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Our Wedding Day
August 16, 2008
My faithful viewers ... if any of you are still there ... if there be any who have still yet kept the blog faith (is that sacriligious?) ... lend me your eyes! Oh my goodness, what a whirlwind of a month. I am so behind, of course, with my blog, and have so many pictures to show it's insane.
I am a married man. Oh Father, thank you for dear, wonderful Meliss! She is so dear to me, and such a priceless jewel. Words cannot describe my love and gratitude for her. Our wedding day was simply incredible. The Lord granted us perfect weather ... cloudy and cool ... which made for a surreal medieval atmosphere (and made the tiki torches look AWESOME).
Time is short ... so much shorter than my days as a bachelor, so for now, here is the wedding (second page coming next Friday ... then the honeymoon the week after, then our "cross-country" trip after the honeymoon, and then like everything else that's happened since then with the house and stuff. So, like, don't go anywhere! So much to come!
And a here we go a ...
Days before the wedding while in Boston. Uh, what are you doing? While walking to our car, we came upon these awesome fountain spouts that had stairs leading to them ... like they were made for running through ... and that's exactly what we did ... while fully clothed! It was such a blast! Only negative ... I left our new cell phone in my back pocket! AHHH!!!! Totally fried, and we had to buy a new one. Man, you know, it's so weird writing "we" now, instead of "I". So cool. :-)
Mama and Sarah and Elisabeth Hutchins look on in ... horror.
Something about being out on the city streets at night ... wet ... with your girl ... magical.
Thing 1 and 2 do their thing.
'Tis the day before the wedding, and the lasses are out to get their eyebrows threaded. Yeah, get their eyebrows threaded. You heard me right. Get their eyebrows threaded.
Couldn't pass this up.
The big day's tomorrow! Jeff Flynn prepares the incredible, the unbelievably awesome, the romantically indescribable "Cauldron of Love". Together, Meliss and I would light it with our respective unity torches. Nathan Daher and Jonathan Drake, two of my distinguished groomsmen, look on, while the groom chills.
Thanks for your help, guys! In the shades is Dave Balutis, with Jon Lueken and Ben Pulchinski (spelling corrections coming later families!) behind him.
That night it was time to test it out, and oh how awesome it looked. Thank you SO much, Jeff!
The wedding cake arrives, compliments of Mrs. Connie Mello! Look at it!! So gorgeous ... and get this, healthy! Anyone can make a beautiful cake, but to make a beautiful, healthy cake? Unheard of. Thank you SOOO much!
Meliss and I are granted a few moments together before bed. A time I will never forget. I love you, my dear wife.
Friday morning, enjoying some conversation with Mrs. Wendy Flynn. Yes, the butterflies were flapping about, but not as much as I had initially feared. Thank you, Lord. :-)
The bride gets her hair done by Leah Woolfenden, our incredibly talented hair dresser.
Such an answer to prayer to have Kalea and Jeremy at my wedding. Did you all know Jer and Danni had a son on July 3rd? A beautiful baby boy ... Keoni Jadorelle Niednagel ("Jon" in Hawaiian). Anyway, the story in a nutshell ... Danni was 2 weeks late with Keoni, and July 2nd had come. Jer had to make a decision. Stay, or go? Thinking the odds of Danni having the baby in the next two days were rather slim, he decided to go. Lo and behold, while traveling that next day, Danni gave birth. Praise God, all went well, which really was Jeremy's only major concern. Thank you, brother, for your incredible sacrifice to be there!
Dude, everybody's walking around with stinking cool hair! I'm the groom! My turn!
The ultimate double-take. I had NO IDEA someone would be providing a life-size horse for our wedding! LOL! Compliments of Ryan Leach. Thank you!
Yeah, and a knight. Stinking awesome.
Ms. Lady Tai. So great to finally meet you! :-)
Hey there Aidan Flynn. Thanks for the help!
Yes, it rained the morning of the wedding, which required the dumping of all chairs ... 400 of them.
Such awesome banners, created by Josh Lueken and sister Melanie. Muchas gracias!
The torches are lit.
Downstairs with the guys, moments before the ceremony was to begin. You look terrified. I was.
Hey quick! Let's go take some pictures before the ceremony starts! Love this one.
So cool.
Our medieval guest book.
Jon Lueken unravels the scroll, officially beginning the ceremony.
The men are called, as I lead them, quivering, in dignified procession.
I stop and stand aside, as they unveil their swords in front of me and head down the aisle.
Heading down the aisle, forming a line on each side.
Then came the flower girls. Dear Kalea was so cute (oh yeah, and the Flynn twins).
The time has come ...
The ladies await ...
... and come forth.
A maiden of purity is seen amidst the foliage.
She reveals herself.
My sister. My bride.
The men kneel. Jonathan later said he was more interested in my reaction, as you can see.
Jeff Flynn, looking vintage and keeping his composure, leads the ceremony.
Our talented photographer,
Mr. Fournier.
Mr. Thomas takes the hand of his daughter, as the bridesmaids look on.
The key to Melissa's heart, given to him when she was just a little girl to one day give to her future husband.
Such an overwhelming feeling to be given such a priceless token.
Incredible photography.
The groomsmen look on.
My Papa gives a speech. I told Meliss there were two things I was most looking forward to on July 4th ... marrying her, and seeing my dad sporting that getup.
Listening ... yet not listening ... :-)
The dear women who raised us to be who we are today.
Melissa's suggested comment for this pic ... "Check out our gorgeous hair".
The "Cauldron of Looooove."
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me ..."
I stare for as long as possible, then have to look away. Truly, eyes that melt a man.
The best man and maid of honor receive the rings.
And
they are given.
The moment of a lifetime. 26 years ... and 22 years ... of waiting to save our first kiss for each other.
From afar.
I love you.
And I love you.
We now present to you ... Mr. & Mrs. Niednagel.
The music is played, and the
bridesmaids book it.
As do the groomsmen ... sorta.
Mrs. Lueken ... we love you.
The dream comes true.
After the ceremony pictures coming soon ...
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