Our Wedding (13 Years Later)

Dan and I were married on August 8, 1998, 13 years ago today ☺ 

Now, the background!

We grew up going to the same church, but never knew each other.  He went to the church's school, I went to the public school.  They sat on the organ side, we sat on the piano side.  We didn't really have a youth group, so we didn't meet that way.  I do remember waiting to go in for choir one Sunday when I was 16 and they were talking about the fact that Mary Dempsey had just died and that Dan was only 18.  I remember thinking how hard it must be to lose your mom when you were that young.  Little did I know, it was my future mother-in-law!

Flash forward to April of 1997.... Dan is back from serving in the Army in Korea and his 6th grade teacher (now my co-worker - still teaching 6th grade) introduces him to me so he would know someone in the college and career Sunday School class and be more willing to come.  Okay, Hello nice to meet you.

June of 1997, I go back to Brazil to take a Teacher Training Course to possibly teach English (again) in the school there.

August 8, 1997, I return to the USA and the next 6 months are filled with me seeking God's will and direction in my life as to what He wanted me to do, where He wanted me to do it, and with whom.   During this time, I am going to Sunday School and Bible study and doing things with other members of my class.  This often times included Dan.  He started coming to the school to talk and following me home. 

Feb 13, 1998, Dan & I go on our first "real" date (as in we were the only two and he paid for my meal)

More and more, conversations started including things like, "when we get married".  Around Easter time, there was a nice small engagement ring on sale at Wards and my mom gave Dan the ad. 

April 13, 1998, during our conversation, Dan asked, "So when did you want to get married?  You had said August."  I said, "August 8, 1998 sounds good."

April 16, 1998, Dan asked if I was free on Saturday because he couldn't find the ring we were talking about.  So we went and picked out the ring and on the way, Dan asked, "You are going to marry me, right?"

So, now, you know the rest of the story ☺

And now the pictures...

Dan with the groomsmen, my brother and Dan's mom's brother

Getting last minute directions from John.
Our church did not currently have a pastor, so our friend, John Bole did the ceremony

Lighting the candles.
 Left is Brian Fikkert, our Sunday School teacher,
Right is Steve Swart, one of the foursome who most often did stuff together (which included Dan & I) and our soloist

Dean & Amy coming in

Roger & Rachel coming in

My sisters, my bridesmaids ☺

Dad & I coming in

Dan waiting for me

With this ring....

Lighting the unity candle

the kiss

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Dempsey

my mom's parents leaving the church

The first couple is my mom's sister and her husband
the second couple is Dan's dad's sister and her husband

Dan's aunt and Gib - our photographer.
Gib had graduated from the school in 1997 and was on the yearbook staff.
I gave him my camera, tons of film and $40 to take pictures of the wedding.

My family ☺
My niece, who was 19 months old, was not in the wedding, but my sister made her a matching dress

I love how Marissa is watching us

Our cake was made by a lady in the reenacting group we were in

Cutting the cake

The cake being served

Me with Tena, my mistress of ceremonies and co-worker

I LOVE this picture of my grandpa (left) and Dan's uncle, both WWII vets talking

Rachel and I with our inside joke gift ☺

The rice--
at this point, the horsehair braid on the hem of my dress got caught on the doorframe and I was stuck!

We look so young, which at 26 and 28, we weren't incredibly young, but I guess compared to 13 years later, we were young!
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