HaselBride

Our Fabulous Winter Wedding: Rehearsal Dinner

After the rehearsal, we were off to the dinner hosted by Nick's parents and step-parents. Just an FYI, most of the photos from the rehearsal dinner are posed, family ones, but I wanted to include them for my own memory.

Once everyone settled into their seats, Nick's mother welcomed everyone and led the group in prayer. We went table by table to eat, Nick and I leading at his mother's insistence. I was starving after the day's whirlwind of activities, but I was also nervous so I barely ate anything on my plate. After dinner wrapped up, Nick and I introduced the members of our wedding party. I could barely hold back tears introducing my bridesmaids, my absolutely nearest and dearest gal pals some of whom I hadn't seen for months.

All of the guests were invited to say a few words about Nick and myself or both of us since only the best man and matron of honor would be speaking at the reception.

Nick's dad took the time to make a few funny, and heartfelt remarks. Nick's sister had a speech prepared and used it as an opportunity to tease me about an inside joke that happened just a few months prior. My step-sister stood up to say a few things about Nick and me, including that she was so glad I had found someone who could put up with me. I wish I could remember more of what she said, but it was all hearfelt and in good fun. I do remember that she told Nick he could start paying her child support for "my kids." Everyone laughed because they all know I refer to my niece and nephews as my babies, confusing people who don't know me well!

Shortly after everyone was done speaking, Nick's mom and sister surprised us with a little game. I was to say the least, a bit shocked, but played along. The next thing I know, Nick and I are back to back holding one of our shoes in one hand and one of each others' shoes in the other hand. The questions were easy and we had pretty much the same answers down to both of us raising both shoes for "Who cooks dinner?" (I prep and cook the sides, etc. He runs the grills most nights.) The only one we disagreed on was  "Who is the better dancer?" Which, duh, is me, but of course he didn't agree!

After the game was over, we took some group photos and pretty soon it was getting late so things broke up. Before everyone headed out, Nick and I handed out our gifts to our wedding party. {Detailed post coming on this later.} I had really wanted Nick and I to exchange our gifts to each other that night, but it was already midnight and I had to go home to wrap up a few things and head to bed for my six a.m. wake up call!

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LOOKING BACK

• I wish Nick and I would have taken the time to write up a little speech thanking all of our friends and family, especially our parents for being there for us for not only our entire lives, but throughout the crazy wedding planning [and pilot training] experience. We thanked people, but I wish we'd have thanked them a bit more formally.

• I should have discussed a small timeline of events for the evening with our in-laws to include handing out gifts, etc. The gifts were handed out hurriedly as different groups of bridesmaids headed out. There were so many bridesmaids that by the time I had given my sister her tote bag she'd seen all the goodies eight other times. Planning a time into the "schedule to hand them out all at once would have been better.

• Because the rehearsal ran late, the dinner ran late, and therefore I was up way too late. If you are having a Catholic ceremony with a mass and have a large bridal party and/or the bridal party is inexperienced with weddings, specifically Catholic ones, plan for your rehearsal to last at least an hour. Ours began at 5:30 and lasted until 7. We had anticipated it would last an hour. By the time we reached dinner it was almost 8 p.m.

• I really, really, really wanted a moment alone with Nick in his hotel room after the rehearsal dinner to exchange gifts and be excited about the next day. However, I didn't communicate this to anyone and because of time constraints and the late evening, it didn't happen.

Our Fabulous Winter Wedding: Day Before and Rehearsal

I am finally read to begin our winter wedding recaps. I have been away from the blog so long and I've really missed it! I thought I would be back much sooner, but I've been working really hard at getting our house put together and working full-time from home. Shortly after the wedding, my part-time freelance gig opened up to a full-time one and I've been trying to learn how to balance work and play again! I'm finally getting caught up from the move and living in a hotel {which I do not recommend}.

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The day of the rehearsal, I woke up early to head into the salon with my mom to mani-pedis. The weather in the days prior had been nasty: freezing rain, etc. It was a muddy, mucky mess outside, and I totally spaced and wore flats instead of flip-flops. So we waited around the salon for my toes to dry a bit longer and headed off.

My mom and I ran some last minute errands. I had totally forgotten the special undergarment I was planning to wear. The JCPenney in my hometown was lacking in that department, so we made a trip to WalMart and I found the exact one I'd left at my house in Mississippi {and paid nearly double for at a department store}. Then we headed back home to finish up two projects and get all of the out of town bags loaded into my cousin's SUV to take to the hotel. My cousin and his eight-months pregnant wife were instrumental in getting stuff to and from places. They were so much help over the weekend it was wonderful! I am incredibly lucky to have fabulous cousins who are just like siblings.

Most of my bridesmaids were arriving in town by now. One of them, T came out to my parents' house to help me finish up a very last minute guestbook. It had dawned on me the week before that I really really wanted a Polaroid guestbook {since Polaroid was on its deathbed at the time}, so T worked to put photo corners on the pages and make up some directions for a sign to make it easier for people to figure it out. {I promise to post photos and how-tos eventually.}

Before I knew it, it was time to shower and meet everyone at the church. I rushed around getting dressed and fixing my hair while my sister and her kids got ready downstairs. My mom and I drove separately and my step-dad headed into town to pick up my dad. At the last minute, I went upstairs to the bathroom to retrieve something I'd forgotten under the sink. I was in a hurry because we were running a bit late. As I closed the cabinet door it slipped out of my hand and smashed my finger.

{Skip this if you're squeamish.} The door cut a huge chunk of skin off my pointer finger on my left hand. I was flipping out, blood was gushing everywhere and for some reason my parents were completely out of bandaids. My sister, ever the mother, dug around and found a bandaid somewhere in a bag. The cut was small, but it was really throbbing. I was still really upset and convinced that this one little cut was going to ruin all of the wedding photos. Haha. Looking back, there aren't even any close ups of our hands! I didn't wear a bandaid during the ceremony, just at the reception, and there is only one photo that even shows it.

We arrived at the church and said hello to all of our family and friends. I hadn't seen bridesmaids S and C in over a year and S was pregnant again! I was so excited to see our friends. Courtesy of the Air Force, only one groomsman was at the rehearsal, the rest were due in late that night or early the morning of the wedding. Once everyone arrived, we all gathered around and Father ran through the ceremony, which took longer than we'd planned. Catholic masses are notoriously long, and the rehearsal itself ended up taking longer than the actual ceremony.

Bridesmaid T, it turns out, had only come to my house that afternoon under the guise of helping me–she really was there to pick up the bag of bows leftover from my showers from my mom and sister. Upon arrival at the rehearsal, she broke out a gorgeous ribbon bouquet. Dare I say, it looks almost as good as my real bouquet! I'll make T show us how she crafted it some day.

My nephew Dawson and niece Mady were really excited about their job.

I started the ugly cry just practicing the walk down the aisle with my dad and step-dad. After this first practice, it was suggested that I only link arms with my dad {on the left} and let my step-dad rest his hand on my other elbow.

We ran through the ceremony once, the processional and recessional a few times and then headed to dinner forty minutes away at the hotel. After much discussion, we decided to keep things simple and have the rehearsal dinner in the smaller side of the same hotel ballroom the reception would be in the next night. Most of our wedding party was coming from out of town, and it just worked well this way. After the rehearsal, I rode with my mom, step-dad, dad and T to the dinner.

Up next...the rehearsal dinner and a small surprise!

All photos on this post are non-pro photos, courtesy of my aunt. Photos © HaselBride.