Now it’s time to catch you up on the last month and a half, the first month and a half of Daniel’s and my married life together (since it’s taken me that long just to tell you about the wedding weekend!). I absolutely love being married. I love getting to see Daniel every single day no matter what—waking up to his kisses every morning, coming home to him every day after work, and cuddling up to him every night when I go to bed.
We had a great time on our honeymoon to North Redington Beach, Florida. The condo we stayed in was right on the beach, with a beautiful balcony view overlooking the water. Unfortunately, it rained almost the entire time we were there. We only sat on the beach for a couple of hours of one day, and didn’t really go in the water at all. But we did drive the two hours to Orlando on two days, once to go to Discovery Cove, which was the coolest place either of us had ever been. Seriously. I highly recommend it.
The second day we went to Sea World, which was somewhere both of us had always wanted to go. It was stormy and cold all day there, so all of the rides were shut down. That wasn’t such a big deal, though—we can ride rollercoasters anywhere. We ran through the rain from exhibit to exhibit to see the animals, usually avoiding the ones that weren’t under cover.
Other than that, we took a few long walks along the beach, spent a lot of time reading, and went to a lot of delicious restaurants. Our goal was to go to non-chain restaurants only, which we followed pretty well, except for the Wendy’s where we stopped on the way to our condo from the airport our first day there. Overall, it was wonderful to spend a vacation together, away from all the stress we had been under for so long before the wedding.
When we got home, it was time to “settle down.” Daniel still had stuff that needed to be moved from his parents’ house, so we made a couple of trips back and forth from there. We still have some remodeling to do in our bedroom and bathroom so that two people can live in them comfortably. What seems most important right now: There’s not currently enough storage space for everything we’re trying to cram into that room (not that it was much better when it was just me in there). There have also been wedding gifts to put away, a new dishwasher to install, and a new tractor to buy since we’ve been home. Daniel’s car has had to be towed twice in the last month (it’s getting old). So we’ve been busy. Regardless of what we’re doing, it’s exciting to get into new routines now that we’re living together!
We got our photo discs back from our photographer a couple of weeks ago, some of which you have seen. He did such a great job! We’re presently in the process of choosing pictures to have him print for an album, and then we can choose larger prints for all of the new frames we received as gifts! Definitely a fun project. Speaking of frames, we were also given an apostolic blessing from the Vatican by my bosses, which we still need to have framed so it can be hung on our wall. It is so beautiful and special.
One thing that I’ve had to deal with that I hadn’t really considered before the wedding was what I’ll call “post-wedding depression” for lack of a better term. During the wedding planning process, I know that I really tried to put my focus in the right place: on the sacrament, and the marriage that only begins on the wedding day.
But it’s still hard to escape the fact that most girls start thinking about their wedding day as soon as they’re old enough to know what a wedding is, and I was certainly no exception, dressing up as a bride just for fun as a little girl, playing “wedding” with my Barbies, and reading the newspaper’s annual wedding guide section from cover to cover every year in high school. Plus, to have spent the last two years thinking about and planning for that specific day, May 16, 2009—let’s just say that having it behind me was, for the first few weeks, the biggest morning-after-Christmas feeling ever. I’m sure you all know what I mean by that.
Luckily, though, I think that having at least tried to put my focus in the right place during marriage preparation has helped. The “post-wedding depression” has almost completely cleared up now. It has also been comforting and exciting to think about not only marriage, but also the wedding as a foretaste of Heaven. Having experienced my own wedding Mass and reception, being completely full of joy and celebrating with everyone that I love, I think I can really appreciate the analogy of Heaven as being “the wedding feast of the Lamb.” It’s hard to imagine anything happier than my wedding day—to think that Heaven will be exponentially better is incredible. It really gives a person something to look forward to; and that wedding feast will never end!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Weekend Wedding - Part 5
Being introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hammond to a room full of everyone we love was an amazing experience. The deejay played instrumental music that made it sound like we had just won a game show or something, but in a good way. We walked through the door, grinning brightly. The room looked even more beautiful than I had imagined it. Everyone cheered, lots of people standing up from their seats. We made our way through the tables to the head table, which was a round table like the others, but right in the center of the room under the biggest chandelier.
We sat down with our parents to wait for the food—a brunch buffet was set up along one wall of the room, but in the meantime there was a fruit and pastry table open, plus the coffee and tea station. My mom went to get me a cup of coffee, which I was very happy to drink. I was starving, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat much of anything when the time came, either because of the excitement or because I’m a slow eater and would spend most of the mealtime talking.
I was right about that; the lady in charge of catering served our table rather than having us go up to the buffet like everyone else, and my plate was absolutely loaded with a wide variety of everything that was being served. I ended up swallowing just a couple of bites of a ham and cheese omelet, and I think one small slice of Canadian bacon. I did have another cup of coffee after the first, so at least I had my caffeine!
After everyone had eaten, the deejay announced the toasts; Daniel’s brother John, the best man, would be giving one. And although my sister Marie, maid of honor, had originally told me she didn’t want to do a toast because she would be too nervous, she changed her mind while we were at the reception and wrote a speech on her napkin. Marie started to give her toast first, but John took over when she couldn’t stop crying. His speech was very nice; he had everyone laughing but it was also very sweet. Marie tried again, struggling not to cry, with the people around encouraging her. My mom thought Marie just wanted a hug of encouragement when she walked over to our table a sentence or so into her speech. We were all surprised though when, amid many “aww”s, Marie handed my mom the napkin and cried, “Can you do it?”
“What makes you think I won’t cry?” my mom replied, somewhat laughing. So my mom ended up reading Marie’s speech with Marie sitting beside her, listening and crying. It was fairly simple, but beautiful. We toasted with champagne mimosas.
The last piece of the day that I was really nervous about immediately followed the toasts: the first dance, and then the father-daughter dance. But I shouldn’t have worried; Daniel and I were perfectly comfortable, as though we weren’t actually in front of all those people. We sang to each other, along with Steven Curtis Chapman as we twirled, dipped, and attempted to waltz (that part didn’t work out so well). But it was so much fun!
After the two special dances, Daniel and I went around to say hello to every table. I was worried that once we had gotten to everyone, we would have no time to dance any more at all. But we ended up talking to and hugging everyone with time to spare! We cut the cake, took some pictures out in the hall, I tossed the bouquet (which took two tries, since my first toss hit the ceiling) and danced to “Chicken Fried,” “Then,” and “Save the Last Dance for Me” (which, as you may have guessed, was the last dance). By that point, most of the room had cleared out. Daniel and I left to go to our hotel room, which was on the premises since we got a free night in a suite with our reception. I stood in front of the full-length mirror there in my wedding dress and finally started to cry.
I couldn’t believe that the wedding was over. We were married. Really married. All of the emotion of the past several weeks/months came crashing down on me then. Good and bad. I just had never experienced an emotional roller coaster of those proportions before. I imagine having our first child may be somewhat similar…
Once I had calmed down and realized how incredibly starving I was, we went out for dinner at a little Italian restaurant nearby. Of course we changed, but I kept my wedding jewelry on—I wasn’t ready to completely de-bride myself yet. Actually, I wore the jewelry to church the next morning, too!
While we were eating dinner, I couldn’t help but think about how everyone had told us to remember that no matter what, at the end of the day we would be married. Well, it was the end of the day. And we were!
We sat down with our parents to wait for the food—a brunch buffet was set up along one wall of the room, but in the meantime there was a fruit and pastry table open, plus the coffee and tea station. My mom went to get me a cup of coffee, which I was very happy to drink. I was starving, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat much of anything when the time came, either because of the excitement or because I’m a slow eater and would spend most of the mealtime talking.
I was right about that; the lady in charge of catering served our table rather than having us go up to the buffet like everyone else, and my plate was absolutely loaded with a wide variety of everything that was being served. I ended up swallowing just a couple of bites of a ham and cheese omelet, and I think one small slice of Canadian bacon. I did have another cup of coffee after the first, so at least I had my caffeine!
After everyone had eaten, the deejay announced the toasts; Daniel’s brother John, the best man, would be giving one. And although my sister Marie, maid of honor, had originally told me she didn’t want to do a toast because she would be too nervous, she changed her mind while we were at the reception and wrote a speech on her napkin. Marie started to give her toast first, but John took over when she couldn’t stop crying. His speech was very nice; he had everyone laughing but it was also very sweet. Marie tried again, struggling not to cry, with the people around encouraging her. My mom thought Marie just wanted a hug of encouragement when she walked over to our table a sentence or so into her speech. We were all surprised though when, amid many “aww”s, Marie handed my mom the napkin and cried, “Can you do it?”
“What makes you think I won’t cry?” my mom replied, somewhat laughing. So my mom ended up reading Marie’s speech with Marie sitting beside her, listening and crying. It was fairly simple, but beautiful. We toasted with champagne mimosas.
The last piece of the day that I was really nervous about immediately followed the toasts: the first dance, and then the father-daughter dance. But I shouldn’t have worried; Daniel and I were perfectly comfortable, as though we weren’t actually in front of all those people. We sang to each other, along with Steven Curtis Chapman as we twirled, dipped, and attempted to waltz (that part didn’t work out so well). But it was so much fun!
After the two special dances, Daniel and I went around to say hello to every table. I was worried that once we had gotten to everyone, we would have no time to dance any more at all. But we ended up talking to and hugging everyone with time to spare! We cut the cake, took some pictures out in the hall, I tossed the bouquet (which took two tries, since my first toss hit the ceiling) and danced to “Chicken Fried,” “Then,” and “Save the Last Dance for Me” (which, as you may have guessed, was the last dance). By that point, most of the room had cleared out. Daniel and I left to go to our hotel room, which was on the premises since we got a free night in a suite with our reception. I stood in front of the full-length mirror there in my wedding dress and finally started to cry.
I couldn’t believe that the wedding was over. We were married. Really married. All of the emotion of the past several weeks/months came crashing down on me then. Good and bad. I just had never experienced an emotional roller coaster of those proportions before. I imagine having our first child may be somewhat similar…
Once I had calmed down and realized how incredibly starving I was, we went out for dinner at a little Italian restaurant nearby. Of course we changed, but I kept my wedding jewelry on—I wasn’t ready to completely de-bride myself yet. Actually, I wore the jewelry to church the next morning, too!
While we were eating dinner, I couldn’t help but think about how everyone had told us to remember that no matter what, at the end of the day we would be married. Well, it was the end of the day. And we were!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Wedding Weekend: Part 4
Our wedding Mass was beautiful. My nervousness didn’t entirely disappear, but it definitely got easier as soon as I took Daniel’s hand to walk to our seats. I had been worried that I would be too anxious to pay attention and pray during the liturgy, but that didn’t end up being a problem at all. I was able to stay focused and prayerful the entire time. And I remember every detail of the ceremony—I heard the organ music, sang along with every song, smelled the incense, and caught the eyes of several people in the crowd to exchange smiles.
The (small) bad part was that I was extremely warm throughout the whole thing, taking sips every so often from the water bottle Caroline had stowed beneath my chair before the ceremony and fanning myself with my program almost the entire time. I was afraid that I would faint; luckily, I didn’t!
My Aunt Alli read the first reading (from Genesis 2) and Daniel’s cousin Mary read the second (Colossians 3). They both did a beautiful job. The Gospel reading was from Matthew chapter 7, about the wise man who built his house upon the rock, which we just love (well, obviously we love it—we’re the ones that chose the readings!).
When we said our vows during the Rite of Marriage, I had absolutely no problem either remembering the words or projecting them so that everyone could hear me. And I will never forget the look of love on Daniel’s face as he spoke those words to me, too: “I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”
We had a little bit more trouble with the rings. First, we couldn’t get them off the pillow easily at all because the ribbon bow had turned into a knot. Then I really had to push, with both hands, to get Daniel’s ring over his knuckle. Now that it’s on there, it definitely isn’t going to be coming off without a fight—and that is perfectly fine with me. I love seeing that ring on his finger!
Everyone was smiling. Everyone was happy. Cameras flashed. The Mass continued, and Daniel and I received the Eucharist for the first time together as man and wife. The liturgy ended with the lovely Nuptial Blessing that Caroline and Leeanna posted for you last month, and just like that, I got a new name! Actually, not “just like that” at all—it’s taken me the whole month to get most of my name-change stuff finished. I only made it to the MVA to get my new license this past Wednesday! But I heard Father Rick say, “Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hammond,” and then Daniel was kissing me. It was pure and simple bliss.
I forgot to take my bouquet from Marie when Daniel and I walked back down the aisle at the end of the blessing, which made me feel funny because I had nothing to do with the hand that Daniel wasn’t holding. But I’m laughing about it in all the pictures.
After hugs all around in the sacristy while the rest of our guests made their way to their cars, we took pictures with our immediate families and the bridal party in front of the altar before leaving for the reception. My cheeks were killing me, but in a different place than they ever had before as a result of having to smile for lots of cameras. The pain was more directly under my eyes, in the muscle covering my cheekbones, whereas in the past (high school and college dances and graduations, etc.) it had hurt closer to my mouth. I guess that is because I was more genuinely happy than I had ever been before!
On the way to the reception, with Daniel driving my Dad’s car since it is nicer than either of ours, I discovered that I am rather a fan of riding down the highway in a white dress and veil and having everyone who passes us do a double-take, pointing out to their own passengers the bride and groom in the other lane. It’s such a silly thing, I guess, but I’ll admit that it made me feel a little bit like royalty. In the meantime Daniel and I were so busy laughing together, reveling in the fact that we were really and truly married, that we missed our exit. The next exit wasn’t for several miles, so we lost at least ten minutes just turning around and backtracking to find our way.
We made it to the resort eventually, of course, and stood in the hall with our bridal party waiting to be “presented” to all of our family and friends in the banquet room.
Now, I’m going to pick up at the beginning of the reception next week for a several reasons: 1) Because I know how much you all love the anticipation, 2) To avoid my word count going way over my usual entry, 3) Because I am getting very tired and want to go to bed, and 4) So that I can enjoy reminiscing about my wedding day for yet another week!
The (small) bad part was that I was extremely warm throughout the whole thing, taking sips every so often from the water bottle Caroline had stowed beneath my chair before the ceremony and fanning myself with my program almost the entire time. I was afraid that I would faint; luckily, I didn’t!
My Aunt Alli read the first reading (from Genesis 2) and Daniel’s cousin Mary read the second (Colossians 3). They both did a beautiful job. The Gospel reading was from Matthew chapter 7, about the wise man who built his house upon the rock, which we just love (well, obviously we love it—we’re the ones that chose the readings!).
When we said our vows during the Rite of Marriage, I had absolutely no problem either remembering the words or projecting them so that everyone could hear me. And I will never forget the look of love on Daniel’s face as he spoke those words to me, too: “I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”
We had a little bit more trouble with the rings. First, we couldn’t get them off the pillow easily at all because the ribbon bow had turned into a knot. Then I really had to push, with both hands, to get Daniel’s ring over his knuckle. Now that it’s on there, it definitely isn’t going to be coming off without a fight—and that is perfectly fine with me. I love seeing that ring on his finger!
Everyone was smiling. Everyone was happy. Cameras flashed. The Mass continued, and Daniel and I received the Eucharist for the first time together as man and wife. The liturgy ended with the lovely Nuptial Blessing that Caroline and Leeanna posted for you last month, and just like that, I got a new name! Actually, not “just like that” at all—it’s taken me the whole month to get most of my name-change stuff finished. I only made it to the MVA to get my new license this past Wednesday! But I heard Father Rick say, “Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hammond,” and then Daniel was kissing me. It was pure and simple bliss.
I forgot to take my bouquet from Marie when Daniel and I walked back down the aisle at the end of the blessing, which made me feel funny because I had nothing to do with the hand that Daniel wasn’t holding. But I’m laughing about it in all the pictures.
After hugs all around in the sacristy while the rest of our guests made their way to their cars, we took pictures with our immediate families and the bridal party in front of the altar before leaving for the reception. My cheeks were killing me, but in a different place than they ever had before as a result of having to smile for lots of cameras. The pain was more directly under my eyes, in the muscle covering my cheekbones, whereas in the past (high school and college dances and graduations, etc.) it had hurt closer to my mouth. I guess that is because I was more genuinely happy than I had ever been before!
On the way to the reception, with Daniel driving my Dad’s car since it is nicer than either of ours, I discovered that I am rather a fan of riding down the highway in a white dress and veil and having everyone who passes us do a double-take, pointing out to their own passengers the bride and groom in the other lane. It’s such a silly thing, I guess, but I’ll admit that it made me feel a little bit like royalty. In the meantime Daniel and I were so busy laughing together, reveling in the fact that we were really and truly married, that we missed our exit. The next exit wasn’t for several miles, so we lost at least ten minutes just turning around and backtracking to find our way.
We made it to the resort eventually, of course, and stood in the hall with our bridal party waiting to be “presented” to all of our family and friends in the banquet room.
Now, I’m going to pick up at the beginning of the reception next week for a several reasons: 1) Because I know how much you all love the anticipation, 2) To avoid my word count going way over my usual entry, 3) Because I am getting very tired and want to go to bed, and 4) So that I can enjoy reminiscing about my wedding day for yet another week!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Wedding Weekend: Part 3, The Big Day!
When the alarm on my cell phone went off at 6:10 on Saturday morning, I sat up immediately and swung my feet to the floor. I didn’t hit snooze at all, which was a surprise to both me and my friends even though it was my wedding day.
I showered, brushed my teeth, and put on capris, flip-flops, and a button-up shirt that I would be able to change out of without ruining my up-do. With a Quaker breakfast cookie and a cup of chamomile tea from the hotel’s continental breakfast in hand, I rode to the hair salon for our 7:30 appointment; all but two of my bridesmaids were getting their hair done there. And since I had already had my hair consultation two weeks prior, I knew exactly what I wanted and the lady was able to get started right away. The food I forced myself to eat while she was working tasted so dry—stupid nerves. The butterflies in my stomach were stronger than ever.
Luckily, I guess, having a morning wedding meant that I didn’t have to spend all day being nervous. There wasn’t time for that. By the time my beautiful up-do was finished it was already after 9:00, and we planned on leaving the hotel by 10:15.
While Marie and Laura were still having their styles done, the rest of us rushed back to do our makeup, get dressed, and pack up our bags. I did my own makeup, which took me about fifteen or twenty minutes, and got dressed with the help of my bridesmaids. Once every detail was in place, I felt like a princess… but there wasn’t time to stand around feeling beautiful, either, so we grabbed our bags and hurried out to the cars again.
When we arrived on campus, the parking situation was horrible because of the fire department picnic going on that day. We had to park in the grass next to the chapel, and a few raindrops were beginning to fall. As I was unbuckling my seatbelt, horror of horrors, I looked down and noticed that the chain of my necklace was broken! That put me over the edge, and I started to flip out.
With my necklace hanging in two pieces from my neck, I made it into the vestibule on the right side of the chapel that was serving as the bride’s room. My cousin and bridesmaid, Maria, went into the sanctuary to bring back her sister, my cousin Catherine. She is the one that made my jewelry for the wedding, and that wonderful girl even thought to bring her tools with her to the wedding just in case! So she took my necklace out to her parents’ car to fix it and had it back, good as new, in less than five minutes. Crisis averted.
I saw my parents, all of my siblings, and a couple of aunts while I waited in the bride’s room. Caroline had left to fulfill her groomsmaidenly duty of ushering with the boys, but of course my bridesmaids stayed with me. Our photographer took some pictures. And the figurative clock kept ticking (there was no clock that I could see, so I had no idea how quickly time was passing). When someone announced that it was around five minutes to 11:00, my bridesmaid Michelle suggested that we pray a Hail Mary. I’m so glad she did; I had been thinking during the drive from the hotel that when we got to the church I would pray a whole bunch of Hail Mary’s to calm myself down, but since we had arrived I had completely forgotten. So, my bridesmaids and I stood in a circle, joined hands, and prayed. I can’t say that my nervousness instantly disappeared, or anything like that, but I did feel better knowing that I had at least looked in the right direction before I walked up the aisle to my beloved.
The next thing I knew, the girls were all lining up in the back of the church, with my Dad and me in the rear. The organ processional began and I caught a glimpse of Daniel as his brother walked him up the aisle, but it was not until everyone else had gone and my dad and I were the only ones remaining in the back that I could look up and really see him. I told myself as we started moving forward that I was just going to look at Daniel the whole way up; if I looked around at everyone who loves me staring at me and smiling, I would be too overwhelmed and I knew I would cry. I think I did tear up, but only a little. I just kept looking at my very, very soon-to-be husband and smiled (a very nervous, non-toothy smile, but still a smile).
And I’m really sorry, I honestly did not expect to have to drag this wedding story on for another week… but I’m going to! To be continued yet again… be sure to take a look at our wedding photo album!
I showered, brushed my teeth, and put on capris, flip-flops, and a button-up shirt that I would be able to change out of without ruining my up-do. With a Quaker breakfast cookie and a cup of chamomile tea from the hotel’s continental breakfast in hand, I rode to the hair salon for our 7:30 appointment; all but two of my bridesmaids were getting their hair done there. And since I had already had my hair consultation two weeks prior, I knew exactly what I wanted and the lady was able to get started right away. The food I forced myself to eat while she was working tasted so dry—stupid nerves. The butterflies in my stomach were stronger than ever.
Luckily, I guess, having a morning wedding meant that I didn’t have to spend all day being nervous. There wasn’t time for that. By the time my beautiful up-do was finished it was already after 9:00, and we planned on leaving the hotel by 10:15.
While Marie and Laura were still having their styles done, the rest of us rushed back to do our makeup, get dressed, and pack up our bags. I did my own makeup, which took me about fifteen or twenty minutes, and got dressed with the help of my bridesmaids. Once every detail was in place, I felt like a princess… but there wasn’t time to stand around feeling beautiful, either, so we grabbed our bags and hurried out to the cars again.
When we arrived on campus, the parking situation was horrible because of the fire department picnic going on that day. We had to park in the grass next to the chapel, and a few raindrops were beginning to fall. As I was unbuckling my seatbelt, horror of horrors, I looked down and noticed that the chain of my necklace was broken! That put me over the edge, and I started to flip out.
With my necklace hanging in two pieces from my neck, I made it into the vestibule on the right side of the chapel that was serving as the bride’s room. My cousin and bridesmaid, Maria, went into the sanctuary to bring back her sister, my cousin Catherine. She is the one that made my jewelry for the wedding, and that wonderful girl even thought to bring her tools with her to the wedding just in case! So she took my necklace out to her parents’ car to fix it and had it back, good as new, in less than five minutes. Crisis averted.
I saw my parents, all of my siblings, and a couple of aunts while I waited in the bride’s room. Caroline had left to fulfill her groomsmaidenly duty of ushering with the boys, but of course my bridesmaids stayed with me. Our photographer took some pictures. And the figurative clock kept ticking (there was no clock that I could see, so I had no idea how quickly time was passing). When someone announced that it was around five minutes to 11:00, my bridesmaid Michelle suggested that we pray a Hail Mary. I’m so glad she did; I had been thinking during the drive from the hotel that when we got to the church I would pray a whole bunch of Hail Mary’s to calm myself down, but since we had arrived I had completely forgotten. So, my bridesmaids and I stood in a circle, joined hands, and prayed. I can’t say that my nervousness instantly disappeared, or anything like that, but I did feel better knowing that I had at least looked in the right direction before I walked up the aisle to my beloved.
The next thing I knew, the girls were all lining up in the back of the church, with my Dad and me in the rear. The organ processional began and I caught a glimpse of Daniel as his brother walked him up the aisle, but it was not until everyone else had gone and my dad and I were the only ones remaining in the back that I could look up and really see him. I told myself as we started moving forward that I was just going to look at Daniel the whole way up; if I looked around at everyone who loves me staring at me and smiling, I would be too overwhelmed and I knew I would cry. I think I did tear up, but only a little. I just kept looking at my very, very soon-to-be husband and smiled (a very nervous, non-toothy smile, but still a smile).
And I’m really sorry, I honestly did not expect to have to drag this wedding story on for another week… but I’m going to! To be continued yet again… be sure to take a look at our wedding photo album!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Wedding Weekend: Part 2
Just to let you know since some of you are wondering, there is going to be a wedding photo album posted on here very soon—I think by this time next week. Daniel and I are anxiously awaiting the photographer’s pictures ourselves! As for today, I hope none of you are bored by the fact that this entry is mainly going to be a list of events, but I’m picking up where I left off.
Caroline, Nicole, Marie, Daniel, his brother, and I got to the reception hall around 2:30 to start decorating. Another bridesmaid, Michelle, met us up there, as did my Mom and my Aunt Alli. We spent a little over two hours moving tables, assembling centerpieces, and arranging the personalized favors on a table by the door (which would also serve as a way of directing guests to their assigned seats). When we were finished, the room looked perfectly beautiful.
By that time we were in somewhat of a rush to get to the chapel, where the rehearsal was scheduled to begin at five. When we arrived on campus, we discovered that the big field right next to the chapel was all set up with party tents, grills, and loudspeakers. Apparently the local fire department was having their big “spring fling” picnic right there all day on Saturday, and no one in campus ministry was told about it until a few days before—therefore, we also were not told. Naturally, I was a little bit… shall we say, worried? That sounds like a nice way of putting it. I will leave it up to your own vivid imaginations to envision how I was feeling in my night-before-my-wedding stressed state. But I tried to put that worry away; there was nothing that could be done about the situation, and I had enough to be thinking about.
The rehearsal went well, as straightforward as rehearsals go. We had one run-through. I carried the ribbon bouquet made by my bridesmaids at my shower. Next came the rehearsal dinner, which was casual. We reserved the party room at the local Pizza Hut and ate their new pasta dishes, which were pretty good although I didn’t have much of an appetite. As the meal came to an end, I was really getting close to tears. In a few minutes, Daniel and I would be parting ways and I wouldn’t see him again until I was walking down the aisle. And that was extremely scary.
I hugged my family as I was leaving (except for Marie, since she was my maid of honor and would of course be staying with me for the rest of the night). I kissed Daniel good-bye. My bridesmaids and groomsmaid ushered me out the door and across the parking lot to the store, where we picked up two bottles of wine to drink at the hotel. Everything felt so strange, as though I was someone else. The ball was already rolling, but in those minutes after I watched Daniel drive away, I wanted so much to stop it.
When one of my bridesmaids asked how I was, all I knew to say was, “I’m just not feeling very favorable towards weddings right now.” Which was true. I knew that I wanted to be married to Daniel more than anything in the world. And I wanted the Sacrament. I just didn’t feel like I wanted the wedding. It was just too out-of-the-ordinary, too disconnected from my everyday life. I wasn’t just Sarah, the girl I had been my whole life. At least that’s how I felt. I was “the bride.” The disconnect was too large for comfort. The different-ness from my normal day-to-day world was somewhat, for lack of a better word, painful. I don’t really know how to explain how I was feeling.
But my friends took care of me. Almost as soon as we got to the hotel I felt more relaxed. I received a couple of gifts, gave the girls their jewelry for the next day, had a glass of wine, and talked for a few hours. Brushed and flossed my teeth, washed my face, laid out everything I needed for the next morning, set my alarm for 6:10 (our hair appointments were for 7:30) I shared a bed with Marie, the sister with whom I shared a bedroom for eight years of my life, and my cousin Maria and friend Laura slept in the other bed in the room. This was my last night as a single girl/woman. It took me a little while to drift off, but once I did, I got more sleep, and better sleep, than I had any night for weeks before that.
I warned you I might do this again—to be continued! Tune in for part three.
Caroline, Nicole, Marie, Daniel, his brother, and I got to the reception hall around 2:30 to start decorating. Another bridesmaid, Michelle, met us up there, as did my Mom and my Aunt Alli. We spent a little over two hours moving tables, assembling centerpieces, and arranging the personalized favors on a table by the door (which would also serve as a way of directing guests to their assigned seats). When we were finished, the room looked perfectly beautiful.
By that time we were in somewhat of a rush to get to the chapel, where the rehearsal was scheduled to begin at five. When we arrived on campus, we discovered that the big field right next to the chapel was all set up with party tents, grills, and loudspeakers. Apparently the local fire department was having their big “spring fling” picnic right there all day on Saturday, and no one in campus ministry was told about it until a few days before—therefore, we also were not told. Naturally, I was a little bit… shall we say, worried? That sounds like a nice way of putting it. I will leave it up to your own vivid imaginations to envision how I was feeling in my night-before-my-wedding stressed state. But I tried to put that worry away; there was nothing that could be done about the situation, and I had enough to be thinking about.
The rehearsal went well, as straightforward as rehearsals go. We had one run-through. I carried the ribbon bouquet made by my bridesmaids at my shower. Next came the rehearsal dinner, which was casual. We reserved the party room at the local Pizza Hut and ate their new pasta dishes, which were pretty good although I didn’t have much of an appetite. As the meal came to an end, I was really getting close to tears. In a few minutes, Daniel and I would be parting ways and I wouldn’t see him again until I was walking down the aisle. And that was extremely scary.
I hugged my family as I was leaving (except for Marie, since she was my maid of honor and would of course be staying with me for the rest of the night). I kissed Daniel good-bye. My bridesmaids and groomsmaid ushered me out the door and across the parking lot to the store, where we picked up two bottles of wine to drink at the hotel. Everything felt so strange, as though I was someone else. The ball was already rolling, but in those minutes after I watched Daniel drive away, I wanted so much to stop it.
When one of my bridesmaids asked how I was, all I knew to say was, “I’m just not feeling very favorable towards weddings right now.” Which was true. I knew that I wanted to be married to Daniel more than anything in the world. And I wanted the Sacrament. I just didn’t feel like I wanted the wedding. It was just too out-of-the-ordinary, too disconnected from my everyday life. I wasn’t just Sarah, the girl I had been my whole life. At least that’s how I felt. I was “the bride.” The disconnect was too large for comfort. The different-ness from my normal day-to-day world was somewhat, for lack of a better word, painful. I don’t really know how to explain how I was feeling.
But my friends took care of me. Almost as soon as we got to the hotel I felt more relaxed. I received a couple of gifts, gave the girls their jewelry for the next day, had a glass of wine, and talked for a few hours. Brushed and flossed my teeth, washed my face, laid out everything I needed for the next morning, set my alarm for 6:10 (our hair appointments were for 7:30) I shared a bed with Marie, the sister with whom I shared a bedroom for eight years of my life, and my cousin Maria and friend Laura slept in the other bed in the room. This was my last night as a single girl/woman. It took me a little while to drift off, but once I did, I got more sleep, and better sleep, than I had any night for weeks before that.
I warned you I might do this again—to be continued! Tune in for part three.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
"Hitched" Without a Hitch!
I know, I know, that’s really dorky—but since I thought of it I just had to use it!
First of all, I would like to thank Caroline and Leanna for the beautiful entry they wrote last week while I was away—I’ve read it myself at least five times through. I love hearing about the day from the perspective of others who were there. As for Daniel and me, people really mean it when they say your wedding day is the happiest day of your life! But the range of emotions I felt within a single forty-eight hour period of my life was amazing, and rather overwhelming.
I took off work for the few days preceding the wedding, and I’m so glad that I did. I would never have been able to get everything done before the wedding if I hadn’t. On Wednesday and Thursday, my mom and sisters helped me to assemble favors and seating cards, which turned out to be much more of a nightmare and took up much more precious time than I expected. But they got done.
Thursday night my aunt, who is a florist, brought boxes and boxes of flowers and greenery to my parents’ house. She gave us some advice and went on her way. We grouped stems by type in vases and buckets all over the counters and island. For a few hours my mom and I, two other aunts, my eighteen-year-old cousin Lizzie, my sisters Annie and Jane, and my friends Laura and Caroline stood in the fragrant jungle that my parents’ kitchen had become and became florists ourselves.
The result was even prettier than I could have hoped for. My bouquet was absolutely gorgeous. It was simple perfection: a tight bunch of white roses and fragrant yellow orchids tied with sheer yellow ribbon.
Friday morning Caroline, Daniel, and I all woke up early to clean the house; Daniel’s groomsmen would be coming over that night after the rehearsal dinner and Caroline was having some of our friends over the night of the wedding, too. Caroline and I had nail appointments at ten o’clock, and I went over to my parents’ house an hour before that so that my mom could figure out how to bustle my dress. Although I had planned on having my train down for the ceremony, I decided that morning that I liked the way it looked bustled and would rather have one less thing to worry about during Mass (like Daniel or myself tripping over my trail of lace), so it stayed bustled from then on.
My combo manicure-pedicure (first ever for me) with paraffin dip took a long time, almost an hour and a half, but was very relaxing. Afterwards, Caroline and I rushed back home to pack for that night. My bridesmaids, Caroline the groomsmaid, and I would be staying at a hotel about fifteen minutes from the chapel that night so that we wouldn’t have to spend forty-five minutes of our morning in the car just to get to the wedding.
We left home at around 1:30 to make the drive up to the reception hall so that we could decorate there before the rehearsal, which would begin at five. I rode with Caroline and two of my bridesmaids, Marie and Nicole, all packed with everything I needed for that night, the next morning, and the wedding night. I wouldn’t be home again until Sunday afternoon. And I would be married! It was really happening.
Alright, I’m going to have to break this up into at least one more entry, maybe two. Suffice it for me to say, for now, that I am overjoyed to be a wife, and that the incredible nerves I would feel in the twenty-four hours between that point of driving away from my house and the following afternoon would be much more than matched by the happiness I would feel from the moment I took Daniel’s hand after my dad walked me up the aisle. And although my anxiety seemed very able to overwhelm me, that happiness was more than capable of overwhelming the anxiety. Talk about an emotional roller coaster!
Anyways, as I said, to be continued…
Sincerely yours, Mrs. Daniel H.
First of all, I would like to thank Caroline and Leanna for the beautiful entry they wrote last week while I was away—I’ve read it myself at least five times through. I love hearing about the day from the perspective of others who were there. As for Daniel and me, people really mean it when they say your wedding day is the happiest day of your life! But the range of emotions I felt within a single forty-eight hour period of my life was amazing, and rather overwhelming.
I took off work for the few days preceding the wedding, and I’m so glad that I did. I would never have been able to get everything done before the wedding if I hadn’t. On Wednesday and Thursday, my mom and sisters helped me to assemble favors and seating cards, which turned out to be much more of a nightmare and took up much more precious time than I expected. But they got done.
Thursday night my aunt, who is a florist, brought boxes and boxes of flowers and greenery to my parents’ house. She gave us some advice and went on her way. We grouped stems by type in vases and buckets all over the counters and island. For a few hours my mom and I, two other aunts, my eighteen-year-old cousin Lizzie, my sisters Annie and Jane, and my friends Laura and Caroline stood in the fragrant jungle that my parents’ kitchen had become and became florists ourselves.
The result was even prettier than I could have hoped for. My bouquet was absolutely gorgeous. It was simple perfection: a tight bunch of white roses and fragrant yellow orchids tied with sheer yellow ribbon.
Friday morning Caroline, Daniel, and I all woke up early to clean the house; Daniel’s groomsmen would be coming over that night after the rehearsal dinner and Caroline was having some of our friends over the night of the wedding, too. Caroline and I had nail appointments at ten o’clock, and I went over to my parents’ house an hour before that so that my mom could figure out how to bustle my dress. Although I had planned on having my train down for the ceremony, I decided that morning that I liked the way it looked bustled and would rather have one less thing to worry about during Mass (like Daniel or myself tripping over my trail of lace), so it stayed bustled from then on.
My combo manicure-pedicure (first ever for me) with paraffin dip took a long time, almost an hour and a half, but was very relaxing. Afterwards, Caroline and I rushed back home to pack for that night. My bridesmaids, Caroline the groomsmaid, and I would be staying at a hotel about fifteen minutes from the chapel that night so that we wouldn’t have to spend forty-five minutes of our morning in the car just to get to the wedding.
We left home at around 1:30 to make the drive up to the reception hall so that we could decorate there before the rehearsal, which would begin at five. I rode with Caroline and two of my bridesmaids, Marie and Nicole, all packed with everything I needed for that night, the next morning, and the wedding night. I wouldn’t be home again until Sunday afternoon. And I would be married! It was really happening.
Alright, I’m going to have to break this up into at least one more entry, maybe two. Suffice it for me to say, for now, that I am overjoyed to be a wife, and that the incredible nerves I would feel in the twenty-four hours between that point of driving away from my house and the following afternoon would be much more than matched by the happiness I would feel from the moment I took Daniel’s hand after my dad walked me up the aisle. And although my anxiety seemed very able to overwhelm me, that happiness was more than capable of overwhelming the anxiety. Talk about an emotional roller coaster!
Anyways, as I said, to be continued…
Sincerely yours, Mrs. Daniel H.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
A Beautiful Catholic Wedding
While Sarah and Daniel are on their honeymoon, this blog entry is co-written by Caroline, Sarah’s roommate/friend/coworker, and Leeanna, Sarah’s friend/coworker. Most of this entry is written from their joint perspective, with individual observations as noted.
Sarah and Daniel’s wedding day was absolutely beautiful, and even the weather held up when it needed to. Every piece of the ceremony made clear what is important to this couple…not only that they love each other, but that this love is rooted in faith. It was evident by their beaming smiles that Sarah and Daniel knew the significance of the sacrament they conferred on one another, and were receiving the graces necessary to start their new life together.
Caroline: I can’t say for sure about Daniel, he may not have been as nervous or he may have been hiding it to help Sarah, but Sarah was definitely anxious/nervous the night before the wedding! However, I think that her bridesmaids and I, a “groomsmaid,” helped to calm her down at least a little bit. Despite her nervousness, which continued as she walked down the aisle, once she was beside Daniel it all seemed to disappear. Both of them were so happy, and you could see it in the way they looked at each other throughout the entire day.
Leeanna: The first time I saw Sarah on Saturday was as she walked down the aisle. She looked very nervous…not because of what she was about to do, but because all eyes in the church were on her! (Sarah is not someone who likes to be the center of attention.) From the moment she reached Daniel’s side, however, the nervous look was replaced with a confident smile.
Both: The most striking moment of the ceremony was when Sarah and Daniel said their vows. As Sarah has mentioned, she and Daniel memorized their vows instead of repeating them after the priest. They both spoke the words so loudly, clearly, and confidently. We didn’t realize that this seemingly small touch would have such an impact, but it allowed them to speak “till death do us part” directly to one another – making clear how genuine their words were.
Father Rick, who said the Mass, has known Sarah and Daniel since they were in college. Because he knows them so well, he was able to speak from personal experience about how supportive they are of one another and how willingly they have dedicated their lives to one another since they started dating. He talked about an understanding of “all the days of my life” and how hard it is to picture all of “those days” from the wedding day. He encouraged the newly married couple to think God’s time when days are tough.
It was beautiful to see Sarah and Daniel’s strong Catholic faith as they presented the gifts of bread and wine to the altar, then later received Communion for the first time as husband and wife. The sacraments of matrimony and Holy Eucharist were intertwined so that the couple’s love pointed to the love of Christ. As Christ offers his body and blood for the Church, Sarah and Daniel offer their lives to one another. The prayers offered by the congregation, priests, and all of you during that Mass will certainly assist this faithful couple throughout married life.
We’ve heard for the past few months, through her blog, how much Sarah cares for Daniel. We work/live with Sarah so we often hear about her love for him. Something that was evident during the ceremony and reception was how much Daniel CHERISHES Sarah. During their first dance, he twirled her around the dance floor, then held her close and sang in her ear. He looked at her with so much love and a huge, boyish grin.
Caroline: In fact a few of our friends told me they had never seen Daniel so incredibly happy, smiley, and so completely filled with joy.
Both: We think everyone at that wedding and reception could see that Sarah will be safe and treasured with Daniel for the rest of her life.
Of course, the day was complete with memorable quirky moments. For example, Sarah’s youngest brother, who is not yet two, screamed through most of the ceremony. As such, he spent most of his time in the back room! Her other little brother, age 8, was the ring bearer. His facial expression was an attempt to hold back smiles as his eyes looked back and forth at everyone watching him walk down the aisle. Her four sisters were also involved as the flower girl, “bridesmaidens,” and the maid of honor, and it was great that they were all a part of the big day!
All we know since the wedding is that Sarah and Daniel arrived safely in Florida. She will be back next week to fill you in! As our last duty as bloggers, we’ll leave you this prayer of blessing for Sarah and Daniel that was prayed during the ceremony.
Nuptial Blessing
Father, by your power you have made everything out of nothing.
In the beginning you created the universe
and made mankind in your own likeness.
You gave man the constant help of woman
so that man and woman should no longer be two, but one flesh,
and you teach us that what you have united
may never be divided.
Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery
that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his Church.
Father, by your plan man and woman are united,
and married life has been established
as the one blessing that was not forfeited by original sin or washed away by the flood.
Look with love upon this woman, your daughter,
now joined to her husband in marriage.
She asks your blessing.
Give her the grace of love and peace.
May she always follow the example of the holy women
whose praises are sung in the scriptures.
May her husband put his trust in her
and recognize that she is his equal
and the heir with him to the life of grace.
May he always honor her and love her
as Christ loves his bride, the Church.
Father, keep them always true to your commandments.
Keep them faithful in marriage
and let them be living examples of Christian life.
Give them the strength which comes from the gospel
so that they may be witnesses of Christ to others.
Bless them with children and help them to be good parents.
May they live to see their children’s children.
And, after a happy old age,
grant them fullness of life with the saints
in the kingdom of heaven.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Sarah and Daniel’s wedding day was absolutely beautiful, and even the weather held up when it needed to. Every piece of the ceremony made clear what is important to this couple…not only that they love each other, but that this love is rooted in faith. It was evident by their beaming smiles that Sarah and Daniel knew the significance of the sacrament they conferred on one another, and were receiving the graces necessary to start their new life together.
Caroline: I can’t say for sure about Daniel, he may not have been as nervous or he may have been hiding it to help Sarah, but Sarah was definitely anxious/nervous the night before the wedding! However, I think that her bridesmaids and I, a “groomsmaid,” helped to calm her down at least a little bit. Despite her nervousness, which continued as she walked down the aisle, once she was beside Daniel it all seemed to disappear. Both of them were so happy, and you could see it in the way they looked at each other throughout the entire day.
Leeanna: The first time I saw Sarah on Saturday was as she walked down the aisle. She looked very nervous…not because of what she was about to do, but because all eyes in the church were on her! (Sarah is not someone who likes to be the center of attention.) From the moment she reached Daniel’s side, however, the nervous look was replaced with a confident smile.
Both: The most striking moment of the ceremony was when Sarah and Daniel said their vows. As Sarah has mentioned, she and Daniel memorized their vows instead of repeating them after the priest. They both spoke the words so loudly, clearly, and confidently. We didn’t realize that this seemingly small touch would have such an impact, but it allowed them to speak “till death do us part” directly to one another – making clear how genuine their words were.
Father Rick, who said the Mass, has known Sarah and Daniel since they were in college. Because he knows them so well, he was able to speak from personal experience about how supportive they are of one another and how willingly they have dedicated their lives to one another since they started dating. He talked about an understanding of “all the days of my life” and how hard it is to picture all of “those days” from the wedding day. He encouraged the newly married couple to think God’s time when days are tough.
It was beautiful to see Sarah and Daniel’s strong Catholic faith as they presented the gifts of bread and wine to the altar, then later received Communion for the first time as husband and wife. The sacraments of matrimony and Holy Eucharist were intertwined so that the couple’s love pointed to the love of Christ. As Christ offers his body and blood for the Church, Sarah and Daniel offer their lives to one another. The prayers offered by the congregation, priests, and all of you during that Mass will certainly assist this faithful couple throughout married life.
We’ve heard for the past few months, through her blog, how much Sarah cares for Daniel. We work/live with Sarah so we often hear about her love for him. Something that was evident during the ceremony and reception was how much Daniel CHERISHES Sarah. During their first dance, he twirled her around the dance floor, then held her close and sang in her ear. He looked at her with so much love and a huge, boyish grin.
Caroline: In fact a few of our friends told me they had never seen Daniel so incredibly happy, smiley, and so completely filled with joy.
Both: We think everyone at that wedding and reception could see that Sarah will be safe and treasured with Daniel for the rest of her life.
Of course, the day was complete with memorable quirky moments. For example, Sarah’s youngest brother, who is not yet two, screamed through most of the ceremony. As such, he spent most of his time in the back room! Her other little brother, age 8, was the ring bearer. His facial expression was an attempt to hold back smiles as his eyes looked back and forth at everyone watching him walk down the aisle. Her four sisters were also involved as the flower girl, “bridesmaidens,” and the maid of honor, and it was great that they were all a part of the big day!
All we know since the wedding is that Sarah and Daniel arrived safely in Florida. She will be back next week to fill you in! As our last duty as bloggers, we’ll leave you this prayer of blessing for Sarah and Daniel that was prayed during the ceremony.
Nuptial Blessing
Father, by your power you have made everything out of nothing.
In the beginning you created the universe
and made mankind in your own likeness.
You gave man the constant help of woman
so that man and woman should no longer be two, but one flesh,
and you teach us that what you have united
may never be divided.
Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery
that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his Church.
Father, by your plan man and woman are united,
and married life has been established
as the one blessing that was not forfeited by original sin or washed away by the flood.
Look with love upon this woman, your daughter,
now joined to her husband in marriage.
She asks your blessing.
Give her the grace of love and peace.
May she always follow the example of the holy women
whose praises are sung in the scriptures.
May her husband put his trust in her
and recognize that she is his equal
and the heir with him to the life of grace.
May he always honor her and love her
as Christ loves his bride, the Church.
Father, keep them always true to your commandments.
Keep them faithful in marriage
and let them be living examples of Christian life.
Give them the strength which comes from the gospel
so that they may be witnesses of Christ to others.
Bless them with children and help them to be good parents.
May they live to see their children’s children.
And, after a happy old age,
grant them fullness of life with the saints
in the kingdom of heaven.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Wait Is Over
I'm getting married tomorrow! And I don't have much time to write this, so pardon my brevity (honestly, I'm rather surprised that I just used a word like "brevity" at a time like this). I am so excited, but so nervous right now, which I'm sure you could have figured if you have been reading my blog for the last several months.
A friend who was recently married (in December) told me that her prayer as her wedding approached was "for unshakable serenity, graciousness, and a sense of humor." I think that's just perfect, so I've been praying it too.
Please pray for Daniel and me. You will be hearing from a couple of friends of mine next week-- I will be MIA, on my honeymoon in Florida, and I can't wait for a vacation! And you will be hearing from me again in a couple of weeks. Thanks so much for all of your thoughts and prayers as you've shared this journey with me. I can't believe it's finally here!
A friend who was recently married (in December) told me that her prayer as her wedding approached was "for unshakable serenity, graciousness, and a sense of humor." I think that's just perfect, so I've been praying it too.
Please pray for Daniel and me. You will be hearing from a couple of friends of mine next week-- I will be MIA, on my honeymoon in Florida, and I can't wait for a vacation! And you will be hearing from me again in a couple of weeks. Thanks so much for all of your thoughts and prayers as you've shared this journey with me. I can't believe it's finally here!
Friday, May 8, 2009
At the End of the Day...
I am getting married in a week and one day. And I am insanely happy. I’m also a little bit sad, but only a little bit—mainly in a sentimental, nostalgic kind of way. I will only be Sarah B for one more week. Still, I’m mostly happy. But tell me to cry, right now, and I will. I have too much to do, I’m stressed, I’m anxious, I’m antsy, I can’t sit still, I can’t focus. In one week and one day, I’m going to be all dressed in white (well, technically ivory) the way I always imagined it from when I was a little girl, and 140 people will be looking at me. So if I were to cry right now, they would not be tears of sadness. They would not be tears of joy. They would just be tears of everything.
Here’s an update on our honeymoon situation. Daniel and I decided to go to North Redington Beach, Florida (basically St. Petersburg) where we were offered a condo to stay in for the week. It turns out that we were able to get our money back from the resort in Playa del Carmen after all, and the airline waived its change fees for flights to Mexico. They won’t give us our money back, but they will give us a credit to use with them. They fly to Tampa Bay airport, so that worked out well. We still have $111 with them to use within a year. I’m not sure where we’ll end up going with that—obviously it’s not enough for a round-trip flight anywhere, and certainly not enough for two people. But that’s alright.
While we’re in Florida we’re going to Discovery Cove in Orlando, which is basically an all-inclusive tropical vacation for a day. If we can’t have our all-inclusive tropical vacation honeymoon that we had planned on for so long, we can at least have one day. The park looks pretty awesome, and it’s by reservation-only for just a thousand guests per day, so it won’t be crowded. The ticket to Discovery Cove also includes a 14-consecutive day pass to either Busch Gardens Tampa or Sea World Orlando. We chose Sea World. Of course, we’ll only really have time to go one day, but we’re really excited!
There’s still so much to be done, but I keep reminding myself of what everyone keeps telling me: “No matter what, at the end of the day, you’ll be married!” That’s the important thing. I still can’t believe there’s only a week left. Even as stressed and excited as I am, it just doesn’t feel like I’m getting married next week. I’m not sure what I expected it to feel like, though…
Here’s an update on our honeymoon situation. Daniel and I decided to go to North Redington Beach, Florida (basically St. Petersburg) where we were offered a condo to stay in for the week. It turns out that we were able to get our money back from the resort in Playa del Carmen after all, and the airline waived its change fees for flights to Mexico. They won’t give us our money back, but they will give us a credit to use with them. They fly to Tampa Bay airport, so that worked out well. We still have $111 with them to use within a year. I’m not sure where we’ll end up going with that—obviously it’s not enough for a round-trip flight anywhere, and certainly not enough for two people. But that’s alright.
While we’re in Florida we’re going to Discovery Cove in Orlando, which is basically an all-inclusive tropical vacation for a day. If we can’t have our all-inclusive tropical vacation honeymoon that we had planned on for so long, we can at least have one day. The park looks pretty awesome, and it’s by reservation-only for just a thousand guests per day, so it won’t be crowded. The ticket to Discovery Cove also includes a 14-consecutive day pass to either Busch Gardens Tampa or Sea World Orlando. We chose Sea World. Of course, we’ll only really have time to go one day, but we’re really excited!
There’s still so much to be done, but I keep reminding myself of what everyone keeps telling me: “No matter what, at the end of the day, you’ll be married!” That’s the important thing. I still can’t believe there’s only a week left. Even as stressed and excited as I am, it just doesn’t feel like I’m getting married next week. I’m not sure what I expected it to feel like, though…
Friday, May 1, 2009
May Is Here!
I’m getting married this month! Everything is coming together fairly well, but of course there is still plenty to do in the next two weekends.
Our problem right now is our honeymoon… which we booked a few months ago for an all-inclusive resort along the Riviera Maya in Mexico. And of course you all know why that would be a problem. Of all the places a soon-to-be-officially-declared worldwide pandemic could erupt, it had to be Mexico. As of right now, we don’t know what we’re going to do. Naturally, our family and friends are worried and don’t want us to go, especially with the government advising against all but “essential” travel to Mexico.
When we found out how serious the swine flu was becoming, Daniel and I looked into changing our flight to somewhere else. What we found out, though, was that our airfare was non-refundable. The airline is waiving its change fees for flights to Mexico—meaning we could go somewhere else, as long as it was part of the airline’s network of airports. The airline flies to lots of cities in the continental U.S., but in the Caribbean they fly only to Cancun and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Anywhere in the continental U.S. that we would be interested in is more expensive than what we’ve already paid for our honeymoon, and Puerto Rico would be nice if it had all-inclusive resorts (which it really doesn’t). Otherwise, we’ll have to go over our budget because we’ll have to pay for our meals.
So, we were thinking earlier this week that we would have prescriptions filled for one of the two anti-viral medications that work on this strain of the flu and take them with us on our trip to Mexico, just in case. In fact, we have Tamiflu being held for us at the pharmacy near our house right now.
Now, though, since the swine flu situation seems to just keep getting worse and worse, we’re looking into other options again. We are hearing that Orbitz may be able to change us to a different airline so that we could fly into somewhere like the Dominican Republic, where there are all-inclusive resorts with rates comparable to the one we have booked in Mexico. I’m going to call Orbitz tonight to see what they can do for us.
Please pray that it all works out; this is the last thing we thought we would have to be worried about two weeks before the wedding. I hope that you all are staying healthy wherever you are!
Our problem right now is our honeymoon… which we booked a few months ago for an all-inclusive resort along the Riviera Maya in Mexico. And of course you all know why that would be a problem. Of all the places a soon-to-be-officially-declared worldwide pandemic could erupt, it had to be Mexico. As of right now, we don’t know what we’re going to do. Naturally, our family and friends are worried and don’t want us to go, especially with the government advising against all but “essential” travel to Mexico.
When we found out how serious the swine flu was becoming, Daniel and I looked into changing our flight to somewhere else. What we found out, though, was that our airfare was non-refundable. The airline is waiving its change fees for flights to Mexico—meaning we could go somewhere else, as long as it was part of the airline’s network of airports. The airline flies to lots of cities in the continental U.S., but in the Caribbean they fly only to Cancun and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Anywhere in the continental U.S. that we would be interested in is more expensive than what we’ve already paid for our honeymoon, and Puerto Rico would be nice if it had all-inclusive resorts (which it really doesn’t). Otherwise, we’ll have to go over our budget because we’ll have to pay for our meals.
So, we were thinking earlier this week that we would have prescriptions filled for one of the two anti-viral medications that work on this strain of the flu and take them with us on our trip to Mexico, just in case. In fact, we have Tamiflu being held for us at the pharmacy near our house right now.
Now, though, since the swine flu situation seems to just keep getting worse and worse, we’re looking into other options again. We are hearing that Orbitz may be able to change us to a different airline so that we could fly into somewhere like the Dominican Republic, where there are all-inclusive resorts with rates comparable to the one we have booked in Mexico. I’m going to call Orbitz tonight to see what they can do for us.
Please pray that it all works out; this is the last thing we thought we would have to be worried about two weeks before the wedding. I hope that you all are staying healthy wherever you are!
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