Chris and Sarah's Wedding Day

30 July 2011: Newlyweds Sarah and Chris Kinsky just seconds after coming

out of the Snowflake Temple following their temple sealing.

Everything was as prepared as we could make it when we left for the Snowflake Temple on Saturday morning, July 30th.  The wedding was scheduled for 11:00 a.m. and the guests had been informed to arrive 30 minutes prior to that time.  Sarah had spent the early hours of the morning with her buddies Emmi and Tahna, both of whom are certified cosmetologists, getting her hair straightened and styled, her nails done, her feet pedicured, her makeup professionally applied, and her eyebrows waxed (ow!).

30 July 2011: Chris and Sarah Kinsky, now man and wife,

in front of the Snowflake Temple's fountain. 

Chris and Sarah were to arrive at the temple an hour before the ceremony, and as Sarah's escort, so was I.  It's a 30-minute drive to Snowflake from our house, so Sarah and I jumped into the car just after 9:30 and headed north to meet Chris and his escort at the temple.
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30 July 2011: Mother-of-the-Bride Mary and her husband Ed

with newlyweds Sarah and Chris.

We were about 15 minutes late, but I think the temple workers factor late arrivals into that hour, because everything went smoothly.  Chris and his best friend/best man (whose name is also Chris) were whisked away to dress in their white temple clothing, while Sarah and I were taken to the Bride's Room to get her into her wedding gown.

30 July 2011 - Sarah's bridesmaids: two of her best friends

Emmi and Tahna, and her cousin Celesta on the right. 

After all the guests were seated, we were brought to the sealing room where Chris was nervously awaiting his bride.  The beautifully decorated room was so filled with family and friends, it was standing room only!  More than 50 of our loved ones had joined us.

Sarah's bridesmaids admire her engagement and wedding rings.
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A friend and member of the temple presidency, President Kent Rhoton, performed the ceremony.  My husband Ed and Chris's best friend Chris acted as witnesses.  However, before he began the ceremony, President Rhoton spoke words of advice and encouragement to the bride and groom.  It was very moving.

Celesta mourns her lack of an engagement ring while the others show off their rings.

You may recall that Tahna got married just 4 weeks before Sarah's wedding,

and Emmi got married exactly one week after Sarah!

The sealing ceremony itself is not very long, but it is deeply meaningful and beautiful.  When it was over, Chris and Sarah were married, not only "until death do you part," but for time and all eternity.  The concepts of celestial marriage and eternal families are among the most important doctrines of our religion.
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The bride and bridesmaids model their elegant flip-flops.

Photo and caption by my amazing photographer niece, Mariah Brinkerhoff!

After the sealing, the bride and groom were hugged and kissed and otherwise well-wished by each of their guests.  Then Sarah and I returned to the Bride's Room to get her ready for photographs outside the temple.  Emmi and Tahna joined us and rearranged Sarah's hair with her tiara and veil.

30 July 2011: Sarah and Chris share a kiss while the bridesmaids look on.

Almost everything went smoothly.  But there was that one little glitch where the photographer (my niece Mariah) got lost on the way to the temple and we had to keep the bride and groom inside until Mariah arrived nearly 30 minutes later!

30 July 2011: Sarah's mom Mary joins her and the three bridesmaids,

Celesta, Emmi, and Tahna.

It all worked out perfectly, though.  We had a good time staging various pictures on the temple grounds in celebration of this wonderful event in Chris and Sarah's lives.

30 July 2011 - Kissing couples: mom and step-dad of the bride, Mary and Ed;

bride and groom Sarah and Chris; and mom and step-dad of the groom, Brenda and Bruce.

(Photo and caption by Mariah Brinkerhoff.)

The sky over the temple was sunny and blue, but off in the distance dark clouds were threatening.  Late July is the middle of our monsoon season, filled with almost-daily downpours, so we knew there was a chance we'd get rained upon.  Yet the sky above us remained clear and bright while we took the final pictures, packed up all our stuff, and got into our cars. 

We weren't more than a mile away from the temple when the skies opened up and a heavy rain began to wash over us for the remainder of our drive home.  It was Sarah's wedding day miracle!
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Little brother Dylan (age 14) hugs his sister Sarah (age 21) in her bridal finery.

With Sarah married and Jacob on his mission, Dylan has become an only child at home!

30 July 2011: Most of the family who came for the wedding.
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30 July 2011: Most of the guests who came for the wedding.

(A few people left the temple before our lost photographer arrived!)
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30 July 2011: Chris and Sarah Kinsky start down the path of life together.

30 July 2011 - Mothers of the bride and groom: Mary and Brenda

30 July 2011: Sarah's step-dad Ed and her cousin Julien waiting outside the Snowflake Temple.

30 July 2011: Two cousins, Dylan (age 14) and Julien (age 13).

Dylan is actually older by only 2 months and 3 days.

From the temple, we headed back to the church in Lakeside to get everything ready for the luncheon.  But that's a topic for my next post!