The Big Day (also known as the longest post ever)

I'm going to apologize in advance, this is going to be long! I want to write down as much as I can so I can look back and remember it!

As I stated in my previous post, my bridesmaids and I stayed at my parents' house the night before the wedding. My brother still lives there. I also had Isabelle and Zoe. It was a packed house!! Mary and I shared a bed with Isabelle and Zoe. Mary was really excited that they were going to sleep with us. And they were pretty good, woke me up only once to go to the bathroom at around 4 am.

I think I woke up for the first time (on my own) at about 5 am. I kept trying to go back to sleep, and I did sleep off and on until like 7:30 or so. I finally gave up and got up. Everyone else was asleep, including my dad who, on a normal day, wakes up super early, I'm talking 4 or 5. (he usually goes back to bed a few hours later for a little nap and then wakes up for the 2nd time around the time a normal human being arises) So I took the girls outside in the backyard and sat in the rocking chair. I was already nervous. Well, not nervous, but just kind of like, Okay, I'm getting married today, shouldn't I be doing something?? Finally around 8:30 everyone else started waking up. Mary informed me that Isabelle and Zoe were not fun to sleep with! She said they moved around so much and that kept waking her up! Oops, I guess that either I'm used to their moving, or they don't usually do that when we are at home.

So, anyways, my dad had left a little earlier to go and get my requested breakfast! I requested Cosi bagels and fruit. If you have never had Cosi, you HAVE to try their bagels, even if you don't like regular bagels, you will like theirs, I promise! When he returned, we cut up lots of fruit and made coffee and mimosas and I sat with the girls at the table to eat. But I couldn't eat or drink or really even hold a conversation!! What was wrong with me?! I did not feel normal. Finally after breakfast, I gave in and took a xanax. I have to take it from time to time for anxiety because I get worked up about little things (I'm kind of high strung), and I'm so glad I had it because it totally made me feel like a normal person for the rest of the day! Mary even told me that she was worried about how I was acting at breakfast. I really think it was just because we weren't really doing anything productive, you know? We literally had nothing to do until makeup at 2 pm.

So after some chatting and getting showered for the day, Mary and I left to run by my house to get the wedding rings (Lee and I realized at the rehearsal dinner that neither of us had remembered to get them and neither of us was staying at the house that night!) and then we were off to get our makeup done! There was kind of a fiasco the week before about who was going to do my makeup bc the girl I'd had a trial with moved to Chanel plus she wasn't working on my wedding day. After lots of confusion, I finally had an appt with someone else and I loved her! Her name is Shannon at Laura Mercier and she is fabulous! So sweet and did just what I wanted! And it was actually really relaxing to just sit there and have someone else do my makeup!

Makeup was at 2 and we were supposed to be at hair by 3, but we were just leaving Saks at 3 so we were running a little behind, for my liking anyway. Anyway, we arrived at the hair salon and the other 3 bridesmaids were there waiting for us. They had gotten their hair and makeup done one hour ahead of ours so that the salon could accommodate us. Have I mentioned how much I love my hairstylist? I do love her. She's totally cool, laid back, and does exactly what you ask for, and she's excellent at what she does! While I was getting my hair done, the other girls who were finished and went to get us some lunch, and they brought back champagne!! I sort of mentioned it in my earlier post, but the chapel surprised us when they told us that we couldn't drink at the chapel before the wedding. It was not allowed in the bridal/groom rooms. We were bummed because we wanted a champagne toast before we all went out! So this was their solution! Fun getting ready pics:

Trying to eat something:

Enjoying their champagne:

All ready to get dressed!

They were all really sweet about how they wanted to wear these shirts that I made for them!

Almost finished!

Yay! Exactly what I wanted!

From the side:

Curls that stayed in for approx. 47 minutes :)

So we ate and chatted and were ready around 4:30, I think, I actually don't remember exactly, but I know that we were supposed to be at the chapel at 5 and I remember feeling rushed, because there was not a quick or easy way from the salon to the chapel. So we packed it up and got on the road. Mary was driving me, and had needed to get gas since we had left Saks, so there was no option but to pull over and gas up. Even if I had driven, I found out later that we still would have had to stop, my dad said that all of the cars (his, my moms, etc) were out of gas when they left the chapel after the reception! Anyway, we arrived to the chapel just fine, maybe 5 minutes late, no biggie. BUT, I was feeling rushed because all of the girls, including myself had to get dressed and we had to take pictures and I had to see Lee and then take group pics, etc. all before 6, so we only had an hour, which I was assured would be plenty of time.

When we walked into the bridal room, all of my girls were there, and the bouquets had been delivered. I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed in the bouquets. I specifically said no light pink and they were mostly light pink and for some reason there were a couple of dark purple flowers. And not very many orchids, and there were supposed to me lots of orchids. That was okay though, I looked at them, thought that, and immediately got over it. The photographer was also in the room. She introduced herself to me and I was basically like, okay, let's get the show on the road. Tell me what to do, you can boss me around, whatever, we need to get started.

Well, let me just tell you that I was very disappointed in the photographers that we got. The girl was like, off in her own little carefree world. She had no idea what was going on. A few weeks before, I had filled out a sheet that was very detailed and specific about what we wanted, including seeing the groom before the ceremony. She kept saying oh you aren't doing this or that, and I was like, Um, yes we are! She didn't even think we were seeing each other before!! And I saw the sheet on the counter, so I know she had seen it, even if she hadn't read it. So basically, the girls got dressed, then I got dressed. Then she asked when I wanted to see the groom. I was confused because I thought that she had some kind of timeline. So I said whenever. She took us out of the bridal room, I'm thinking we're going to see Lee, and she took me out to the back of the chapel! There is nothing back there and the bridesmaids were still inside bc they thought I was going to see Lee. The photog said that she wanted to take pics of us out there, so Mary had to go get them, then the photog realized it was way too windy and the sun was hidden behind the building (duh). Mind you, during all of this, it was like 95 degrees outside and my hair completely fell, but whatever. It was utter chaos and no one knew what was going on, least of all the photographer. She kept asking when I wanted to see Lee so finally I said, let's just do it now. So she acts like she doesn't know what to tell us to do so I said, tell him to turn around and I'll walk in and tell him when he can turn to see me. Geez lady. More utter chaos as they (there was also a man who had been with the guys who was now with us all) tried to figure out how to pose us and who was going to be in the pics. THEN people started coming in and it was even more chaotic. Judy (the chapel owner, who I love and is fabulous) came in and was stopping people from coming into the chapel. Finally I just said forget it, let's go back to the rooms and do the rest after the ceremony.

About 20 minutes later, the ceremony started and then it was just me and my dad. They had a tv in the bridal room so that we could see what was going on in the chapel, which was fun. I told my dad that i was really nervous and just ready to go. The plan was for my dad and I to go outside, walk across the front of the building and enter the chapel through these huge double wooden doors. So we're outside waiting for the wedding march to start and the wind is practically pulling my veil out of my head!! AND it was hotter than haites out there! The wedding march starts and Judy and the other girl go to pull the doors open for us. But Judy couldn't open hers! She goes "Oh crap it's LOCKED!!" Haha. The look on her face was sheer panic, and I know that she felt so bad. She had locked it when she was trying to keep people out for the pictures! Oh man. I said that's fine, we'll just go through the one. My dad tried to make me go through first by myself and I didn't want to so I made him squeeze through with me! Haha!! I was just focused on getting down that aisle, and not by myself!! I am a little disappointed only because I wanted a picture of us coming through the double doors, but it's okay. None of our guests even knew that anything went wrong, and the only people who actually saw were in the back rows anyways.

My dad and I are both fast walkers. Even when I'm not in a hurry, I was really fast. So the whole time we were waiting to start walking, we were like, walk slow, walk slow. Um, apparently we did not walk slow! When we entered the chapel, Aubree was about halfway down the aisle and by the time we were at the altar, we were right behind her! We didn't notice, my mom told us later we were really fast. I also did not look at any of the guests, I kept my eye on Lee so that I didn't get distracted and fall or anything. Oh, and speaking of Aubree, everyone said that she was so adorable. She walked really slowly and dropped one petal at a time and watched it fall, then moved on to the next one :) And she stayed up on the stage with us the entire time! I was so proud of her! She is so quiet and shy that neither her parents nor I was sure what she would do! Later on, she also wanted to stay with us and be in all of the pictures :) Precious :)

So my dad, Lee and I were there with Tom, the pastor. When Tom asked who gives this bride away, instead of simply saying "her mother and i do", my dad launched into this thing about how I had given them permission or something basically to the effect of I'm bossy and let them give me away! It was embarrassing. Usually even when my dad does dumb stuff like that I still think it's funny, but that kind of ruined the moment for me. Anyway, we went through the whole ceremony and everything. Neither one of us cried, which I was happy about, because I had been crying a lot lately and I thought that he might just because that's how he is. I think we were both so nervous to be up there in front of so many people that all of the other emotions fell to the wayside. Lee and I were both excited that our voices didn't crack or sound weird and we didn't mess up when we said our vows! The vows were fun to say :) Then he said you may kiss the bride and Lee told him "thank you" haha! I laughed and we kissed. We actually were told by several people that they liked our kiss, which I thought was weird but nice. And that was it! I grabbed my bouquet and ran back down the aisle! I told Lee yesterday that I was so thankful that I didn't fall when we walked back down the steps from the stage (altar?) because those steps were kind of weird and wide and I had tripped the night before at the rehearsal.

We went straight into the brides room so that we could have a little time to ourselves and then we went to take more pictures. Ugh. I will not go into it again (I apologize for going on and on about it earlier) but it was just complete and utter chaos. Finally I said forget it, and I started telling people what to do, where to stand, what we were doing next. I asked for a couple of just me up there and the lady just stared at me so I said okay, we're doing some of only me to the other guy (who was really hard of hearing so that made it even more difficult). I posed myself so we will see if there are any good ones. I was very disappointed with them. It was Storybook Photography, who have done several wedding that I know of and have been amazing every time! Who knows, they might be the best pictures ever, I'll just have to wait and see.

Finally after like 45 more minutes of pictures, we got to go to the reception!! I was kind of overwhelmed at first because I didn't know what I should do. There was supposed to be a reserved table but we couldn't find it (later found out some of my extended family had sat at that table!). So Mary got me a glass of champagne and I just went around to talk to as many people as I could! I made it to most before the cake cutting and toasting and dancing, but I know that I missed a couple and I feel bad. I'm sure they understand or don't care. After the Lee danced with his mom, he and I went outside to get a couple of shots of us outdoors that we couldn't do earlier because of heat and guests and time.

I was a little worried because people were starting to leave and I thought that they weren't having fun. All I wanted to do was dance, so I just said forget it to trying to talk to all of the guests and I stayed on the dance floor for pretty much the rest of the night! Pretty soon after I went out there, most everyone else got out there too, and we all danced. That made me really happy, because I really just wanted one of those receptions where everyone's dancing and having a good time! The only thing is that Lee does NOT dance so he was not with me! haha! That's okay, he said that he had a really great time not dancing so that made me happy. Suddenly it was 10pm and time to go! I think it was a success, everyone I've talked to said they had tons of fun, and that's exactly what I wanted!

We got in the limo to take us to the hotel and just sat had had some champagne and unwound. Literally I think I felt myself physically unwind! The whole day was a whirlwind and I was just so happy that it was over and nothing really went wrong. We laughed because there were tv's in the limo and it was playing Horton Hears a Who or something like that! All in all, it was pretty much the best day ever for both of us! For a couple of days after the wedding, I just remember thinking that I was so happy that it was over with and I didn't have to worry about it anymore. Then, about 4 days after, we were at dinner and I told Lee that I kind of want to do it all over again! Haha! Oh how soon you forget all of the work that goes into it :) Totally worth it though :)

At the hotel, really excited to eat out little to-go's made by the caterer

Little Italian Cream cupcakes!

Kind of disappointed that this is all we got! We did not eat one thing during the reception

Those potatoes we possibly the best thing I have ever had!

Haha! Really excited to eat! I didn't even wait to change out of my dress!!