Ashely and Jordan's wedding June 2nd 2012
This past weekend I was a bridesmaid in the most beautiful wedding, I really thought I was at the Royal wedding. Oh where to begin on this post. Well it all started a few years ago when I invited my friend Ashley to hang out with some of my country boy friends and float down the river and drink beer. Ashley met Jordan and the rest is history. I had a planned to introduce the two long before they actually met I just had to find the right opportunity, ie get rid of his current girlfriend and convince her that JOCO boys were more fun. SO done and done, they date, they get engaged, they plan wedding. Oh and if anyone knows Jordan's mom I had to find someone she would approve and I knew she would love Ashley and her family just like I do.
So let's start with Thurs, the bridal gown, yeah that's right "THE BRIDAL GOWN" arrived from Charlotte per bridesmaid Liz to 2458 Medway Drive, which would be my house Thursday night. Some of the girls were going out on the town, but this girl had to work the next morning prior to the luncheon and decided to stay in and babysit the dress. Well there was a storm a brewing and Holden had the dress hung on the bathroom door which was by a window...no way was that storm blowing through that window and messing that dress up, so Holden moved the hook and the dress to her bedroom door, securely in the middle of the house. That is where you are supposed to be if storms, tornadoes, hurricanes come, whatever safest place...ahhhh. Finally Holden took a xanax so she could sleep and not worry about "THE DRESS".
Bridesmaid Luncheon--So here we are on Friday at the bridesmaid luncheon at the Capital City Club. Which if anyone has ever been to a bridesmaid luncheon I bet you can guess what we had... CHICKEN SALAD....which if you are me you LOVE!!!!! It was so beautiful and given by the mother of the bride (Robin) best friends. The bridesmaids were given these really cute short sleeve pink robes with our initials to wear while we were getting ready on Saturday and a gorgeous hair pin for our updo's on Saturday. We dined, we talked, we took pic's we drank mimosas and then we parted ways to get ready for the nights festivities. Wait oh Wait does anyone remember I have "THE DRESS" actually it's dresses, there were two, for later evening change. Will you just drive them to Clayton....ahh don't wreck don't wreck, need another xanax, how did I get this job. Safefully arrive and unload dress to it's destination at the Dr. Watson Inn. Dr. Watson Inn is a beautiful bed and breakfast on Flowers Plantation in Clayton and the ceremony would take place in front of the house with the reception in the tents beside. The groom also bulit this bed and breakfast with a historic look and using parts of the original house that stood in that very spot. So COOOOOL.
Rehearsal---After the threat of bad weather and a parking lesson from the mother of the groom (Becky Flowers as in Flowers Plantation) we were finally all gathered in the reception tent temporarilly because of the rain and running about 45 minutes late. I mean it's 12 girls what did you expect. We all gather and we meet the wedding planner, all 32 of us.... yes I said 32, 1 bride (ashley), plus 1 groom(jordan), plus 2 brides parents, plus 4 grooms parents, plus 12 bridesmaids plus 12 groomsmen, which I think is 32. She gets all of our attention and instructs us to line up, we ask how is there a list, by height??? She then must converse with the bride briefly and we line up by height... wow there is long line when you are trying to line up 26 people across. Weather clears, great, we process out towards the ceremony area and work on our walking. Walking down the aisle, where to not sure, no instructions given, but we walk with our walking mate make our way down the aisle. And as any good rehearsal goes, we stand, we stand, we stand and more standing. Now I'm sure there is something going on that I should be listening to, but all I can think of is dang I should've worn my flip flops during the rehearsals and my pretty tall shoes later and don't drink toooooo much wine, tomorrow is a long day. Well somewhere in there I spaced out and now all the boys and girls are all lined up even, all learned how and where to stand and now it was time for dinner and beer! Yummmm Man I've got to shorten this up. Dinner was awesome had some salmon, I got up introduced Erin(childhood friend of bride) for her speech, Josh (grooms brother) for his speech, which I learned I was doing about 20 minutes before...good thing I'm so shy and all. The speeches were great some stories and memories shared. Then it was COASTLINE TIME....... and we drank and we drank, and then finally people danced. Oh then I got the news I had make-up call at 8:30am..wowza slow down. Ashley's dress was beautiful, probably nicer than some brides dresses...haha. She had a great time and looked great.... Jordan (the groom) had this group in college called CTK and we all made these neck ties that said CTK and did the Wilson Phillips "hold on" song from the movie Bridesmaids and danced like idiots and looked AWESOME. There is a video somewhere. So the night ends with craziness at hotel that is not blog appropriate. So I called my dad to pick me up and nighty night.
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| Girls by Katy Cook Photography |
Getting ready----Wow what a transformation that happened at Flowers Plantation and to my face. For the record I should get a gold star and cookie for being on time at 8:30am for make-up...WOW no wonder I'm still tired and it's Thursday. So make-up 8:30, then to hair which Laura took me, Laura had to leave me because my girl was running late.... here comes good old dad again to pick me up and I asked for $20 and he gave it to me. I had to give all my cash to hair girls ;) I feel so high school right now, asking my dad for rides and cash. Arrive to the most beautiful girls getting ready, there is chick fila, Bella (ashley's yorke dog), planners, decorations, it was something out of a movie. Everyone in there pink robes, except Ashley hers was WHITE!!! The tent had been transformed, our faces, hair, nails etc had been transformed, then begins the best part of every wedding..... hurry up, wait stand around, hurry up, hurry up, wait wait, hurry up.... which includes pics, getting dressed, boots, paper dolls, packing our bags, moving our bags, find my SPANX, yes where the hell are are SPANX, with all this chaos the last thing I need to lose is my SPANX, please someone help me! me me me me for once today it's about me me...wheeeeew found them in the closet! Now if I had known getting dressed was going to be one of the hurry up times, I would have started this Spanx maneuvering a little sooner. Finally in, bag packed, jewelry on. We were instructed to put bag on bus that was going back to hotel. Then we were instructed if our cars were out back they needed to be moved. Now I simply asked if my bag that has my keys in it, was on the bus, how the Hell am I moving my car, right got that I'm not....so there were a few bridesmaids cars in handicapped parking. After being ready for make-up at 8:30am I was a little handicap? Don't you think. Good thing someone invented five hour energy and a nice Make-up lady to go get it! Two thumbs up Heather Shaw.
WEDDING DAY -
Actual wedding-- look we've all been to weddings so I'll tell you what I remember and how things went. First the bridesmaids were trying to figure out where to go and wait. We were also on our best behavior no heavy drinking, so while waiting in reception tent for wedding to start they are stocking the ice sculptures with Champagne Bottles...yes that is right GIANT ice shaped like bowls, filled with Champagne..David Tutera, where are you? This is something straight off of TV. So we ask one of the waiters for a bottle, no glasses Kristen politely says as she sneaks out back, followed by me. We pop that bottle, then the maids go marching two by two horah horah, out of the back of the tent. You know we are hanging with catering people passing around a bottle of champagne, we are BALLER and I totally feel like I'm in high school. Oh shoot here comes the mom...chug chug chug. DONE. So we line up still by ourselves and when I say that (no wedding coordinator or assistant in sight) we are lined up to walk in (see we did listen during rehearsal) the mothers are lined up, it's 5:00pm (which is wedding time) still no one telling us when to go. So the mom's go, I mean they are supposed to be seated at 10 til anyway, have you ever been to any good southern wedding when they weren't? So they are seated, cue the arrival of wedding planner, she can't find the mom's...yeah because they are seated already it's 5:10pm....anyway..... we walk, we waltz, we smile, we book it down the aisle. The handsome gentlemen come from beside the house and are looking ravishing. We are standing..and standing... just kidding here comes Ashley around the corner on a horse and carriage... YES a FREAKING horse and carriage...back up and Will and Kate you ain't got nothing on Ashley...BOOM! So Erin is in front of me balling crying and looks back and says say something funny, I replied with the only joke I can think of is about a guy F-ing a chicken and I don't have time to tell that... she started laughing, Winner. Then Laura is crying behind me, so I quickly spot a midget (which she is scared of) problem solved. No really one of the guys driving the carriage was a midget. Some words are said, some songs were sung... ok I'm not that bad. The Lord's prayer was sung and Can't help falling in love. But one of the coolest things was the ring bearer.
--Side note-- Howard is this old black man who was Jordan's grandfather's right hand man, did everything for him, knows all his stories, the fella is about 100 years old and when Jordan proposed it was Howard who was holding the ring during dinner the whole time before the question was popped. Howard is a part of this family.--end note
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| Howard |
So Howard was the ring bearer, he sat in the front row with his shiny black tux and two tooth grin, gripping those rings. And when the preacher asked for the rings Jordan stepped over and got them from Howard.... tear and I'm not a crier. Oh also had a tear when Ashley's dad Edwin gave her away, he was so cute and on the verge of chocking up. Such a sweet beautiful family. They are done, they are married they are walking out, we are walking out. We are taking pictures and pictures and pictures. No there really wasn't that many and Katy Cook the photographer was AWESOME. Her pic's are great and I'll post the link at the bottom.
So we get announced, watch the bride and groom dance....so cute she put his sunglasses on the back of her neck. I stood there wish Josh the grooms twin brother and just watched in silence...for once I was silent ,probably only time all day. It was a great moment, just standing there with one of my besties and just enjoying a moment. I know he's secretly thinking that could be us. Well yes as a matter of fact we made a pact about 15 years ago it would be us if we hadn't found anyone else. I still have hope!! Then Ashley and her dad shagged to Miss Grace... she is after all Ashley Grace Herring (now Finch). Then Jordan and his mom and you know the drill from there on out, cake cutting, toast from brides parents, garter bouquet...etc. Except there was a surprise Mr. and Mrs. Wuf from NCSU wolfpack showed up and Ashley is a huge fan, went to school there and has season football tickets. It was great for her, not so much for me as I bleed Carolina Blue. And for me cocktails and Mr. and Mrs. Wuf don't really mix and that is why we have pic's like this..... haha.
The band was THE MAXX out of Hotlanta, by far one of the best, that is why I recommended them, another cookie. Geez can someone tell me to lay off the cookies. They kept the party going, we had a soul train line, we had all sorts of stuff. There was a photo booth that was great, but just a little advice in the future, you never want to be the LAST people in the photo booth, especially when you got your make-up done at 8:30am and it's two of your best friends weddings...yeah those pic's are not so pretty.
So the lessons from this wedding.
I'll never go to a bigger, more beautiful or more expensive wedding in my LIFEWho gives a crap what the wedding planner says, as long as the bride has a great time...DONE
Never be the last one in photo booth
And request single groomen in the bridal party!
And always always DANCE YOUR FACE OFF!!!
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