Joy Filled Wedding Day

Every wedding has special touches that make it unique and beautiful, a lasting memory for the bride and groom, as well as all those who were there.

Caleb and Haley's wedding had so many of those precious moments! It's two days later and I'm still tearing up looking at photos and remembering the beauty of their day.

It was a day never to be forgotten.

These are Caleb and Haley's grandparents who represent 212 years of faithful and loving marriages! What an incredible blessing to have such examples in front of them, grandparents who have stayed faithful and loved their spouses for so many years. And what a beautiful way to start off their marriage with such a godly heritage surrounding them.

I adore this next picture...Caleb and Haley with their cousins, Caroline and Luke, who served them as flower girl and ring bearer. Both traveled to be here for the wedding, with Luke having come all the way from Slovenia with his mom, Auntie Kristi! What a joy to have so many from our families here to share in this day.

Haley is a wonderful sister and friend, gifted in loving and caring for the dear ones in her life. I love this photo that captures her joy in sharing this day with these loved ones, her bridesmaids and flower girl.

And what a group of men (and a young man!) to surround Caleb on his wedding day!

His groomsmen are a collection of childhood friends from Czech and Poland, Noah and Jacob, his brother, Tyler, his cousin, Justin and his roommate from this past year at Moody, Shane, who is from Ireland! They have loved him well and been very important men in his life. Such a joy for me to see them standing with him on his wedding day.

Allyson, Haley's older sister, was such a beautiful maid of honor, and served Haley so lovingly the whole day. It deeply touched me to watch the depth of love between them.

My parents and brother drove out from Oregon to spend the wedding week with us. Grandma, Bapa and Uncle Mike are important people in Caleb's life so of course it was very special to have them there to celebrate with him and Haley.

Other than this family picture that someone else took with my camera, my brother took over 1000 pictures for me on Caleb and Haley's wedding day...a TRUE GIFT to this picture loving mom who wanted to capture the day, but needed someone else to do it.

THANK YOU WITH ALL MY HEART MIKE!!!

I did take one photo on my phone, at the back of the church, just before the wedding started. Caleb was just minutes away from walking me down the aisle and taking his place at the front of the church to wait for his bride.

He escorted me down to my seat and then walked up onto the platform.

Over twenty years ago, my brother-in-law, Josh, walked onto the platform at Good Shepherd Church in Gresham, Oregon and welcomed everyone to his wedding with Kristi. My parents were at that wedding, and my dad was so touched by Josh's warmth and kindness in expressing his thanks to all who came, that he's told that story to my kids since they were little.

Caleb remembered and did the same at his wedding.

After his greeting, the bridesmaids began their walk down the aisle to "A Beautiful Friend", part of the suite that Haley's dad wrote for the wedding, played by a 20 piece orchestra. As they finished, chimes rung through the sanctuary, and then Haley appeared at the back on her dad's arm.

They walked down the aisle to the most beautiful piece of wedding music I've ever heard. Mark perfectly captured his daughter through music, a piece he called "A Beautiful Bride", giving her such a precious gift as she made her way down the aisle to her groom.

Just before meeting Caleb, she stopped to hug and kiss her mom, and then turned to me to do the same. What a beautiful image - a loving mother, with adoring brothers looking on, blessing her daughter into marriage. I'm all choked up just looking at that picture and remembering that moment.

I told Mark later that he was the perfect father of the bride as he walked Haley down the aisle and then entrusted her into Caleb's care. While I'm sure he was experiencing many emotions at letting go of his daughter, he released her with love, affection and trust. It was a beautiful moment.

Dave had the privilege of marrying Caleb and Haley, and gave a wonderful message and charge to them.

With Tyler playing guitar for him, Caleb sang a gorgeous song to Haley that he'd been working on for weeks. I loved watching the two of them as he sang, she receiving, and him giving as if there was no one else in the sanctuary. So precious.

One of the most poignant and meaningful parts of the ceremony came before they said their vows and exchanged rings. They had their parents, grandparents and siblings join them on the platform.

They first blended together soil from our home in Czech (which we brought on the plane with us!), and from Haley's childhood home in Fort Collins. They filled the container with soil that held an aspen tree, which they took on their honeymoon to plant somewhere in the mountains of Colorado!

Then Haley's mom and I had the privilege of praying for our children and blessing them into their marriage just before they took their vows and exchanged rings. I'll never forget being so close to our children, and seeing their faces as they pledged their love to one another. What a joy to share so closely in that moment.

Finally, Dave pronounced them husband and wife!

Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Patty!

Walking out to the final part of the suite Mark wrote called "A Beautiful Bond", the four of us descended the platform together. What a culmination of over twenty years of friendship with Mark and Amy! We are forever linked not only as friends, but now family as well!

A beautiful reception followed at the church. I love this photo my brother captured of Caleb and Haley walking in...everyone else blurred, but them in focus. That's how a wedding day should be! It's all about the bride and groom.

Precious speeches were given by the Best Man and Maid of Honor, and then of course the cutting of the cake.

While Caleb and Haley mingled with their guests, the wedding party was out decorating their getaway car. I love the joy in this photo!

At last, they emerged all smiles and made their exit as husband and wife.

It was a God-honoring day, filled with an incredible depth of love and joy.

These two precious ones, Caleb and Haley Patty, go on from here with a desire to live out their married life as God intended, happy and faith filled for all that He has in store for them.

**If you want to watch the live broadcast of the wedding you can find it HERE**

There are ads placed throughout the ceremony - it was free to live stream it on this website so that's what you get for free! Just mute those when they come up and enjoy the wedding!