Eli & Brynne’s Wedding – kandid memories

I can hardly believe we are here!

My son got married!!!!

My eyes still well up when I think about it and my heart is bursting to the brim with happiness for him.

Eli and Brynne have been together since Junior High. She been apart of our family for so long yet I can’t believe this day has arrived.

These two compliment each other very well. And we love her like one of our own.

Eli had proposed back in December when they went to Scotland. And so, in true Eli & Brynne fashion, they wanted a destination wedding. They love to travel and they do it every chance they get. They decided they wanted to fly up to Oregon to get sealed in the Medford, Oregon Temple, and then they wanted to drive 3 hours down to California to have their photos taken in the Redwood Forest. So, that’s exactly what we did!

This is half of the wedding crew. Our family, Brynne’s sister, Embrie, and Brynne’s maid of honor, Ashley flew up with us. We met the rest of Brynne’s family, who drove up earlier in the week, at the Airbnb later that day.

I had some nerves (a panic attack 😔) boarding the airplane (I’m a nervous flyer and it’s been years since I’ve flown) but God provided what I needed and reminded me of some words of wisdom I had heard the week before and I was able to get my legs moving forward and found my seat. Grateful for His love and care during that moment for me. I would have been heart broken to miss my son’s wedding. God is good!

After 2 flights and a short drive we made it to the Airbnb where Brynne’s mom, her boyfriend, her brother and his wife were already there waiting for us and had a nice dinner prepared. It was so kind of them!

After dinner we watch a sweet video that Alayna and Embrie put together of pictures of Eli and Brynne through the years and messages each of us parents recorded for it. We were all crying by the end. They did a great job!

The next morning was “Wedding Day”!

Jared took Eli and Brynne down to the County Clerk’s Office to get their marriage license while everyone stayed back and got ready to go to the temple.

There was lots of rushing around and lots of excitement. Jared even forgot his jacket back at the Airbnb. Thankfully someone noticed and grabbed it for him!

We arrived at the Medford Oregon Temple. It’s a small little temple. In a lot of ways it reminded me of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple where Jared and I were sealed. But I think this temple was even smaller.

The bride arrived and she looked stunning!

Inside the temple they have a waiting room for family and friends who aren’t endowed to sit comfortably while they visit and wait for the couple to come back from the sealing room and share in the joy!

Jared, myself, and Ashley (the maid of honor) got to be present for the sealing. Jared and I were also the witnesses.

It was such an amazing, a little funny, and tender experience. Being able to be in that room seeing these two make beautiful covenants with God and to each other is more than my heart can express. Nothing quite prepares you for moments like this.

Seeing my son get married felt like a mix of overwhelming joy, pride, and a sense of accomplishment as a parent, knowing we’ve raised a man capable of committing to another person and building a family of his own… it was a day of feeling like I was on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster with moments of deep happiness and reflection on the passage of time.

After the sealing, Eli and Brynne went to the Celestial room to spend some time together. The rest of tried to be patient and waited for them to come back to join us.

When they came back they exchanged rings in the room so that the rest of the family could witness that special moment.

Then it was time for pictures!!

We took so many pictures!!! Haha!

When all the wedding plans were being made Eli asked me if I’d photograph the wedding. I was humbled (so nervous!!) and touched that he felt so confident in my abilities to capture such a big day!

I’m only sharing a few here. I will need to do a whole separate post for photos.

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Kitch! 💒💍
6/6/2024 🥂

After we got as many pictures outside the temple we could before the sun melted us into a puddle of sweat we all did a quick change at the church building next door. We had a 3 hour drive to get down to the Redwood Forest before the sunset!

It was a bit of a drive but the scenery couldn’t have been more magical! These desert rats didn’t know there was so much green out in the world! LOL!

We made it to Trillium National Forest and we did another quick change in the parking lot. I’m sure we were quite the site as we all were in our wedding attire and began hiking up the muddy, rocky, tree rooted, slippery, steep, windy trail! Haha! It just added to the whole adventure!

But it was soooo worth it!

Here are few more shots I took (that actually got edited. I have hundreds more to go through still).

I mean….could these be any more dreamy!?!!!!!!

Just WOW!!!!!!

After pictures we headed over to our 2nd Airbnb. Got changed and then went to dinner at Arcata Pizza & Deli. Brynne had picked this place before the trip. Let me tell you…this little hole in the wall restaurant was AMAZING!! We had a large party, everyone got something different, and everyone loved what they ordered. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day!!!

Photos courtesy Arcata’s FB page.

It was very late by the time we finished dinner but we had the cutest little visitor welcome us home.

The next morning we packed up and went back to the trailhead we hiked the day before so Eli could get some nature shots he wanted. We got to the parking lot and spotted a bear (probably a teenage cub) who came a little too close for my comfort!!! 🐻 He was digging around in the trash cans at the picnic area and then when we felt he was distracted enough, and we felt we were safe enough to go the other direction to the trail, we started heading over.

However, he wasn’t distracted long and made his way across the grassy field and came directly towards us! I was shaking in my boots!!!! 😳

The kids and Jared thought it was SOO funny….but I was freaking out!!! I started bolting the other direction while they all laughed hysterically at me and then to rub it in took pictures with him in the background. They still haven’t let me live it down.