Mary's Married!
I don't think that will ever get old. :)
I went to California last week to attend Mary's (my best friend since high school) wedding. Aida and I flew out on Tuesday so we could spend some time at my grandma's house and help Mary with any wedding related errands she still needed. Aida and I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday at every mall, Ross, and Marshall's in a 30 mile radius of my grandma's house looking for shoes to match my bridesmaid dress but didn't have any luck. We also helped Mary make her centerpieces for her reception. For how simple they were, they turned out really beautiful.
On Thursday morning, my dad flew in from Dallas to spend the weekend with us. I was so excited he could come, not only to visit with him but also so he could stay with Aida when I needed to do wedding stuff. We took Aida to the tide pools at Corona Del Mar, a beach we used to go to all the time when we were kids. It was too overcast to go in the water but that didn't stop Aida from taking off her shoes and running in and out of the tide as much as possible before we dragged her out of there. Then we drove to Huntington Beach and walked out to the end of the pier for lunch at Ruby's. I can't quite remember but for the million times I've been to HB, I don't think I've ever eaten at Ruby's so that was fun.
Thursday night I took Mary and some of her friends out to a dueling piano bar in Long Beach for her bachelorette party. If you have never been to a dueling piano bar before you are seriously missing out. They decorated the tables for us and brought Mary up on stage a few times for some serenades. Mary pretty much had no voice for the rest of the weekend so I think the night was a success. ;)
My dad said he had a surprise for Aida and me, so on Friday morning we started driving toward L.A. I didn't figure out what was going on until I saw the exit for the LAX airport and then I knew this must be one of my mom's surprises that she loves so much. My mom had a conference in VA the following week and was able to route her ticket through L.A. and stay for the weekend. It was so nice to have both of them there to spend time with Aida and attend Mary's wedding. They have known her since she was 16 and she like a part of the family.
We drove back to my grandma's house to drop off my dad and Aida and then my mom and I turned right back around and drove to the Orange County airport to pick up Jana. We stopped by South Coast Plaza and then made one last stop at a Ross where I FINALLY found some shoes, that was cutting it a little close. Friday night we went to a bbq for all the wedding party and family. Mary was wearing the cutest Samoan outfit that matched her fiancee Thomas's shirt. Seriously, they were way too cute.
Saturday was the big wedding day and I drove over to Mary's house in the morning to get my hair done then back to my grandma's to finish getting ready. I was going to head back to Mary's to ride with her brother, Jacob, and two other bridesmaids to the temple in L.A. I was already heading back a little late when I realized, halfway to Mary's house, that I forgot the sash that goes with my dress. Besides it being part of the whole look that matched the other bridesmaids, my dress was actually about 3 sizes too big for me and the sash was the only thing that cinched it in and made it look nice. So we had to go back and get it and then rush back to Mary's house where we all piled in the car and had about 30 minutes to make it to L.A. before Mary and Thomas came out of the temple. If Jacob wasn't driving I don't think we would have made it. I wouldn't necessarily ever want to repeat that driving experience but he got us there right as they were scheduled to come out.
Unfortunately, the other two bridesmaids and I weren't wearing our dresses, we didn't want to wrinkle them in the car and thought we could change in the Visitor's Center. When we got there, the VC was entirely gutted and under construction and we couldn't find anywhere else to change. At this point we were so scared we were going to miss them coming out that we went behind a building that shielded us a bit from the parking lot and changed right there on the lawn at the L.A. Temple. BUT, we made it and were calm, cool, and mostly collected when Mary and Thomas came out of the temple mere minutes later. Mary looked absolutely beautiful, relaxed, and happy, just how you should look on your wedding day.
After pictures, I had lunch in Beverly Hills with Jana, Tallie and Christina and then headed back to Long Beach for the reception. It was so beautiful, I'm so impressed with all the DIY decorations and little touches that Mary did all herself. Everything looked so professional and classy. Mary did a traditional Samoan dance that made my mom cry. We ate a full sit-down dinner (that I proceeded to spill all down the front of my dress, I don't know what the deal was with me and that dress) and danced and ate the best cake (no frosting, just covered in melted chocolate, why did I never know cake's like that existed??) After waving Mary and Thomas off for their honeymoon in Maui (jealous!), Jana, Tallie, Christina and I all shared a hotel room and stayed up late gossiping. I miss all those girls and love it when we can all get together.
On Sunday, we took my mom to the airport and then drove down to Oceanside for dinner at my aunt and uncle's house. On Monday, my dad and I both had late afternoon flights so we loaded up the car, said good-bye to my grandma and drove up into the foothills before heading to the airport. We spent some time hiking around and playing at a park with Aida. I'm usually so focused on the beach when I come to California that I forget there are some really beautiful hills and canyons so close to all the crazy crowded cities of the OC. Drive for 30 minutes and you are in a different world.
And so really, I just couldn't be happier for Mary and Thomas and can't wait to start spending time with them as a married couple. I really love weddings, all the family and crazy and drama and laughing, are they not the most fun thing ever? :)
I'll be posting a full album of all my pictures soon. This was a long post but I want to be better about using this blog as a way to keep up with family and friends and as a family journal.
I went to California last week to attend Mary's (my best friend since high school) wedding. Aida and I flew out on Tuesday so we could spend some time at my grandma's house and help Mary with any wedding related errands she still needed. Aida and I spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday at every mall, Ross, and Marshall's in a 30 mile radius of my grandma's house looking for shoes to match my bridesmaid dress but didn't have any luck. We also helped Mary make her centerpieces for her reception. For how simple they were, they turned out really beautiful.
On Thursday morning, my dad flew in from Dallas to spend the weekend with us. I was so excited he could come, not only to visit with him but also so he could stay with Aida when I needed to do wedding stuff. We took Aida to the tide pools at Corona Del Mar, a beach we used to go to all the time when we were kids. It was too overcast to go in the water but that didn't stop Aida from taking off her shoes and running in and out of the tide as much as possible before we dragged her out of there. Then we drove to Huntington Beach and walked out to the end of the pier for lunch at Ruby's. I can't quite remember but for the million times I've been to HB, I don't think I've ever eaten at Ruby's so that was fun.
Thursday night I took Mary and some of her friends out to a dueling piano bar in Long Beach for her bachelorette party. If you have never been to a dueling piano bar before you are seriously missing out. They decorated the tables for us and brought Mary up on stage a few times for some serenades. Mary pretty much had no voice for the rest of the weekend so I think the night was a success. ;)
My dad said he had a surprise for Aida and me, so on Friday morning we started driving toward L.A. I didn't figure out what was going on until I saw the exit for the LAX airport and then I knew this must be one of my mom's surprises that she loves so much. My mom had a conference in VA the following week and was able to route her ticket through L.A. and stay for the weekend. It was so nice to have both of them there to spend time with Aida and attend Mary's wedding. They have known her since she was 16 and she like a part of the family.
We drove back to my grandma's house to drop off my dad and Aida and then my mom and I turned right back around and drove to the Orange County airport to pick up Jana. We stopped by South Coast Plaza and then made one last stop at a Ross where I FINALLY found some shoes, that was cutting it a little close. Friday night we went to a bbq for all the wedding party and family. Mary was wearing the cutest Samoan outfit that matched her fiancee Thomas's shirt. Seriously, they were way too cute.
Saturday was the big wedding day and I drove over to Mary's house in the morning to get my hair done then back to my grandma's to finish getting ready. I was going to head back to Mary's to ride with her brother, Jacob, and two other bridesmaids to the temple in L.A. I was already heading back a little late when I realized, halfway to Mary's house, that I forgot the sash that goes with my dress. Besides it being part of the whole look that matched the other bridesmaids, my dress was actually about 3 sizes too big for me and the sash was the only thing that cinched it in and made it look nice. So we had to go back and get it and then rush back to Mary's house where we all piled in the car and had about 30 minutes to make it to L.A. before Mary and Thomas came out of the temple. If Jacob wasn't driving I don't think we would have made it. I wouldn't necessarily ever want to repeat that driving experience but he got us there right as they were scheduled to come out.
Unfortunately, the other two bridesmaids and I weren't wearing our dresses, we didn't want to wrinkle them in the car and thought we could change in the Visitor's Center. When we got there, the VC was entirely gutted and under construction and we couldn't find anywhere else to change. At this point we were so scared we were going to miss them coming out that we went behind a building that shielded us a bit from the parking lot and changed right there on the lawn at the L.A. Temple. BUT, we made it and were calm, cool, and mostly collected when Mary and Thomas came out of the temple mere minutes later. Mary looked absolutely beautiful, relaxed, and happy, just how you should look on your wedding day.
After pictures, I had lunch in Beverly Hills with Jana, Tallie and Christina and then headed back to Long Beach for the reception. It was so beautiful, I'm so impressed with all the DIY decorations and little touches that Mary did all herself. Everything looked so professional and classy. Mary did a traditional Samoan dance that made my mom cry. We ate a full sit-down dinner (that I proceeded to spill all down the front of my dress, I don't know what the deal was with me and that dress) and danced and ate the best cake (no frosting, just covered in melted chocolate, why did I never know cake's like that existed??) After waving Mary and Thomas off for their honeymoon in Maui (jealous!), Jana, Tallie, Christina and I all shared a hotel room and stayed up late gossiping. I miss all those girls and love it when we can all get together.
On Sunday, we took my mom to the airport and then drove down to Oceanside for dinner at my aunt and uncle's house. On Monday, my dad and I both had late afternoon flights so we loaded up the car, said good-bye to my grandma and drove up into the foothills before heading to the airport. We spent some time hiking around and playing at a park with Aida. I'm usually so focused on the beach when I come to California that I forget there are some really beautiful hills and canyons so close to all the crazy crowded cities of the OC. Drive for 30 minutes and you are in a different world.
And so really, I just couldn't be happier for Mary and Thomas and can't wait to start spending time with them as a married couple. I really love weddings, all the family and crazy and drama and laughing, are they not the most fun thing ever? :)
I'll be posting a full album of all my pictures soon. This was a long post but I want to be better about using this blog as a way to keep up with family and friends and as a family journal.
posted by Monica at
2:54 PM
4 Comments:
Good post Mon- It was a fun weekend. Thanks for picking me up too. It's always fun being with the "girls".
Sounds like fun wedding drama. You and the dress made me laugh. I want to see pictures of this baby!
Mom and I had a great time too, especially seeing that little cutie Aida. I loved when she was laughing so hard in the car every time I said, "D'oh!" Can't wait for our next adventure. You should make a whole blog post about "driving crazy." Love, Dad
Thanks for writing this post, I've been wanting to hear about Mary's wedding. Wish I could have been there!
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