For the sake of continuity, I'll rewind to mid-June and review the wedding. In the midst of all the transitions, this is the first day I have had time to sit down and reflect and look at all pictures. Our daughter-in-law posted a sweet series of some of her favorite photos from the wedding on Instagram recently for their 3 month anniversary a few days ago. Her photographer was a talented friend. I've shared some of those photos - there are lots of other fun ones of the girls getting ready, the ceremony, the wedding party, and lots of people dancing. Below are some from our cameras and the professional - the difference is obvious! At some point, I want to sit down and order an album.
The wedding itself came off without a hitch, just as everyone was getting vaccinated and travel was opening up. There had been three plans in place: the tiny immediate family only Covid wedding, the slightly larger small Covid wedding with some grandparents and aunts and uncles. And the normal wedding with friends and family. A break in Covid numbers allowed for option 3. Everything was beautiful, and the party was a blast after the months and months of staying home.
The few days leading up to the wedding were a bit stressful, admittedly. We had lots of big decisions to make in addition to all of the end of the year activities. As mother of the groom, I just had to organize the rehearsal dinner and find a dress, both of which took about 15 dead ends before a winner was found. With in store shopping hampered by Covid, I ordered and returned a lot of dresses. Two nights before the wedding, I tried on the 4 finalists and made a decision.
For the rehearsal dinner, a lot of places were limited by size or already booked. I thought I had one place locked in, but they doublebooked and cancelled us about a month before the wedding. Fortunately, I found another place quickly. It was an historic house at a golf course, which had a wide front porch where we were going to sit, but rain threatened, so the caterer moved us inside - where another wedding was set up, which felt sort of haphazard. Then the food was a bit cold by the time we ate - the rehearsal ran a little late, and the caterer was understaffed, so I think she made everything early. Nonetheless, by the end of the dinner everyone was laughing and having a good time. The brothers presented some gag gifts, which elicited some hearty laughter, and the strawberry shortcake for dessert was tasty.
Another added stress was the hotel where we were staying was also severely understaffed, so many of the out of town guests, including ourselves, had to wait hours for their rooms to be cleaned, and our rooms weren't together. We had also planned a reception at the hotel for the out of town cousins and friends who were arriving that evening but who weren't in the rehearsal. The hotel took the food away earlier than planned, but the cousins had fun playing in the room, and our fun uncle bought nerf toys and got a speaker from the hotel for music and singing. Thank goodness for funcles! He also apparently sponsored a "car bar" at the wedding reception, which I was unaware of until after the event, but it explained why some of the spirits rose precipitously later in the evening...
The morning of the wedding was sunny and bright, and spirits matched. We all made it to the church on time, and had time to great guests and sneak a peek into the bride's room, as well as to hug our son the groom and his groomsmen brothers and friends before lining up. The bride and groom had planned everything well, so everything was easy. The priest was our son's thesis advisor from school, with whom he had gone to Nigeria. Father was reverent but good humored, which put the nonCatholics at ease and added a joyful celebratory tone to the Mass.
The reception was at the church hall - an easy transition, as well as a lovely space. Perhaps the church had planned on being a reception site when they remodeled the space. Although the details were lovely and wellplanned, nothing was too fussy, so it all seemed effortless. There was a cocktail hour while the wedding party took photos at a scenic park, and then the party really started when the wedding party arrived. The food was delicious, the toasts were funny and pulled on some heartstrings, and the music was everyone's favorite songs, since the bride and groom had included a space for song requests on the RSVP cards. They also had written a handwritten message to each guest and had cards for guests to leave a note for them, in lieu of a guestbook. There was a photo booth and a patio for the older folks to retreat to when the music was loud. Instead of a groom's cake, there were a series of pies made by the aunts, since Joe loves pie. All of the little girl cousins had an absolutely fabulous time - there were about 7 of them between 3 and 8 - and provided ongoing entertainment by leading a congo line, belting out Taylor Swift lyrics, and sharing the light up bracelets, which were a gift Joe had given Isabella long before they were engaged. By the time the evening was over and the bride and groom drove away, we were all hoarse from singing, footsore from dancing, and exhausted in the most wonderful way. Weddings are a lot of work, but they provide memories to feast on for months.
