I shared with y’all last week about how wonderful it was getting ready the morning of our wedding (if you missed it, you can read about it here). After the hair was done, the mimosas had been sipped, and the dresses were on, it was just about time to walk down the aisle. Before I did however, there were a few quiet moments I wanted to have in the midst of the fastest day of my life.

Prior to our wedding, Jody and I planned to exchange letters that we penned to one another along with a special gift we separately picked out. We were careful to keep these gifts a surprise, so we didn’t have any idea of what each person got the other.  In all of the hustle and bustle of the morning, we almost forget to exchange our gifts! While my mom and sister were helping me into my dress, I had one of my bridesmaids deliver my gift to Jody to the room where he and the guys were getting ready. Once we were both dressed, it was time to have a quiet moment to exchange our gifts.

The only person who was aware of what both gifts were, was my mom.  Just days before the wedding, when Jody had asked her to help wrap his surprise, she discovered that Jody and I purchased the same thing for each other!  She did an amazing job keeping the secret — I’m not sure I would have been able keep the smile down and stay hushed! We both got each other compasses — his for his desk, and mine a pocket – something that speaks to a personal representation of how we would continue to love each other no matter the distance or place, and to always come back to one another no matter the obstacle. To this day, I still have absolutely no explanation for how we both chose the same gift other than our hearts are clearly meant to be one.

I love our expressions when we realized what happened! 🙂

As much as we wanted to do a first look, we mutually desired to save that moment for when I walked down the aisle. However, we still wanted to have a moment together. I knew if I was emotional, he would be the way to calm me down, and I knew I’d do the same for him, if his nerves began to creep up. We decided to hide around the door to my bridal suite, not visible to one another, only touching hands for a few moments prior to the ceremony.  It was a bit more challenging to coordinate as guests had begun to arrive at this point, and me and my bridesmaids needed to be escorted to where we would wait for the ceremony.

With Laura and Rob both in my suite, I heard them give Jody the okay to come close. Similar to anticipation on Christmas Eve, the world stood still as he approached. Just seconds later, I felt his hand slip into mine as I reached around the door.

“Hi babe.”

My entire body relaxed the second I heard his voice. After the past few hours of anticipation, I was suddenly filled with a sense of calm.  Jody would later tell me his heart raced from excitement during that meeting and never truly settled down, something that he fondly remembers each day.  Every moment of our story had led us to this moment, to the moment when we would “I do”, and to every moment after. I’m forever grateful that we decided to share just a few minutes together. The way I felt when I heard his voice, when he touched my hand, and especially a little later as I saw him at the other end of the aisle, are the moments I hope to hold onto and remember, as if it were yesterday, for as long as I live.