Sarah's Southern Wedding

Last night, I returned from a fabulous weekend in Georgia where I attended the wedding of my dear friend, Sarah.  We first met as mission companions in Montreal almost 18 years ago.  We also were roommates my last semester at BYU in 2000 and backpacked through Europe together during the summer of 2002.  She visited me in Huntington Beach and I visited her in Washington DC.  And thanks to us both being from the Seattle area, we have seen each other numerous times over the years.  Needless to say, we go way back.  This past weekend, our mutual good friend, Carrie, and I both flew to Atlanta to attend Sarah's wedding.  Carrie and I haven't seen each other in 6.5 years and we had the best time palling around with each other.  We shared a hotel room and a rental car and I seriously felt like we were back in college again.  She just makes me laugh so hard!  We had so much fun helping Sarah's family get ready for the wedding, attending the rehearsal dinner and the wedding, and talking until the wee hours of the night.  It was a well-needed girls' weekend and I am so happy for Sarah and this big milestone she has been waiting so long to take.

After helping Sarah with various wedding preparations on Friday, Carrie and I headed off to Senoia for the rehearsal dinner held at an Irish pub and restaurant.  When we arrived there, we stumbled across one of the cutest, quaintest towns I have ever seen in America.  The Main Street looked like it hadn't changed in over 100 years.  After driving around the surrounding neighborhood and oohing and awing over all of the charming, Southern houses with their wrap around porches and columns, we parked our car and got out to walk to the restaurant.  That is when we discovered that this town is home to the current, popular T.V. show, "The Walking Dead."  In addition, several movies like Driving Miss Daisy, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Sweet Home Alabama have been filmed here.  

Posing on an adorable table found outside one of the stores on Main Street.  Notice that there is even a chandelier hanging outside the store.  

Sarah, Carrie, and I inside the private room of Maguires Irish Pub where the rehearsal dinner was held.  It was such a rustic and cool restaurant to eat in!

Carrie and I returned back to Sarah's fiance's family farm in Brooks on Saturday morning to spend the rest of the morning and afternoon helping decorate the barn for the wedding reception.  Since wedding planning is my secret, dream job I loved spending hours decorating the tables with the rest of Sarah's family.  We finished 40 minutes before the wedding ceremony was to start.  Here is the finished product!  It turned out beautiful--especially in the evening with the candles all lit.

A close-up of one of the tables.

The wedding cake.

One of the many hand painted signs that led the way from the farm house down to the oak trees where the ceremony was held.

Sarah walking through the field with the help of her two sisters.

Sarah's dad meeting her to walk her the rest of the way to the trees.

The large wreath that hung between the two oak trees where they were married.

The local bishop marrying Sarah and Tom.

Sarah's immediate family after the ceremony.

Since Carrie took the pictures for Sarah's wedding, I was able to to help her with a bunch of the bridal couple pictures after the ceremony was over.  They were blessed with some amazing, late afternoon light and a light breeze that did wonders with Sarah's long veil.  Look at that shot that even my cheap camera got!

Us three girls (yes, Carrie chose to wear pants because she knew that she would be running all over the place taking pictures).

A close-up to hide Carrie's pants and rain boots!

After dinner, Sarah and Tom cutting the cake.

And, of course, feeding it to each other!

Sunday morning began with taking Carrie to the Atlanta Airport.  I then set out on a little adventure for a few hours before my flight.  I first drove north to Alpharetta to check out the American Girl Doll Store in Georgia.  I had some free time before meeting my in-laws and this seemed like the perfect way to spend it.

Lia and I get a kick out of exploring other American Girl Doll stores to compare the similarities and the differences with our own.  Plus, it's just fun to wander around one of these amazing stores.  Here is a close-up of the amazing Lea Clark rainforest house.  

And a close-up of the Lea Clark cookies (that I had to show my own Lia) that are decorated exactly like the cover of her books!

After exploring the AGD store, I drove about 45 minutes East to meet my brother-in-law, Robbie, and my sis-in-law, Austin, in the town of Conyers.  Although they live in South Carolina, they agreed to drive a little over two hours to see me which was so nice of them.  It was so good to visit with them for a few hours over Mexican food and while wandering around a local monastery after wards.  It was the perfect way to wrap up this wonderful weekend!