Our Wedding in Yellowstone

We are married! Yesterday for me began with my much talked about trip up the mountain at 6 am. I decided after a sleepless night that I'd had enough of starring at the ceiling fan. So I headed up the mountain to collect fresh lupine for the bouquets. It turned out to be a single, quiet, calm moment before a very long, busy day. Our wedding was perfect and beautiful in every way, but if I could change one thing, I just wish I hadn't been so nervous! I didn't like being the center of attention. Being a bride is nerve-wracking for a shy person!
The best part of it all was how everyone pitched in and took care of everything. Lexi and Andrea did my hair. Cass, Stephanie and Angela prepared the wildflower bouquets. My Mom, Aunt Janelle and Marsha organized the food. The guys ran around marking all the cars with hearts so our caravan could stay together on the way to Canyon. Lexi and Andrea rode in the Element with me and Daddy drove. We spotted a pair of sandhill cranes and took it as a good omen. At the Backcountry Office I was greeted by a kind NPS volunteer lady who let me change in their office. Andrea and Lexi had to put my hiking boots on me because the dress was so puffy. Then it was off to Artist's Point! Everyone else had arrived ahead and we walked up the trail toward Point Sublime as Dan played his guitar and sang Tom Petty's Wildflowers. We popped out in a cliff side clearing where everyone had gathered. Jeff looked very handsome in his suit and I felt much calmer as soon as I saw him. Dennis performed our ceremony from a pop-up book Andrea made for us. Everyone had a good laugh when a bee stopped in to visit the guy's boutonnieres mid-ceremony. We said our I dos, kissed and posed for photos with the group and with the Roaming Gnome.
After that we stopped at Lake Hotel for lunch and photos. Then we moved on to Old Faithful for ice cream and more photos. Three bikers offered dollars for a dance with me. Everywhere we went, I received congrats, compliments and adoring gazes from little girls. I tried to use my princess for a day status to score a trip up to the crow's nest above the Inn's lobby but it didn't work.
The reception people let us borrow a room to change out of our wedding clothes. Then we headed back to Gardiner, stopping at Grand Prismatic to ooh and aah over the colors. Our reception was in our living room back at Above the Rest. The dinner and cake were catered by the Gardiner School lunch lady. David, Lexi and Daddy made very touching toasts to us and everyone danced the night away to Dan's guitar music.