maid of honor

The 61 Hour Wedding Whirlwind Weekend: The Reception

/ foodsweatandbeers / 3 Comments

Happy Friday, friends and neighbors.  Today the weekend is starting a little early, though not for anything extremely fun.  When I got to work today, I was feeling decidedly normal, but that faded fast.  Slowly and surely, with tummy rumblings and general malaise, I realized it was bound to be a half day.  It’s likely some perfect storm of not eating a real dinner last night (but nibbling on calamari, shrimp and salsa, and making a peach crumble sundae…), my past two weeks of travel catching up on me, and my own, personal shark week (explanation may be TMI for regular readers, but feel free to click if you don’t understand.)  No matter the culprit, my body just needed some R&R (&S… for salad!)

Taco Salad + a special guest!

I sprinkled some sexy chia seeds on top for a little crunch (and because… you know… all the cool kids do it.) It reminded me of sesame seeds, and the salad was delicious.  Probably very good for me to get some greens into my body after the lousy food and drink I put in my belly last night.

I thank you all for sticking it out and following this wedding journey to the end, and in case you haven’t (but want to) here’s the recap so far:

We all know, to quote a great man, that “After the show, it’s the after parrrrrrrrrtyyyyyy” (R. Kelly, 2003).  The wedding party was danced onto the boat where the reception was held, one of Pittsburgh’s infamous Gateway Clipper Fleet ships.  Unfortunately, one of the groomsmen didn’t quite have his “land legs” yet, and promptly spilled an entire glass of red wine on the table.

Smooth, bro.

Luckily, the crew had it cleaned up in a jiffy, and in a few minutes, after the rest of us got our drinks, the table was again ready for sitting.

Groom, bride, and Bre, the other MOH

Up next was the part of the night I was the most anxious about… the SPEECHES!  First up was Miles, brother of the groom, and best man.

Dapper dude

His speech was top notch.  Clever, touching, and to the point. It touched on the loyalty of the groom, the generosity of the bride, and how right they were for each other.

The other MOH, Breanna, discussed the meeting of Caitlin and Eamonn as a fairytale, starting with dorm rooms and shot glasses.  I’ll admit, I had very little knowledge of this inside joke, but I know it meant a lot to the happy couple, and was happy that someone who actually knew them well as a couple could speak to their love story.

I don’t have any pictures of my own speech, since I was giving it and all, but all of my anxiety flew away the moment someone handed me a microphone. I looked back at Caitlin and tried to speak from the heart, and I did it all without crying at all (though there were some seriously intense cracks in my voice, made me feel like a pubertal boy… one who was about to weep openly in front of his friends.)  It went over well, though, and then the fun could begin!!

Ryan and I cutting a rug (Source: Chrissy K Photography)

Adorable cake topper

Woops, how'd that one slip in there?

Love on the top deck!

And the night was capped off with beautiful fireworks (that were meant for the Pittsburgh Pirates… but we felt like they were all for us!)

Boom boom boom

All in all, I’d say a successful wedding.  Romantic, inspiring, and on a boat.  All the best parts of a night out, right?

Bahahaha now that I have a blog I can post pictures like this ALL THE TIME!

PS my sincere apologies to Ryan, my beau, for being such a camera ham…. and for posting pictures like this.  Thanks for tolerating dating me.

Ok, now I’m off to try and feel better…. maybe with the help of this week’s US Weekly.  Apparently Denise Richards is gonna “tell all.”

I’m riveted.

Do you like celebrity gossip?

Do you take ridiculous pictures of you and your significant other in hopes that one day, you can show them off for all the world to see?

Yeah. Me too.

The 61 Hour Wedding Whirlwind Weekend: Pictures and the Ceremony!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Hey y’all and TGIT!!  Truly, though, I’m feeling FANTASTIC on this Thursday.  It may have something to do with the unplanned extra hour and a half I got this morning when I decided that the great dreams I was having were more important than the 7 am BodyAttack class….  No matter what is causing it, I hope this feeling doesn’t fade anytime soon!!

Lunch today also may have something to do with my great mood, because it was a perfect one.  One of my coworkers brought a little treat for everyone in the office and put it on the “community microwave” which is usually where we put snacks that we made or leftover goodies to “share with the rest of the class.”  Today’s was MUCH better than cupcakes.

Tiny tomatoes, perfect for lunchtime!

They completed the salad for the ages:

Even better than last night!!

This little taco salad was very similar to last night’s taco salad but tasted much more delicious.  I think it had something to do with the freshest little tomatoes and the fact that there wasn’t 1/4 lb of SUPER STRONG spicy turkey (which I replaced with a 1/3 can of Bush’s reduced sodium blackbeans) overpowering everything.  I really tasted the avocado, and it gave the salad a creamy counterpart to the crisp peppers.

Anyway, here’s the fourth installment of the wedding weekend (sorry if you’re getting sick of this, but not too sorry because it’s been a blast to write and great for my mom to get a play by play of the wedding!!)

In case you missed it, here are the other parts:

After we finished getting all dolled up, we rushed Cait’s room to observe her (much more laborious) preparation.

THE DRESS!

Cait’s dress was a total looker, fitting for such a flawless bride!

The bow on the back was difficult, apparently, but we had a bridesmaid for that! Juli, one of Cait’s old roomies, was ready to step up.

Bow-i-gami!

There were many many pictures snapped of the bridesmaids, of Cait, of the moms, of the photographer:

This is so meta.

Then, we hopped onto a trolley to head up to Mt. Washington for THE BIG REVEAL!! In case you’re unaware, the big reveal is the first look that the groom gets at his bride.  Especially important when you’re taking pictures before the ceremony!

Trolley beers

 

Love at first sight.

Clearly, the tallest of the bridesmaids.

It was incredibly hot and sweaty during the picture taking, but we had a good time in the trolley thanks to our dear friend: beer.

Cheers to the happy couple!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get many pictures from the ceremony considering how annoying it would’ve been having a Maid of Honor snapping shots inside the chapel.  But thankfully, my handsome date snapped a few.

So excited!

MWA!! It's official!!

Oh, hey boyf! I FOUND YOU! and you found... my crazy eyes!

The ceremony was beautiful, the vows… inspiring.  And we all hooted and hollered as they walked off into a sea of bubbles!

Note my "I scream louder than anyone else!" face.

Join us tomorrow for our final installment: the afterparrrrrrrtyyyyyy! (also known as the reception).

The 61 Hour Wedding Whirlwind Weekend: Primping

/ foodsweatandbeers / 7 Comments

Happy Hump Day, humpers!

Today’s lunch was rather familiar, almost the twin of yesterday’s.

Another day, another tasty meal!

I took the last half of a green pepper and sliced it up as a side.  For the main course, a Flatout Light Italian Herb wrap (that sorta ripped in transit, hence it looks a little smaller than usual), a fried egg, some Muenster cheese, turkey, salsa, and spinach.  It was WONDERFUL, truly great. I love the combination of the warm egg with the melty cheese and the fantastic Boar’s Head smoked turkey.  Whenever I see it on sale at the Teeter, I can’t help myself.  Mmmm.

In case you missed the past two posts, check em out!

Today, things get really great though.  My favorite part of the wedding weekend was probably the girls day at Izzazzu Salon on Fifth Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh.  When we got there, there was another wedding party getting their hair done, and we were a little annoyed that we couldn’t set up…

"Really? It's my wedding day. K, bye other women."

I took a chance to check out the view from the top.

Not too shabby, eh?

All the members of the bridal party brought the essentials and, before we knew it, it was our turn.  We set up shop.

Hunger, thy name is bridesmaids.

I was on Wheat Thin duty (my favorite of all duties), and we also had a hot mess of a table full of bagels and schmear, gum (for after the party!), Reese’s cups (Caitlin’s favorite), Sabra Hummus (which I ended up keeping some of! SCORE!), cookies and, most importantly, MIMOSAS!!

However, for future reference, I think it’s important that I tell you all that truthfully, I prefer to call them Mimos (rhymes with Nemo, as in the fish that sparked the trans-Atlantic/Pacific search).  Whew, glad I got this outta the way.

ANYWHO, Mimos are maybe my favorite thing to drink during the day and, since I was the last one to get my hair/makeup done, I was on Mimo distribution duty.  Happy to help.

No Mimo left behind!!

The bride brought in a few pictures of Rachel McAdams from the 2010 Oscars, and her stylist got to work.

Blushing bride!

She looked stunning, as did her mother!

Caitlin’s family has always felt like my own second family, and this whole weekend was just fantastic to reconnect with them and I was honored to be a part of it.

The hair and makeup continued for quite some time, as I threw back a few more Mimos and got snap-happy with my camera.  Then, after enjoying a bagel and some schmear and making myself a Mimo-to-go, it was my turn!!

I think that in Heaven, you get this treatment daily.

The tiny Mimo I’d brought over wasn’t even CLOSE to sufficient for the amount of time my hair took to blowdry, but luckily, my fellow bridesmaid, Kristin, brought over a much fatter one.

Now I'm ready to face this ETERNAL process!

I think it turned out pretty well, though, worth the time and effort.

Glamorama (ps I did NOT drink that mimo. it was merely a prop.)

After a quick lengthy airbrush makeup application, and a swig of champy, it was time for Lindsey and I (aka the last ones left) to hit the road.

Luckily, I was not the driver, don't worry!

Next stop, THE CHAPEL!

Have you ever gotten your hair done for a major event?  How about your makeup?

I’ll admit, this was my first time getting my makeup done and honestly… while I liked it, I’m not sure it was worth it for the future (at least maybe until my own wedding.)  Plus, I’m STILL trying to get the last bits off.  At least it looked good for pictures!!

Hopefully y’all are enjoying this little recap of the wedding weekend.  I’m having a BLAST writing it up!

The 61 Hour Wedding Whirlwind Weekend: The Rehearsal

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

Hey all!!  I’m back to the grind of day to day after a CRAZY weekend in Pittsburgh, PA for the wedding of my best friend, Caitlin, to the man of her dreams!

I have to admit, getting back to a healthy lunch after all that rich food this weekend was JUST what I was craving.  The theme of the meal?

Green!

Broccoli, Spinach, and Lime (diet pepsi lime, that is...)

Ok, I’ll admit, the Diet Pepsi Lime isn’t the freshest of ingredients, but I was in desperate need of some caffeine.  And also, on my sandwich, along with the spinach, was melted muenster cheese, a fried egg, and a piece of turkey. On the side? Steamed broccoli.  All served in the cutest plate/bowl set ever, from the movie Wall-E (a VERY favorite of the beau and I.  I’m always Eva.)

But honestly, I know you’re not reading this post for my lunch.  You want the good stuff.  And I’m here to give it to you.

Rest assured, this is part one of a few (not sure how many yet) because I simply can’t fit all the fun into one post.

After waking up at 5 am on Friday morning, we hit the ground running (very tough after the fun had on Thursday with the Girls Pint Out event!)  We hit up Dunkin Donuts and, honestly, I don’t even remember the first few hours of the trip (thanks to the beau for driving!!)

Before we knew it (well, not really, but eventually) we made it to Pittsburgh!!

Wahoo!! FINALLY!!

We got settled in, I jumped in the shower, and Ryan spent his time doing more important things… Like testing out the hotel bed.

It definitely met up to his standards.

While he stayed in the room and got to enjoy some pizza delivered to his room (some boys have all the luck), I went to begin the Maid of Honor duties… And that meant getting ready with the girls for the rehearsal and dinner!

Beautiful bride-to-be primping!

Cait's college roomies sharing the giant mirror in Cait's room

After we felt sufficiently dolled up, we ventured across the bridge to the BEAUTIFUL Heinz Chapel.  It seems like only yesterday (but truly it was 14 months ago!) that we were posing outside of this stunning chapel or feigning holding of the bridal bouquets.

14 months ago, how time flies!

After a bit of confusion with the parking garage, I finally made it to the church and couldn’t RESIST trying out the rehearsal bouquet on for size.

A rainbow of colors = my favorite color

Big thanks to Cait’s bridesmaid, Lindsey, for her hard work making the bouquet and for toting my non-local booty all over the greater Pittsburgh area.  The sky was looking rather foreboding, same as during Cait’s Bachelorette party night, but most of us made it out of the weather unscathed.

Rain, rain, GO AWAY!

The bride was absolutely glowing, and the rehearsal was just stunning.

She's just stoked her sexy hair didn't get wet!

Heinz Chapel is absolutely magnificent in every sense of the word.  The stained glass all over the building is breathtaking, the acoustics are BOOMING, and the central air conditioning… is non-existent.

It really feels like a castle.

Those fans were the only thing keeping the bridal party from straight melting to the pews.

I tried to tough it out and not cry all weekend (a nearly impossible endeavor for a Weepy Wendy like myself) but the second Eamonn started reading his vows, I lost it.

The ONLY tissue that my tear ducts demanded from me all weekend!!

Luckily, I only needed one of the tissues from the ever-ready boxes all weekend, and the rest of the rehearsal I was (for the most part) okay….  I walked a little too fast with my walking-buddy, Jimmy (her little brother… and the only member of the groomsmen that was over 5’10” aka the ONLY acceptable walking partner), and tried to keep my choking sobs to a minimum, and within about 40 minutes, we were outta there!!

Just a teaser of what was to come!

Stay tuned for the rest of the weekend, I promise, it only gets better from here!!

Are you a Weepy Wendy like myself?  If so, what gets you going?

 

 

My apologies

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Hey all, and happy Sunday night! (sarcasm… I’m so tired.)

Sorry I fell off the face of the Earth this weekend, I forgot my computer charger in North Carolina (the wedding was in Pittsburgh) and… oh yeah, had to be a Maid of Honor on a wedding weekend!!

Everything was wonderful, and I’ll do a few recap posts in the next several days.  In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a few teaser pictures….

Oh, rest stops in West Virginia... you slay me.

Workout Substitution: Bikini tops are SORTA like a sports bra, right?

Everyone needs a little pampering.

It's all about the details.

It ended, as all good stories do, with fireworks...

 

More tomorrow, now we SLEEP LIKE ROYALTY!!

 

Squeezing it all in….

/ foodsweatandbeers / 12 Comments
20110719-123637.jpg

Rough lunch break

My best friends wedding is on Saturday. Before then I need to be Supa tan, Supa fit, and Supa prepared for travel.

To do: lunchtime suntan session (check), oil change in the ol’ car, workout, eat clean and yummy, and pack. Oh, and help host a baller Girls Pint Out first event (at Tyler’s Taproom in Durham, at 7:30 pm on Thursday!! Come join us if you love beers! and ladies! or are a lady even if you hate em!!), and a glass night at Rockfish (at 6pm on Thursday, then caravan to Tyler’s? Duh.).

Then drive 8 hours on Friday from NC to Pittsburgh. no big, I got this.

Say Yes to the Dress (and the Bride!)

/ foodsweatandbeers / 18 Comments

Howdy friends, and happy Monday!  I’ll admit, Mondays are always rough, especially when they start off with a surprise meeting, but c’est la vie!  I rewarded myself for a productive morning with a delicious salad of epic proportions:

Greens make me feel like a lean, mean, machine!

Today’s salad consisted of:

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Half a GIANT green pepper
  • 2/3 of a small tomato
  • Reduced fat mexican cheese mix
  • Black beans
  • Salsa

It is was DELICIOSO!!  I wolfed it down like a ravenous were-Jordan.  And now, onto the topic of the post.

My Best Friend’s Wedding!

My dress looks exactly like this.

No, definitely not the movie.  THE REAL LIFE THING!!

My dearest friend, Caitlin (of Chicaito, her new blog!), who I’ve known officially longer than I have not, is marrying her college sweetheart and they’re starting a beautiful life as husband and wife in Chicago.  When Caitlin asked me to be one of her Maids of Honor, it obviously wasn’t even a question, and I feel so honored to be a part of her magical day and all the things leading up to it!

Last month, we gathered in her hometown for the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party in Philadelphia.

Bride to Be Cait and her Co-MOHs Breanna and Jordan

It was an excellent weekend, and a great way to meet some of the bridal party who I’d never met before.  Caitlin and I have been friends since FOREVER, but as we went to college 470 miles apart, we only got to see each other now and then during the past 6 years.  We never lost touch, though, and every time we’re together, it’s just like we’re teenagers dancing at the All-Camp Dance at Camp Tockwogh.

That'd be our wedding photo... if Eamonn weren't in the picture, of course!

I will admit, I never knew what was involved in being a Maid of Honor, and it’s a whole lotta stuff that I’d never imagined. Who knew how many ways you could organize cupcakes on a table for a shower, or how many peen shaped accoutrements ther were for the bachelorette party.  Not I!

Luckily I already had 4 tiaras for her to choose from...

All those hours of saying yes to marathons of Say Yes to the Dress, though, and the hours of looking at bridal sites are about to come to a head, as the nuptials are in less than 2 weeks!!  I’m so excited to be a part of the big day, and you know I’ll be there with hankies in case she cries, a tiny sewing kit (that I will have no idea how to use) if she rips her dress, and a shot of vodka to get the party started.

That being said, getting prepared for the big stuff (standing next to her at the altar, giving a speech at the reception) is started to make me a little nervous!  I haven’t given a big speech in a while and, as someone prone to tears, I really don’t wanna lose my cool and start bawling in front of a bunch of loved ones and strangers… I still feel like I’m that teenage girl getting ready to send her besty off to be with another best friend!  I know no matter what happens, Caitlin will be happy and she won’t hold it against me if I break down into tears, but I just wanna make her day as special as possible!

Do you have any advice on how to be the best MOH in the world? 

Have you ever been in a wedding?  What was it like?

Whatever happens, I know we’ll have fun…. because honestly, when don’t we?