Our Marriage Vows

Marriage Summer Challenge, Week Three


I will be honest. I don't remember the exact wording of the vows in the temple. It's not until death do you part, though, that's for sure. I love that marriages and families can last for time and all eternity. That's so much sweeter until death. Imagine spending your entire life with someone, only to be separated by death, never to be united in marriage again.

Today is actually our 9th anniversary, so it's interesting that this week is the week to reflect on the actual wedding and the vows we made.

I don't remember a whole lot about our actual wedding day. We got married on Thursday. That was because we wanted to be married on the 21st which was the summer solstice and an easy date to remember. 6-21-01. We went down in the morning, fighting commuter traffic because it was a weekday. I went down with my parents and my friend who was my maid-of-honor. I can't remember, but I think my youngest brother was with us even though he couldn't come in the temple. He was to wait outside with the rest of the group that couldn't come in.

We went in, I got in my temple dress and then we went in for the ceremony. The first time my husband met my two older brothers was in the locker room on that day, right before the ceremony. We had everyone in my family, except my baby brother (who was only 14 and couldn't go in the temple for a sealing) at the sealing--my parents, my older brothers and their wives, and my younger brothers. Neither of my grandparents could make it, but my great uncle, my grandma's older brother, was there. Also two of my mom's sisters and their spouses were in attendance as well as a few of my cousins and their spouses, if they were married. On my husband's side was his mom, his grandparents, and his brother and wife and any cousins or aunts and uncles that could make it. I don't remember if our bishop was there, I don't think he was.

Outside the temple was anyone who couldn't come in--kids too young or those who are not members of our faith or those who do not hold a temple recommend. They waited for us on the steps of the temple. The actual ceremony itself doesn't take very long and afterward, we went to change and met our party on the steps of the Los Angeles Temple. Then we had pictures all around the temple grounds.

After pictures, we got changed and drove down to a luncheon at the LDS Institute building in Lancaster. Later that day was the reception in Lake Los Angeles. We spent the first night in my apartment and then left for San Diego the next day. We moved shortly after returning from San Diego into a bigger apartment in the same complex. And that is our start.

Happy Anniversary!

My aunt took our engagement pictures at a lake near her home in Northern CA.
The top picture is the one we used to send out with our invitations. The bottom one is the one we should have used. :)

On the steps of the temple--all who were in attendance inside or waited for us outside.
The next four pictures are on the temple grounds.

And this is us cutting the cake at the reception.

The end.