And just like that, the kids are married. Or maybe I should back up to the beginning of the day.
We slept in just long enough that the parking lot of the resort was empty, as was the restaurant in the lodge. There was still food in the buffet, but the eggs were a little rubbery by then. No worries, we still ate a giant plate of it and drank a wide assortment of beverages. I was still so full that by the time I arrived at the grandmother-of-the-bride's home (which also happens to be a gorgeous bed and breakfast, but don't sweat that detail), I could barely bring myself to drink more than two mimosas. We did girly things, like curling hair and dress maintenance. All of my girls were there, my biological daughters who were bridesmaids, and my foster daughter who was the bride.
We all trekked back to the resort at the state park, and most of them tucked away into the bride's waiting room. I was drafted to be the staging coordinator, so I was running all over the property, running errands, planning routes, discussing strategy with the pastor and DJ, and providing interference so the groom never got to see the bride. She was not kidding about that. It wasn't that she didn't just want him to see the dress until she walked down the aisle. She didn't want him to see even the top of her head over a screen of bridesmaids. We discovered far too late that we should have spent a little time doing a last minute fitting of the dress. It was a little gappy on top. The bride's grandmother had clothing tape (the kind that affixes dresses to bodies, that is), and it took almost all she had to go around and tack the entire bodice down. Once we were reasonably certain that she wasn't going to flash the assembly, we could all agree she looked lovely.
I've never directed a wedding processional before. I just jumped in and started pointing, and saying "Go! Go! Go!" It seemed to work. There were a couple hiccups with the DJ and the processional music, but other than sounding like he was doing a little hip-hop scratching when a connector came loose, it was nearly seamless. The people who needed to made it down the aisle. The bride and groom faced each other. They repeated the things the pastor told them to, with throaty, nervous voices. And when it was done, they were married and happy about it.
The reception was relaxed. I got to do a little more stage management, introducing the official party and sending the tables through the buffet line. But I was done after that. The kids were the stars, and they rocked it. Well, they and the staff at the lodge rocked it. These folks have been fantastic too, and it wouldn't be fair of me not to mention that. It helps that the groom once worked here, so they all knew him and wanted to make his wedding special. But even bearing that in mind, they went above and beyond to make the guests and official party comfortable.
Now, what several people asked me for... pictures of the bride in the dress. And of all of us. I haven't looked through what's on my camera until now. The official photos will be much less candid. But these will work for the big reveal...
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