For those who asked for it - Update continued
I found out very late on Wednesday night (1:30am) that I had a morning appointment at the salon to get my nails done with the rest of the bridal party. This normally wouldn't be too big a deal (though I don't like it, I can get by on 6-7 hours of sleep). However, I had just started to develope cold symptoms and I wanted to get a lot of rest before the wedding so that I wouldn't look like I was sick.
But Thursday morning I was up bright and early and ready to head of with my mom, sister, Kristen G. and Genie R. I got a french manicure for the first time. And it was delightful to have a manicure again.
After the salon we went to Clemintine's for a little Tea Party. The service was disappointing, the tea was less than stellar, but the food was excellent. By then my voice was starting to go in and out and I had a faucet for a nose. But it apparently wasn't obvious.
After that was the wedding rehearsal and dinner. I was slightly disappointed that they didn't go into a little more detail at the rehearsal. However, I was not to terribly surprised. (Our pastor recently had a 5-by pass surgery. He is still recovering and is not aloud to work yet. So we had a pastor from a differ parish coming in for the ceremony. So because he wasn't free to be at the rehearsal, and he wasn't from the parish all we had was the general outline of the mass to fall back on. Thank goodness for the structure of Catholic masses!)
The dinner was delicious. I spent the majority of the dinner entertaining the flower girl, Annie. But I did get to talk with some of the family. I am sorry that I didn't really get the chance to chat with Matt's family. But it was just as well as I was suffering from a sore throat. At the dinner Kathy and Matt handed out presents. Some lovely gifts for our parents. The kids all got presents. The groomsmen got cocktail mixers. The bridesmaids got our necklaces and earings, and navy slippers - to make up for the fact that we were wearing 3" heels.
My aunt Fran drove me home early. Which ment I could finally give her her Christmas present. It was a set of clear quartz crystals that represent the basic shapes in "sacred geometry". She absolutely loved it! Many thanks to Emily for taking me to that new age shop in Prescott, AZ (where I purchased it).
I also got a lovely present in the mail from my dear friend Panda. She knew that I would be wearing heals the next day and sent me a foot repair kit. It was the best!
Also, my cousin Laura (on my dad's side) gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Christian.
Thursday night, I went to bed early. But all of the bridal party spent the night at our house for an old fashioned sleep over. From what I understand, the watched the first 20 minutes of Elf and where out cold. Friday morning, I got first dibs on the shower (7:30 am). The hot water finally gave out on Kristen. But we got thru me, Mom, Genie, Kathy, and Denise with hot water. However the drain has been very slow ever since.
Once we were all up and dressed, we went to the salon to get our hair and make up done. There is no point in going into detail. I will try to get pictures up and/or out as soon as I get any copies. At the salon we got a private room where we could gather and eat, drink, etc. Kathy and her friends immediately set about correcting their hair and makeup (just minor touches, that even if they were celebrity stylist, they would have corrected anyway).
After that we went home. I packed my overnight bag with the essentials. It had to be ready for my brother, Joey to take to the hotel. He took my car and bags to the hotel because he had to head that way anyway as the groomsmen were getting ready at the hotel.
At home we ladies got dressed. And it wasn't long before the photographer arrived to start taking pictures. With the house still full from the sleepover and Christmas it was a tight fit, but it doesn't show in the pictures.
We left the house for the church in a limobus. And while there were only 6 of us in there, with our dresses, we definately took up all the space they had to offer.
The Church was decorated for Christmas still and there were pointsettias everywhere. The service ran relatively smoothly. My sister jumped the gun on the candle lighting. Amy didn't have the mic on until half way thru the first reading. Aunt Fran did an excellent job on the second reading. Matt didn't respond at the "with this ring" until the priest had to repeat himself. I was a Eucharistic minister (which totally sucked in 3" heels). Stephen did a great job with the closing petitions. Mass ended and the party processed out. Kathy and Matt went thru the church row by row to thank everyone for coming and to talk with the people who wouldn't be at the reception. While that was going on I got to see some of my family and have some bubbly (the first of the day) in the limobus.
We took the scenic route to the hotel to enjoy and savor the moment. But once we got there it was time to take some wedding photos. I haven't been in a wedding party since I was 4. So the process was all very new to me. It was lovely to be announced so that everyone knew who the heck was in the wedding party and why. It was lovely to be the first one served. I didn't have to make any speeches. I knew 2/3rds of the guests so I had no end of people to talk with despite my sore throat.
I danced alot. I made everyone of my male cousins dance with me. And that may have been the only time they danced. Most of them admitted that no one else could get away with forcing them to join in the dancing. I made Tavis dance the polka. Brian W. (approx 12yrs) was gracious enough to dance with me twice - even though I am not family. His mother, RuthAnn thanked me for it. (RuthAnn is possibly my favorite of mom's friends.) I made Brendan dance one dance with me. Which was more than fair as I offered to let him spend the night in my room so that he wouldn't have to worry about getting drunk.
My mom's friend, Kate pulled me aside so that I could meet her family. She told them I was her favorite. Which I never get tired of hearing!
I got to meet some of Kathy's friends from the College of Wooster. I already knew Liz. But I was quite embarressed to find that her friends remembered me, while I did not remember them. However, this is not surprising to me. I try to keep Kathy's friends and my friends is two separate categories. Something that is usually not difficult. It stems back many many years to a conversation I had with her that she claims not to remember. But I am sure that though she would like me to get along with her friends. She would not like to share them.
I had some great conversation with the Wooster kids. Nate brought his lasso with him. He let me try. Apparently I'm a natural. He taught me how to tie the lasso knot. But promptly forgot the next day. But I think I may look it up so that I can practice. It is nice to be naturally good at something.
I talked till I was hoarse. I talked till I sounded like a eighty year old smoker. I talked till I had no voice left.
After the reception ended I went to my room to change into some comfy clothes. Then I hit the hotel bar with Brendan and Genie. One of Matt's very drunk highschool friends was a little too forward there. But I put a stop to that quickly. When the bar closed we went to the room my dad got solely for the after party. I had many drunk family members in that room. I didn't really do a lot of drinking. I think I had a total of five drinks all that day. Which is double the amount I have had in any other given day. But I wasn't even buzzed. Just a little tired.
I talked for a while longer with my cousins, and the Woo kids. My cousin Jeff was unusually talkative to me. When we were little we were real pals. At one point he even said that I was the only girl he would ever want to marry. But he broke up with a long time girlfriend and I think that he misses having a girl to share his thoughts with. Which is something I understand very well since my friend Mark and I haven't spoken in ages. I sometimes miss having the masculine perspective to bounce ideas off of.
Then I retired to my room. Where I didn't get much sleep before I got a call at 8 am from my mom asking me if I would like to join some of my family for breakfast. Which I did.
But as that was Saturday, I will have to post that later. I am sure I left some details out. And I will happily answer any questions. But that's it for now.