Our engagement.

Ok, now that you know about our months of dating up until our engagement, now I will tell you about our engagement.

After the blessed day of our engagement, we started planning. Our original date was planned for leap day. We thought it would be unique, and if you know us, we are definalty just that. We spoke to his bishop to get the paper work rolling. We needed a sealing clearance so that we could be married in the Temple.

For those of you who didn't know, Ernie was previously married in the temple. After the divorce, the only course of action we had was to get the clearance. The bishop counseled us that it would take 3 or more months to get this back as it had to be cleared by the First Presidency. For this reason we didn't make concrete plans on the date of our wedding.

My dress was beautiful. My mother and I went and got it the day after our engagement was made official. We went to Lennon's Bridal here in town. I tried on 3 dresses before I found the one that I liked. At first I didn't want to try it on. It wasn't very pretty on the hanger. Finally my mom convinced me to try it on. It wasn't bad at all. So, I put it on hold. I asked if we could go to another shop and she was very reluctant. She went with me even though she didn't want to.

We went to Treasures Formal and there it was...My dream dress. I tried it on and it fit perfectly. I felt like a princess in it. My heart was just bursting with joy until I saw the price tag. It was $799.00. I knew that I wouldn't be getting that dress. I just couldn't spend that kind of money on a dress that I'd only wear two times. I think the girl could tell that I was more than slightly disappointed because she called the owner of the shop. After a few minutes on the phone with her, she lowered the price of the dress to $499.00. How could I resist. That was the single most expensive item for my wedding. I walked away from that store with the most perfect dress and it was cheap.

A week after the dress, we had the wedding planned. My aunt form Design Elite Weddings was going to decorate for me. The only thing we had to worry about was the cake and pictures. Ernie and I had an appointment to meet with my aunt Lorna in Utah. She was going to show us her ideas for the wedding decorations. We made it a little rode trip with the kids and went to see her.

It was beautiful and perfect. Everything I ever wanted. I asked Ernie what he thought and he didn't have much of an opinion as the colors were pink and brown. The only thing left was the cake. I didn't know where we were going to get one. My aunt told her that a friend from Cathy's Cakes in Utah was giving her a beautifully decorated cake and she didn't know what she was going to do with it. She said I could have it if I came up the next week to pick it up. It was artificial so it would last forever as long as I took care of it.

That next week I went up to get it. She was at the Salt Palace doing a wedding show. I went with my friend Jeff. I needed someone to hold cake on the drive home. I didn't know much about it. Only that it was 3 layers of pink and brown fondant and it was elegant. I saw it and it was the cake of my dreams. We got it home and I had to keep looking at it over and over again.

In the end we didn't end up using that cake. Our friend Cathy made our cake for us and it was beautiful. When it arrived at our reception I was so happy words couldn't express my feelings.

Then the sad new hit. President Hinckley died. It was a shock and a sadness that hit deep, not only because he was a beloved prophet of our church, but because our paperwork had to be signed by the prophet. We weren't sure when we'd get the paperwork back now.

One day, Ernie called me from work and asked me what day we wanted to be married. I told him that date that we had chosen April 11th. He asked if I wanted to get married earlier and I said I did but we couldn't because of the paperwork. He read me what the First Presidency had sent us. We had our sealing clearance and as of February 14th we could be married! That was more than a week before! He cried and I cried. I made him read it again. After I got off the phone I hit my knees crying and thanking the Lord for his blessings.

We decided on March 14th. That was just three short weeks away for planning but an eternity to wait. So much to do. Invitations were the first on my list. I had 3 days to get them printed, but them together then send them out. I was not a very pleasant person those three days. Sorry Ernie! He was great helping me put them together. I've got a pretty good man. Lucky me!

Finally the day came. I had so much to do. Randomness, I went to the mall to get nylons from the Distribution Center. I walk in the doors and I hear BROOKE!!!! It was Jonathan and Sabrina. They ran to me and I was so excited to see them. They asked me if we were getting married today. They asked us that everyday and I was glad to say that yes we were getting married today. We were leaving for Bountiful Utah in less than an hour.

So, that's the story of our engagement up to the morning of our wedding day.