More on that Wedding: A Rainy Ceremony

The skies have opened

The skies opened and it began to rain.  It wasn't pouring, but it wasn't just a drizzle either.  I started freaking out a little (no, a lot), thinking I had jinxed myself for being so arrogant toward nature and weather.  Multiple times in the planning process I had said, "The wedding is in August, it's not going to rain."  We waited about 5 minutes in case the rain decided to let up, but it didn't, so we started out wet procession down the aisle.

Guests question how waterproof their shelter is

The wedding party was hidden behind shrubbery, so I couldn't see what was going on, but as each bridesmaid walked down the aisle, there were eruptions of applause and (dare I say it) "woo"ing.  I hate when ceremonies are messy or too informal, and I had no idea how I had ended up with a guest list of "woo"-ers.

Bridesmaids tread carefully

Soon it was my turn to walk down the aisle.  The aisle included wooden stairs and a grassy slope, and my dress clung to the wet terrain.  My dad kept telling me to slow down, and I wanted to somewhat jokingly tell him, "I'm getting married, you can't tell me what to do anymore!" but of course I was crying and couldn't say anything.  Not to mention, focusing on getting down the aisle without falling or getting stuck in the grass was enough of a challenge.  I could here people laughing at me, which I thought was a little unfair, but I also got the applause and "woo"s.  Caitlin later told me that they were laughing because I looked so cute crying, and I also later learned that the applause was directed toward each bridesmaid for successfully making it down the slip-and-slide hill.

Father walks a tearful bride down the aisle

  Ken's all like, "Dang, that's my girl!"

The ceremony was a blur, but here is what I did notice: I couldn't look at Ken at all or I would completely lose it.  I am a big crier.  The audience was covered by plant matter under a pergola, but it did drip through a little and picked up throughout the service as the water kept coming down.  In the end, everyone was wet.  Elyse Gellert played a piece ("Be Thou My Vision", my favorite hymn) on violin, Ken's father read a bit of Song of Solomon, and the audience erupted with laughter after the line "For, lo, the winter is past; The rain is over and gone."  My grandmother read a poem, which had made my cry during the rehearsal, and then Pastor Tim (from my home church in Northport) got down to business.

"I can do this!"

Pastor Tim made some clever jokes about the rain, and then asked me if I wanted him to skip the homily due to the weather.  I didn't answer.  I didn't want him to skip it--I wasn't going to wear this dress again anyway, so what did it matter if I  was getting ruined--but I couldn't answer for this wet audience.  Tim then turned to the guests and asked the same questions.  "No, do the homily!" they said, and then chanted "Homily! Homily!"

The young ladies are given colorful umbrellas

I don't remember much of the homily, because the more I listened to anything, the more I cried.  We finally got to the vows and blessing of the rings, and I kicked myself for opting for so much "repeat after me" in the service.  Why did I think I could say so many words out loud in what was sure to be a heightened emotional state?

Ashley chokes back tears during vows

When all was said and done, and sealed with a kiss, we marched our way to the reception area that was technically outside but covered.

Happily Ever After starts NOW!

Wedding Day: Getting Ready

Well, I guess it's time I filled you in on the wedding day itself.

Caitlin woke up early and came over.  We set up as much as we could, then ran out of things to do as much of the doing was contingent on tables being set up.  We went to get coffee.  I ordered 2 lattes, one to drink there and one to take back with me, even though we would have coffee in the room were we were to get ready.

Next, Ken and some bros came by and, along with some ladies, we set up some of the larger decor.  When that was finished, Ken and I practiced our dance on the dance floor.  It still wasn't perfect, but it was good enough!  Besides, people would have been drinking for hours by the time we danced, and we were sure it would look even better to the inebriated.

Ceremony Seating

Dinner Seating Assignments

Merch Table

Then it was time to for the bridesmaids and mommies to start getting ready.  I'll gloss over most of this part, but include a few photos.

Getting

Ready

During this time, many friends and family members came up to say hello or help with the set up, and it was all greatly appreciated.

There was a possibility of rain that day, but the skies looked completely clear until about 4 o'clock when guests began to arrive for the cocktail hour.  While I was getting my hair done, my hairdresser tired to reassure me that the ominous clouds did not carry rain, but I was skeptical.

Guests Arrive to Ominous Skies

I was beginning to get very nervous about the whole idea of getting married, regardless of rain, so I waited as long as I could to put my dress on.  It seemed like once the dress was on, it was all going to happen.

The bow is tied

The bridesmaids and I took a few group photos, and then went downstairs to line up for the ceremony...

....which was exactly when it started to rain.

Too Excited to Sleep!

It's 4:50 AM, and I am not going to be getting back to sleep.  I woke up, realized that I hadn't checked to see if my veil is in the dry cleaning bag with my wedding dress, and that little bit of worry was more than enough to keep me up from now until I collapse, exhausted, tonight.

It's still too soon to start getting ready.  I am getting married (in just over 12 hours!) at a vineyard, and am staying on the property in a suite above the gift shop.  My sisters were scheduled to stay with me last night, but then we rethought having 3 of us squeeze into a double bed.  As it wouldn't feel right having one sister with me and not the other, we decided to all get a good night's sleep in our own beds.  I'm sure Lindsay is grateful--I shared a bed with her the previous night, and she told me she had had to build a pillow wall between us to keep me from cuddling her.  However, since I am all alone on this property in the middle of Oregon wine country (emphasis on country), there is no way I'm getting up and moving around while it's still dark.  The suite has huge, curtain-less windows in the living room, and I am honestly too scared to turn all the lights on and start moving around.  Who knows what is lurking in this country.  I don't really want to jinx myself by mentioning which phantasmic creatures I'm thinking of, but it's the stuff of urban legends and, well, zombies.  It's really just zombies and hook men.

So under the careful watch of Lamsicle, my stuffed animal lamb that I got in college and who looked so sad and lonely on my bed in Seattle that I just had to put one more thing in the car, I am quietly typing this in the bedroom with the curtains drawn until daylight starts peeking over the hills.

Yesterday was amazing.  I woke up completely hung over from dinner Thursday night in Portland.  I was drinking in advance, as I wasn't going to drink at the rehearsal dinner or the wedding, but in no way needed to drink as much as I did.  I was supposed to be up earlier yesterday to finish some work, but slept late and then couldn't really function until I drank a gallon or two of water and threw up a little.  First reprimanding myself for dropping the organizational ball, I soon realized that it was good that I had.  I wasn't up at 6:00 collating and highlighting itineraries, but the disorganization loosened me up enough to put me in an amazing mood all day.  I felt as if I had just learned the true meaning of Christmas (Jesus, love and family, not presents).   I was just so happy to be in a hotel suite with my mom, dad and little sister (Caitlin hadn't arrived yet), and knew that almost everyone I love is going to be at my wedding tomorrow.  What's really important about this weekend isn't my perfectly timed itinerary.  It's that I am really happy and really fortunate to have such an incredible family and such and incredible future family and (in my opinion) THE MOST AMAZING future husband.

Enough sentiments--let me tell you another highlight from yesterday.

While driving from Portland to my aunt's house in Silverton (1 hour) to pick up all our decorations (her house had been our staging area over the last month), and then to the venue in Dayton (1 hour), Ken's cousin called to see if a T-Rex lawn sculpture would get a thumbs up or a thumbs down as his wedding gift to us.

"Amazing, yes, we want that," I said.  "How tall is it?"

"About 3 to 4 feet," Ken's cousin Paul, who I had not met yet, told me.

"Yeah, that will fit in the car."  We are borrowing our Seattle-based aunt Susan's SUV because we knew our minicooper would not be a big help to us this weekend.

"Ken, you want a 4-foot T-Rex, right?" I double-checked.

"Yeah!"

"Yes!" I told Paul.

A few minutes later, Paul's mom Aunt Liz called.

"Are you seriously sure you want this?" she asked.  "It's really big."  And really stupid, I'm sure she was thinking.

I assured her we did, but I thanked her for being responsible.

So one of MANY highlights of our wedding will be the 3 to 4 foot T-Rex sitting a the head table.   It conveniently goes with our centerpieces, which consist of lavender flowers, handmade wood table numbers and white spray painted plastic dinosaurs.

Well, I think it's that time.  5:30.  Time to start getting ready.  Just because I now know the true meaning of weddings, it doesn't mean I'm not going to stick to my schedule.

Bring Your A Game

Northwest Wedding Fest will be hosting baggo and horseshoe competitions, in which the winner of each will win a custom trophy.  That's right, a trophy!  So bring your A game, and think carefully of who your partner will be.

This could be yours!

Headed to Oregon!

This morning, we are headed down to Portland to meet up with our families.  I'll be getting mani-pedis with Lindsay, my favorite little sister and Maid of Honor, and an airbrush tan with my mom. 

The good news was that I woke up to NO emails (aside from an iTunes receipt for the purchase of A Brave New World, the audio book to which Ken and I will listen on our way down) or texts.  The less-than-good-news was that for the second time in a row, I woke up at 4 AM, and this time couldn't get back to sleep. 

I have a 5-page timeline to get me through this weekend, and if we stick to schedule, I'll have a little time to post some updates.  So, hopefully more to come!

My Wedding is Really Soon

It's true.  It's in a just a couple of days!

I've been very busy and have thus not posted, but will try to at least throw a couple of posts up for you to enjoy.

I am home from work this afternoon packing and finalizing the timeline.  My forehead is all red because I just got my eyebrows waxed, and I just finished our Merch Table sign.  Our wedding is going to have a Merch Table.

Sweet Sign for Merch Table

And here is the Merch!

Northwest Wedding Fest Tee

(Don't worry, it's a free Merch Table)


Other highlights include etched TROPHIES for the baggo and horse shoe champions of the evening! 

Signs that I am Aging

I have absolutely no desire to go wine tasting again today.  I have gone on multi-day Napa and Sonoma trips before, but I really don't feel like I can handle this anymore.  Drinking was much easier in college.

A second indicator that I am older is my perception of what is slutty.  I got a dress for this weekend with a very deep neck with a mesh thing over it. I pulled it out and asked "Doesn't this scream 'bachelorette'?"

"No, that just screams 'adult'."

Someone else described it as "business slutty".