The journey which we have taken together over the past two years has brought many ups and downs, tears and smiles. Because we feel our wedding is a celebration of our families and the lives that have connected from our special day, we felt it only appropriate to break in many of the typical wedding day traditions and create our own. Some will be completely new, others will be a spin off an old tradition; either way we hope you enjoy the significance we bring to our wedding day and find joy in the moments we hope to remember!!

Bell Ringing
Jim Friend was always a lover of many things, one of them being bells. Wherever we traveled, a bell was brought home to him so he could add it to his collection. Upon entering the chapel, please take a moment and ring the bell in remembrance of Jim, endearingly known as "Pap".

The Space Between
Gerry, Jeremy's father, will be unable to be with us in person on the day of our wedding. It has been an emotional year since his passing, and we only wish we could have had just a few more moments with him. Chelsea, the Maid of Honor, will be walking alone during the procession, and you will also notice a space between Ben, Jeremy's Best Man, and Jimmy, a Groomsmen, as they stand during the ceremony. These spaces are where The Big Guy would have walked and stood. Please take a moment and share with us the bittersweet feelings we have for Gerry's absence; oh how we miss him.

Making Rainbows
You will notice that each bridesmaid carries one single flower, each in a different color. These colors combined represent the rainbow, and act as a dedication to Jeni's childhood friend Ben Carbo, who passed away of Leukemia when they were just kids. As Ben used to say, "A rainbow is the most beautiful natural element in God's creation."

The Dollar Dance
Typically the dollar dance is done so that guests might provide money to go towards the Bride and Groom's honeymoon. We are so blessed with what we already have, so we want to use the dollar dance to give back. Kick off your shoes and get down to some of Gerry Murphy's favorite songs with the Bride and Groom; all monies will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Garter/Bouquet Toss
Being that we have more friends married with children than single folk attending our wedding fesitivies, we are removing the bouquet and garter toss from the reception. Don't worry Singles; there will be plenty of fun to be had without having to fight each other for a piece of fabric or flowers!!

Dessert!!
A significant difference between Jeremy and Jeni is their choice in sweets. Jeremy is a cake fan, and Jeni is an everything-but-cake fan. To showcase both of their personalities in the reception, there will be a small cake joined by a dessert bar in lieu of a larger cake that feeds all persons. We hope you enjoy all of the desserts provided; they are personal family favorites of both Jeni and Jeremy!!