A Sunday Kind of Love: Don't Panic

After my bridal party had made it down the long aisle, there was a brief pause in the music, the curtains closed, and I was prepped for the most meaningful walk I'll ever take.  I think I walked in to Canon in D.  How terrible that I have no memory of that, but honestly I couldn't think about anything about how excited I was to finally be marrying Mr. Ly and all that stood between that was this one last walk with my parents by side. And then it hit me.

The moment before you walk down the aisle, those few seconds you have to yourself with your parents, or whomever is walking you down, maybe just by yourself - are so surreal. I hadn't been alone with my thoughts since I woke up that morning, and here I was, standing with my parents, in the calm, quiet space right before all eyes were about to be on me. Cue: Panic. I felt like a bride SO many times that day, but right before I entered that ceremony, it really hit me. This is what I had been looking forward to my entire life. 15 months of planning, all the years spent dreaming of my someday-wedding, and here it was. This.Is.It.  At the end of this ceremony, I was still going to be me, but I was going to be someone's wife. That didn't scare me, but it did flood me with emotions.  I don't like people staring at me when I'm feeling vulnerable or emotional, but I didn't really have a choice.  Pair that with fears of tripping, slipping, stumbling, whatever and it makes for very tense body language - which I didn't want to portray. I mentally prepped myself to look straight ahead, and just focus on the end of the very long aisle where my husband was waiting.

I tried to zone in on Mr. Ly, but as I walked, my anxiety just disappeared as soon as I saw so many familiar, loving, friendly faces. I just beamed as I walked down the aisle toward the love of my life.

All photos by Mike Landis Photographer

Before I relaxed, you can see it - my shoulders are all hunched, I'm barely smiling. 

A little bit more relaxed, but still forcing that smile... 

There's nothing like a sea of loving faces to ease your mind 

Much more relaxed as we made our way closer to the end - at this point I'm just excited. 

I love in this picture that while most are watching me, Mr. Ly's uncle (on the right) is clearing watching him

He teared up. (I love that.) 

These are both smiles of pure joy.

Made it to the chuppah and are ready to be married! 

I am sure I am not the only bride to experience some stage fright right before I walked down the aisle, and I am not going to be the last.  I am glad that it was short-lived and probably the only minute of anxiety for the entire day (it also may have had something to do with me having to put my painful shoes back on for the ceremony after having them off for an hour - I will blame my shoes on any negative feeling I felt that day, thankfully there were very few of them)

Anyone else freak out (major or minor) right before you walked down the aisle?

I pre-capped our recaps with a big announcement!
Recaps began with our Same Day Edit video.
I needed to get some perspective the week of the wedding.
Personally brewed beers gave our rehearsal lunch a special touch!
I spent a fantastic last day as a Miss.
I shared some gifts for my bridesmaids. 
The girls spend an easy and relaxing morning getting made up.
The guys spent the morning building a chuppah and doing guy things.
I panicked when the morning went by too fast.
We exchanged lovely notes and gifts on the wedding morning.
I put on my dress and became a Blissful Bride.
Bridal details and my "somethings" rounded out the wedding morning.
We had our not-so-private first look.
We took some silly pictures, just the two of us.
Broad Street gave us gorgeous shots, but we nearly lost some of bridal party in traffic.
The Lyres and their huge bridal party storm the art museum, Rocky style.
I shed tears of pain at our final photo stop in Olde City
The ceremony space and details took our breath away when we arrived for a quick rehearsal.
We were officially married under Jewish law when we signed our Ketubah.
Guests were seated and the bridal party got our ceremony started.