Tag Archives: wedding

family, follow-up, memories, texas

Of leopard print duck tape

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No wedding is perfect. Anyone who looks me in the eye and says their wedding was absolutely flawless is either lying or they had quite the support team in place to keep them from knowing about any hiccups that occurred.

For example, at my wedding the DJ was less that stellar. Oh I take some of the blame for perhaps not being clear enough with him about what was expected. But past that, how many times does a bridesmaid have to come tell you what kind of music to play before you figure out you’re doing it wrong?

My point is, I’ll say my wedding was perfect… but even in that, we had our hiccups.

So, going into the wedding this last weekend — especially as MOH,  not knowing the other bridesmaids very well — I was prepared for almost anything. I even came armed with leopard print duck tape.

Flat iron? Check.

Hairspray? Check.

Lip gloss and perfume? Check.

Band aids? Check.

Extra shoe insoles? Check.

Safety pins, nail clippers, wet wipes, Pepto, Advil, extra colors of lipstick? Check, check, check, check, check and check.

Scissors? Damn.

Well, so I forgot something. Again, not perfect. But I tried.

The ceremony was beautiful. The reception was a blast. No, things didn’t go 100% according to plan, but  you know… it still went great. The bride and groom were named man and wife. Toasts were made. Dances were danced. The cake was cut and the bouquet tossed. It was beautiful.

Oh I have a million stories I dare not share to the world. What happens in the bride’s room, stays in the bride’s room, after all! Though no promises that they won’t find their way into a novel some day…

Let’s just say that leopard print duck tape came to some interesting uses…

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!!!