summer of weddings, one down four to go

this weekend we attended the first of 4 weddings that are this summer besides our own. we actually have 3 in five weeks to attend or be a part of - pretty nutty. i'm sure you've all gone through some of this, being a bride-to-be attending a wedding is a very different experience.

First of all i find myself being overly emotional - seeing the bride for the first time pausing in the doorway on her father's arm the tears started flowing. not only was this bride incredibly beautiful but i couldn't help but think about being in her shoes since i am so close myself. the combination of emotion was overwhelming to me - i cried like a baby while mike laughed at me and jabbed me with his elbow (i secretly think he made fun because he was going through the same thing, with his eye on his childhood friend, the groom, as he paced around the church greeting his guests and awaiting his soon to be wife.)

The second thing unfortunately involved in attending a wedding as a bride-to-be is the critical eye. i couldnt help but critique the decisions the couple made and compare them to what i would do, the bridesmaids looked fantastic in grey gowns all wearing different fuchsia pumps to coordinate with the hot pink gerber daisy's and roses in the otherwise green bouquets; the traditional catholic ceremony, though long, was really nice and for a moment a questioned the sacrifice that may be the weight of the moment for our relaxed set up - will it loose some of the emotion that the seriousness of a church setting holds?

both the bride and groom come from big families and paid for the party themselves which meant a few sacrifices - the open bar ended very early, even knowing their situation it still becomes a topic of conversation when you are told you need to start paying for your drinks, especially if you arent prepared for it. the sit down dinner made me feel confident about our decision to go the buffet route. i personally feel like you get trapped at your table for a long time as you wait for the courses to come out and i felt like before we knew it the night was over and i was just tasting the dessert. one thing they did that i thought was smart though, was not have a cake! we all got a piece of delicious cheese cake (cinnamon graham cracker crust - yummm) and i never even noticed until i was eating it that there was no cake in the room for display and cutting - and i dont think anyone else noticed either - a great way to cut some corners and save some cash i thought.

the other big enlightenment came at the after party. a small number of friends went back to the suite of rooms that the bridal party had been staying in for some relaxed budlights while the girls changed out of their dresses, the guys took off their ties, and we all took our heels off. it's so nice to get to actually spend some time with the bride and groom when they are done being "on" and the major saving grace - foood! it doesnt seem possible after just eating a big meal that you would be hungry again but five hours of drinking and socializing brings out the munchies. the group had trays of italian food - meatball sandwiches, lasagna - left over from the rehearsal dinner and it was a life saver. since we are also planning an after party in the hotel pub after our reception we had thought of making sure there was food available, but we didnt realize how much we needed or how important it was. now we're planning on ordering some trays of sub sandwiches and a stack of pizzas to be safe (especially with the way mike's guy friends can eat!)

are you ladies attending other weddings this summer besides yours? how are you handling it? any revelations?