Jul. 14, 2003 - Wedding day finally came

I have been in so many weddings, but this by far was the best one ever. We had so much fun; it was worth all the stress and aggravation. Friday night we had the rehearsal at the hotel. We didn�t really listen all that much when we were given directions, so we had to practice like 4 times. I started to get really nervous when the wedding coordinator told me that I couldn�t look down when I walked down the stairs. WHAT? I must look down, or I will fall. So practice, practice, practice.

Dinner at Proto was excellent. The conversation was mostly about how Boris Becker was staying at the hotel and how Evan met him while we were practicing walking up and down the stairs. Dinner wasn�t supposed to be too long, but we didn�t leave until 11:45. Ugh. I was so tired driving home over the bridge in that dense thick fog. Beth gave us our gifts. She got us each a gift basket from the hoity toity chocolate shop here in town, and I was given a bouquet of Hydrangea because I was the maid of honor.

Saturday morning I woke up really early. I started to fall back to sleep, but then my brain remembered what day it was, and all the things that I had to do. No sleep for me, my stomach started to do flip-flops and I remembered the stairs and how I was so scared to walk down the stairs. I met Beth at her house around 11; Sean was at the house getting his stuff together. They were both so calm and going about things like it was any other day. I was a wreck; you would have thought it was my wedding or something.

The best part of the day was all the pampering that we had. The limo to the salon, the girls at the salon who waited on us hand and foot and then the best part was when I went to pay for my hair/makeup. I went up to the counter and it was all paid for! David (the grooms father) came in and paid for everything so we didn�t have to. I ran outside and gave him a big ass hug and kissed him, while thanking him. I can�t even tell you how awesome that was. It saved me $100 and I really need that money right now more than ever.

The rest of the afternoon is sort of blurry. Seriously once we got to the hotel, everything was a blur. The next thing you know it was 5:35. I had to scramble to get to Sean�s room to give him the marriage certificate, the money order for the priest and a gift from Beth. By the time I was back in our suite, it was 5:55 p.m. and the hotel coordinator was coming to get us. Show time.

I was standing with Adam (we walked first) and I said, �dude I am so nervous right now I feel like I am going to puke. You?� He said, �ditto� then we started to march down the stairs. People, when you go to a wedding, and the bridal party is walking DOWN stairs, don not take pictures of them with a flash. Ok. It blinds the poor people walking DOWN the stairs and it makes it hard for them to see where they are going.

I had been with Beth all day, I saw her in her dress, but when I looked up at the stairs and saw her standing there with her dad, it took my breath away and I started to cry. She was so beautiful, just like out of a fairytale. I glanced over at Sean and he was stunned. He had a single tear run down the side of his cheek, for a split second we caught eyes and I knew that he was the happiest man alive. Once we were all at the altar, Beth started to get antsy; She would not stop fussing. Then she got the nervous giggles. At one point we almost were all going to loose it. Once the ceremony was done and we were in our holding room, it was the best party/wedding I have ever been to.

We left the hotel for pictures during the cocktail hour. We were down at the beach having a blast. Again we were the bridal party with ADHD, but we managed all right. As we were coming into the hotel, there was a group of people all dressed up (looked like they could have been guests at the wedding) standing on top of the stairs in front of the hotel check in, they were clapping and hollering congratulations, best wishes for the best life can give you�. So I turn and wave (people on the stairs wave back) I look at Beth and go, �um, dude who are those people?� she says, �I have no idea, I think Sean�s family??� Sean comes up and says, �No, that is Boris Becker and his family.� Mike had said that they were watching the ceremony too. How cool.

The rest of the night was great. Kevin danced! We were dancing to Billy Jean! It was so much fun. Very tiring. We were going to spend the night, but I changed my mind and decided to go home, where I could sleep in if I wanted to. I think I went to bed around 3 am.

I met with Elaine yesterday to go sign some papers and get the phone number for the inspector so I can set that appointment up this week. Other than that we are all set and ready to roll. We can close August 1 if we want too, but I am not ready to move in 10 days. We have the party this Sunday, and I want to take the month to pack up and square stuff away. This whole process has been so smooth. Kevin and I haven�t fought at all, we agree on everything and things we haven�t agreed on are so insignificant. This still is so surreal to me.

I have broken free I have let go. It was a long time coming. I guess having Beth whisper those words to me on Saturday afternoon whiling hugging me made me realize so many things. She said, "I love you." Those words are so powerful and yet so simple and meant the world to me.