My sister got married on May seventh. Just as a bit of a warning, this post will be sarcastic, sentimental, gooshy, and probably a bit on the picture heavy side. I hope you all enjoy it whether you know my sister or not.

Let’s start with the fact that I was named maid of honor. Now, it turns out that this title comes with a few, shall we say, responsibilities. Showers to throw (luckily I had oodles of help from the other bridesmaids), errands to run, table centerpieces to sew, and such. I was happy to help out with all of the above things, however, it also requires a dress, fancy hair, and a bit more makeup than my little face is accustomed to. Those I complied with under slight duress and with a bit of mumbling. You see, I (as most of you know) am a jeans and t-shirts girl. I like my hair in a ponytail and my makeup to stop with mascara and maybe a tiny bit of eyeliner. I didn’t even own foundation or blush or eyeshadow before this event. However, I bucked up, bought a bag full of make up and learned how to put it on my face. I went to dress fittings until the silver fabric fit me just right. My hair, well, that wasn’t me. I don’t have that much talent. My sister’s lovely friend and my fellow bridesmaid Doni did that for me. The point is, for this very special day, I *sigh* looked like a girl.
(Look! Here is me in a dress!)

(and this is my hair all curled and pinned)

The day of the wedding started early. A few members of the wedding party headed off to the church to finish bouquets and decorations. I stayed behind to get my kids up and ready for the day as well as to do anything my sister may need done. After a relatively busy morning of running about, doing makeup and hair, and finishing up last minute odds and ends, we sat down for lunch. Doesn’t it look yummy? It was a moment of bridesmaid to the rescue again. Naphtali put the entire feast together for us. Muffins, strawberries, hummus, oranges, chicken salad, and (most importantly to me) mimosas! Nothing says brunch like champagne and orange juice. Also, nothing takes the stress out of a wedding day like a little nip of alcohol to go along with all of the crazy.

The wedding was beautiful. The church was decorated so nicely and our brother Cole did a wonderful job with the ceremony. I give him props for making it through without any real crying. I have to say, in a way, that surprised me a little. The wording was unique and quite lovely. It wasn’t a long affair, really, it was just about perfect. I walked down the aisle with Seth’s brother who is REALLY tall. I felt even more minuscule than usual, but he was really nice and I enjoyed getting to know him at least a little bit. After I got up to the front, I got to do something very fun, I got to watch my daughter walk up with the ring bearer! This was her fifth wedding and the first one we were in together. She was so cute sprinkling the flowers and walking next to her new friend Wyatt. She did an absolutely perfect job. She even stood mostly quiet and still for the whole thing! For a while, she chose to sit on the steps up to the stage, and when she tried to stand back up she got her shoe caught in her dress and tumbled down two steps to the concrete floor causing me a slight moment of panic. She got up no worse for ware though, except for a bit of embarrassment.  I would try to describe to you how Jennie looked coming down the aisle with my daddy, but I’m not sure I could put it adequately into words. It is odd watching your sibling go towards a new life in such a definite and finite way. She was positively radiant and had eyes only for Seth. I am so happy that she found someone that could make her glow like that.
(My daughter the flower girl/princess)

(My son the… dinosaur? dragon? lion maybe?)

Reception time happened immediately following the wedding. It was as fun as a barrel of monkeys! Meaning, it was really fun. There was good food and strawberry lemonade as well as a lot of fun people to mingle with. Most importantly though, there were chairs! Lovely chairs just waiting to be sat in, begging me to come and let my feet rest for a while. They were fabulous chairs! Along with the food and my friends the chairs, there was a first dance, a father daughter dance, and then (thankfully) no more dancing. I cannot dance… at all. When I try to dance, I look ridiculous. There is just no rhythm in these two feet of mine and even more than that, there is just too much embarrassment involved in trying. I am eternally grateful that at this wedding, the dancing ended before including family or wedding party. Although I did not have to dance, I did have to give a toast. Almost as humiliating as flailing about like some sort of spooked chicken is having to stand in front of a room full of strangers and friends and speak into a microphone. *gulp* I had written down what I was going to say, and that helped, but I am almost certain that the twitch I have had for the last couple of days in my right eye is left over from the nervousness and panic from the talking on the stage and hearing my voice boom through speakers.
(My sister dancing with my daddy.)

(From left to right: Seth, Seth’s very tall brother Nathan, Jennie, me trying desperately hard not to stutter or throw up.)

(Handsome Daddy, Beautiful Mommy, very exhausted flower girl.)

Okay, now, let us talk about my very favorite part of weddings: THE CAKE! (Of course.) Jennie chose two different kinds of cake. The gorgeous green number in the picture was made by our friend Bridgett. She has mad skills with cake, yo. Seriously. No joke. I know cake. Like, I really know cake. She makes amazing cake. It was apparently amaretto with berries, all I know: It tasted like heaven. On top of the cake is a bit of a family tradition. It’s the cake topper from my Grandma Irene and Grandpa Willard’s 25th wedding anniversary. I used it at my wedding as a way to pay homage to my dear grandparents who had passed on and could not be there and Jennie followed suit. The other cake was Costco red velvet, and, lucky for me (and Nathan), there were two entire cakes left over. I snagged one, removed a few pieces of red velvet for Jennie and Seth to take, replaced them with a few of the slices of heaven cake that had been set on plates but not taken by guests, and then I gave the other red velvet (with permission from my parents who bought said cake) to the other person who had to stand in front of a crowd in discomfort and give a speech.
(Nommiest cake ever!)

(Jennie and the boy she turned into my new brother cutting the nommiest cake ever.)

(My spoils of war… er, wedding.)

It was a very fun, very exciting, very perfect wedding. Here’s wishing Jennie and Seth Davis a very happy ever after.