Our Pawfect Wedding: First Look

After getting ready, Mr Pug came up to our suite and we took some through-the door pictures.

We were blocked by the door so we couldn't actually see each other!

Shoved in a corner isn't exactly my look but it was fun to have pictures together before we even saw each other!

We showed off rings (we wore them for pictures even though we weren't technically married yet) and chatted quickly.

Then Brian went down to a banquet room in the hotel and waited for me. Last chance to skip out, man!

I got ya now... tap tap tap...

Checking each other out!!!!! It was so cool to have a first look privately and get to ooh and ahh each other .

I loved seeing him all snazzy in his suit!

We discussed wardrobes and how amazing the weather turned out to be (it was a 60% chance of rain and cold all week and then ended up being in the 60's and gorgeous!)

I couldn't wait to get the partay started!!!

Awkward laughinggggg!

We got some hugs and smooches in...

We also utilized the window lighting.

...more smooching...

Here you can check out my bracelet and all our rings!

I was sooo tres happy with my nail color!

We gazed longingly outside the window...

Then some flower ring pictures...

(I'm telling you guys... anemones!)

Some fisheye bridals...

Then we were ready to join our friends!

Our Pawfect Wedding: My Dress!!!

Ok peeps it's DRESS TIMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I got my dress hanger from my sister for Christmas. She purchased it from LilaFrances on Etsy. Who now has a serious wait list.

Look at those gorgeous details!

My dress was less than $400 bucks and from a random tiny shop in southern Indiana. I would NEVER do it differently. Before the wedding, I wondered. Was it THE dress for me? After wearing it to marry my man, there is NO question. I just adore it.

Look at her!!! Paige the dress! (Read here if you don't know why I just called her Paige.) I had a bolero commissioned on Etsy but ended up not wearing it (I wanted to wear it to church for modesty) since it was HOT in our church.

Remember how I said I looked super-special "diving" into my dress? Here's proof...

I even told Erin that I wasn't sure I wanted these pictures. There are multiple ones of me with a bag over my head to protect my makeup and dress from each other. They will not be shown. I'm not graceful.

My bestie H helping me... isn't she seriously gorge?

These next few black and white pictures are from Bridesmaid A. I was pretty intense.

Sister/MOH R helped as well. And I sipped water.

It's hard work getting into a dress.

Our photographer Erin had to step in and help. My amazing wonderful seamstress begged me to have someone come to a fitting to learn how to lace me up. I didn't have anyone... the only people I wanted to get ready with were my family, best friends, and bridesmaids. Who all live in NJ or similarly far from Indiana. Sooooo I was SOL. Luckily Erin has done like two gazillion weddings and was really helpful.

Once that dress was on, I put on my jewelry...

...while laughing...

(Putting on this bracelet solo is HARD!)

Here's my necklace WITH EXTENDER for my sausageneck!!!!!!

This pic is from A as well... it's us with Crystal. Seriously we all LOVED her!

Back to professional photos... here I am with Bridesmaids L and A. I didn't get the memo as to who was taking the picture.

More paparazzi... my beautiful amazing sister M:

And my fantastic greeter/guestbook gals, AP and Em. Who are both Jewish (I attended both Bat Mitzvahs! Way back when I was EVEN MORE awkward!!!!!) which made me giggle when I asked them to be the smiling faces at the church :)

Guess what happened next? Well first I dealt with a frantic phone call (not photographed, but you'll find out soon...) and then, our first look photos!

Our Pawfect Wedding: Some Details

Before you get to see the pictures of me struggling into my dress like a special person... here are some of the details that helped put together my day, as taken while we were getting ready! All photos are by Erin Hession Photography.

My beautiful, difficult programs. I finished them that morning as people arrived.

Erin did this shot of our rings on our RSVP card!

And here are our rings with the cake toppers I painted!

Mr Pug's ring...

I have such WONDERFUL blog friends... here's a hankie that Dawn from Lydia & Pugs sent me - I didn't even ASK - she was just all generous and thoughtful WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED. I didn't think people like that existed. (She does products with drawings of many dog breeds, check her out!) Also Melissa from Pug Notes sent over the pug buttons for me... they look JUST like the three pugmigos, do they not?

Here is my jewelry from Luxe Deluxe. I'm wrestling with whether or not to sell them. Not super re-wearable but my Mom bought me the bracelet and it's sort of sentimental. So I'm not sure.

I made this locket the night before the wedding. It's my dad and my first pug, both taken from me too soon.

My shoes! Blogger Stephanie wore them (hers were dyed orange) and recommended them... they couldn't have been more perfect! I was going to send them to Laura but timing wouldn't work for cross-country shipping. Now the question- what color could/should I dye them now for future wear?

I love how my bestie BM H decorated this card...

Ok and FLOWERS!

Here are all the bridesmaid bouquets. Hydrangea with some spider mums and hypericum berries shoved in. Maybe something else, who knows. They didn't hold up well (hello, hydrangeas?) but looked great through pictures so that's what matters most.

My flowers. Dramatic. Different. Gorgeous. Anemones, spider mums, ranunculus, hypericum berries, some orchid-y things I do NOT remember asking for (but liked) and some roses I think (or just ugly ranunculus-es) that I did not ask for and did NOT like. But you could barely see them.

It was gorgeous but also not so great on the holding up front. The spider mums probably survived best (except the berries but they don't count) which was surprising since they're fragile- hit them wrong and they could unravel. Mostly my issue was just wilting... summer brides I do not suggest any of these!!!!

But let's be honest. It was perfect for me and I'd never do it any other way.

Up next... I promise you get to see my dress!