Wedding Day!

I woke up that morning feeling really calm. Everyone kept asking me how I was doing and if I was nervous. Getting married didn't actually seem real, even though it was just hours away. I had been waiting for this day for so long that I never felt like it would really happen I guess. I got ready with the help of my bridesmaids, then Aaron came to pick me up and from then it was just fun. I also remember traffic on the way to the church! I was so anxious to get there and it is like 2 minutes from the house I was staying at but it felt like it took forever. I may have to check with Aaron about the actual length of the car ride.

It was all good and fun until I was waiting to go into the chapel by my dad. Then it was all so real! It was finally happening!!! I held back tears as Ruth began to play “Maestro,” the song I had chosen to walk into. It was so beautiful. She did a fabulous job. I walked in with my dad and I think Naomi may have mouthed for me to slow down. I was so excited to see Nathan around the corner I didn't even really wait for her to adjust my train around the turn. I saw Nathan meet my eyes and he seemed to have the breath knocked out of him. I was very pleased by that reaction. :) I am sure I had a similar one because he looked so perfectly handsome.

The ceremony went really well. Abby and Hanna were wonderful flower girls, well, I'm assuming because they walked in before I did. Same with my bridesmaids, Melissa, Mary and Becca. Rocky gave a great speech and managed to keep the embarrassment minimal considering I have lived with his lovely wife and kids for a long time, ensuring that he knows interesting things about me... :) Nathan had Paul Wilkinson speak. He did well too. I won't forget the acronym he taught us, LCC. Love, communication, and something else. :)

We wed after the speeches. “I do” and all that good stuff. The rings were tough to get on! We were both quite nervous and therefore had puffy fingers. We then signed the register. While we were doing so Nathan and MY nieces and nephews sang “Families can be together forever.” It was so cute! I loved it and I love them! I really do absolutely adore my new nieces and nephews. After their number Melissa and Matt sang “The Luckiest” by Ben Folds. It was brilliant! They are so talented. I love when they perform. The Bishop gave some further words of wisdom and then we walked out of the chapel to another beautiful piece by Ruth. This one was an original written by her.

Nathan and I waited by the doors of the chapel as everyone walked by to congratulate us. Everyone was so friendly! Even though they didn't know me, everyone hugged me and quite a few kissed me! I felt very welcomed and in the end I feel like I had already met most of those who attended our wedding. That was one great blessing of coming to England a month early, I recognized a lot of people.

Everyone walked outside and made a line on both sides of us preparing to throw lavender at us. Nathan and I waited at the start of the line as everyone got into throwing positions. It was actually pretty scary. You should have seen little Jonas's face as he held that handful of lavender. The photographer gave us the thumbs up and we began to walk through. We got hammered by lavender. Some of the little ones even threw the cones that the lavender was in at us. All and all, very funny and I am sure we got some great pictures from it!

We began taking endless pictures while everyone else headed inside for the reception. The hall was awesome--- literally! Nathan's sisters are beyond amazing. They really understood how I wanted it to look in the hall and it turned out better than I could have ever expected. I am completely indebted to them! Best of all---- they found me Peonies!!!

The food was great and the speeches were perfect. My dad has never had to give a speech at a reception before but he did a fabulous job. Peter, the best man, gave a speech as well that was so funny and yet really did help me understand Nath a little bit better. Nathan's speech, of course, was my favourite. I was happy to hear that I have made the knot in the back of his head go away. That has been my goal since I first met him and he told me about it. I am so glad that he is so happy to be with me. Life is so so so good.

After the reception we were off to the temple. We got into Aaron's car and there was a bottle of Shloer and champagne glasses. Nice. It was a quick drive to the London Temple. We got there and realized my temple dress was in my parents car so we had to wait for them but after that we were on track. It was a wonderful sealing ceremony. I am so glad to be with Nathan not just in this life but for all eternity. I am so happy the temple allows families to be together forever.

I am now a part of the Mulligan family. Like! I speak for Nathan as well as myself when I say how grateful we are for all their love, help, and support throughout this journey. Everything has turned out better than we could have ever thought.

I am also very grateful to our Heavenly Father and all that He did to help everything work out. There were many times we fasted and prayed to ask for help over one thing or another and never once did we feel alone or hopeless. There were times when we were not sure things would work out the way we wanted but with a bit of faith, they always did. 

To learn more about how families can be together forever visit www.mormon.org