs made from old wood since the theme was "Vintage Maine."

I made these using plastic wine glasses, hot glue, and seashells the morning of the party. They matched the plates.

We used the top of the invitation as part of this centerpiece.

(I didn't remember to take pictures of everything until all the guests had arrived. So, between people milling around and the dim lighting, I don't feel like I got very good pictures. Ah, me circumstances!)

We borrowed an old carnival popcorn machine from my parents,

And it was a hit. The carnival elements fit well with the vintage theme and their "beach carnival" engagement pictures.

Simple touches were added here and there,

like limes floating in vases of sun-colored gerber daisies,

Lots of green,

In many forms,

And the sweets table,

which the bride

loved.

It was raining and chilly the day of the party, so we decorated the garage for more sitting area. This is what we did with the tool rack on the garage wall,

Using photos I took on my first trip to Maine and one of the pieces of old wood.

And we couldn't resist floating a lobster in the hot tub!

The bride and groom got lots of gifts from their registry,

And some they didn't register for!

I think it was a success.