j + c {11.19.11}

Part 1


a few things up front:
*for those of you who have heard me tell this sweet story 528 times, sorry. here it is again.  enjoy the pics!
*for those of you that haven't heard about it, i wish i could tell you in person; because i love the details {that i'll never be able to convey through these words} and because i'll never get tired of talking about it...never.
*i thought i may wait and post when we got the photog's pics, but i can't wait. so these pics are just an assortment from several friends & family members there that day. 

. . . . 

my brother josh and his gal christina were married on our farm

just a few saturdays ago.
he made her a wooden engagement ring in october of last year. then only a few months ago, they decided to have a little ceremony on this particular weekend to coincide with "frolona fest" {an old time/folk/bluegrass festival held on our farm}
made sense; coupling an afternoon wedding with an already happening pickin party, music festival and all out celebration.

the planning and details were simple.

30 ish people. close family and friends.
an email invite.
ceremony in a pasture. lunch reception on our front porch.
menu: pinto beans, collard greens {josh grew} and cornbread. sweet tea.
no wedding cake, just homemade vanilla ice cream + cookies

i showed up late thursday night ready to help with any lingering details the next day, so i asked christina about the logistics, location, etc...and it was that conversation that set the precedent for the weekend and opened my eyes to a new appreciation of what really matters:

me: so, I know the lunch will be on the front porch, where's the ceremony?
  c: oh, i don't know, i was just waiting for you to get here so you could decide.
me: wait, what?! this is your wedding! in less than 2 days!! isn't there like a special place y'all love? or haven't you scoped out at least a probable place already? {the event planner in me was fuhh-reeaakking out}
  c: i mean, no, not really. laurel, there are hundreds of acres of beautiful land here. it'll work out and be perfect where ever. really, it doesn't matter. i trust your judgement and will love where ever you choose.

and she was right. the focus should have been on the sentiment of what is happening at the ceremony and the people who were choosing to come and share it with you.

i will forever remember the overwhelming relief, the kind of beautiful-punch-in-the-gut feeling of  
"this is what a wedding is meant to be".
{and it was a mighty realization, as i'm no stranger to a wedding; i retired my eleventh bridesmaids dress in may}

i brainstormed & declared a location. roughly wrangled the logistics and instantly created and committed to a vision in my head. bright and early the next morning, we we ready.
ready to work, ready to put our time, love, opinions and style into a day that was already
perfect.
perfect because it's intentions were genuine.

we gathered a variety of pieces from around the house and farm, loaded them into an old wooden crate, drove the mule out to the sight where Christina and i spent two hours talking, laughing, catching up, being quiet, talking it all in.
...like we were draping a special strand of pearls on our sweet countryside.
for a wedding, a mere day away. 

then came saturday.
    and this day...

this day changed me.

it restored my
faith
in a lot of things:

simplicity, people,

the earth, 
and
love.

Christina had several options for what she would wear on her day and ended up deciding to tea-dye an old peasant skirt she already had, and a blouse she bought off of etsy the week before.  she had never tea-dyed anything before, and did it on Friday afternoon in our kitchen, mind you.

she paired the pieces with her favorite lace-up leather boots and tied it together with a killer vintage belt {who has a story of it's own, to be shared soon.} it was "her" to a tee.
josh wore his "sunday best". khakis, plaid shirt, suspenders, boots and his hat.
about an hour before the ceremony they walked to the cabin on the hill with a handful of fruit. and stayed there until their friends and family arrived.

everyone loaded up on a hay ride trailer, the tractor driven by my adorable Uncle O, to arrive at the ceremony site.
there were no designated sides and only a few seats.
everyone stood together.
a fiddler began playing and the sound literally filled and floated through the air, over that pasture and back again.

we watched as they walked down that hill together, josh with his hands in his pockets
her arm in his
the dogs by their sides.
it was an image that everyone there
is still talking about it
though no one can seem to truly put it into words.

as they approached the familiar faces waiting for them at the bottom of the hill,
everyone parted with no prompt, to make a natural aisle
and there was hardly a dry eye in sight.

josh's best friend, dustin, officiated the ceremony, 
it was witty, unbearably sweet, honest and real.
written entirely by josh & christina.

precious "black dog", our elderly and beloved farm dog, stayed by josh's feet the entire ceremony
it was unplanned but completely perfect, as "black dog" became the unofficial best man, watching his every move, never leaving his side. and every few minutes josh would gently reach down and rub his head.
i completely came apart the moment "black dog" perched at josh's side.

they exchanged wooden rings, made for each other in josh's wood shop

and spoke what my Aunt B called "the sweetest vows she'd ever heard".

and as they were announced husband and wife, we sealed the celebration with a little surprise my sister pallie and i pulled off. on the hayride over, we gave each person kazoos and slide whistles to blow as the walked back down the aisle
together.

some folks decided to walk back to the house, as it was a perfectly sunny day.
others rode the hayride back, with the bride and groom.
then everyone gathered on the front porch for special southern fare: beans, greens and cornbread.
i spent hardly a dime on decor; gathering books from our library as an homage to my brother, burlap and old boxes, simple fresh flowers...delightful, indeed.
music filled the air. families and strangers and friends connected and captured underneath a sweet georgia afternoon.
it was refreshingly relaxed, bursting with love and complete joy.

and the sun slipped west and cornbread hangovers ensued, 
some of us napped, 
others played around the farm

hiked or played music... 

and as dusk fell, the lights became bright, instruments tuned, 
campers parked, tents erected, firewood gathered...
friends, family, strangers, hometown folks...all came out for 
Frolona Fest.

and, oh, was it a celebration!
more on that little slice of magic next...
 . . . . . .

over a week later, as I processed this part of the day, discussing it with friends who were there as well, the conclusion came to us all that it just felt like a dream. and all I can comprehend and convey is that i am completely honored and lucky to have been a part of what I can only call, almost magic.