Okay, today is The Day. The Day I marry the love of my life. The Big Meanie.
Sorry about the delay. I have been a little
But first I
have to tell you about something I witnessed over in Germany at the World Showcase. This mom was pushing a stroller with a kid of about 6 in it. (Okay, someone tell me what the deal is with kids that age in strollers? We saw so many. Like, people are going straight from strollers to those little scooters. I am worried about Americans, man. We gotta lay off the fast food and get some exercise. But I digress.)
The kid is crying (probably bored and suffering leg cramps from being jammed into a stroller meant for infants so Mom can shop at a faster pace) and Mom comes around and grabs the child by the arm and shakes him, hissing at him that, "If you don't stop that damn crying and start having fun or I am going to make you really sorry!"
I bet the kid is already sorry. I know I am.
Somewhere between the time we are in strollers and the time we end up in scooters maybe we all need to have our heads examined. Note: If I ever find myself saying "Stop that damn crying and eat your Happy Meal!" I will immediately seek professional help.
I promise.
WEDDING DAY: During the night I have a nightmare involving the Mad Hatter who is stalking me during my wedding preps, and a dress that won't zip. My DF wakes me up during the nightmare and when I tell him what it was about his concern turns into amusement. He tries to hide it but I feel him shaking with laughter in our QUEEN sized bed.
I hate the Mad Hatter, and right then I am not so sure about my DF. I roll over and go back to sleep.
That morning room service arrives with my coffee and fruit plate, which I can't eat, BTW. I feel calm and rested, but I just can't eat. Maybe it's a result of the dream where I can't get my dress zipped. Ha ha. My DF has a really amusing fit about paying 30 bucks for room service coffee and fruit but I just calmly go about drinking my coffee (with the real half and half). I ask him if he wants some, and he cracks me up saying "No! Hell no! After that 25 dollar cup of room service coffee I had that you ordered in New Orleans I said I would never order room service again!" He is not amused when I calmly reply that *he* didn't order room service, I did.
He is really mad. And also naked. This is pretty much a ridiculous combination. I start laughing. He glares, and paces. I stop laughing long enough to ask him if he wants me to make him some
free coffee from the in-room coffee maker, and he huffs, "NO!" I laugh harder, and congratulate him for sticking to his principles--by God, he is going to take it out on the entire coffee industry! He may never drink coffee again!
He tells me I am spoiled. I shrug.
He says, "Well?"
I say, "Well, what?"
He says, "What about it?"
I blow on my nice hot coffee and say, "So what if I am spoiled? It's not my fault. I am a victim, for pete's sake! Anyone can see that! It's really all your fault!"
It takes him a minute to absorb that.
"A VICTIM? You think you are a victim?"
He is so honestly shocked by the outrageousness of this that I am almost helpless with laughter at the expression on his face.
Also, how can any body tell anybody off while they are naked?
He starts laughing with me, and we kiss good morning, and our wedding day begins.
But just as a quick aside: I doubt I will be ordering room service coffee anytime in the near future. Part of the secret of my success is to know when enough is enough.
After quick showers we head off to the gym for a work out. The gym is smallish but not too crowded. I keep the work out fairly light--not my usual brutal work out but enough to work up a nice sweat. Uh, glow. A nice glow. The amenities at the gym/spa are really nice. My DF comes out of the mens' locker room and announces they have COFFEE! and FRUIT! and MUFFINS! for FREE! in there! I laugh, and hope I am not marrying a serious head case.
Naawwww....
After our workout we stroll around looking at the grounds and pools. It is drizzly and overcast.
Hmmm....
Carolyn Allen is due at 11 am to press my dress so we head up to the room. DF is just leaving to go do some exploring when Carolyn Allen gets there. She is right on time, but in a really bad mood, or something. She sets up and pulls my dress out of the closet, exclaiming that it is the "most wrinkled silk dress she has ever seen!" My response is something along the lines of "well it has had a hard trip." Then she starts in on me about where the "non-removeable/against the law/punishable by death if you do/ labels" are. I have no idea what she is so upset about, and nicely tell her it is a custom designed dress, so I don't know about labels? but it is made of 60 mm duchess silk satin, and has to be pressed. And that's all I know.
She is insisting it is polyester, and now I am starting to get a little annoyed. I am wondering what is the deal? Please, I say: Just press the dress as per my dress designers instructions, or I will do it myself.
NOTE For Disney brides: Know the content of your gown and veil so that you can make sure it is pressed or steamed properly. Ask your designer or bridal shop, and even have them write it down for you. If I hadn't been there and someone else had been-- I hate to think. Silk puckers like bubble wrap if it is steamed.
Anyway, she gets to work, and once we got it ironed out (get it? "ironed"? ha ha) she is fine. We chat like old friends after a bit, and she gets on my good side by going on and on about my dress and veil. My cell phone also starts ringing with people from back home calling to say "Good luck!" and "God bless!" and "We love you!" I start to feel a tiny bit guilty we ran off to do this with just the two of us but then remember it is what we really wanted. No drama, no trauma, no hassle. Just the two of us and a promise before God, made to each other.
It's raining a little harder now. Hmmm.
I make a call to my WP to say "Hey, we're getting married today, right?" (No one has contacted us yet.) And I get her VM. As usual. But she calls back, and says we are all set. I remind her I have pre-ceremony photos at 2:30 and ask her to check that my flowers are scheduled for delievery to the GF. She checks, says it is all set.
I am a little disappointed that I had to contact them. I realize they have many weddings to plan, but be that as it may: I have only this one, and a phone call initiated by Disney Weddings would have been nice.
ADVICE to DISNEY WEDDINGS: Get your shecaca together for smaller intimate weddings and act like you care even if people aren't spending 20 grand, or stop offering intimates. Be fair.
Carolyn finishes and leaves, and I take a long, leisurely shower. Now I am starting to get really excited. I feel all happy and excited and calm and serene, all at once. I have never done drugs, but I think maybe it is the kind of feelings I experienced from that time pretty much on throughout my honeymoon that people are trying to capture with substances. I don't think there is an artificial way to experience it; I just think it is one of those "mountain-top" moments that are rare, and beautiful, and that I will remember all my life.
After showering I blow dry my hair, put on my pretty underthings and a robe (one of the bennies of staying at the GF is the nice fluffy robe!) and no sooner do than Janet Mednick arrives to finish my hair and do my make-up. Right on time.
Janet is WONDERFUL. I
highly recommend her. She gets right to work, and starts by asking what look I want, how I want my hair, etc. She is very sweet, calming, professional and GOOD. When she is finished with my hair I love it--and I am very, very hard to please. My hair looked so good that my husband is still talking about it. Kelly had come back, taken a shower and dressed. He sits for awhile in a chair watching Janet do my hair and listening to us chat. He is the picture of masculine calm, and I get the feeling he is loving this as much as I am. I realize how lucky I am to have such a calm, supportive, indulgent presence in my life. I feel so blessed, and I am overcome with the realization we are almost there, and am so just enjoying the moment. My hair is finished, and DF announces he is going downstairs to meet Randy. He starts to put on his tie. He looks so hot. Seriously. Janet and I kind of stop what we are doing and just--watch. There is something so sexy about watching a guy put on a tie, isn't there? After he leaves I say, "Whewww. He's hot." Janet laughs and hugs me. She's great.
Anyway, then she starts on my make-up. She uses MAC and takes me over by the window so she can custom blend my foundation. I normally wear very little makeup, so I am a little worried about this part, but when she is finished I am sooooo pleased. Yes, it is more makeup than I normally wear, but it looks great. I have eyeliner on, and it doesn't look heavy or fakey, it just makes my eyes pop. Wow. I have one of those "is that really me? Is that the same chick that wandered into 1900 Park Fare in a Marine Corp tee shirt and old levis just a day ago?" moments.
I can not stop smiling.
Janet helps me into my gown, and I get goose bumps when she just says, "Oh." and puts her hands to her mouth.
This is so cool.
Seriously.
My wish for every bride: That there is That Moment. That Moment when you know all the work, planning, uncertainty and stress is behind you and the happiness comes rushing in like a million little stars.
Then it is the headpiece and the veil, the shoes and out the door. DF is waiting downstairs and Janet steps aside when he sees me in my gown for the first time. The Big Meanie smiles, bows a little, and kisses my hand. Janet says, "Wow" and we all laugh. I hug her, thank her and she is gone. I feel like she is another one of my fairy godmothers, the other one being my dress designer. My mom has passed away, and I missed her so much throughout all this. But these two ladies helped make my day special. Funny how that is. They would just say they were doing their jobs but they bring a passion and love for their professions--and a real caring about others that makes all the difference.
Oh, dang--I have to run! More later. TTFN!