Our Wedding Weekend - Friday

Every girl always dreams about her wedding. I was the same way, except I always dreamed about it being simple, stress-free, and relaxed. Then I dated guys that wanted big weddings with multiple receptions. That's great for some people...and I love attending big weddings...but it's not what I wanted. Well, dreams come true. My wedding was just what I had always dreamed it would be.

Friday, April 22nd
I had always wondered what it would feel like the night before I got married, and it was surreal. It was my last few hours of being a Merrell - the name that was my identity for oh so long! I thought I wouldn't sleep at all, especially since I had suffered from a migraine that day and had slept a lot. Nope, I slept just fine and woke up Friday morning in excellent spirits. I wasn't at all nervous, unlike my handsome groom, just happy the day had finally arrived.

Our appointment at the county clerk's office was set for 9am and we needed to be there at 8:45am. Our friends, Tim and Tiffany Neal, had agreed to be our witnesses and would meet us at the clerk's office - where they had been married, coincidentally. We arrived a little late (quite unlike me) because we had stopped to get my wedding bouquet (a single white gerber daisy) at a flower shop that had just opened and had been unprepared for early morning customers.

The ceremony was quick and simple but very sweet. We were in the clerk's office for probably 15 minutes, if that, yet it was an enjoyable 15 minutes. I remember looking at Steve while the clerk read our vows to us and we said our I do's. I felt so lucky to be marrying such a wonderful, handsome man.

Before the Ceremony

Walking to the clerk's office

Saying our vows

Getting my ring

Steve getting his ring

First kiss as man and wife

Steve, me, Ricky Hatch our officiator

Tim Neal, Tiffany Neal, Steve, me

Mr. and Mrs. Ellis

After the ceremony, we went to Jeremiah's for breakfast with Tim and Tiffany (Steve had changed out of his uniform but I stayed in my dress). I called my mom on the way to the restaurant and told her we'd just gotten married. She was surprised but happy. After breakfast, I called my dad and texted my brothers, cousins, and some close friends.

Then we did the really unromantic but definitely practical things that come with getting married. We went to the Social Security office (which was surprisingly open) and I changed my name - received the card with my new name just a couple days ago! It was a quick visit, which pleased us to no end since we've heard horror stories about waiting there forever. We then went to the base to get me an ID to get on to base without Steve and to sign me up on Steve's insurance. We wanted to go to the DMV to get a new drivers license for me, but it's closed on Fridays. I'll get there eventually. I can't wait to have a drivers license that actually looks like me! Mine is from 3 years ago when I weighed a lot more.

After all this running around, we came home and took a nap. Ahhh. It felt so good. I changed my clothes and we went to Salt Lake to recreate our first date - the aquarium and a Bees game. Well, we eventually realized that the Bees were playing in Vegas, so we just went to the aquarium and Blue Plate Diner in SLC, then headed home and went to African Cats. It was a fun, relaxing day and I loved it because I was with the man I love, my husband!