Love and Marriage

My Not So Fairy Tale Wedding

Elisha

While living in Florida during my younger and much cuter years, I met my future husband in the fifth grade and immediately thought he was dorky.  He waved his hands to classical music after lunch, wore turtle necks almost every day, and kept his hair swooped to the side.  However, by the sixth grade, cupid hit me with his arrow and Daniel’s solid colored turtle necks and dorky personality made him the boy of my dreams. Unfortunately, we never had the chance to become high school or college sweet hearts because after my eighth grade year, my family and I moved to Southern Illinois in order to be closer to family.  Although despite the miles between us, we still kept in touch occasionally by chatting on Yahoo Messenger (old school) or sending the occasional letter (seriously old school).  But as years passed, I always thought he was cute.  I always thought he was sweet. And I always knew he would make an amazing husband to a very lucky lady; I just never thought in my wildest dreams the lucky lady would be me.

And so it is eight years ago today, after only six short months of long distance dating and only one quick month of being engaged, I said “I do” to my hunka burnin love on the sandy shores of the U.S. Virgin Islands.  To most people the day could be described as anything but a fairy tale. But to me?  It couldn’t have been more perfect.  My life as Mrs. Kearns started at 10:00am on August 17, 2006 when I walked on to Sugar Beach holding flowers that were not the bright colored tulips I had ordered, while wearing a dress worth only $110 from White House Black Market and an engagement ring that cost less than $300.  My hair was anything but fancy as I had fixed it the same way I would for church, a casual date, or a shopping trip to the mall.  Nonetheless, I felt beautiful because of the one who stood beside me…my future husband.

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Daniel couldn’t have looked more handsome as he wore a blue button down shirt and khaki pants that I found on sale at Express.  Inside his left pant pocket were our wedding bands, each worth only $100.  We didn’t have two pennies to rub together at the time.  And how could we?  I was fresh out of college, on the job hunt, and he was still attending engineering courses at the University of Florida.  However, money didn’t matter, the clothes didn’t matter, and the cost of our rings?  They didn’t matter and still do this day do not matter.

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It wasn’t a large wedding with aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.  It wasn’t even a small wedding with just parents, grandparents and siblings.  Instead, by choice, our guest list consisted of only the photographer, his assistant, and the minister whom we had only met minutes before. When planning (if you want to call it that) our wedding, I often wondered if I would regret not having anyone else attend and since then many people have asked me if I do.  And my answer?  Our answer?  Nope. Never once have we regretted it being just the two of us. 

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Every wedding has that one funny or awkward moment right?  Well, I most assuredly had mine.  I will never forget the exact moment when during the exchanging of vows, with my hair blowing in the wind and constantly landing unattractively inside my mouth, I pronounced my name wrong.  Yep! On purpose too!  You see, I am not one to think about the need to correct others when they pronounce my name incorrectly because all of my life, people always have, even my Grandma.  However, once the ceremony began and the camera started rolling, I instantly realized how important it was when I heard her pronounce my name wrong as she asked me to repeat, “I, Elisha (EEE–LEASH-A), take you Daniel…”

I instantly started to panic!  With only about 2.5 seconds to decide if I should use her pronunciation (EEE-LEASH-A) or the correct one (E (as in egg)-LISH (ryhmes with dish) A, I frantically chose hers as I didn’t want to embarrass or make her feel uncomfortable or possibly awkward for not saying my name properly…what was I thinking?!

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(This is me laughing after I pronounced my name wrong…)

Friends, as you can see, nothing about our wedding day could be described or thought of as a fairy tale.  You won’t find it published and sitting next to stories like Cinderella, Snow White, or The Little Mermaid.  However, despite the wrong flowers, frizzy hair, cheap rings, short guest list, and the miss pronunciation of my name, it ended up being everything I could have ever wanted.  It was a fairy tale.  At least to me.  Because at 10:00am on August 17th, 2006, in front of three complete strangers, I married my Prince Charming.

And it’s been over the course of our marriage that much like our wedding day, nothing has been “fairy tale material.”  And nothing has gone according to plan.  But you know what? Life isn’t always going to be perfect.  It’s not always going to look like the stories you read in magazines, books or see on television.  And for me, that’s okay.  Because I can honestly say that just like I wouldn’t go back and change a single thing about my wedding day, I also wouldn’t go back and change a single second of the amazing life we have already shared together.  I know that God has great plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and I look forward to watching them unfold while holding the hand of my once dorky, turtle neck wearing, classical music composing hunka-burnin-love.

I love you Dannies and I can’t wait for the next eighty-eight years with you!

XOXO

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The View from our Balcony

Here is the view from our balcony.  It is one of five pictures that we have from the trip because I accidentally dropped our only camera (which was new) on the rocks within the first hour of arriving.  We did purchase lots of disposable cameras in order to capture the memories but the x-ray machines at the airport ruined them on the flight home.  Good times!

79 thoughts on “My Not So Fairy Tale Wedding”

  3. Beautiful! Simpler weddings are better, and I’ve heard destination is much less stress and less expensive, more enjoyable for the couple. We kept our guest list very intimate (to us) and I’m so glad we did. I don’t like going to weddings where you never speak to the bride and groom because there are too many people – seems like it’s just a big production. I wouldn’t change a thing about our wedding day, but I admire that you guys did it just for the two of you and within your budget. Happy anniversary!

  4. Nothing needs to be fancy to have a memorable and fairytale wedding. You looked gorgeous, Daniel looked handsome, and you had the biggest and brightest smile. Happy anniversary! You guys have gone through so much and are still standing strong with each other. That’s so great! I hope that after 8 years, you have started to correct people on their pronunciation of your name. 🙂

  9. Happy Anniversary!! My wedding day was far from a fairy tale too. In hindsight it kind of set us up for a future of knowing everything wouldn’t go perfectly in our lives.

  11. Happy anniversary! You are gorgeous!! Our wedding didn’t go exactly as planned, but at the end of the day we have each other and that’s all that matters.

  12. Your wedding sounds absolutely amazing! What a cute story to share with your ( definitely happening) future kids! 🙂

  14. Sounds a lot like my wedding, we got married on Grand Cayman Island…the whole thing (including a photographer, justice of the peace, cake, and champagne) cost $300. lol. Your pics are gorgeous! Happy anniversary!

  15. 1) I’m so glad I now know how to correctly pronounce your name. I had always wondered!
    2) There is so much to be said for a simple, inexpensive wedding. Although mine was relatively inexpensive compared to most weddings, I still wish we could’ve eloped or just done a courthouse wedding. (All the money would’ve come in handy for our fertility treatments now! Ha!)

    The pictures are beautiful! Happy Anniversary!

    1. Thank you so much girlie! Don’t worry about the money for your treatments…God will never lead you to do something without providing His provision. Keep trusting 🙂

  16. Love it!! We had a very similar wedding (marriage certificate that morning, the two of us in the pastors office just before lunch, witnesses were two staff members we grabbed before they went in break, I even wore a WHBM sweater!). Perfectly imperfect 🙂 Congratulations!

  17. Honestly, I think that sounds like a perfect wedding. Romantic and intimate, with sand and ocean as far as the eye can sea. You looked beautiful! I’d give it a 10. And congrats on 8 years! XOXO

    2. It was amazing and no stress! The minister met us at our resort room with my flowers (wrong ones) in hand and we walks down to the beach, sand our vows and within an hour we were back in our bathing suits! Perfect day!

  18. Happy Anniversary!! Although not traditional or predictable, you have some very unique memories from your wedding and I think that’s even more special. Hope you have a lovely day together 🙂

    1. Hey sure are unique! Lol! We have a video of it all so that my family could watch it since they didn’t attend…I am too embarrassed to show anyone! Lol! At one point Daniel shoved his tongue down my throat after I told him not too. It’s on the video…I think I am the only one who would notice it in the video tho.

  20. Oh Elisha, my wedding day was not the fairy tale either – at least not to other people – but to me it was perfect and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We literally showed up to church after Sunday service and the pastor married us. I did have a dress and someone played a song as I walked down the aisle among family and close friends but that was it. Very simple and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Love ya, girl! And I’ve totally been pronouncing your name wrong in my head all this time – oh goodness 🙂 I

    1. Lol!! No worries! Like I said, my own grandma alway pronounced it “eeee- leash-a” too and I never corrected her 😉 I am so used to it. Haha!

      1. Really, never?! I’m not sure why I thought it was with “ah” sound, I guess I just thought an “ee” pronunciation didn’t sound right to me 🙂

      2. Every first day of school, the teacher would always pronounced it “Elijah”….cause I clearly have a “j” in my name….lol!

      3. Oh too funny! And I thought I had it hard with that silly h in my name. It’s silent, but always get’s pronounced and because people think the h should be pronounced, I get Johanna a lot.

  24. Very, very, VERY gorgeous bride! Your day sounds perfect and you’ve got a relationship many wish for. All the best to the two of you! Happy Anniversary, doll! xo

  26. Happy Anniversary!!!!! Praying that this eighth year of new beginnings will be nothing but manifested promises being fulfilled for you and the hubby.

  27. Happy anniversary Elisha!!! It looks like a perfect day – all that matters is that you and Dan were there together – celebrating the new life ahead! So sad about the camera 🙁 We lost one on our honeymoon – so sad!! So glad you have a few – you look gorgeous as always! Hope you are having a great day celebrating! xoxo

    1. Thanks sugars! We have had a great day so far. We went to the third service at church (which meant we got to sleep in a bit) and then dropped off Goldilocks with my parents before heading out of town for dinner. It was so nice to eat dinner without a three year old! Today was the first time we have been allowed to leave her with someone since January! I missed her but it was an amazing break 🙂

  28. You two are SO amazing! I love the couple you are and I love your love story that just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter! Cheers to 88 more years of LOVE!!!

  30. CONGRATULATIONS to both of you on your sweet anniversary day!! You are so beautiful, Elisha, and Daniel is so handsome…such a perfect couple…a match made in Heaven and orchestrated by God’s loving hands! I trust He will bless the two of you with many more happy years together, and I look forward to the day your precious baby bird makes its entrance into your lives and home turning what is now a couple into a family. 🙂 Much love and many blessings to you both!!

  32. Actually—looks like a fairy tale to me! What wonderful photos. That’s funny about your name! You were so young and accomodating. (: I get it. Also, as a shutterbug, am so mad for you about the camera situ…but happy for your memories.

    1. Thanks girl and yes, when I think about the camera situation I just shake my head in disgust. It’s kind of a funny story…we had just arrived to the island but our resort room wasn’t ready it. Therefore we walked down to the beach and I waded out in the water to take pictures. This of course made the Hubs nervous that I would drop the camera. I laughed at him and said I wouldn’t drop it. LOL! However, while walking back, we had to walk across some rocks and I was taking pictures at the same time. He requested that I put the camera away so that I don’t trip and fall. So while rolling my eyes, I went to drop it into my bag and it instead dropped right into the rocks 😉

  36. It isn’t about the wedding but about the marriage, right? 😉 You guys did it right! And 8 years later you have a fun story to share with all of us!

    1. You got that right 🙂 We laugh every year when we think about our wedding day. The video is so funny to watch.

  38. You both looked beautiful. Love your dress, hour beautiful hair in the wind and your bouquet. And what a location!! Looks like a fairy tale to me. Happy anniversary! xx

  39. Love this post! Hilarious and sweet.
    Happy Anniversary, EEE LEASH A!!!
    It is never like we plan it, but it is usually better (or at least we have funny stories 🙂 )

    1. Thank you! It really was beautiful! I want to go back because we never once left that beach area or our room because we were young (and scared) and didn’t have any money to do anything “fun”. He promises now that we have money he will take me back 🙂 I can’t wait!

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