I'm a Mrs.!!

I still can't quite believe it when I say it, but I'm a married lady now! A "Mrs.". It's still strange to me, but I like it!

The week leading up to the wedding was busy with all the last minute things you need to do, but overall it was pretty calm. I colored my hair, painted my fingernails and toenails, went and got a spray-tan, assembled the programs, went to pick up the beer and wine with Chris, tracked down a freezer storage container for the top layer of our cake.... But it all just kind of fell into place, no big crises or problems popping up. I didn't really have a lot of time to sit and re-think things, which was good. I think it also just sunk in that, you know, there wasn't much I could do to change things anyways!! It was all done - and I was glad about it! I was just calm, but excited, and really looking forward to Saturday.
I was so sure I'd be nervous, especially walking down the aisle, but other than a quick shot of nerves when we first loaded into the car to drive to the Y, I was fine! I wasn't nervous, I was just happy and excited, and really looking forward to the whole thing! It was really surprising, even to myself, but it made the whole day that much more enjoyable. I don't really have any specific advice or know of anything exactly that helped me, all I can say is that I knew at that point, it was all going to be happening - and to just let everything that I could "stress" about go. I didn't worry too much about my dress - it fit, which is all that really mattered (nobody's going to tell you that you look ugly in your wedding dress!!!). I didn't worry too much about my hair - it was fixed, and I wouldn't have even attempted to redo it (plus, I really liked it!!). I just didn't really worry or care too much about anything that day, except trying to be "in the moment" and having a good time!! This all was kind of surprising to my family and Chris, who all thought I'd freak out about the wonky-crooked cake!! That's right - the cake was a little lopsided. But you know what? I couldn't really do much about it, and at the end of the night, nobody had really noticed or said anything if they did. All they talked about was how delicious it was! I'm not trying to say that none of the details mattered, because there were little details that I really did notice and like - like the extra garlands used on the banister for the stairs, the beautiful candlelight all around, and all the pretty roses tucked into the mantle and onto some chairs lining the aisle. There were lots of really pretty little details, but I realized that not everything had to be perfect, because life isn't perfect. And that it wasn't worth getting upset if something was not exactly right or going as planned. I was so happy that day, that nothing could have spoiled it!

And for that, I really have to thank all the brides and brides-to-be out there!! I think that reading about everyone's experiences and hearing the stories really helped me to put everything into perspective, and it really helped me to focus on what I really wanted to get out of the day - and that was to really cherish our ceremony and have a great time at the reception!

Some of the funnier things that happened, though, I have to share with you all. First of all, the night of the rehearsal dinner (Thursday night), I accidentally cut and irritated my gum while flossing! Just to the right of my front teeth, it was swollen and really red!! Luckily it went down enough for the wedding on Saturday - I was sure that it was going to look like I had something stuck in my teeth!! Here I'd be, the bride, and people would think I had something stuck in my teeth, but wouldn't want to really tell me because I'm the bride!! ;-) But seriously, that had never happened to me before, and I remember thinking at the time "Really?..."
Then there was the lopsided cake. It was still beautiful, but was just a little crooked. I decided that this made it look even MORE delicious because it made it look real and homemade - not so perfect that it looked fake. And it was super delicious. Really really really good cake!!
When I was walking down the stairs, I made sure to hold onto the railing and walk slow. The stairs being marble, I didn't want to slip. But as I got down to where everyone could see me, under my dress my right shoe almost slipped off! The back strap came off, and the shoe slipped almost off my foot. So, on the next step, I had to slip my foot back in and luckily, the strap slipped right back on to the back of my foot! Disaster avoided.
One of the flower girls - our 17-month old niece - decided to lay down during the ceremony, flat on the floor. And she wouldn't wear her shoes. The ring bearer was playing with the pillow and dropped it a few times.
But by far, the funniest moment would have to be on our exit. I haven't seen any pictures of this, but I kind of want to. When you come out of the doorway, there is a step. I knew this, but as we were coming out to jump into the carriage, I totally missed it. I tripped and nearly fell! I think the fact that Chris had my hand was my saving grace. While it wouldn't have probably been as funny if I really did fall, the fact is I didn't fall, and now all I can do is giggle at the memory that when we were trying to make our "grand" exit to the carriage - with everyone looking at us and cheering, throwing lavender - I almost bit it. ;-)

I am by no means trying to make anyone else out there more nervous, or trying to complain about my day. There's nothing I would change - I had such a blast and loved every minute!! I just hope that this can show you all that have still to walk down the aisle that your day will be wonderful - no matter what. And I figured that all of you guys would get a chuckle out of my shoe nearly falling off, or me nearly falling.... because I did!