by Barb (Mom) Shelton

Left to right: 

Sam and Sharnessa Sandén

(married one week earlier)

Chrissy and Tory Shelton

(married one-half hour earlier)

and Carlianne Shelton

    
Chrissy's mom, Lee Ann Hadaller, and I stepped up onto the altar right after the candles had been lit to light our two candles, hers representing Chrissy's family, and mine representing Tory's. As we walked up together and went under the ivy-and-tule-decked arbor, Lee Ann took my hand (which was unexpected, but I loved it!), and we went to light our candles on either side of the unity candle. 
   
Then a worship song, "Your Love Oh Lord," set the worshipful tone for the wedding. 
   
As others later told me, they were "doing fine until Chrissy came up the aisle ~ with Tory crying!" ~ as he beheld his radiant smiling bride coming up the aisle. She was SOOOO beautiful!!!!!! And he was OH SOOO handsome!  I know I'm a bit biased, but I think probably anyone else would tell you the same without too much coaxing!
   
During the ceremony they shared communion, and Tory also washed Chrissy's feet (she did not wear nylons to accommodate this) which was precious to watch, especially with her giggling her sweet and infectious giggle at points throughout.  But it was also very meaningful to them ~ and blessed the rest of us watching.  And the music through all of this was lovely!  Chrissy's dad played guitar, and Chuck Tilton, Tory's "Christian Ethics" teacher (at the Christian school he took one class at so that he could play basketball) also played guitar and sang.  
    
The vows and exchange of rings was precious.  Tory and Chrissy's ring bearer, my nephew Josh, didn't realize "it was time," and he was sitting down in front of the best man (one of two best men actually; Tory wanted both!), so when he was given his cue a second time, and the best man nudged him, he suddenly came to life and popped up to do his job. He didn't realize there would be a SECOND time to give the other ring, so he had to be cued again, but it was SO cute!!! 
    
Then, (Tory's) face to (Chrissy's) veiled face, holding hands, Chrissy sang to Tory "Oh Precious One" ~ a beautiful song written by a dear friend of hers and mine, Donna Schmidt.  (Yes, she sang it live, and right to Tory!  And she didn't even fall apart!) It was LOVELY!!! Especially the precious expressions between them as she sang.  (And I had a bird's-eye view from the front row!!) 
   
Not long after this, Tory lifted Chrissy's veil (which I had made for her!), and then came "The Kiss"~ immediately followed by, as Tory put it in the program, the "Introduction of the World's Newest Newlyweds: Mr. and Mrs. Tory William Shelton"! 
     
The reception was a blast, especially the Mother-Groom dance with just Tory and me on the floor. He had chosen a song by Celine Dion (something about being his hero) for "our dance" ~ which is kind of "our song." (Yes, of course I cried!) 

Chrissy's family put on an awesome potluck and then there was cake ~ which was beautiful, topped with orchid roses.  It matched her bouquet which is in the picture above.  There was dancing (also a blast) and a wonderful time was had by all!
      
After the reception, which came to an end all too quickly (even though they had agreed upon staying allotted three hours at the reception), Tory had hired a limousine for their trip from the reception to a hotel in Portland, Oregon near the airport (a one-hour drive, amid a chest-high cloud of balloons!), where they stayed the night and then left the next morning to fly to San Francisco for their honeymoon.

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I got the photo for the

title graphic at Pixabay.