addie+dustin

HEEEEEERE IT IS!!!!! Addie and Dustin’s surprise Florida wedding 😀

So, how did they pull it off? Well… Dustin told both families that he was planning to propose to Addie on a family vacation… thus, convincing ALL family members to GO on this vacation! They both invited everyone out to family dinner when Addie slipped on her ring and said something along the lines of “I know you all thought that Dustin was going to propose tomorrow on the cruise that we have planned… but the truth is, we’ve been engaged since October… and we’re getting married TOMORROW!!!!”

Meanwhile… Mike and I are attempting to be low key in this restaurant with our big fancy cameras waiting for the moment when Addie and Dustin stand up to make this announcement. Let me tell you this… after this experience… I learned that I could NEVER be a spy! I’m SO not good at being cool.

Addie’s moms reaction was the best 🙂 The next morning started with a deep sea fishing trip with all of the men. Uhm…. hello perfect teeth!!!!Here’s Dustin’s dad… I’m a big fan! 😀 You know… actually… I’m a big fan of the whole damn family. Dustin has two brothers… the three of them, along with their dad, are 4 of the most respectful men I’ve met. And their mom is just as incredible 🙂Going over his vows before walking down the aisle. Does anyone else think that Dustin looks like Clark Kent???? Meanwhile…

Addie and her mom are so incredibly close. Let me tell you… if I ever am going to be a mom, I hope to be just like her. 🙂 As they were applying her mom’s makeup she said, “This is much better than clown makeup!” I thought she was just being silly. I was wrong! It turns out that Addie, when she was a kid, decided she wanted to be a clown. So, Addie, along with her mother, enrolled in the local clown school. Together, they were a mother/daughter clown duo. There were many stories like this that I heard throughout the day… 🙂 You see, she supports and encourages every dream, as off the wall as it may sound, Addie has had. I truly believe that if Addie said to her mom, “I’m passionate about trash… and would love to be a garbage woman.” Her mother would say, “If you love it, I support you… now, let’s find the best garbage school in the world!” The flower girl wrote notes to Olin (Addie’s brother) and Dustin. Just in case you can’t read it, let me re-write what they say. 🙂

“dear Olin you are funny. you are not stupid you are awesome. you are a good man. you are nice. your a gentleman. you are very, very nice. I like you. I am glad my Grandma is you mom. wow you are twenty eight, dustin’s twenty eight, my mom is twenty eight”

“Dear Dustin I can’t belive that you are getting merried with addie. I am going to look pretty in my dress. Addie showed me my dress. it looked pretty. I even tryed on my dress. it was pretty. you were right I look like belle almost”Addie went to school to be a gold smith and jewelry artist… she made both her ring and Dustin’s cufflinks. 🙂 I’ve asked her to re-design my wedding set (but with the original diamonds)… she’s an incredible artist!I love being around Addie. She’s such a calming/happy/laid-back person.Meet Kristin, Addie’s very best friend, I adore her!Seeing her amazingness in the mirror for the first time 🙂HEEEEERE COMES THE BRIIIIIDE!!!!!If I could do my wedding over again…. I would have done it just like this. 🙂 Without context, this may seem like a silly photo. BUT… Addie is known for taking a photo of her feet at places and times that are significant to her. I just finished pouring over every image she has on her “Yes, I photograph my feet” Facebook album… I think she’s been doing this since 2008? It was fun to see when Dustin came into her life… all of a sudden, there were two sets of feet in every photo…. and as the months progressed… their legs/feet got more cozy with each other… 😀

Right at the end of the ceremony, before the recessional, they pulled up two chairs… someone threw her a camera as she asked everyone to get in on her feet photo. Of course, I took my own version over their shoulders. 🙂

This really and truly is one of the funnest traditions I’ve seen!
Then it was photooooo time!Hello pretty Florida light! Goodbye pretty Florida light…My favorite!!!! ❗

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treasure island, fla.

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their songs

first dance | “You Are the Best Thing” –Ray LaMontagne
father/daughter |“My Little Girl” –Tim McGraw
mother/son |”In My Life” –The Beatles (Thanks for the suggestion, Bobbi!!! 🙂 )

What was the most memorable moment of your day?
addie: After the entire day was over, Dustin and I walked along the beach from the wedding site back to our hotel. It was just us, the sound of the surf, and that amazing Super Moon casting our shadows on the sand. We found the place on the beach where our ceremony was held; even in the moonlight we could see where the canopy and aisle had been. Dustin carefully collected some of our rose petals that were still scattered on the sand. Walking along the beach in the dark, holding his hand, it finally hit me that we were really, really, actually, really married. It felt like gravity kicked in, and I couldn’t stop grinning.
dustin: …I have two. The first was when I was excitedly waiting under the canopy as Addie was coming towards us. I was facing the ocean so I couldn’t sneak a peek. When the officiant finally said “Go ahead. Take a look at your bride,” I turned around. She was perfect. I spent the rest of the ceremony a)blown away by her beauty and b)trying to hold it together. The second was walking down the beach to our hotel at the end of the night, seeing the spot that the canopy was set up, the rose petals still laying in the sand, and the super moon beaming across the ocean. It was the perfect end to our day.

What was your favorite detail?
addie: It had to be “the bell.” It’s this traditional paper accordion decoration that’s held a special place at major celebrations on my Mom’s side of the family for generations. My relatives in Minnesota were kind enough to ship the delicate heirloom down for the ceremony (and to keep the secret from my mom). That bell is pure history. When my husband and I signed the cardboard on the inside, it felt like we were taking our place in a long line of love and celebration. We added our signatures just below where my namesake, my great-grandmother Addie, and her husband signed it in 1912.

dustin: I was trying to think of a certain item that was my favorite detail. The cuff links that Addie made for me and surprised me with moments before the ceremony are just plain badass. The seashell that we used as our guestbook is such a great detail that makes me so happy every time I see it. Even the location was meaningful. We were married in front of the condo that Addie’s grandma bought decades ago. Addie had so many wonderful childhood memories there with her family, and it was great to be able to give this place she loves such meaning for us as well. But my favorite part was feeling the love we had surrounding us. With the exception of a few accomplices, the majority of our family members had no idea about the wedding. They were willing to fly across the country and/or drive hours to see what they thought was our engagement, and celebrate our love for one another. When they found out it was a wedding they were even more excited, and jumped in to help with last-minute errands and details. They went above and beyond. The love and support that our families have for us is so wonderful and it was so apparent that day.

Any advice for future bride/grooms?
addie: Okay, I’m just going to assume you’re hiring Bobbi+Mike. Because really, what’s the point otherwise? 😉 They will make your day (and your mementos of it) incredible, guaranteed. Plus they’re just plain fun! As for actual advice: Schedule in backup time for your backup time. Seriously. The best way you can take care of yourself is by allowing more than enough room for error. Let go of the little things – they’re not going to matter later anyway. Be fully present and aware in each moment; enjoy items it happens. Oh, and if you’re on the fence, don’t see each other until the ceremony. It was so magical walking toward my groom down that aisle, and feeling all those overwhelming emotions for the first time with everyone and their love surrounding us.
dustin: Enjoy it. The day goes so fast and it can be stressful but it’s your wedding day. The only thing that truly matters is that you’re celebrating your love with the ones that you care about most

Funniest memory from your wedding day?
addie: I loved the ridiculousness of my honorary bridesmaid Bobbi and my best friend Kristin, the two SHORTEST people in the entire bridal group, helping me (a 5’9″ bride) into my wedding gown. Kristin had to stand on the sofa to hold the long dress, and Bobbi helped maneuver the layers of fabric around while I wriggled up from underneath, all of us working together trying not to smudge my makeup, mess up my hair, or crush the delicate orchid. It was entertaining to say the least. And we were all pretty stoked when we actually pulled it off without incident.

dustin: Trying to cross this insanely busy roundabout to get to the reception cruise. We were having the hardest time when Addie just raises up her bouquet like she was charging into battle and marches us across the street while cars all around us honked, waved, and cheered!

If you could do it all over, would you change anything?
addie: As amazingly perfect as the day turned out for us (and it was!), I think a little more buffer time in the itinerary would’ve lessened the day’s stress and given us more time with Bobbi+Mike. Granted, we got to see them work their ‘A game’ in triple-time, which is IMPRESSIVE. (They’re like some sort of highly-adaptable photographing machine!) But part of me wishes we’d had more time to relax in the in-between points; the day truly went by in a blur.
dustin: Not a thing.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?
addie+dustin: We spent our vacation time with our families for the week before the wedding, so we didn’t go on a traditional honeymoon afterward. We’re planning on taking our real honeymoon next winter. We’re thinking somewhere quiet and tropical – any suggestions?

their songs

addie+dustin

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