Sugar and Spice: Wedding pictures! (indulge me a bit here)

I haven't posted a single picture from my wedding! I'm still waiting on our official wedding pictures from our fabulous photographer Kelly, but I can show you a few of my favorites from the candid shots I've been given (and though a few of these are on Facebook, not all of them are. I'm not just copying, no worries!).

My yellow tea kettle is whistling. How happy. Peppermint tea!

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The weekend of our wedding was splendid. It was such a blessing to be surrounded by so many friends who love us and are rooting for us and our marriage. It eases all doubts when you marry someone you know you love, who is your best friend, and who is highly approved by your other friends. Andrew is friends with all my friends, and I love all his friends. I can't imagine how some people decide to marry without such support. I realize all circumstances are different, but I know that community has such an incredibly important role in my life -- and should in the life of everyone, especially those who claim the name of Christ -- that I can't imagine marrying anyone outside the context of such a wonderful, loving and supportive community.

That said, the community wedding weekend was wonderful. All the bridesmaids stayed at my parents' house with me, so all my friends from different places had to meet each other and be friends. Ha! I love each of those girls so deeply, and each of them has blessed my life in a tremendous way -- I wouldn't have shared the day without any of them. Thank you, my dear ones.

The Friday before the wedding, Andrew's extended family had a luncheon, since it was basically a family reunion for them. Andrew and I, and my immediate family, joined them, then we met up with the wedding party at the coffee shop for the afternoon.

Then, the rehearsal. My parents live about ten minutes from the Hill House, where the wedding was to take place. In that ten minutes, between leaving my house and arriving at the Hill House, the weather changed from too-hot June sunshine to a perfectly torrential monsoon.

Needless to say, the rehearsal was a bit scattered -- inside, then outside, then back in as the rain came and went, teasing us.

Photo credit: Rachel Jones

You can see how shiny the bricks are from the rain.

But, everyone was a good sport about it.

Photo credit: Rachel Jones

I don't know if you can tell, but we're standing in a giant mud hole.

Other than the rain, it was a nice evening. Dinner was excellent, though my appetite had begun to go already due to nerves, so I couldn't eat as much as I would've liked.

We made sure the wedding party knew the essential dances -- working at summer camp gives you odd priorities like that.

Photo: Rachel Jones

Andrew and I (with some help from Ridge Haven people, of course) taught them the essentials: "Cotton-Eyed Joe", and the ridiculous but oh-so-fun "500 Miles."

They thought I was crazy, but that's okay.

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Saturday was a perfect day, so I won't bore you with my chatter. Just look at these lovely pictures!

Photo: Rachel Jones

We were married here, at the Hill House in lovely Abbeville, SC.

Photo: Rachel Jones

Our two superb ministers: Jeff Thompson and Andrew Lupton; Andrew and his best man Dwight

Photo: Chris Kloc

My lovely girls and Andrew, waiting for me.

Photos: Tim Moss

My dad and I rode up in a horse and carriage -- not typical Millie, but it was my wedding day.

It was fun.

Photo: Tim Moss

And I saw Andrew's face...

Photo: Martha Faires

He had two perfect tears on his cheeks, one from each eye.

And then we got married!

Photo: Bonnie Sweeny-Hutchinson

Photo: Tim Moss

Photo: Bonnie Sweeny-Hutchinson

Photo: Rachel Jones

Photo: Taylor McKissick

Photo: Kelly Davie

My darling, wonderful girls.

Photo: Tim Moss

Our beautiful and yummy cake was made by my best friend from high school and bridesmaid, Jessica Maddox. She's super -- and the cake was absolutely delicious. We only had a bite each, but sporatically during our honeymoon, Andrew and I would look at each other and say, "I hope they saved us some cake!"