Can you believe it’s been one month since the kids got married? It was such a magical day! I’ve taken some time away from the blog and social media to soak it all in and rest. There’s a lot that goes into your child’s wedding. As with everything relative to one’s kids, I found myself more invested in ensuring their wedding was perfect than I was with my own. Having kids is an interesting experience. If you line every spectrum of the emotional rainbow amplified, then parenthood is for you. The highs and lows are much more extreme when you watch your kid experience them.
Fortunately, the wedding was an emotional high for all of us. The smiles never left the bride and grooms faces. They soaked in each and every moment of their special day. Although I’m sure if you asked them, the day was a blur. I continue to be proud of how Goalielocks and The Mayor showed up for Jake and Melly. It was proof that I’ve gotten at least three things right in life. Go me!
In the intervening weeks, life has settled back into its routine. I’ve relaxed my exercise routine to give myself some rest. It’s a bit harder to be motivated when you don’t have a fancy dress to fit into imminently. If someone could please throw a gala, I could get back on the bandwagon. Meanwhile, I’ll be over here pouring through the wedding pictures as feeling nostalgic about my the boys’ childhood.
One of my girlfriends, thank you Marla, had the brilliant idea of writing my favorite moments from the weekend down. It is easy to forget the smaller moments as time passes, so here are some of my favorite moments. Hopefully, I will catch the essence of their special weekend.
From Friday night, I loved watching Jake and Melly walk in a catch all the little details from the welcoming sign to the Daschund cookies and personalized candy bag tags. Also, from Friday night, it was great to see everyone interact and enjoy themselves in a relaxed and informal setting. We opted to hold an open house-style rehearsal dinner instead of the traditional stodgy dinner. This allowed us to include everyone attending the wedding. The majority of both families live out of town, so this was a great way to get the families together without the formality of the wedding. Friday night was a gift and fortunately went seamlessly.
Saturday leaving the house, in a rush per usual, we stopped to take a picture of the boys out front. It’s the same place we took all their back-to-school and prom pictures. Luke and I rode together and the boys drove separately. Truly, it was special to see how far the boys’ relationships have grown and how tight they’ve become. The younger two boys arranged Jake’s favorite dinners in the days leading up to the event. Additionally, the Mayor made sure we had all of Jake’s favorite snacks and drinks. The Mayor stepped up and helped Goalielocks, who had finals the entire week.
I had my hair and makeup done by Glamsquad, which did amazing work. It was fun getting ready with the bride, the bride’s mom, and the bridal party. Honestly, Melly and her family included me in everything throughout the wedding planning process. It meant a lot especially since I don’t have any daughters.
This one might be a bit silly, but I loved my outfit. I started looking for the dress even before the engagement ring was shipped to my house. Early on I decided I was going to buy an incredible designer dress second-hand. I sent all the candidates for Melly for approval. Eventually, I settled on a navy blue Jenny Packham gown. The gown had high slits on the legs and a magnificent cape. To round out the look, I paired it with a pair of Jimmy Choo Romy glitter pumps that I bought off eBay and a clutch I picked up at Nordstroms. The look turned out better than I could have imagined.
My veil played a starring role. I didn’t think my veil would ever see the light of day again. And then Melly asked to wear it. What an absolute honor it was to give her my veil. It complemented her dress and hairstyle perfectly. As dinner wound down Saturday night, I was chatting with the newlyweds and told Melly it was now her’s to pass down. I’m so happy she was able to wear the veil, but even happier to pass it down creating a family heirloom.
The ceremony started a little late, but still early by South Florida standards. I loved seeing my boys all dressed up. We lined up to go in and walking Jake down the aisle was surreal. Watching Goalielocks, the best man, and then The Mayor walk in with Ava (the flower girl) was a wonderful moment. Ava loves the Mayor, so we thought it would be a good way to get her down the aisle. Turns out it was picture-perfect.
Watching Jake’s face change as he saw his bride for the first time was moving. I lost it. It was so sweet to see him blown away by how beautiful she looked. The kids wrote their vows. Daringly, Jake said his vows with no notes. His vows, however, were from the heart and beautiful. I’ve never been more proud. When I asked him about them later, he said he didn’t need to write or down because it was just how he felt. Cue the tears…. And then she recited her vows, cue more tears. It means a lot to hear how someone loves your child completely and without condition. I’ve never been more proud of both of them.
The bridal party’s entrance to the reception was fantastic. They entered with lightsabers and it was amazing. The first dances were beautiful. Jake and I danced to “In My Life” by the Beatles, which is the song I danced to with my dad at my wedding. It was a special moment that I shared with Jake. A few minutes for us to chat about the day and for me to remind him how proud I was of both him and Melly.
Goalielocks was the best man and as such gave the first toast. He didn’t write it down beforehand, but he’s both good on his feet and a great speaker. Goalielocks wasn’t always the best brother to Jake, which he acknowledged. He did, however, acknowledge that his brother always treated him well no matter what. As Goalielocks grew up he’d come to respect and look up to his brother and their relationship has blossomed. It was a genuine, heartfelt speech that made me proud and misty.
The last speech was Melly’s dad. First of all, her parents are amazing and are so good to Jake. We love them dearly. PJ’s also a great speaker. The most touching part of the speech was when he spoke about how much he loved Jake. We think the world of Jake, but hearing his father-in-law describe their love and appreciation for him was truly a special moment.
My boys are the crowning achievements of my life. I’m so proud of the men they have become. This weekend the relationship they have cultivated was on full display. I’m so proud of how far their relationships have come. This weekend their love, loyalty, thoughtfulness, and support for each other were in full display. The Mayor brought his Polaroid camera to capture some of Saturday’s casual moments and boy did he. Meanwhile, Goalielocks, was there to support Jake with whatever he needed Saturday. Lastly, both boys made sure their uncles never went thirsty at the reception. Thanks for being a participant in my recap of my favorite moments from Jake and Melly’s wedding
