Monthly Archives: July 2011

weddings

My MOH speech

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This is the rough draft of my speech for my cousin’s wedding today… I doubt it’ll go quite like this, but its the rough idea at least!

Good evening!  I’m Denise, Rebekah’s cousin on her Dad’s side. It’s been my honor to be a part of this wedding; to watch this couple grow as wedding plans have been made.

I can truly say I’ve known Rebekah since she was born. I remember spending time the summer of ’91 with George and Rene, and I got to help out with her care. I had no idea then it would start me on a path of getting to watch Rebekah grow up into the woman she is today.

Not too long after I got married and moved to Nashville, she flew up to spend a week with me. Now, there was a little part of me who was terrified. I would have a teenage staying with me!? What!? I’m the one who keeps asking if, when I have kids myself, can I ship them off to boarding school through their teenage years!!

A part of me braced for a moody teenager to step off that plane. What I was presented with was a mature young woman with her head on straight.

I. Was. Floored.

Nonetheless, when she told me she was getting married, I admittedly arched an eyebrow. As the social norm today is to wait to get married until your mid-to-late-20s, I was surprised and a little part of me asking, “Are they really ready?”

But throughout the process of this wedding being planned, I’ve witnessed, once again,  a young woman with her head on straight and a maturity that sets ME straight. After her bridal shower just last month, I left with a smile on my face going, “They’re going to be juuuuuust fine.”

Oh, I’m going on five years of marriage and I can tell you, when I say “just fine” it doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. There will be disagreements. There will be financial stress. There will be life simply getting in the way of “Happily ever after.” The washing machine will explode. He’ll leave the toilet seat up. And you’ll both get the stomach flu… at the same time.

If I could impart any advice it would be three simple things:

1 – Keep the faith. Rely on your faith in yourself, in each other and in God to pull you through every hardship.

2 – Keep a sense of humor. The saying, “Live. Laugh. Love.” Is a huge key to happiness.

3 – Look around and rely on the strength of others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Take a moment to look around. Every person here is here because they support and love YOU and they wish you the very best.

Rebekah, you come from a line of love that will hopefully be a source of strength. Our grandparents were married over 50 years before death did they part… Grandpa loved our Grandma just as much the day  he met her in heaven as the day they said,  “I do” here on Earth. Your parents celebrated their 25th Wedding Anniversary this year… something that in this day and age is almost as rare of those who make it to 50. Look on that history of love to be an example for your own marriage.

I wish you both many, many, many years of happiness. Josh… welcome to the family. Take care of her… I have no qualms about jumping a plane from Nashville to kick your butt if you don’t.

Here’s to Rebekah and Josh!!!

weddings

Bachelorette party night

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I’m about to go jump in the shower and get dolled up to go to my cousin’s bachelorette party. May the wedding festivities begin!!

I have to admit, the cliche idea of a Bachelorette parties kind of baffle me. “Last fling before the ring!!” “Out on the prowl!!” Etc. Etc. Am I wrong that the bride has already committed herself to her groom? Why is there this idea that she needs one last “fling” with random-guy-of-the-moment at the urging of her girlfriends? The same ones who will stand up beside her at the wedding.

I’ve never attended one of those kinds of parties, so maybe they’re actually this mythological idea of a bachelorette party. Nonetheless, they make shopping for a bachelorette party difficult, since most of the party favors are geared that direction.

My party was actually a joint party with my husbands. A joint bachelor/bachelorette party. It. Was. The. BEST. Definitely goes down as one of the top five most fun nights out ever for me. My friends. My husbands friends. All together at a club in College Station. Laughter. Drinks. Dancing. Back flips. Incredible time!

I planned my best girlfriend’s party (I was her matron of honor) and we hit sixth street in Austin, TX for hers. But not being much for bar hopping, we ended up in a hotel room eating junk food girl-talking. Also a total BLAST.

Tonight’s plan is to eat at a Mexican restaurant and then just “go from there.” A brewhouse nearby has pool tables, etc. that we might go do for awhile. We might go in search of photo ops. We’ll see! But no plans for a night out “looking for a fling” here!!

To me, the point of the bachelorette party is a good time out with the girls. No looking for guys or any such hoopla. It’s a good time with the girls, and it warms everything up for the wedding weekend… a celebration of love and a new life beginning.

That being said, I was bartending a few weeks ago when a bachelorette party came in for drinks. There were four or five girls, counting the bride. The band did everything they could do to bring the group into the fun. I’ve never in my life seen a more lifeless group of girls. They sat and sipped their drinks and then left. Not a single one got into the music or the idea of the night. I whispered to the other bartender that I’ve never seen a more boring bachelorette party in my life.

I fully intend to have a great time tonight. Mom and I made the bride a sash to wear designating her the bride. I have a few party favors that are so G-rated its crazy… but crazy in a fun way. Even if we ended up just having dinner and going home… by gosh we’re going to have FUN!

And yes, there WILL be pictures.