Nate's Newsroom: The Big Day

In case you've been living under a rock, the wedding of the century was held a few weeks ago. It took months and months of planning. Thousands of hours were spent booking, ordering, scheduling, detailing, and confirming. Guests flew in from everywhere.

Then, on April 23, the royal wedding finally happened. No, not William and Kate...but Princess Erica and Prince Nate!

Everyone has been asking how the big day went...so let us tell you!

Erica and I fly into Salt Lake a few days early to finish last minute details...like getting our official marriage license.

You can tell I'm ready to get this show on the road!

The night before the big day we go to bed early...me at my parent's house, she with her family at a hotel. Like other almost-married couples, neither of us sleep very well.

Erica's alarm goes off at 4.45 am and for the
next three and a half hours she undergoes the ultimate makeover. 75 bobby pins (we counted) went into her beautiful hairdo!

Meanwhile, I spend less than 15 minutes getting ready in Brigham City.

Around 8.45 we meet up at the hotel. I was so excited to see her!

We hop in the car and all drive over to the Salt Lake Temple!

This is where we will be married! Not only that, this is where we will be made into a family not just for our life here on earth but for time and all eternity...meaning our love and relationship and good times and future kids and special moments will continue FOREVER. That's the best wedding gift anyone can receive!

After checking in, we're taken to the bride's and groom's rooms where we change our clothes. In the temple, everyone is dressed in white. This not only symbolizes sacredness, purity, and cleanliness, but demonstrates that everyone is equal in God's eyes.

When we finish changing, it's time to meet with the man who will perform our marriage. His name is Elder David Bednar and he serves in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for our church. It's uncommon to have an apostle perform your marriage because there's only twelve of them and they're so busy traveling the world teaching the gospel.

I first met Elder Bednar a few years ago when he was president of BYU-Idaho. I took a class from him and we've kept in touch. After I proposed to Erica, I called to see if he'd perform our wedding. His schedule was free and he was kind enough to say, "YES!"

Elder Bednar meets with us privately for a half hour and then we are taken to a room (like the one below) where we will be married!

As we walk in, it's touching to see so many family members and friends supporting us on our special day. The room is full of people we love so much...and we know some who have passed away are there with us too.

Before pronouncing us husband and wife, Elder Bednar teaches us. Here are a few things he says that touch us most:

-There's not a better time to get married than Easter weekend. Christ's resurrection brings new life and promises. Our marriage will too.

-Too many people sacrifice/sell their children for "stuff" (new cars, toys, etc). Do not sacrifice your children for anything.

-While we are leaving our parents and our families, we don't belong to them any less...but we belong to each other more.

-We have generations of ancestors that have gone before us and generations of children who will follow us. Don't ever think our decisions only affect us.

Following this counsel, we are pronounced husband and wife! The ceremony is amazing and we are promised some incredible things. One of the best parts of the whole day is hearing an apostle of Jesus Christ bear his testimony of Jesus Christ on Easter weekend. Another great part is hugging each and every person who's sharing our special day!

We leave the room and, within a short time, walk outside and are greeted by everyone waiting for the newest Eaton family!

It's a little chilly but actually feels good. We spend the next few hours taking photos - first with the group, then with just the two of us.

Highlight: the folks working at the Lion House bring us out cookies and congratulate us!

Around this time we are STARVING...so we head to the top floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and have lunch with 100 of our closest friends.

Of course it wouldn't be an Eaton family event without music. Our nieces and nephews sing "What Makes Life the Sweetest"...

and then Nate's brothers and sisters sing an altered version of "Together at Last."

Our mother's present a slide-show of our lives and then our dad's give touching tributes.

Ben Watson, Nate's best friend, concludes the luncheon with a toast.

He gives great advice: Marry the one you love...and love the one you marry. He also says six of the greatest words that make a marriage work: You were right. I was wrong.

We say goodbye to everyone, open a few gifts, pack up the car, and head to the Little America...where we will spend our first night as a married couple!