This is a picture of the original group. Kelli, me, Tara, Megan, and Becky. Kelli just had a baby in June and lives in another area so we don't get to run together anymore, but stay in touch. Megan moved to LA with her husband and we were so glad she got to be in town for the wedding! We all met the summer before Becky got married and since then all have gotten married but me! Actually everyone has had a baby too....ha! I just think the world of these ladies. It goes to show that you can make friends before 6am with no make up and a sports bra on. Actually it was sort of weird the first time we all got together and were clean and dressed!
Jimmy and Tara met on our kickball team a few years ago. Such a great couple. They get it honest because their families are incredible as well. I so enjoyed getting to know Jimmy's family and spending more time with Tara's. It's just a fun loving crowd. Thursday night they had a little gathering for everyone getting into town at a local restaurant/bar. Friday morning the bridesmaid luncheon was at a club up at the lake. Luckily it was beautiful, but so hot so we sat inside and enjoyed the view. It was definitely a busy day. I got home and had a little time to get rested and ready for the rehersal. The wedding was uptown at a catholic church and the dinner was at the City Club which is on the 31st floor of a building uptown. Great views! The food was incredible and we enjoyed hearing the toasts and stories about Tara and Jimmy. One of Jimmy's sisters said something that stuck with me. In part of her toast she said "Put God first, your spouse second, and yourself last". I thought thats was sweet marriage advice. Afterwards Jimmy's dad hosted a cocktail party at the Westin where the out of town guests were staying. It was as nice as some wedding receptions!
Saturday was another day of go, go, go! I had a hair appointment at 10, where I achieved my "Alabama" aka big hair look of the night. No offensive to the state of Alabama, but ya'll like big hair! Then it was more wedding related errands before I met the rest of the girls at the church around 1:00. The wedding was at 3. Here if you get married at the Catholic church your options are 11 or 3 because of mass times. Luckily it was somewhat cooler than it had been, but I was in a little bit of a hydration deficit due to that very nice open bar the previous night. Ha! Operation hydration. No one wants to be the bridesmaid that hits the deck! The ceremony was nice. Longer than us protestants, but at least we were seated through a lot of it. It was a good bit of up and down but I just did what Becky did. I forewarned everyone it was only the third Catholic wedding i'd ever been to, much less been in. Mid way through the ceremony I started feeling poorly. I hadn't felt bad during the day, but maybe the dehydration was hitting. Tara busted me in a big yarn and they started cracking up from their seats up front. I kept feeling worse and worse. By the time the family was taking pictures I thought I was going to die. There is one bathroom room thin this church. One. It's the size of an airplane bathroom. I. Kid. You. Not. I thought the ring bearer had died in there he was taking so long. lol. Then there was a hand dryer left on that was all kinds of blowing my Alabama hair and worsening my sweat marks. I made it through pictures outside thanks to a breeze (aka gift from God). Apparently I looked fine, so I was determined to be fine. We walked to the Westin and I bought some crackers and vitamin water. Yes, I was now THAT bridesmaid. Everyone else was cracking their bud lights on the trolley and I was trying to "revive". At least thats the flavor of vitamin water I choose to bring me back to life. The reception didn't start until 5 so after pictures we rode around a bit and stopped at the park where we played kickball, where J&T met for a photo op. At this stop I though I was dying. Tara, I love you, but that trolley ride was one of the top five most miserable experiences of my life. I started looking for a bag. The only empty container I could spy was the beer case holding the empties. I made it to the reception site....barely. This is prob all to much information. But it has a good ending. Best rally ever.
After the start of the reception (I made it through being introduced) I was nearly in tears I felt so bad. I thought I was going to have to leave. Luckily after a failed attempt at drinking sprite the demons were released if you will. I was racking my brain about what could have made me sick (besides the open bar). Then I remembered. The mayonaise. It's always the mayonnaise. If it says "best by 08" it is "best by 08". As I type that I cannot believe that I ate something that was best by 08! The owner of these condiments shall remain nameless. He does not believe in an expiration date. I guess in his mind it's a loose suggestion? Anyway he DID chunk the mayo. I had eaten it on a sandwich around noon and I think thats what the culprit was. Guess we'll never know. I am so thankful I felt better, because that was one of the best receptions ever. Tons of my best friends were there, great music, flip flops for sore feat, shrimp and grits, cake! It was a miraculous recovery that involved liquor drinks and shrimp and grits. The stomach of steel was back! woohoo! We danced and laughed and took tons of pictures. I didn't take pictures, I leave that up to Becky. I have to give her and her awesome camera credit for all the photos on this post. Afterwards we all went back up to the Westin and hung out a bit, but my mojo was gone. It had been a long, fun day and like many others I couldn't hang anymore. By midnight I had turned into a pumpkin and gone to bed. I had a blast and I can't wait to watch Tara and Jimmy as husband and wife for years and years to come.
At Pearl Street Park where we played kickball
My current neighborhood running group. Six girls from six different states.
April, Brooke, Colleen, Tara, Becky, and Me. Love chasing them!
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