At long last...

... Here, at least, is a partial look at the wedding! I will upload reception and bridal photos later. For now, I'm just happy to get anything up! (Please note: any awkwardness is entirely my own fault, as I attempt to use Windows Movie Maker for the first time. If you want to see my photographer's true brilliance, head to her website.)

High School Sweethearts?

As some of you may or may not know, Mike actually went to RRHS! That's right: we could have been high school sweethearts.

Actually, that's not true. He was Mr. Shy Guy in the Hooded Sweatshirt, desperately trying not to be involved in high school. And I was Ms. "Ooh! Goodie! Sign Me Up For That!" Still, it begs the question... what would we have looked like, as high school sweethearts?

Courtesy of yearbookyourself.com, you can see what we would have looked like as high school sweethearts in 1992. How does our "look" change depending on the decade? Check the slide show here to see Mike and Katie, from the 1950s through the 1990s!

Enjoy, and let me know which one is your favorite!

Before the Big Day

As promised, here are more details about the wedding!

The wedding and reception were both at my parents’ house, so that’s where we had the rehearsal dinner, too. All of this took place the day before the wedding. I really enjoyed:

• The relaxed atmosphere
• My father (who wanted to practice walking with me several times)
• The fact that our different groups of friends got along so well
• Mike’s brothers making a special effort to be there, despite the fact that I forgot to tell them they were in the ceremony!
• Laughing so hard that my stomach hurt
• Teasing my friend Eleise about her love life (poor girl! It was romance by public committee all weekend!)
• Watching my brother play in the sand-pile with Mike’s nephew

The minute I woke up on August 2^nd, I just felt so happy. Everything was a joy, even before the festivities began! Some of my favorite “getting ready” moments included:

• Mike calling me while I was at the hair salon, to see if I needed the earrings I’d left at home
• The fact that Mike was at the house, dressed and ready, at 11:00am (ceremony started at 4:00pm)
• Our fabulous photographer chatting with all of our loved ones
• My aunts fixing a minor wedding gown issue (none of us really sew, so it was sheer slapstick)
• Aunt Bunny loaning me the back of her earring
• My friend Shannon doing my makeup
• Bru, Shannon’s delightful husband, fixing the cake topper groom so that he had Mike’s facial hair.
• Watching our different groups of friends sit out in lawn chairs, laughing and talking (and theoretically directing parking).
• Taking family pictures—especially when the triplets got loose, and everyone took a turn at baby-wrangling the boys!
• Maren, Eleise, and Theresa keeping me company before the ceremony.
• Mike sneaking the GISP back to where I was hiding in my childhood bedroom.
• Getting to see Russ before the ceremony, too!

Husband and Wife!

This past Saturday (August 2nd), Mike and I enjoyed our beautiful wedding in my parents' backyard. The ceremony--lasting a mere 11 minutes--was great. I walked down the aisle to the theme music of The Princess Bride, only to be greeted by tulle-wrapped garden gnomes at the end of my stroll (long story, but suffice to say it was hilarious). Everyone was laughing or crying. Mike and I whispered private jokes to each other during the ceremony and afterwards, my grandmother came up to me and quipped, "It's a pity you didn't look very happy."

Yeah, I think my face muscles are still twitching from all the smiling!

Of course, I could agonize about a million tiny details or questions. What about the typo on one of the chocolate wrappers? Did I say "um" too many times during our thank-you toast? Were people offended that we didn't spend enough time with them? (What they say is true... it really did go by in a blur...)

But I guess the only valid worry is about whether or not our guests had as much fun as we did. I truly hope that everyone who came (especially everyone who helped out beforehand!) knows how much we love and appreciate them! We are so fortunate to have had so many wonderful people sharing such an important moment of our lives.

In the days before the wedding, my (adorable) father agonized over every detail, because he wanted me to have "my perfect fairytale wedding." And I told him not to sweat the details: I was going to have a perfect day because I was marrying the right guy. I was going to have a perfect day because I'd be surrounded by the family and friends who've supported us all our lives, who've taught us how to love with respect, compassion, and patience.

Well, I was right about the wedding. It was an absolute fairytale--one of the best days of my life. But you know what? The next day was even better, because I got to wake up in bed next to my favorite person in the world. I got to hear him say, "Good morning, wife!" and I got to say "Good morning, husband!" right back to him. Somehow, I don't think that will ever get old. Even when we're wrinkled and toothless, I'll still be tickled that I had the good sense to marry this wonderful man!

More details--and pictures--soon. In the mean time, I'm off to pack for the honeymoon!

Take That, To-Do List!

On Monday, my mother hosted the last of our bridal work parties. We finished all of the crafty stuff for the wedding (including the wedding programs... aren't those cute? Well, trust me. They're very cute without all the sensitive information blocked out).

Now, I need to head to the mall for some last minute honeymoon items. I need to finish cleaning the house, whip up some thank-you notes, catch up my laundry, clean my car, take some stuff over to the wedding site, decide whether or not I'm going to iron, and tidy up the backyard. Ooh! Don't forget the grocery store and a quick trip to Kinko's. Did I mention that I have to write curriculum for an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel today?

Yeah, and instead of doing any of it I am obsessively watching the weather forecast and wondering how Saturday will turn out...

But lest this blog entry sound too narcissistic, let me assure you that I'm not the only one from the old high school crowd currently enjoying an eventful summer. Tara had a beautiful baby girl on July 20th, and tonight Dawhud (yes, you know him by a different name) is celebrating the release of his first album: Basement Sessions. Congratulations to everyone!

Just Say No To Stress

There's a tiny, terrifying countdown in my planner. Today, it proudly proclaims, "12 days until Kate gets hitched!" As the pressure mounts and the to-do list grows, I find myself less the Blushing Bride and more a crazy stress case.

I'd feel better, I suppose, if the alterations on my wedding dress were done. No such luck--last Friday, when I was supposed to take it home, the lumpy bodice issue had yet to be fixed. I regret to say that there were tears. My mom did her tight-lipped, efficient anger thing. Hey, presto! They're going to do their best... I don't hold out much hope, given their track record. But you know what? I have a fabulous photographer who's a whiz with Photoshop. So, if nothing else, I'll look good in the pictures!

Luckily, my soon-to-be-husband is adept at dealing with what we like to call the "Katie Kaboom" phenomenon. When I shared fears that I thought my dress might be ugly, he said, "Honey, you could show up to the wedding in a bath towel and you'd still be gorgeous."

Sweet, no? I'm so glad I'm marrying him! I'm trying to remind myself that that's the important thing. I want to take a day to just go lounge at the Naked Spa and ponder the deep meaning of marriage... but I'm not sure I'll be able to. After all, I have luminaries to make...

Any advice on how I can calm down (without torturing Mike, that is)? Is there any way I can stubble the stress and enjoy my last few days as an unmarried lass? I want to be a gracious bride, not Bridezilla!

My Bridal Shower

This Saturday, my aunties (and Grandma G!) threw me a bridal shower. It was so fun, and I felt so well-loved! Now my kitchen feels well-loved, too--it's jam-packed with goodies! And I must tell you, it's lovely being related to so many crafty women... though occasionally I feel guilty that I can't (a) crochet afghans (b) make adorable centerpieces or (c) wrap gifts attractively.

Highlights of a grand shindig:

• Just getting to see everyone! Don't you hate it that, as we all get older, we have less time to relax with our family and friends? Needless to say, hanging out at the shower was a treat!
  
• Aunt Elaine organized a game where we all had to feel kitchen utensils wrapped in paper bags. I regret to say there was rampant cheating on one side of the circle... and rampant tattling on the other side. :)
  
• Annalisa dressed up the cover for "Lover's Touch" with hilarious speech bubbles ("Oh, Katie! The game has just begun!")
• Aunt Marla and Melissa put together the cutest themed centerpieces for each little table. My favorite? They were all super cute, but I loved the breakfast centerpiece (which included several mixes, honey, jams, and a scone pan, all wrapped up in a cute arrangement!)
  
• Cheryl introduced herself to everyone as "the ex-boyfriend's mother," which definitely got some laughs. (Fun... my future mother-in-law really has a blast with her.)
  

Thank you to the party planners and everyone who came! I know this is a busy summer, and I appreciate the time and effort you took to make it a special event.