The Rehearsal Jitters

I got dressed and rushed out of the house to get to my rehearsal on Friday only to have to turn around when I had this feeling I didn't shut the garage door.  Well, I hadn't forgotten but I'm glad I went back because Mj and his aunts were getting back from Old Town and rushing into the house to change.  We were all able to go in one car and made it on time despite the crazy traffic that was all around us like something out of the twilight zone.

I decided to switch to a bigger room so we would have more space and slightly higher ceilings-it wasn't booked so we were able to do it.  I got a chance to chat with Jenn our coordinator to make sure that there would be enough tables in the room to seat all of our guests unlike what it appeared to be on the room diagram.  I still couldn't get the tables numbered so I could write them down on my place cards which annoyed me but I guess it would just have to wait.

As each new arrival showed up it was so exciting.  My little sis who I haven't seen since Christmas.  My good friend from Atlanta Fe-who I haven't seen since 2007.  I met Mj's grandma for the first time.  Friends and family.  It was wonderful to see their beautiful smiling faces.  These people who traveled all of this way and were there at the rehearsal just for us.

The rehearsal itself went OK.  I say just OK because we didn't have time to actually go through the words like I'd hoped.  It was more for placement.  Our officiant is my friend Eb's husband and this is his first wedding.   I felt confused and I think he was feeling the same.  I'd planned on having us get together for a run through but like many other things it never happened.  Luckily, I had the music there because after changing up the format a little we discover that we actually will run out of time and need to come up with a second song for me and my dad to walk to.  Our coordinator made us kiss multiple times which was quite stiff and awkward.  Not that we've never done it before but we were on the spot and I think it made us both self conscious.  It suddenly dawned on me that everyone is going to be staring at us all night and I started to feel a little freaked out by that.  I guess I should have thought of that before I decided I wanted a wedding huh?

THE DINNER

US

We had a great time at our rehearsal dinner.  It was a casual affair at a little Italian restaurant.  Our party fit on one long table at the patio.  It was nice for everyone to hang out and get to know each other.  I was so worried about the cost but my parents gave us money to cover it and a few people couldn't make it.  We got the bill and it was just a little over budget-even with alcohol included.  They were supposed to only do sodas but whatever-I was glad to see people enjoying themselves so it was all good.

Bridesmaid Eb & Big Sis

Me & Bridesmaid Fe

Little Sis & Boyfriend T

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

I made a game time decision to have a late night impromptu ceremony rehearsal.  By the time we left our dinner it was pretty late.  I was tired and still had things to do but I knew that it would make all three of us feel better to do a run through from start to finish.  We dropped off his aunts at our house, changed and didn't get to their house until 11:30 pm.  Eb told me K was getting a bit nervous and frankly so was I. Thank goodness we practiced because our first run through was a mess and what a disaster it would have been if we had done it that way when it counted.  I didn't know what to say when.  K would tell me to repeat after him and I would forget what he just said by the time it was time for me to speak.  I couldn't even remember what finger to put Mj's ring on.  We got the jitters out and worked out the bugs.  We did it exactly twice and that was all it took for us to all feel more confident and ready for the next day.

I went to bed with my mind racing with coulda, shoulda, woulda, what if's but at 1:30 am-technically the day of my wedding there was nothing more that I or anyone else could do about anything.  The planning was over and it was about time to execute.