Promises Fulfilled - Part 12

      

Up to this point, we've covered just about everything! From my & Brandon's initial meeting, to the pre-wedding jitters... however, I have just a little more to say before I conclude these "Promises Fulfilled" posts.
I hope you guys don't mind ;)

Brandon & I were blessed with a beautiful wedding, filled with so many loved ones! We, afterwards, found out that our wedding set the new record for "largest wedding" at Northside Baptist Church with nearly 400 in attendance! I think we knew we were loved and blessed to have so much support in our lives... but I believe it all REALLY set in on our wedding day. Thank you to everyone who attended, prays for, loves and supports us. We wouldn't be who/where we are now if not for you!- & Jesus of course, but that's a given :)

Immediately following the ceremony it was time for the cake! We gathered around being told "wait- wait-wait!" as cameras and phones snapped numerous pictures. My husband & I were kind to each other when it was time to eat the cake... I laughed so hard the whole time thinking "Surely he is going to cram it into my face... I just know he is..."..but he was a good little groom ;)



   



After we ate the cake, we spent awhile talking to everyone. There were so many people and I wasn't able to speak with everyone but I do have to share a funny story. Here I was, all dolled up in my pretty dress and I kept having parents walk up to me and say "Can my daughter say hello? She thinks you're a princess!". This happened on many accounts but the one I want to highlight is sweet Gracee. Christie, Jori, Carrie and myself had several laughs as Gracee would exclaim every time I'd come nearby "Look! Look! It's the Princess! Princess Taylor of Blackburn!". She sincerely thought I was a princess and was quite enthused by me... Naturally, we had to get a picture :) I will never forget that!

Once that portion of the day was finished, we packed up our things and went to make our grand exit. My Grandparents so graciously volunteered for us to drive their convertible and we were stoked! We loaded in the car and headed out, ready to kill some time before the private dinner reception that evening. As we drove away, we shouted and waved...got a little ways down the road and then looked at each other. This was the first time we'd ever really been alone!

Driving down the road we couldn't help but tease that we should have our chaperons in the back seat and this just didn't feel right! Once we got even further I asked "What now? Where are we going??". Brandon said he didn't know at which point I replied "Well... I'm hungry. Let's go eat!" Any guesses as to where we ended up??? Haha....                                   TACO BELL!

I know, I know. Of all the places we could have gone, we ended up there! I will always laugh when I think back on it... Going through the drive-thru, having the guy say "Duuude, you guys look, like, really nice..." and getting to shout "We just got married!". We sat in the parking lot, wanting to take full advantage of the sweet ride, and ate our tacos right then and there. I have to say, our marriage had a pretty swell start :)

Finally, we headed to the dinner reception. Wind blowing through my hair, music playing loud, HUSBAND sitting to my left: Life couldn't possibly feel more perfect than that moment. Once we arrived, my jaw dropped. A sight more stunning than words will permit me to explain filled my eyes. What a beauty the reception was, vintage this, vintage that... We'd been preparing for awhile but I had NO idea that things would piece together so flawlessly! To prove my point, here are a few gorgeous pictures for your viewing :)



 


 
 

 

I was truly blessed by everything! My family, the Hewitts, the Sorah's and everyone else who helped worked very hard to make my & Brandon's special day as perfect as could be... and they succeeded! THANKS!!!
While we were waiting to eat, we took lots and lots of wedding party pictures. What a blast! We ignored the rain clouds that were rolling in and managed to get a few good shots. Here are some of those. :)

(Here's a picture of our homemade bouquets! *Mine is made out of brooches*) 

We then enjoyed a beautiful evening of music, (My precious friend MYCHAL!! and Aaron sang/played some tunes. They were delightful!), food, fellowship and some slight showers. When it started to lightly rain my fleshly response was "freak out"... but upon speaking with Brandon and Mr. Sorah we came to the conclusion that in the Bible, rain is considered a form of God's blessing: It means He's going to bring blessing and growth! After that, I tucked in my bottom lip, thanked God for blessing me even when I don't realize it...
then proceeded to enjoy the evening!

After we ate, there were many wonderful speeches from the wedding party. We laughed, cried and further realized how blessed we are to have the people in our lives that we do! God is SO GOOD!

(I could only get a few of the pictures uploaded from those who gave speeches... )

Once we concluded the speech giving portion of the evening, we moved on to our "first dances". Mrs.Susan and Brandon danced to "A Mother's Song", My Daddy and I danced to "Sweet Pea" and Brandon and I shared our first dance to "Tonight" by JJ Heller. It was rather dark where we were, so the pictures didn't turn out all that great... but hopefully you still enjoy seeing them :)

  

 
  


We spent the rest of the evening taking pictures in the photo booth area, talking, eating sweets, drinking coffee... but mostly, WE DANCED! Here's a picture of Jon Sorah bustin' a move and showin' us how it's done! ;)

   Around 10pm we decided to head out... it was finally finished. I was now Mrs. Brandon Blackburn! Wife to the most amazing man God's ever created. I'm not being sentimental and I'm not being partial, I'm being honest. Never in my life have I known someone to love God so deeply and seek His plan above all else. What a blessing to be married to someone who I know loves and cares for me, but loves and cares for Christ even more. I know I'll always be safe and in God's hands because I have a man who is selfless and will not lead me astray. What a joy it is to stand by his side and help him fulfill the calling on his life! Once we drove away, we headed to OUR home. The one that we'd been renting for a month but had never been in alone together before. (Any time I'd come to clean or drop things off, Brandon would have to wait outside or plan to be gone haha) Our honeymoon was, to be brief, perfection. God truly knew what He was doing when He made marriage. The unity of marriage is the most breathtakingly beautiful thing I've ever known. Brandon carried me over the threshold that night as he always dreamed he would someday do.


The deep intimacy that is experienced between a couple who have saved themselves for marriage is beautiful and just as Christ created it to be. Innocent. Pure. Blameless. Brandon and I had nothing to compare things to, no contrary standard had been cultivated... our standard was the word and what God revealed to us. Constantly we, as believers, tend to say "Yes, I'm a Christian.. I've surrendered myself completely to the Lord".. but we won't let Him be a part of our relationships or intimacy. The bottom line is this: The areas that you surrender to God will flourish, while the areas you push Him out of will produce nothing but dull, void, nothingness. Think about that the next time you think you know best, even in the area of love. You have the choice to surrender and be blessed or fail due to pride and thinking you know what's best.
Being as transparent, open and honest as can be I'll say this: having lived it, having endured the path of purity and seen the blessing/fruit associated with sacrificing fleshly pursuits/desires and doing things God's way, I can now assure you that it's truly as wonderful as Christ depicts in His word and He really did intended for marriage and intimacy to glorify and honor Him. No matter if you're married or single, you have the CHOICE to honor and glorify Christ in your marriage/intimacy. Married folk, embrace the gift of marriage. As a book I've read states "God didn't create marriage to make you happy, but to make you HOLY". I urge you to stop seeking your own happiness and start seeking holiness...That is the thing that makes a marriage work and last when it seems hopeless. For single folk, embrace the gift of singleness and preparation! Don't waste your time on people who may or may not be "the one". This is a mentality that pushes people to pointlessly test out many relationships in an attempt to figure things out on their own based on nothing more than emotion and feeling. I can wholeheartedly promise you that if it's a God thing, there will be no "maybe" or "if" about it, you will simply know. Until that time, until the moment where God says "yes"... wait. Wait upon the Lord, His timing is flawless and you will never regret choosing to remain in the covering of His plan.
The best way to sum up the marriage that Brandon and I share would be this.
One Man. One Woman. One God.
It's a threefold cord serving ONE purpose: The glorification of Christ.

I pray that you've been blessed as you've traveled this journey with me. It's been an honor getting to share with you all over the last several months! Hopefully you've all been encouraged by our story and have seen the goodness of God in a way you'd yet been able to... Jesus has been so wonderful to us and it's always a joy being able to share our testimony. Be blessed my sweet friends and always love others as Christ has loved you- selflessly, genuinely, unceasingly and wholeheartedly. :)



THE BEGINNING.....

-Taylor