God has blessed this Sacred Vow... (Read this post ALL THE WAY THROUGH)!

(this is a picture of our rings in my gorgeous bouquet)


So, I figured I better make the official statement before you hear the news and start to formulate your own opinions... This next post might be a bit lengthy, but PLEASE take the time to read ALL that is listed so that you are sure to have all the proper information...

At 1:20 pm Saturday the 24th of January 2009, Frank and I became husband and wife... This took place in a very beautiful home of a friend of ours with only both sets of parents and his sisters. The dress I wore was on loan from the bridal salon my original gown was purchased from (mine has not arrived yet) (and that is the reason for the unmatching shawl)My dress isn't due until late Feb, since we thought we had plenty of time...

This all happened so quickly, we were all set for April, and then as life would have it, the plans changed in an instant. FOr personal family reasons, I am choosing not to go in to all the details, but I would like to share these thoughts with you...
After much prayer and fasting, Frank and I sought the council of our Branch President, and Stake President. Both said that either decision we made with regard to our marriage was a righteous one, and that Heavenly Father would bless us just the same either way.
You see, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a pretty strict code for Temple marriages, and until recently what happened this past weekend would never have allowed us to still be married in the Temple in two months.
In the Church handbook of instructions it states that under four different circumstances a couple can be married civily, (outside of the Temple first) and still be married in the Temple immediately following. This is all possible because Frank has been a member less then a year still (he hits a year the end of February). We aren't going to be sealed immediately, but we will be sealed for Time and ALL ETERNITY on Saturday April 18th 2009. We are staying with that day because we already have all of our vedors booked for the reception. That is when we expect to see all of you there and celebrate our sacred union with you, our beloved family and friends! We feel so blessed to have been able to be married this way to have our parents a part of this since they won't be able to be a part of the the sealing.We are both converts to the church. We have felt so peaceful about our decision, and know in our hearts that Father in Heaven has blessed this sacred moment, and will continue to bless us when we have been married (the right way in our hearts) in the Temple. We know and deeply understand the importance of a Temple Marriage and feel nothing but blessed to be able to have the best of both worlds. From that day in April forward, we will look back on that experience and that setting as the moment our marriage was validated and consider that our wedding day. We will forever celebrate April 18th 2009 as our wedding day.

We want each of you to know that we were a bit saddened to not experience our wedding day with everyone else, but in our hearts we feel that even though we are married on paper, will be married by Heavenly Law in just two months by a man ordained to seal us for time and all eternity, and that is the occassion we would rather each of you be a part of.

We would also like each of you to know that since this happened so quickly, we have not yet experienced the "traditional" pre wedding shindigs! :) We realize that this is a little unconventional, but considering the circumstances, are hopin you will still celebrate with us as if we are leading up to our wedding day... does that make sense? I hope so.

Frank and I are so happy, and glad to finally put all the stress we have been dealing with behind us. Our love for one another seems to have multiplied an hundred fold just in the few short days we've been married. We are looking forward with great hope to not only the Temple, but an eternity to grow deeper and deeper in love. We were just talking the other night and he made the comment that "not everyone has the opportunity to be married 3 times in 2 months" (meaning our civil marriage, temple marriage, and ring ceremony). I thought about it for minute and realized that God truly has bless this sacred vow, look at how many chances he has provided us to "renew our vows"!

In the next two months, we expect to celebrate the wedding on several different occasions, including the following:
My bridal shower for LDS friends... February something (not sure of the date yet, sometime towards the end)

*Temple Endowment... MARCH 3RD 2009

*TEMPLE SEALING... APRIL 18TH 2009

*WEDDING RECEPTION... APRIL 18TH 2009

i sincerely thank each of you for taking the time to read this post and have the proper information before spreading the news of what you have just read... I posted this, not to justify myself, but more to let you all know that is something we are very excited about and wanted to share with our friends that we don't have the opportuntiy to see or talk to all the time!

Thanks again, and I hope you all will be able to celebrate with us in all the festivities to come over the coming months!!!!!!!!
Invitations to come in the next month or so!!

****Love****
Mrs. Sabrina Velasquez!