Wedding: Rehearsal Day

The three days leading up to our wedding were probably three of the craziest days of my life.  Last minute phone calls, airport and bus pickups, confirmations, getting directions out, making sure the men actually got their tuxs.... I totally get the bridezilla thing.

The Wednesday before the wedding my (5-months pregnant) sister arrived with her husband and then 3.5 year old and 1.5 year old.  The Thursday before the wedding my maid of honor arrived via bus, after flying in from Mississippi. (For the second time in two weeks - the weekend prior was my bachelorette party - such a trooper she is!!)  The day before the wedding, I woke up pretty early, to find my brother, his girlfriend, and their 1.5 year old in our driveway.  Yes, all of these people stayed at my house.  I'm crazy.

I rushed to drop M off at doggie daycare, where she would be boarded until Sunday.  I hated her being boarded, but she really wouldn't have gotten NO attention in my house, or my parents house.  It was better for her this way.  We then wrangled everyone into cars and headed down to where the reception was going to be.  The tent had been put up on Wednesday, and Thursday we moved some tables and put out the chairs, etc etc.

Some point later my sister - the matron of honor, and my maid of honor headed back up towards my house for a nail appointment I had made for a few of us.  We relaxed, got pampered for a little bit, and our fingernails were done.  And we waited.  and waited.  And finally realized they didn't intend to give us pedicures.  BUT they were nice enough to call another place in the area for us, and we headed to the bank quick and then to the other salon.  When we arrived at the next salon, we were promptly informed by a very agitated Asian man that we were late and he lost business because he was waiting for us and now he couldn't help us.

So, I will proudly say, that I got my wedding pedicure at no place other than Wal-Mart.  I have no shame.  But whatever, I think they did a pretty darn good job, don't you?

(photo credit to C&J Photography)

Of course, by the time we were done and got back to the house, there were like 20 people in my kitchen. Uh, you've all seen my kitchen, its not that big.  Also, it was like 100 degrees in there.  Not.Cool.  This is about when I started to freak.  I had checks to write and make sure we brought.  I have bridesmaids and grooms-mens gifts to organize.  And we had to be at the church in ooooo 20 minutes?

Anyway, the rehearsal went well, everyone was mostly focused.  And we didn't cry. Although I must admit its a lot more intense than I expected.  My favorite last minute decision: Once the bridal party was done their entrance, I wanted to doors closed before I came in.  And who better to close and open the doors than my amazing brother and brother in law?!  PERFECT!  So, they were the doormen.

The rest of the day went off pretty much without a hitch.  Yummy dinner at a local place near our house, B and I said our goodbyes and each headed to our parents for the night (leaving my brother and sister and their families at our house).

I tried not to stay up too late with the girls (we had a sleepover at my parents) and fell asleep surprisingly easy, for it being the night before one of the biggest and best days of my life...