Healthy Twists

You’ve waited long enough, here is FINALLY the last wedding recap! I just got my DVDs with all my photos back from my photographer, so now I think I can really show off the last night.

Part One

Part Two

We ladies got into the limo and headed off to the venue. We met up with Gabrielle Fox and her lovely second shooter, Daisy. Then, we took pictures! I am lucky in that my friends are gorgeous. So my photos came out fantastic.

Then, we saw the boys were coming over in their limo, and it was time for the first look. If you don’t read a zillion wedding blogs, a “first look” is where the groom and bride see each other for the first time, and take photos together, before the ceremony. I wanted to do one because well, I’m not that traditional, and I knew not seeing Mitch all day would freak me out a little so I wanted five minutes alone with him before it all got started. Gabi helped maneuver me over to where Mitch was waiting with Daisy. I was afraid he would see me, but he didn’t.

A lot of times the bride will tap the groom’s shoulder to get him to turn around but that’s not my style. Instead, knowing he could hear me behind him, I just said, “ok turn around!!!” I was so nervous. Would he like my hair? My dress? My makeup? What would he say? Would he say nothing? And when he turned towards me, I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on his face or the expression in his eyes.

Then he sorta started to cry (but you didn’t hear that from me) and my silly “will he like how I look” thoughts went away in a flast. I exclaimed, “nooo you can’t cry, if you cry I’m going to cry!). We hugged each other and it was another one of those moments where I knew this was really happening, I was really here.

Then I asked him if he had the rings and he said no, doesn’t Randy? But Randy did NOT and luckily this was two hours before the ceremony so it was more funny than terrifying. Once the rings were recovered from Mitch’s backpack at the hotel, all was good.

We took some more group shots, then let our sweltering bridal party head back to the air-conditioning while we took family photos and some more portraits.

When we got inside, we finally got the entire “immediate” family (in quotes because when you have two sets of divorced parents and remarriages and step-siblings with their spouses, that’s a LOT of people) together for a family photo. I was really close to kicking out the baby because she was totally stealing my spotlight, but I’m gracious so I permitted it.

And then it was time to start the show! Our lovely friends Lydia and Chad played music for the guests and for our processional (is that the right word?). Poor Lyd, I gave her no instructions other than, “Beatles are cool” and she ran with that and with Chad put together a gorgeous arrangement…that I will be totally honest and say I don’t remember a whole lot about. Too much emotion for one period of time! I do remember “Here Comes The Sun” playing as the bridal party walked down the aisle and that’s about it, but that was awesome.

Then it was my turn to walk down the aisle. I tried to walk slowly (but not too slowly) and soak it all in. And look at my guy, waiting for me at the chuppah. After hugging my daddy, I took Mitch’s hand as the ceremony began. As I mentioned before, we got married by the pastor from Mitch’s childhood church, and he did an incredible job building a ceremony that was inclusive of our different religion (I’m Jewish if you’re new), about spirituality and faith without being preachy, and very much about us and about love.

Again, honesty time again. My memories of the ceremony come in spurts. I remember when Pastor K said something about “the new tradition, the putting on of sunglasses” and Mitch and all our bridal party took out sunglasses and put them on (it was super bright but I, ok my dad, paid good money for my eye makeup and I was not covering it for anything). I remember when we stood in front of our parents as they gave us their blessing and promised to support us in our marriage. I remember trying SO hard not to lose my sh*t when it was my turn to say my vows that I had to literally tell myself, stop thinking so loudly “don’t cry don’t cry” and pay attention to what Pastor K is saying, you’re going to have to repeat it!

Vows. rings, kiss, married!

Since we took all our pictures beforehand, I got to mingle with our wedding guests at the cocktail hour, which was nice since we didn’t do anything fancy like a receiving line or that “go around to every table” deal. I didn’t really eat too many of the appetizers, but I did pull the “it’s my wedding” card and ask them to make me a special slider with no cheese on it.

That was yummy…at least I think it was. For once in my life, my main focus was not the food (though it was damn good food, I’ll have you know)! After little bit, we migrated over to the room where the main reception was held. After we made our entrance and did our fancy dance, I was able to finally check out my table décor close up! People commented how simple and elegant everything was. Décor was not high on the priority list so while I was worried the tables would look too bare, but everything ended up looking great.

We got some food (that I actually ate, imagine that)! Note to self: make steak with chimichurri sauce. And oven-roasted tomatoes. Stat. And our mashed potato bar was a huge hit…even if Bon Appetit might beg to differ.

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Shortly after everyone had eaten, we did the traditional speeches, mother-son dance, and instead of my dad dancing with me, he sang me a song. My dad is a big karaoke fan and sang “I Loved Her First” by Heartland to me. I ugly-cried (you know that cry, where your face is getting all red and you don’t care) through the whole thing.

We didn’t do a cake cutting because, well, we had mini cupcakes, so I think some people never knew it was OK to take them, but oh well. They looked good at least!

Then we danced the night away! The dance floor was a little slow going at first, but my lovely bridesmaids knew it was there job to start the dance party, and eventually others followed suit, including some pint-sized dancing cousins who upstaged me yet again. Man, that’s what I get for having people under age 12 at my wedding

I didn’t do too bad, though. I’m self-conscious about how I dance because I’m, well, as white as they come, but I was having fun and it was my day so I was going to dance!

I drew the line at breakdancing, though. Unlike some people.

When 11 PM hit, I was a little bit in awe that it was over, but the events planner in me was also trying to hustle everyone out because trust me, it’s a pain when party guests stay past their end time and I wanted to be respectful to those working the event. But then, we walked out, leftover booze and flowers in hand and it was time to go back to the hotel (where a group of us proceeded to hang out in one of the rooms until getting busted by a friendly yet menacing hotel security guard…but that’s not important).

I don’t want to say “it all went by so fast” because I think that’s what people only say when something is over, you know? And for the most part, I was pretty present and aware of everything, so it also wasn’t like I was floating in a fairy-princess wedding-land the whole time like some people also say (I’m paraphrasing). My wedding was, however, emotional and beautiful and joyful and real. It was nearly everyone I love in one room and seeing people there, genuinely happy for me and Mitch and excited for our marriage, was something I don’t think I could ever totally articulate but I know I’ll never forget.

That was my wedding…props to you if you’ve read this whole thing…and now I’m a wife! Which is really weird and really cool. Now I just have to change my name on EVERY.SINGLE.THING. How come no other married ladies told me what a giant pain it is to change your name? I’m glad I did it, don’t get me wrong, but…sheesh.

I might do one more wedding post, with vendor reviews and my tips for those trying to plan their weddings while staying sane (not that I didn’t have my moments of crazy, let’s be real). People have asked me if I was sad when it’s over, and I haven’t been, because I get to live it again through the photos and the stories, and the blog posts! So for that, I thank you.