THE WEDDING

The night before the big day, Andy and Jenny stayed up late writing their vows. I searched for airline tickets to Costa Rica at the table as well(a spontaneous decision, more on this later), and served as the third party for veto-ing or approving phrases for the bride and groom (among phrases vetoed: you are the peanut butter in my pb & j...although it would have been very cute). At almost the stroke of midnight, they finished the vows and I clicked the “purchase now” button, and we all went to bed.

I was awoken the next morning by Andy running into my room and jumping on the bed, saying “Get up! get up! It’s my wedding day!!”. This story is now infamous, as Auntie Kris was standing by and relayed the story over the phone to my mom, who got all emotional over it and now it has become the morning mom cried over the way Andy woke me up.

Jenny has got to be the most calm bride there ever was. I think I was more nervous than she was, because I had been chosen to do her hair and if I messed up, it would be thoroughly documented in all the wedding pictures and passed on to her children and children’s children and one day, a distant relative will say “wow, she’s beautiful, but what kind of a hack did her hair?”. So you see the pressure here.
I accompanied Jenny to her mom’s house to assist with her preparations. Which was pretty much nothing; she took a shower, we sniffed some body lotions to decide what was best, and then we sat out on the porch in the sun to let her hair air dry while we sipped some wine, ate blueberries, and did the crossword puzzle. We got intermittent calls from the rest of the wedding party; quick, out of breath cell phone reports on the status of the preparations elsewhere: of the rest of the family, stressed and sweaty and running around setting up at the spot, the emergency bee-exterminator call, the flowers, the table settings. When they asked how Jenny and I were doing, I told them that she was starting to stress out too, and that we were working to calm her down and get everything ready. Then I hung up the phone and we laughed and poured a little more wine... (sorry fam! the truth comes out...)
(Above, just hours away from the wedding, we're clearly stressing out...)

The ceremony was beautiful. The weather, which had been looking really threatening, cleared up just in time for the outdoor event. Jenny’s brother Dave and I served as best man/lady and managed not to trip on the walk to the front (success!) I have to admit I almost lost my composure when a bird sitting on a tree above the officiator pooped and narrowly, NARROWLY missed his shoulder. I think only Dave and I saw it, and we looked at each other and I almost burst out laughing. Jenny and Andy told me later the officiator also had a huge mosquito on his forehead the whole time, getting fatter and fatter, but they couldn’t very well slap his face as he gave a speech about love at their wedding.

Andy’s dad Steve and his uncle Bob played a guitar/mandolin duet of a Beatles song which was beautiful. Steve’s guitar strap broke in the middle of the song but he caught it before it fell, barely missing a beat. I think that made the performance that much more amazing.

The reception was great; dancing, food, australian horseshoes and games of cornhole and croquet... a lovely night and a huge success. (Unfortunately, in all the hubub of preparations and whatnot, I left my camera upstairs the entire time, so I can’t post pics!) And for the record: her hair stayed put all night! What a gorgeous bride :)