The Wedding (Prep)

Jake and I didn't want to be engaged for to long so we decide the engagement would be14 months, and we would get married on June 27, 2009.

Now that we knew the date we needed to pick the location. El Paso is my home town and I honestly love it! Nothing beats the amazing mountains, and the crisp dessert air. So it was a no brain-er when we saw the El Paso Botanical Garden. We immediately booked it was our venue. The one thing that I loved about the botanical garden was the water fountain in the middle of the garden. I knew that I wanted that to be the background as Jake and I said our vows.

My mom was totally my wedding planner. Since I was going to school in SM and was 600 miles away she really stepped in and helped me with everything!

Both of our families came together to help us create a dream wedding.

Picking the dress was so much fun! I did a crazy amount of research online to figure out what styles I wanted, and then narrowed it down to one designer. Then I found a local boutique that carried that designer, and set up an appointment to try on some dresses. Since my mom was in El Paso she was not able to come with me to try on dresses, so my friend Natalie and her mother stepped in and helped me pick the dress. They were so helpful and awesome!

Finding my shoes was the hardest part! I went shopping every weekend for an entire month, and finally found them. I wanted a classic style, with a very high heel, and I wanted them to be purple.
Is a beautiful purple shoe to much to ask?!
When I was about to give up on the shoe I found it!  

The most important part of the wedding was finding a PERFECT photographer! And I totally found him!!! During my search I came across some pictures of a photo shoot that my friend Carlos was in and I knew I wanted that photographer. The photographer ended up being Marcos Gurrola. He was totally amazing and if anyone needs a photographer for anything definitely get in touch with him!!http://www.marcosgurrola.com/

Jake and I had our bachelor/ bachelorette parties 2 weeks before the wedding. My college friends took me to Austin on 6th street we and I had a total blast! And then my El Paso friends threw me another great bachelorette party, I am so loved and blessed.
Jake went to Houston where his best friend Mike threw him a very memorable party. Apparently its Guy Law that girls are not allowed to know what happens at Bachelor parties. :) So I don't know what happened, but its never a dull moment with Mike so i can only imagine! haha

The night before our wedding Jake and I went off roading with some of our friends. Jake's best friends Mike Arnold and Mike Pike came in town from Houston and Phoenix. I love this picture of the boys!!  We had such a great time speeding through the night (in the beast), and shooting fire works. We found a super cool water tower in the dessert with all kinds of fun tagging, and took this cool pic.

We stayed up playing in the dessert till 3am! Which was not the best idea because I had to be up at 6:30 to get my hair done. But it was totally worth it.