There have been many times I've said a silent prayer of gratitude due to the lack of social media in my twenties. We won't even get into my teens.
However on this, the tenth anniversary of the Best Day of My Life*, I do wish the concept of live tweeting had been around for documentation. It might have looked something like this:
8:12a: wake up with puffy eyes and immediately commence icing my face with frozen peas; the result of happy tears, of course
8:31a: full breakfast, courtesy of the MOTB (known on the blog as Nanny), though I suspect it was more for the Bottomless Pit (Geoffrey) than the Bride
8:56a: heading to shower but "forheavensakedontwashyourhair-ifyouwantanupdo;" MOTB and BP depart for automobile logistics exercise (parking our cars at various venues)
9:25a: trying to pack everything up and leave for my bridesmaids' mani-pedi appointment and OhMyGod I CAN'T FIND MY ENGAGEMENT RING. ANYWHERE... Hayes is going to call off the wedding and no one is home to help or talk me off a ledge.
9:42a: reinforcements arrive to witness me finding my engagement ring, packed nicely into my overnight bag since the night before in a post-rehearsal dinner bout of Thinking Ahead
11:00a: joining my girls at the salon and hope that was the last of the Things That Go Awry
12:15p: heading back to the hotel to get pretty. And eat. What are the boys doing now? Hopefully nobody is threatening to toss anyone in the Vermilion River. Should I have put a health warning in the hotel welcome packet?
1:00p: hair and makeup arrives, along with videographer and then photographer; begin awkward on-camera interviews and intermittent commentary from the peanut gallery
3:00p: the boys are now gathering in the Bryants' room; wonder what they are up to; send McCall to scout and ask Maureen to come visit; realize I haven't gone this long without talking to Hayes since 9/11 and he was in Connecticut; #happybutlonesome
3:17p: greet a string of family visitors; beautification continues for all
4:03p: Mom and I sneak away to see the reception venue before the reception. Bless that florist and event planner extraordinaire. He's a Godsend.
5:00p: begin dressing, after makeup touch up and hairdo was redone for fear of "falling" - thick hair and all
5:20p: posing for pictures with Mom and my bridesmaids; champagne toast
6:00p: posing with Hayes's grandparents for a picture; almost spotted by the groom while hitching a limo ride to the church
6:27p: arrive at the church and spy on everyone entering, including the groom
6:43p: make my way into the church and get my veil situated; see my grandparents and in-laws to be - tear up until I am reminded of the makeup ramifications
7:00p: wedding procession begins with grandmothers and mothers, then my girls... Will my itty-bitty ring bearer and flower girl actually finish the long walk to whatever reward has been promised? Who cares - they're too cute to worry about it.
7:03p: just Geoffrey and me in that little room - could he be nervous? Let's get this show on the road - I have a boy to marry and a life to start. Not to mention a party to throw.
7:04p: (trumpet fanfare) (doors open) (sigh) There He Is. Oh wait. There's EVERYONE. They are all here for us. On a Friday night in June in south Louisiana. Good thing they're all in a church because they deserve martyrdom. I think I'm the luckiest girl in the world.
7:37p: Indeed I do.
8:05p: I wonder if people can tell that I'm skipping down the aisle in this dress. Bustle please?
8:07p: Trolley!
8:08p: Champagne!
Or something like that. Memory is a little rusty.
And thus began our happily ever after. But it hasn't been all champagne and chocolate fountains and money dances. Three moves, three jobs each bearing their own unique challenges, three maniacally lovable children, not to mention the adaptations necessary through all of these rites of passage... it's hard work, this happiness business.
In our childless days we would sleep until 10 (when Hayes wasn't at the office), brunch, enjoy spontaneous adventures and dual incomes. A lot has changed since then. Everything has changed since then. Except our love for each other... and brunch. I'm grateful for the past ten years, grateful for the years to come, and grateful to share them with my best friend.
Despite the 99 bobby pins in my hair, it still fell. That's funny - I didn't notice.
*Calm down, boys - not to be confused with the three days tied for Second Best Day of My Life (8/10/07, 1/22/10, 6/29/12).
