The Wedding

Posted by: Carrie | 31st Aug, 2007 (edit)

 When I agreed to be Angelica’s brides babe I never knew just how much work went into planning a wedding.  I mean, I went through my stage of watching TLC’s “A Wedding Story” when I was 15 – too young to go to work, too old to do anything else over the summer – and it all seemed so simple.  Then again, at 15 most things seem so simple.  But at 22 and now no longer a wedding rookie, I can safely say that not only is a wedding filled with frustrations, long hours, grunt work and tears.

Shall I begin?

Despite the massive weight gain I experienced eating deep friend everything from a bag at camp – sure, 10 lbs doesn’t seem like an awful lot, but when you’re 5′2 the difference is quite significant –  the dress (which ended up costing over 300$ mind you – a dress that came from China and probably cost 30$ to make) fit; snuggly, but it fit.  The shoes matched, the watch tan covered by a lovely set of bracelets with matching earrings, the hair teased and sprayed and bobby-pinned to high heaven, the fake nails shoddily applied, and the toenails sufficiently painted pink.  The make up was done and redone in the bathroom before stepping into the car to bring us to church. The ceremony went off with only the slightest hitches: the standard screaming baby that wailed through the entire 45 minute ceremony, the tears from the bride during her vows, the jokes cracked between the groom and the officials (son and father, mind you), and the junior bridesmaids who didn’t quite grasp the concept that it was Angelica’s special day, and then Joe’s, and then their immediate families special days.  The photographer (although very specific and strict) was phenomenal and the pictures thus far look spectacular.

The reception was lovely – minus the confusion early on.  The guests arrived a bit late, later than the wedding party, so the brides babes and grooms men and best woman had to wait outside and be eaten by mosquitoes while the guests enjoyed the munchies until our grand entrance.  Speeches and toasts, drinks and jokes, the dances of the bride & groom, parents and wedding party followed and finally it was time to party. However, and there is always a however, before getting to that very special day – hell those very special few hours, took a whole lotta work! 

Since the bride and groom are 24 and 22 respectively (that is not a typo) the wedding was of course, on a budget.  Therefore set up and take down was performed by the brides babes and grooms men/woman, decorations and food prepared by the bridal party, the wedding cake baked by the mother of the bride, hair and nails paid by the babes, and a whole slew of other items I am sure I’m forgetting.  All the work was worth it, though, as it always is in the end when you’re working for a friend as fabulous and amazing as Angelica. 

As we danced and sang together, just her and I, to the song “My Girl”, I realized while watching her smile and laugh and be joyous was worth every dollar I spent, every moment I spent awake and working, and every tear I shed for her day and her memories.

~ by Carrie on August 31, 2007.