“I Do”

I remember waking up on our wedding day like it was yesterday. There were so many different feelings going through my mind, “It’s my wedding day, it’s too early, what is Nik up to? Is he even awake yet?! It’s my wedding day!” Every person I came to contact with that day reminded me of the news that was in my head all day, “It’s your wedding day, Ksen!” What a crazy feeling it is to be the bride!

My sister and I headed to my venue in South Carolina called Brakefield at Riverwalk, located right next to the beautiful Catawba River. I sat down on my chair and let the pampering begin: hair, makeup, snacks etc, etc. Finally, I was ready! My hair was up exactly how I wanted it (thanks to my dear friend, Nastya), my makeup was on in the perfect way (thanks to my dear sister, Luba) and now it was time to put on my dress. This was it. The moment I had been waiting for since I was a little girl was finally here! My mom helped me into it and the first look with my bridesmaids was so flattering with their “oohs” and “aahhs.” I saw myself in the mirror and I almost cried. I could not believe that the girl in the dress wasn’t a girlfriend or sister, it was me! My nerves were all over the place and so was my mind. I just couldn’t wait to walk down the aisle.

The bridal party lined up and the music started to play. I saw Nik walk down to the front even though he couldn’t see me and I couldn’t believe that was my husband to be. I watched him, as one by one, our bridal party pairs walked down. Then the music changes to my song, “Tale as Old as Time.” This was it. I turned the corner as we made eye contact for the first time that day and my heart melted a little. My best friend was standing at the end of that aisle and I was about to become his wife. I guess this is the best time to give a major shoutout to my dad who kept me calm as we walked, whispering, “vse budet horosho, ksusha, ne speshi” (everything will be ok, Ksen, don’t rush). The man calmed my nerves with every step…must be all the experience he’s had.

Our youth pastor reminded us of the lessons we’ve been through in our premarital counseling and then it was time for our vows. Wow, my nerves acted up so fast again. I am not the greatest public speaker, so I tried to just look at Nik, but hearing all the sniffles around me from my crying mom and bridesmaids was making me nervous. With a shaking voice and shaking hands, I vowed:

On this day in front of our family and friends and in front of God, I vow that I take you as you are, loving who you are now and who you are yet to become. I vow to share all of life’s adversaries, and all of its joys with you. I vow to listen to you, encourage you. I vow to support you and to accept your support. I vow to share in your dreams and aspirations and encourage you to achieve your goals. I vow to look to God, lean on Him and to seek His wisdom to become the wife and mother our family deserves. But most importantly, I vow to lift you up in my prayers so that God gives you His wisdom to lead our family according to His will. I love you.

I put his wedding band on his hand and everything was becoming so real to me. I just vowed my life to this man and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind  and that brought me so much comfort. Now it was his turn. He took the microphone and vowed:

Dearest Ksen, on this day, in front of our friends and family, I promise to love you every single day of my life. I promise that I will always be honest with you, as well as try my best to be kind, patient and forgiving. I promise to take care of you, to be your provider, and to lead our family closer to Christ. I promise to be your faithful husband through sickness and health, good times and bad, joy and sorrow. Today, I take you to be my wife, to be my best friend and to stand side-by-side, hand in hand, and heart to heart with you every single day of my life. I love you.

Hand in hand and heart to heart seemed like the perfect plan to me! He slipped my ring on my finger and I just couldn’t help but smile. We prayed together for the first time as husband and wife, our parents prayed and so did our pastor. What an awesome way to start a marriage! I know this is a common thing at Christian weddings, but I feel like sometimes it could become a formality. I’ll be honest, this was my favorite part of our wedding! It was the perfect chance to bring to God my anxieties about becoming a wife, thanking Him for my wonderful husband and asking Him for blessings for my husband and our family. I loved hearing Nik praying for me in front of all of our friends and family, asking God to give me wisdom to be a wife and helper to him and also asking for wisdom to become the family leader I need him to be. Our parents prayed for us to grow our family and it was so awesome hearing their thanks to God for the addition of their son and their daughter. Needless to say, it was such a blessed time!

I loved our wedding day. I loved getting ready, I loved walking down the aisle, I loved saying my vows to Nik and I loved hearing his vows to me. I loved that our reception was filled with games and laughter, but also lots of wishes and blessings for our future family. I loved taking silly pictures with our bridal party and romantic pictures with my husband. I love that I can look back on this day and be filled with so much awe and wonder at the fact that this day was everything I had hoped it would be and more and that at the end of it, I got the best gift of all,  my loving and supporting husband, Nik.