Extra Wedding Events

Along with the wedding comes the super fun precursor events- showers, bachelorette stuff, etc. 

I had three showers! Going in to each of them I felt nervous- would people show up, different groups of people-would it be awkward or would they get along, I hate being center of attention- but each one of them was so great! 

Olga, my Maid of Honor (technically Matron since she is married, but we decided that sounded old), threw a sweet Valentine’s themed shower back in February. She is an incredible Martha Stewart party food maker, and put together a gorgeous brunch for the group. I don’t like shower games, so we did a ‘craft’- and had each person make themselves a little Valentine garland to take home. 

Then my aunt threw me a shower at my mom’s house. The only direction I gave them was that I wanted a mimosa bar, and again- no games. My aunt came over from Ellensburg, and

we ended up making a whole weekend of it, which I loved. The mimosa bar turned out super cute, and we did play one game. We had Ron come up and crash the party for a few minutes, and then after he left asked questions about what he was wearing, what he said, etc. It was funny, and Ron was a perfect party crasher!

Tami and her best pals threw me a shower up north, which I was maybe looking forward to the most, because I was excited to get a chance to get to know her friends better. I had met most of them several times, but always for particular events (a wedding, Super Bowl, etc), and so had only really brief conversations. Tami had everyone go around and tell a ‘Brian Story’….which was pretty cute (and funny). The food was awesome and we all had a really fun time.

Thursday night was the rehearsal dinner. I was suuuper nervous for the rehearsal...maybe even more so than the actual wedding. Our venue had been going through a remodel for the previous few months and we were the first event back. Brian and I stopped in the week prior to the rehearsal and were a tad bit terrified...it seemed like there was still SO much to finish- besides the fact that it was filthy dirty. We showed up to the venue for the rehearsal and it was much better than it had been, but still not completed AT ALL. After seeing

the big difference, I felt a good bit of relief though. I know all sets of grandparents didn't have the same relief and as my grandma told me yesterday 'we prayed pretty much nonstop that it would work out. I even had toilet paper in the car because I didn't think the bathroom would have any.' Yeah. Rich lead us through the ceremony, and then we all headed over to Pyramid Alehouse for dinner. Which was perfect- we had our own little room...Tami and Gregg had done an amazing job of working with the restaurant to put together the menu...and it really was perfect. Casual and fun, but totally well organized and put together. I felt so much better about everything once we got to Pyramid. (I stole this picture from Brian's sister's pictures because I don't have any from the rehearsal!)

Then was the bachelorette whatnots. So two of my bridesmaids were coming from out of town- Jessica flew in from DC, and Rachel flew all the way over from Slovakia via London (Olga was here helping with things along the way). The three of them really didn’t know each other…maybe had met once or twice previously. And they were SO AMAZING. They started emailing each other, making secret plans. The Friday before the wedding, they planned a day of fun for the four of us. We all met at the loft Jessica was renting, and hopped in the car. They took me to fancy tea at the Queen Mary, which was so darling- I LOVE fancy tea…the little sandwiches, and pastries- YUM. Rachel brought a super cute Alice in Wonderland tea cup for me from England, that I absolutely love. Jessica had a bride Mickey ear hat for me to wear. Initially I was a bit against this kind of thing…but once I put that hat on, I was all about it! Wore it the whole day. After tea, we went and got our nails done…with champagne and our own little room and everything. So great. Then it was time to head back to the loft to have friends over for wine and apps. Jessica had a Polaroid camera and took pictures with me and each of the guests (along with Disney props) to put into a little album, where each guest had signed a little note. Rachel had everyone get close around me and come up with a word to pray/wish on Brian and I, and she opened in prayer, people shared their word, and then Olga closed. It was amazing.

Then everyone went home. Rachel, Jessica, and I finished a few last minute crafty things for the wedding, and went to bed- because I had to be up at 7am to go to class on my wedding day. Yep…I went to my Anatomy & Physiology lab that morning…I had emailed the professor that I wouldn’t be there because I was getting married, and he responded saying that if I could make it at all, it would be a good idea because ‘you can’t make up labs’. So I went…but I wore my Mickey bride hat to make him feel a little guilty.