January 17, 2010

The Lead Up and Event: G’s Diary Entry

Posted in Wedding at 12:53 pm by George

The advice that several people gave us encouraging us to keep a diary during the days of our wedding was sound advice indeed. Too bad we didn’t take it. The lead up to the wedding, those last 4 days and then the wedding itself are a blur. A gorgeous blur it was though. So many things happened, so many emotions felt- it hard to pick a place to begin.This is a show case of what I remember now from those fun filled days.

There was non-stop running around that last week and preparation for the big day. Last minute crafting, knitting, fabricating, printing, all so we could hand off the finished products to our day of coordinator Tiffany Parry, our florist Janey Connors, and our other vendors. Thankfully we had Jen’s sister, and maid of honor, Heather to help. Added bonus, her boyfriend Jon was with her. The two of them made those last days so much easier on both of us. They arrived at the house Wednesday night in time for dinner, and from that point on were all-in helping. They made up out of town bags, went with Jen to purchase supplies, transported the chuppah, and shared in the excitement. It was a great time. They even made it out to Wegmans. What more can you ask for?

While they took care of those details with Jen, I was creating door hangers and putting all my mad photoshop skills to work. Friday morning arrived calm. Jen and I were preparing for a light run to burn off nervous energy when Jen called to me “We screwed up, they’re coming in now, I have to go!” I managed to grab her in time to figure out that bridesmaid Sharyn and her hubby Brian were arriving at BWI airport not at 3pm, but at 10:20am. It was 9:50. Quick change and we were out the door and racing to Baltimore. I often chide Jen for checking twitter and the like all the time. This time, it saved our butts when she spotted Sharyn’s tweet that morning, which read in effect “I hate early morning flights.” Somehow we got there no prob and picked them up just as they came outside the terminal. It was definitely time for breakfast.

That meant pancakes, which I flipped for all 6 of us until we nearly burst at the seams. The day was a whirl wind because there was wedding prep yet to be done, like test and build the chuppah, create its top, and get it over to the hotel. The whole party was beginning to move towards the venue as Jen and company were setting up camp at the hotel. Brian deserves many kuddos for helping us figure out the chuppah. I may have built the parts, but not their sum total. In the end, it was all worked out and looked really good.

The evening held the promise of bachelor and bachelorette parties. For the guys, it was a drive over into DC to the new Birch&Barley/Churchkey for food with a beer tasting with each course. Kevin, Dan, Ray, and I rode over, fighting traffic with a whip and a chair the whole way. The boys trickled in to the Churchkey bar upstairs. It felt really good to have all my guys together in one place, it happens so rarely now. These are my best friends (Ray, Kevin H., Paul, Kevin E., Rich, Matt, Keith,Dan, and Sasha) and it felt really good to all see them all laughing and hanging out together. The good cheer was warming indeed, and the beer Dan picked to start off the affair certainly didn’t hurt. Ray set the whole evening up and we happily ate and drank (a lot) The food here was great and their beer selection fantastic. The beer somlier (my title, not his) gave us a run down of each pairing. There was more beer here than anyone but Ray, Matt, and Kevin E. had drunk in any one sitting in a long time. On U Street we indulged ourselves with some live jazz: a common bond between Ray, Kevin H., and I.The jazz place was a small little place swinging with the sound of horns, bass, piano, and drums. The man tickling the keys was all of 20 and was smoking. It was fun to sit back and hear some live music and enjoy a beer. As the set wound down, so did some of the party, so away we went into the night, home again home again. Well, some of us anyway- Dan, Kevin, Kevin, and I ended up in Old Town with the girls and friends for a night cap.

From there the days are a bit fuzzier and even brighter. I have more impressions and snippets of images. It was the simplest things that meant the most and felt so good to me. Having Kevin Harris in house was liking having a missing piece fitted in place. I would never have gotten through the days the way I did without his strength and warmth. From driving me around, to coffee at the shop across from the hotel with Dan and Jo. His speech at the wedding brought the house down and I am not sure there was a dry eye in the house.

I remember the guys. The morning of the wedding it was bright and warm, gorgeous after literally weeks of cold rain. Kevin H. came by and after picking up Dan we grabbed bagels at Brooklyn Bagel. Sitting outside on a wall across from the metro just talking (after getting kicked off the CalTort deck), taking in the warmth of the sun, the warmth of the day. At home I went upstairs to shower and get ready. Kevin H. followed me upstairs as well. I remember coming out of the shower to find most of my groomsmen wandering around in my room. “Can a man not get any privacy?” More laughs. I can picture everyone smiling, joking and taking pictures while we adjusted ties and collars. I remember Paul teasing me in only the way he can, mischievious grin firmly in place. Kevin Ellis with camera clicking away and Rich acting as straight man even as he let his silly side through. And later it was all of us just goofing off waiting for the festivities to start. I remember Ray, beer in hand before the ceremony with a big grin on his face. I remember Tiffany chasing us around right before we were supposed to march out for the start of the ceremony because we had run over to pose for pics in front of the bronze pig.

I remember taking in the whole courtyard with all our family and friends smiling at me, people sitting on their room balconies, the blue sky and the low music that played in the background. The anticipation as Jen’s bridesmaids started down the aisle and I exchanges smiles with each.

Walking down the aisle after the ceremony felt like we were the only two people in the room. After the ceremony it was a bit of whirlwind with people joking and goofing off. There was champagne and drinks which we barely had time to enjoy because we were the center of all the photographs. Then we were running around the neighborhood getting more pictures taken and being given congrats from all the passers by.

The rest of the evening it was about love and being loved. Bouncing from person to person and feeling like I didn’t have enough time to spend with each. Dancing and goofing off. There was the dash to the hotel bar for a Kamikazi, once my signature drink, led by Kevin Ellis. Oh, and more dancing, and being tossed in the chair (sorry Adam and Kevin- I hide it well) and wondering if I was going to be flying across the room. And slowly but surely it was the bitter sweet goodbyes as our friends retired and we were the last people in the reception hall, before retiring to our suite, only to find it so beautifully made up for us. Over champagne and chocolates we toasted each other again and rung in a new day and a new life.