Best day ever!

Last Tuesday, September 30th, I had my wedding day, which people have described as the best day ever.

Since I was a child, I always dreamed of my wedding, and this was just as I had dreamed, only this dream came true later in life, when I least expected it. I have been engaged many times in life. I love hard. I have planned a wedding or two, and I never show up. In this life, I could have been married and divorced many time but in my heart it never felt right. I had this overwhelming feeling by thirty that I had met my husband, but I messed it up. I could never explain this feeling, it just sat heavy in my heart. I met and worked with Allan almost 20 years ago (before I was thirty). He reached out and I never would have expected that a message last summer would have me married. How quickly life can change. I was happy to have found my person but heartbroken that my dad and my Opa would not be there to walk me down the aisle.

We planned our wedding doing our best to honour those who couldn’t attend. September 30 is my dad’s birthday, and it just so happened to fall on a Tuesday. I was born on a Tuesday and married on a Tuesday. We contacted a few places trying to coordinate this special day, but we were not having any luck until the perfect place agreed, and I knew in my heart it was meant to be. Life has always had a funny way of working out perfectly when I least expect it. I got married at Kinsip, a distillery that backs onto my grandparent’s farm. We immediately thought that we should have someone in our family marry us. Family is everything to us. This turned out to legally be harder than we thought. This again worked out perfectly. My Gran knew a gal from a horse group who is an officiant, and from the moment we met her it was like a family member marrying us. She fit it just like she belonged, like she was family. We had two ceremonies in the same hour. One legal and one by a loved one, both with views of a red barn. We were legally married at my grandparent’s farm, something my Opa always talked about and something I had dreamed about my whole life. Cue the waterproof mascara. I framed a picture of my Opa and brought him with me throughout the day. I can be seen in front of the red barn in a pretty dress, full on ugly girl crying because I know you would have loved the day. Opa I could see and feel the smile you would have added to the day. I know you were right there with me. I could feel it, and I picked up on the signs you left me.

We left the farm in a bright yellow VW bus, thank-you Westy Wine Tours. We made the short drive around the block, but all three of us my son included, can agree that was one cool bus. We arrived to twenty-two of our favourite people. We were married by my mother- in-law in the cutest ceremony filled with loving words and hugs. We were married in front of their red barn, and yes, the farm does have a peacock. I was terrified to read my vows. I love to write, but I have never been a fan of reading out loud. When I sat down to write my vows, I knew I had to include my grandparents they are the reason I believe in love. I had to read those pages several times in order to stop crying, but I felt like I tied in what it was like growing up watching, waiting, dreaming and finally getting to experience it for myself. I have never been loved the way my husband loves me.

I added my grandmas and my cousin Tessa who have passed and who I know would have loved the day into my flowers. My grandma Davis (my dad’s mom) always had marigolds, and my dad always planted them every year and I have kept that tradation going. For Grandma Davis, I added marigolds. My Oma (my mom’s mom) forget-me-nots were always something she loved and my something blue. For Oma, I added forget-me-nots. Tessa loved lilacs, and while I couldn’t find purple ones, I did find white bridal ones. For Tessa, I added lilacs. I had the flowers facing my heart, and on the front of the bouquet I had three little pictures of the girls coming down the aisle, and all around the wedding, I know you ladies would have loved the day.

While I did my best to honour those who have passed, I also had tears looking out at our guests, to my family and friends who showed up for me, who have always been there for me through it all. I have lived a life! I am honoured and thankful for my new family and friends that blending our lives has given us. While I have lost a few, I have gained some of the best people, and my heart has never felt this full.

Thank-you to everyone who helped make our dreams come true with the best day ever. Thank-you to my mom for all the dress alterations and the amazing decor set up and take down. Mom, you honestly should be in the wedding business. Thank-you to my mother-in-law for marrying us and making the most beautiful and delicious cake, with each of us getting to pick our own flavour layer, it was perfect. Thank-you to my brother Jesse for capturing gorgeous pictures and admitting that even he loved the wedding. Thank-you to my stepsisters Sarah and Shelly for the bachelorette party of my dreams, for coming to the hotel and helping me get ready the hair was perfect, for all the pictures, the rides, also for all the years we didn’t have to be sisters but we chose to stay together, I love you girls! Thank-you Auntie Kirsten, for helping me into the dress and not melting down when it wasn’t done up right, for help setting up, taking down and recommending the whiskey sour. Thank-you Gran, for being my biggest role model when it comes to love, for allowing me to live out my kid dream and be married on the farm, for always knowing an officiant and a witness or two, for holding the Opa picture and always knowing what to say. Thank you to my son who held my hand all day. When I cried that I didn’t have my dad or my Opa to walk me down the aisle, without a moments hesitation he said, mom you got me. He looked so grown up in his navy blue suit walking me down the aisle not to give me away but to join in becoming a Mitchell, it was perfect.

Our day, while it was loosely what I dreamed as a child, it was everything that we are now as adults. It was no stress, no pressure besides the public speaking, but even that went smoothly. It was on a farm with the people we love. Great food, Bike Mike’s BBQ, you outdid yourselves. A simple bonfire with marshmallows, excellent drinks, and even better company. It is true that the day goes by in a blink of an eye, but the memories we will keep in our hearts forever. As I look at my wedding ring, I know this is exactly where life was taking me.

I am in the process of changing my last name, something I said I would never do. Never say never, because it could always happen. I hope I never win the lotto ha. I have spent my whole life being a Davis, and I feel like I will continue writing under Davis because this gift given to me, the gift of stories, is from my dad. I hope to get back into the Tuesday writing flow!

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