"I DO"

Seriously (Thank you Grey's Anatomy for increasing my vocabulary), it's wedding mania. I thought I was long past this stage of life, but seemingly it's back...and at a time when I need a much deserved break from baby showers and birthing stories. (Oh & I get to wear a totally cute $4 dress that shows off my butt-kicking weight loss).


Clare's getting married and I have the pleasure of being her Matron of Honor. Yay, how fun, but her wedding isn't until September, right? Doesn't matter, there is lots to plan and four months is going to fly by. So while we're in the midst of that, Joyce's daughter gets married (this past Saturday). Totally surreal moment for me. Why, you ask? Because I'm a friend of the Bride's mother. See what I mean. But it was a beautiful wedding, and I felt blessed to be able to be there for Joyce...plus Clare and I picked up tons of fun tips and ideas for her own wedding. Thanks Kristin (& Congrats). Did I mention that Kristin and her new hubby live in Warner Robins, GA. I KNOW, right (spoken like a true Monica from Friends)? For such a small town in Georgia, I have way too many random connections to it, the main one being my grandparents (though they are not at all random).


So it doesn't end there. This Friday, Joyce and Tim get married. How fun is that? At first they were going to do a small ceremony in the back of TJ's (our pastor) yard with no guests. Appalled that I wouldn't be invited, I simply made the point that I'd crash the wedding and hide in the bushes (not that TJ has any) and Twitpic the entire thing. Clare quickly jumped on board with my plan, and then voila, we were all invited. But of course I could not accept the invitation because I'd already gotten so hyped up about the whole mission impossible theme. So now there are going to be a few guests and two crazy ladies hiding in the bushes.

To keep in sync with our fun plan, Carly (TJ's daughter) and her friend Audrey decided to sell tickets in the blessed event at Fusion tonight. Deck tickets went for $2 a piece and were gone in a jiffy. "Nose bleed" roof seats were $.50 but you had to bring your own ladder. Mat, our roommate & Clare's fiance, bought the bridesmaid ticket for $3, and Mandy became the groomsman. Clare and I opted for Tree #1 & #4. I was able to negotiate the tickets down to $.24 a ticket, but was upset to find that they didn't have change for my quarter. TJ came by and decided that in order to help out with his daughter's college fund, he'd auction off his position as minister for a whopping $100. Sold to Jeremy Smith, a philanthropist with a soft spot for Cupid's finest. All in all, the girls made off with $112.43. Joyce & Tim attempted to lay claim to the proceeds, but Carly & Audrey were long gone, half way to Mexico by now.








The thing is that it will be a beautiful ceremony because it involved two of my favorite people. And oh do they have such an amazing story to tell. I'd spill it to you, but it's not mine to tell (and I don't have a box of tissue beside me). Let's just say it's a story of redemption & faith, heart break and healing, love and grace. I'm honored, truly freaking honored, to be part of that day, whether it's from behind a tree or in a seat. Congratulations Tim & Joyce. You've earned it!