Wedding festivities
So, finally home and conscious again.
As I said before, we arrived after about 12 hours on Friday night. Not much got accomplished that night; we got to see Josh for a few minutes on the last night of his bachelorhood, ate Snickers ice cream, and passed out fairly early. The hotel had us in smoking rooms, so we smothered a bit all night, but it wasn't too bad.
Saturday we took a roadtrip over to Branson, because the wedding didn't start until six, and we wanted something interesting to fill the day. We didn't go into the full downtown of the city, but stopped in the historical area of the town. That was really awesome. There were lots of antique shops, as well as things like the old-fashioned candy stores and leather working shops. After haunting a clock shop for a while, and hearing that the owner had been to our state fair, we wandered over to a flea market type store, where we ended up spending over an hour. Emily and I hunted for teacups, and we all ended up buying jewelry that was on sale.
After lunch at an overpriced sandwich shop, we headed over to the little Victorian shop that was just down the block. Such pretty things, and dolls, and fans...I was in heaven. It was all out of my price range, but so very pretty to look at. Every single one of us forgot our cameras, which was a major bummer, or I'd try to get pics up here. But it was nice stuff to look at, and I now have an overwhelming want of carrying a handkerchief. Don't ask me why.
At this point, we were afraid we were going to get a parking ticket for being parked illegally for the past hour, so we headed home, armed with purchases and lots of old-fashioned candy from the store where we went to find Andy a present, and ended up getting him peanut butter cups from the convenience store. We got back to the hotel, primped and made ourselves pretty, I lamented that I hadn't bought a shawl for the wedding, and we headed off for the festivities [shawl was not proven to be necessary, so].
The ceremony was very nice. The church was absolutely freaking huge, and looked more like a mall, but we were off in a little side chapel. That was decorated very beautifully, and all of the wedding party looked really nice. Andy was a groom's man, and we got awesome pictures of him all dressed up in his vest. It was kind of adorable.
The actual ceremony was short and sweet, and I nearly cried when Josh came down the aisle. He was so grown up, I couldn't believe it was my friend standing up there. It still kept hitting me in waves that it was really him, and that the funny lazy kid from highschool was really getting married to that girl. A very surreal experience, to say the least of it.
The bride's father actually did the sermon, and he did a very nice job, though I don't know if that's something I'd like, if my father were in any position to marry me. It was partially his fault I nearly lost it, because he choked up once or twice, but on the whole he did admirably well keeping it together. Anyway, I was so very proud, felt a little like a parent, and hope they're going to be happy for many years to come.
The reception was the first I've ever been to where there was no alcohol, and no dancing. The lack of drunk people was nice, but the dancing thing was a little strange. Not that I'm a very good/willing social dancer, but it was so strange to go to a reception, eat, chat, then go home. Every wedding I've ever been to has gone until midnight or later. But it was very fitting for the couple, and the dinner was nice, and we all had a really good time. Josh surprised his bride with a limo, and we all waved them off with bubbles in hand. Which reminds me I should make sure those don't spill all over the inside of my bag...
There wasn't much else to say about the rest of the trip. We went back, watched some Bones, I read fic and the others went to bed. A storm started rumbling about 2 A.M, which kept me awake until 3 or later. It never ended up doing anything more than rumble a bit, but I was still quietly panicking while everyone else slept on. As I ponder the weather patterns, and what I've heard from Shinju, I'm not sure living in that area of the US would ever be a good idea for me. They'd have to have me committed within the first six months.
Luckily, the weather didn't last, and it just rained on us a bit as we headed for home the next morning. That drive is way too long, and it'll be a good long while before I do it again. But it was a great trip, and we can now watch a brand-new couple. Hopefully we'll see them more now that they're married, and don't have to use commutes/vacation times to go visit each other.
And I was finally going to do a book review, but with distractions and all, this has taken over an hour to write. So you'll just have to wait a little longer.
Also, I've sent in job applications, and gotten the official "no" from the university job I already got turned down for. May these two things counteract each other somehow.
TTFN
As I said before, we arrived after about 12 hours on Friday night. Not much got accomplished that night; we got to see Josh for a few minutes on the last night of his bachelorhood, ate Snickers ice cream, and passed out fairly early. The hotel had us in smoking rooms, so we smothered a bit all night, but it wasn't too bad.
Saturday we took a roadtrip over to Branson, because the wedding didn't start until six, and we wanted something interesting to fill the day. We didn't go into the full downtown of the city, but stopped in the historical area of the town. That was really awesome. There were lots of antique shops, as well as things like the old-fashioned candy stores and leather working shops. After haunting a clock shop for a while, and hearing that the owner had been to our state fair, we wandered over to a flea market type store, where we ended up spending over an hour. Emily and I hunted for teacups, and we all ended up buying jewelry that was on sale.
After lunch at an overpriced sandwich shop, we headed over to the little Victorian shop that was just down the block. Such pretty things, and dolls, and fans...I was in heaven. It was all out of my price range, but so very pretty to look at. Every single one of us forgot our cameras, which was a major bummer, or I'd try to get pics up here. But it was nice stuff to look at, and I now have an overwhelming want of carrying a handkerchief. Don't ask me why.
At this point, we were afraid we were going to get a parking ticket for being parked illegally for the past hour, so we headed home, armed with purchases and lots of old-fashioned candy from the store where we went to find Andy a present, and ended up getting him peanut butter cups from the convenience store. We got back to the hotel, primped and made ourselves pretty, I lamented that I hadn't bought a shawl for the wedding, and we headed off for the festivities [shawl was not proven to be necessary, so].
The ceremony was very nice. The church was absolutely freaking huge, and looked more like a mall, but we were off in a little side chapel. That was decorated very beautifully, and all of the wedding party looked really nice. Andy was a groom's man, and we got awesome pictures of him all dressed up in his vest. It was kind of adorable.
The actual ceremony was short and sweet, and I nearly cried when Josh came down the aisle. He was so grown up, I couldn't believe it was my friend standing up there. It still kept hitting me in waves that it was really him, and that the funny lazy kid from highschool was really getting married to that girl. A very surreal experience, to say the least of it.
The bride's father actually did the sermon, and he did a very nice job, though I don't know if that's something I'd like, if my father were in any position to marry me. It was partially his fault I nearly lost it, because he choked up once or twice, but on the whole he did admirably well keeping it together. Anyway, I was so very proud, felt a little like a parent, and hope they're going to be happy for many years to come.
The reception was the first I've ever been to where there was no alcohol, and no dancing. The lack of drunk people was nice, but the dancing thing was a little strange. Not that I'm a very good/willing social dancer, but it was so strange to go to a reception, eat, chat, then go home. Every wedding I've ever been to has gone until midnight or later. But it was very fitting for the couple, and the dinner was nice, and we all had a really good time. Josh surprised his bride with a limo, and we all waved them off with bubbles in hand. Which reminds me I should make sure those don't spill all over the inside of my bag...
There wasn't much else to say about the rest of the trip. We went back, watched some Bones, I read fic and the others went to bed. A storm started rumbling about 2 A.M, which kept me awake until 3 or later. It never ended up doing anything more than rumble a bit, but I was still quietly panicking while everyone else slept on. As I ponder the weather patterns, and what I've heard from Shinju, I'm not sure living in that area of the US would ever be a good idea for me. They'd have to have me committed within the first six months.
Luckily, the weather didn't last, and it just rained on us a bit as we headed for home the next morning. That drive is way too long, and it'll be a good long while before I do it again. But it was a great trip, and we can now watch a brand-new couple. Hopefully we'll see them more now that they're married, and don't have to use commutes/vacation times to go visit each other.
And I was finally going to do a book review, but with distractions and all, this has taken over an hour to write. So you'll just have to wait a little longer.
Also, I've sent in job applications, and gotten the official "no" from the university job I already got turned down for. May these two things counteract each other somehow.
TTFN