Yesterday I got to go see my brother-in-law get married! YAY! I’m so happy and excited and about a zillion other emotions.

What made the day the best for me was that they were married in the Temple. I know I don’t post a whole lot about that sort of thing, but sit tight cause here it comes! The Temple is the most beautiful place on earth, so peaceful and quiet… so close to Heaven. There is no where on earth like it to get married, either.

In 1996, Megs and I were married in the DC Temple. At the time we had no family that could attend with us, so our guests were all friends. Some I still keep in touch with, others I do not. I dreamed of one day sitting in the Temple with family, and yesterday that dream came true for the very first time.

As Jared’s only family member there, I got the primo spot beside him. I felt a little weird getting some special seat, but at the same time it was just so great to be able to sit right beside him while the officiator spoke. There was a mutual friend of his and mine, and she sat beside me.

As I looked at Rosemary’s family sitting in a small cluster, I just wanted to weep for joy. There’s nothing more I could have wished for Jared than to have so many loved family members beside him on his wedding day.

Weddings are more than just a man and a woman become husband and wife. They are about families being born, families being joined together, families going for generations backwards and generations forward.

Weddings are all about family. I sat in the Temple beside my brother-in-law and knew that we were forever tied as family. I looked at his bride and knew she was soon to be my new sister. Let me tell you, I couldn’t have hand picked a better sister. Rosemary is just a fantastic woman and I am so excited to get to know her more over the years to come. Seeing her family, I knew we were also tied together through Jared and Rosemary.

It was nice to think of having such a large, loving family. It was great to think about how we are never really alone, that there’s always someone out there on our side.

Rosemary’s mother was the one that made sure I had my special seat. She didn’t have to do that. I’d never met her before, but after just a few minutes to talk to her and seeing her great love for a total stranger… well I can see why Rosemary is so fantastic!

In our Temples we keep our ceremonies small. There is a simple elegance that brings tears to one’s eyes. I’m not usual the sort to cry at weddings (good thing since I’m so often behind the lens of a camera these days), but I cried yesterday. I cried and I’m not ashamed of it at all!

Yesterday was probably one of the best days of my life in most recent years. The weather was just perfect and the events of the day beyond awesome.

They hired a photographer, but I got him to agree to let me chase around behind him. I got quite a few good shots, and he even let me pick out two or three poses to do with Jared and Rosemary. I hope they like my photos!

I’m not going to post them all here. You’d kill me. There’s like 76 photos. Yeah. That’s a lot. I know. However, I’m using this as my official announcement: I’ve set up a photography website. That’s right, you can now have me be your official photographer. I’ve bought the bullet and decided to make a go for it. That’s probably more scary to me than the whole wedding scene seems to others! I’ve put all the photos there, but you can view the blog entry/slideshow at The Emerald Lens. If you go, enjoy the show. Let me know what you think!

Meanwhile, I’ll include just a few of the photographs I took here:

Oh did I forget to mention that Rosemary brings into our family an absolutely adorable little girl? My heart swoons at my newest niece!

I hope you enjoyed my rambles and gushing. And of course, my photos. I hope you have a great weekend. Tonight we’re having a reception for Jared and Rosemary and we’re just spending the weekend hanging out in New Jersey with the family.

As I say on my new photoblog – Have Camera, Will Travel!

–Lady O