February 14, 2014

Facelift: Ask for Roses

There is still a final wedding post as well as week's worth of furniture re-dos on the horizon, but Ask for Roses will be undergoing a little change over the next few days so I plan to save those posts for the new look.

Check back next week and let me know what you think of the new design.  Hopefully it will not include any ! triangles...


For now, enjoy your Valentine's and President's Day weekend.  I hope it's filled with relaxation, fun and plenty of sweets!


February 12, 2014

Our Wedding: The Ceremony

Kern and I were married at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi.

First Pres is special to me for so many reasons. My parents were married there.  I was raised in this church and went to the Day School.  I was baptized there.  Besides my parents, First Pres (and her pastors, teachers and other members) were the biggest influence on my life as a young person.  It is more than a building to me--but a place on this earth that I treasure.








Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy Faithfulness!  Great is Thy Faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!


Isaiah 61:10 - 62:5
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
 and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
 and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
 to sprout up before all the nations. For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
 and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
 and her salvation as a burning torch.
The nations shall see your righteousness,
 and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the Lord will give.  You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
 and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.  You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, 
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you,
 and your land shall be married.  For as a young man marries a young woman,
 so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
 so shall your God rejoice over you.

I love the passage that we chose for the homily because I continually marvel at the last few sentences.  The way that Kern and I feel about one another is the same type of delight that God feels for us--His people.  He rejoices over us.  I want to carry that thought with me throughout my life and marriage.



Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Kern Hoff, Junior 


February 10, 2014

Our Wedding: The Dress

My parents were married on December 31, 1984 in the same church as Kern and me, with the same organist that played in our wedding and I got the privilege of wearing my mother's dress, with a few alterations.

A local seamstress removed the sleeves, adding some more lace and buttons down the back.  Mom and I were in Mississippi Magazine showcasing the dress!


When my mother and father got engaged, Gran Fran gave my mom this gorgeous hand mirror--along with a note "To the Most Beautiful Bride in the World."

My mom passed it along to me.











This is the sixpence that my mother wore in her shoe on her wedding day!




It was such an honor to be able to wear my mother's dress.  It made a wonderful day even more meaningful and special.

February 07, 2014

Celebration at the Fairview Inn

Following the rehearsal dinner, Matthew hosted a party at the Fairview Inn to continue the celebration and give Kern and me an opportunity to visit with many of our friends and family who traveled from all over the country to be with us.


It was the perfect opportunity to get quality time with special friends before the chaos of the reception on Saturday evening.


Kern and I were overwhelmed by the love and support from so many.







Friendship multiplies the Good in Life

Thank you to all the dear friends who make life so good

February 06, 2014

Our Rehearsal Dinner: Mississippi Museum of Art



The wedding eve is such a special time as it often involves the bride and groom's closest family and friends gathered to begin the special wedding weekend celebration.
Our rehearsal dinner was held in downtown Jackson at the Mississippi Museum of Art.



Our sweet grandmothers!


It was humbling to pause, look around and reflect on the ways that each person present had influenced our lives.  It was one of those rare and lovely occasions where many loved ones are gathered under one roof.  A pure and happy foretaste of heaven.


A deep thanks from the bottom of our hearts to all those present that evening.










Gran Fran gave her classic speech:
"If it weren't for me, none of you would be here!"

Short. Sweet. To the point. Effective.




 
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