The wedding is over and farewell to Branen

I have been married now for 2.5 weeks and it has been a wonderful and surprisingly easy transition. I do not feel old enough or mature enough to be a wife, it almost feels as if I am just playing house. However, it has been fun. The wedding was perfect! I have since heard of a few glitches, disasters barely averted, and some slight dancefloor mishaps, but they all make great stories and I laugh at how it seems some people experienced an entirely different reception than I did! None of these things were a big deal, just a 5 year old boy heading towards the grooms' cake with a fork ready to dig in, and an accidental three stooges skit involving a woman slipping on the dancefloor, falling against a table, and three beers spilling on her head! Sometimes I wish I had seen some of this stuff!!! The few days prior to the wedding were absolutely wonderful (minus the occasional stress and last minute planning). Most of my bridesmaids were from out of town and it was a blast having them all together for the bachelorette party and the bridesmaids luncheon! I can't imagine a better group of girls to have as best friends and I cherish them all, and am sad to say that we may not ever all be in the same place at the same time. The ceremony was perfect, complete with laughter and a few tears. It was a joyous occasion, and I feel honored and humbled that so many people were there from all over the country and state to support Matt and I and witness our vows. We had a blast at the reception!!! I'm sure every bride and groom and say this, but it was honestly the most fun reception I have ever been to! People danced and danced and no one wanted the party to end! I had a chance to speak to almost everyone who was there, and only wish there had been more time for quality conversation. We left Sunday morning to head to Costa Rica for the honeymoon, and had an absolute blast! What a perfect way to start a marriage! In a foreign country, not a care in the world, and the opportunity to truly just enjoy eachother. We had lots of fun adventures too!! We went on a canopy zipline tour of the rainforest, a boat ride to Isla de Tortuga for snorkeling, a horseback ride 1.5 hours down the beach to a waterfall, a 2 hour hike through a nature reserve to a secluded beach where we got stung by jelly fish, and time just lounging at the beach or swimming in the tide pool. We saw monkeys, iguanas, crabs, and lizards, and they even have some funky species of the squirrel. It was bittersweet coming home, and felt strange that everyone who was at our wedding would be gone from Atlanta and back at their homes. We were excited to open presents and begin the real world though!

Now the craziness is all over and we are starting to settle in. I'm going to get my name changed tomorrow morning, and will officially no longer be a Branen. I will become a Seiter. It's strange and will definitely take some getting used to, but I'm excited to take my husband's name! My blogs may become sporadic and I might even change blog addresses to fit my new stage of life, but for anyone who still reads this, thanks for hanging with me!