our wedding: to have and to hold

{wedding, this way}

{here comes the bride}

{my handsome husband}

{can't wait}

{always and forever}

{try not to cry}

{to have and to hold}

{husband and wife}

{with this ring}

{happily ever after}

Our ceremony was the most magical part of the entire wedding... We got married at my parent's horse ranch, which backs to a beautiful mountain preserve. Family flew in from New Zealand, Canada, Singapore and Mexico. It was so wonderful to have our closest family and friends be a part of this special day. Back at the house, my dad and I shared a quiet moment before the ceremony... He closed his eyes and said a prayer for God to watch over and protect our new little marriage and told me what a wonderful man he thought Kiwi was. His voice caught in his throat and I couldn't stop the tears from coming. It was such a beautiful moment, I'll never forget it.

After the tears dried, I felt strangely calm. I took a deep breath and knew I was ready to marry the love of my life. Sea Breeze by Tyrone Wells {our favorite song} played on an acoustic guitar as I walked down the aisle. We were married by a dear family friend who has known me since childhood. Our wedding reading was an excerpt from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran:

Love has no other desire than to fulfill itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for your beloved in your heart

and a song of praise upon your lips.

We exchanged rings and sealed the deal with a kiss. As we walked back down the aisle, hand in hand, the sun was just starting to set over the mountains. I couldn't help but be completely overwhelmed by the love I felt for the man at my side. My husband, always and forever.

{all photos by Brittany Strebeck}