"We're Going to the 'Chapel' and..."

  Hawaii. 11.12.11 Incredible day... with tons of help from amazing friends... and I got to marry my best friend and true love, Eric. I am now Mrs. Hannah Jackson!!! Yay! Here are a few pictures, especially for those of you who couldn't physically be here with us.

    We were very blessed to have a good friend permit us to use her house, yard, and much more ~ all right next to the ocean! She has flowers growing around her house, and was kind enough to let us use them to decorate. The day before the wedding, The Girls and I also went flower hunting up the road, which provided a few more larger flowers. It's Hawaii. It's a wedding. There HAD to be flowers!

Our "guest book" was a picture frame for people to sign. We also had some festive treat baskets with anything someone might need... fans, flip flops, and more!

   My original idea for the pictures didn't work with the wind, but our friend, Evelyn, patiently put the pictures I had all around the table and shelves, and taped everythign down securely. (Thanks!) We had pictures from the past year, Eric visiting me in Korea (2 times) and me visiting him in Hawaii. Fun!

  Flip flops. Beach balls. Leis. Fans. It must be party time!

     As guests left the wedding, they were invited to help themselves to a favor. Guests could choose either macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, or chocolate covered mac. nuts. To further personalize these, we tied on little notes with our picture. For example, the coffee favors included a coffee scoop and a note that said, "Hannah and Eric, the perfect blend." Tee he he. Special thanks go out to Miss Emily, who pretty much wrapped these and tied on little notes as I designed the notes.

 Getting ready... my wonderful hair and make up artist hooked my "something borrowed" (the pearl necklace, it was both my something old and something borrowed - Thanks, Evelyn!) while Emily looks on. You can see the anticipation in Em's face.

     Almost time... posing before I walk around the corner and up the isle.

   A few formal pictures... 

   Well, I may have had a few "surprises" for the photographer... he was not expecting this... but formal and stuffy isn't quite my style... It was my wedding day, we were going to have some fun!

  This is when Eric first sees me come around the corner. I actually saw his eyes pop out in a double take. Our eyes locked and we def. had a "movie moment" (here, from Pride and Prejudice with K. Knightly - where they are dancing and the rest of the people simply melt away...) where it seemed there were only us there. Incredible. Oh, and I like the expression on Pam's face here, too. I hope it's an "Ooo, how pretty!" and not a, "Ooo, Hannah looks like she is about to trip."

Here comes the bride!

    Walking...

   I can see my Beloved, Eric!

 Whew. Finally got to the "front", and I didn't even trip or stumble. Yay! 

    Here we go...

 Here we are during the service.

   Pastor Burger did the service, the sermon, and the officiating for us.

   Finally, it was time to get to the wedding ceremony itself...

 We were officially starting our life together...

I, Hannah, take you, Eric...

    Something made us laugh... Eric makes me happy!

  No, no. This is serious. Someone MAY have been making fishie faces at Eric while he repeated his part. Most of the time though, we were respectful.

  Looking into each other's eyes... how very romantical!

  "With THIS ring"... well, sort-of. There is more to the story, but we had to use a "stand-in" ring for the actual wedding ceremony for Eric.  More on that later.

Then we were announced as officially husband and wife; 

and introduced as the new MR. and MRS. Jackson!!!!

 I gave up messing with the dress... we went with just the "natural" look.

 Getting ready for one of my favorite parts...

 Now you may KISS THE BRIDE!

 KISS we did...

... and some more kissing...

 ... more kissing... with a slight dip...

It didn't seem like a very long kiss to me... 

Oh wait, there are other people here... I forgot. I was just kissing my Eric. I love kissing Eric!

Okay, let's get ready to "blow this popsicle stand!" Time to recess.

 The Groom and Bride share a secret...

 Here we go, finishing the ceremony before we greet our guests.

More pics will be posted soon of the reception and more. This was mostly just the ceremony.

LOOK OUT, WORLD. Here is the newest Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, ready to take on the world, together!

   

Hannah and Eric. Together. Forever.

We are SO blessed. "Happily Ever After" indeed!

I'm not in Korea anymore!

  Last December, I was in South Korea. Christmas is an American holiday. Needless to same, Christmas and December, in Korea, well, it wasn't quite the same. Thanks to my friend, Anna, who helped me hunt down some greenery so that we could make wreaths for our front doors. Drawing from my location at the time, I found inspiration and covered my wreath (and also my small tree later) with origami. You may remember my 2010 wreath from pictures. (or dig through to that blog here)
   However, as I am no longer in Korea, I am somewhere in between Korea and the midwest of my childhood Christmases.  My wonderful husband is off working in the field this week and I am at home doing Christmas-ish projects. I wanted to make a nice wreath (on the cheap, to boot) for our first Christmas together. I thought about making more origami. Then I thought about our current location - Hawaii. There could be shells and blue ornaments, but instead I went with things you would find on a lei here, like this:

Up a little closer...

    Notice the closest I could get to hibiscus and pointsettias, with two little parts (shell rings and nuts) that would fill a lei. We are using tons of red, gold, and white at the Jackson house this year. I'm hoping it all turns out classic, elegant, and beautiful. I love tons of red at Christmas, representing the LOVE filling us.

   Eventually, this will probably go on our front door; but for now, it's inside. I know it's still Advent... but I'm making the ornaments and decorations and whatnot now.  This could really be a fun new game - make a wreath with elements from our local area each year.

   Where are you celebrating Christmas this year? How creative will you be with your wreath?  I challenge YOU to make your own wreath, even a small one, and use items from wherever you are.  Oh, and I can't wait to hear/see all about it.

Amongst the Gobble, Gobble

"SING PRAISES to the Lord,
   O you His saints;
and GIVE THANKS to His holy name."
                                                            -- Psalm 30:4

Now MRS. Hannah Jackson... and now 31 years old!

It is November 14, 2011.  If anyone had told me a few years ago, or even a year ago how amazing this past weekend would have been... I would have never believed them. From SC to Korea to HI; all in one year... and now, I am a MRS. Eric is a wonderful man, and I am so proud to be his wife. I can't wait to see what all God has planned for us, as we begin our journey together.

 Saturday was the wedding (clearly more pics. and a video to follow, soon!) - and I was reminded of how blessed we are. I am taking a moment to rest and just be THANKFUL for good friends and my new husband.

   Now, as I sit here at a new home alone, Korea seems so far away. South Carolina and Indiana seem so far away; but many people in these places are still near and dear in my heart. I am now married to my best friend, the man better than anything I could ever imagine... followed by a mini honeymoon... followed by my birthday today in Hawaii... then hearing about a 17-12 Gamecock victory over Florida... oh yes, God is good. Also, I have been blessed with amazing friends and I am so thankful for it all! What are YOU thankful for today?

 

Only FIVE MORE DAYS... very busy, very excited!

Happy Halloween!

  Something a little more fun...

Pumpkin carving with my Pumpkin!

  Sunday, Eric and I carved pumpkins. He claims to have not done this for 20+ years; but he certainly did a nice job, so I don't know. Maybe he HAS been practicing on the side?
  Here I am carving. Sam (the dog) was helping, well, maybe "supervising". He didn't really understand what we were doing. Clearly, he was thrilled.

   Hannah, carving. At least I knew Eric was taking this picture.

  Eric did the more traditional jack-o-lantern style.  Oooh, scary! Nicely done.

  This year is special. It was our first of many holidays "together"... and we will be married in 3 weeks! So, I opted for something a little different. Eric was watching me, concerned that the big part would just punch through, but I had a plan.... It's a heart. It says "H + E 11 12 11" - our wedding date. Plus a smiley face.

   Oooh, scary. That's more my "Pirate face," but it works with these, as well. Aaaarrrrrr, Matey!

  Hmmm. Where are the pictures of Eric? I was busy carving... and he was busy taking pictures. Ha.

  We carved pumpkins. I roasted the pumpkin seeds. I also used part of the pumpkin guts for Eric's birthday dinner later that night... any ideas what was on the menu?