Wedding Wednesday - Bridesmaids Brunch

It’s Wednesday and I have another post – it’s almost like I’m starting to get back to some sort of schedule or something! *smirk* Today I wanted to share all about my beautiful bridesmaids’ brunch, hosted the morning of our wedding by our incredible wedding coordinator, Connie. The attention to detail, the decorations and the love that was put into this brunch are absolutely overwhelming to me – everything about our wedding day was perfect and the bridesmaids’ brunch was the perfect start to our perfect day!

After a Friday that was filled with rain… sometimes torrential rain… but when my sister and I woke up on Saturday the 12^th, my sister peered out the windows and announced, “the sun is out, and you are getting married today!” We put on the shirts we’d found for getting ready – button ups with monograms on them – although mine said “Bride” as opposed to a monogram and had our wedding date on one cuff and the words “I Do” on the other. We headed over to the Manor House, greeted Tiffany – our amazing hair stylist – and went into the house. I was floored by what greeted me!

The decorations and the detail that were poured into this brunch – it was just incredible! I was greeted by table after table with decorations and gifts and just the most thoughtful attention to detail. I know I continue to say repeat about the detail, but goodness y’all – it was just stunning! Pumpkins with our names, hand towels with the state of MS (my home state) emblazoned on them as gifts, blocks that were sought out to showcase the date of our wedding and of course – coffee punch – one of the most delicious things you’ll ever taste. Especially if you’re a coffee lover! 

And the food – oh my goodness – the food! There were fruit and cheese skewers, cheese grits, maple bacon on crackers, miniature cinnamon rolls, breakfast casserole squares, quiche, pigs-in-a-blanket, snack mix, chocolate covered strawberries, monkey bread, pineapple bites and guys… the list goes on and on! There was enough food to feed me, all six of my bridesmaids, the flower girls and ring bearer, my mother-in-law, family that was coming in and out of the house and y’all – we were even offering food to the housekeepers and groundskeepers at the Mimslyn Inn! There was so much food and all of it was incredible!

 

While everyone was eating (always important – you don’t want anyone to pass out during the wedding), hair was being done and so was make-up. You’d think it was all a very chaotic experience but honestly – it all just unfolded so wonderfully! At one point, we all joined together for a devotional reading and toast with the bridesmaids, my Mom and my Mother-in-Law and the little people even got in on it, although they didn’t really have anything in their glasses – but they thought they were a big deal, ha-ha!

 

As the bride, I was the last one in the hair and make-up chair, so I got to watch everyone get ready and take it all in. I talked with my bridesmaids, I had time to chat with my Mother-in-Law and with family and friends that moved through the house throughout the morning. Everyone told me to take it all in because it would be wild, hectic and would pass in a blink! While I do agree that the day seemed to pass very quickly – nothing ever seemed rushed, panicked, or hectic… I feel like I was able to take in each moment and really cherish them. Each little conversation, each moment is now a treasured memory and when I look back at our wedding day, the morning of our wedding was such a sweet time.

 

I think the best way to sum up the bridesmaids’ brunch was along the lines of what I told Connie: I’d always assumed that when I moved to Virginia from Mississippi, I’d be giving up the celebrations that went along with a wedding. Not because my wedding wouldn’t be celebrated but because I spent 26 years of my life in Mississippi and then I wasn’t there anymore. The people, the places, and the celebrations were in Mississippi and while I knew my move was my perfect next step – there were things I would give up. However, Connie just packed up the warmth, love, and family that I had built in Mississippi and brought it with her to Virginia and shared it with everyone there. It was the most beautiful gift, and I could never thank her enough.

Life Lately - I'm Playing Catch Up

Oh goodness y’all – I am absolutely playing catch up! I cannot wait to share all about our wedding and our honeymoon – but last week was Thanksgiving and now we are headed full force into Christmas! I’ll get to it eventually… even if that means I’m sharing sunny pictures of Jamaica during a January snowstorm, ha-ha! I just wanted to share a little of what we’ve been up to in the past week or so!

 

We arrived back from Jamaica’s balmy 86-degree weather to Virginia’s nippy 38-degree weather! Eek! So much changed in the week we were gone on our honeymoon (for me at least) – a co-worker quit and so my small office is now down to two people! The three days I did work were a bit hectic while we worked to gather up and finish up the things left unfinished by the newly departed employee! We ended up getting off around noon on Wednesday and so I popped by my parents to pick up Christmas decorations…

The Tiffany's pearl necklace my husband gifted me!

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house and I’d say it was a smashing success. I mean – certainly it was only Ryan and I with my parents, but I did the turkey and it turned out great! Ryan carved the turkey and ham, everyone was stuffed on corn casserole, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, rolls, gravy, etc… and Ryan and I both succumbed to a post-feast nap because of the tryptophan. Hehehe. The weather was beautiful and so we headed to Seven Bends State Park to take a walk and I do love that we live so close to such great outdoor space!

 

Watson was absolutely pooped after all the walking and bites of turkey, he immediately crashed once we were home again. We watched the Egg Bowl (Mississippi State and the University of Mississippi) and the Dawgs came out victorious this year – it was the perfect way to cap off the Thanksgiving holiday!

I am a lover of all things Christmas and so on Friday – it was off to the stores to get a new Christmas tree! The one I’ve used for the last several years had absolutely no life left in it, the lights didn’t work – it was just a lost cause. Thank goodness for Black Friday deals and wedding presents in the form of gift cards! We grabbed a lovely Christmas tree from Lowe’s, headed home and decorated the house right up! I couldn’t have been more thrilled, and I have absolutely loved sitting by our lovely Christmas tree each evening as it twinkles (in both white and color lights).

 

We did some other errands over the four-day weekend – Ryan got his Costco card in place, and we made not one but two trips to Costco! We found some incredible ski pants on sale, which we will need come February and we joined my parents to see the movie Devotion on Friday night. It made me cry and while it was a good movie – I can’t say I love how it ended. *sigh* We went back to Costco on Saturday and bought some things in bulk before finishing up our grocery list and picking up the final larger furniture items from my parents. I know – it’s all very thrilling, ha-ha!

 

Watson continues to think of himself as a gift and does his best to weasel his way under the Christmas tree at every chance he gets! I’m working to try and get presents wrapped to keep him from climbing under the tree – but if Sunday evening is any indication, he will just knock them over and keep going. *face palm* I thought cats were meant to be tree destroyers – not dogs! 

The holiday season is in full swing – Ryan and I’s first Thanksgiving as husband and wife is in the books. We have our first Christmas tree, and I ordered our Christmas cards today! We have Christmas get-togethers filling the calendar and I cannot believe we have less than 40 days in 2022! What a blessing this last few weeks have been – life is so sweet right now and I want to cherish every moment.

Wedding Wednesday - The Rehearsal Dinner

It’s a Wedding Wednesday post and I changed up the header photo since I now have access to some wedding photos! I wanted to start sharing about our wedding with some snaps from the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner! This post will likely be a short and sweet one since I don’t actually have that many pictures from the evening of the rehearsal! 

I have to confess it felt absolutely surreal to realize on Friday the 11^th that we’d finally arrived at our wedding weekend! Even more so when I arrived at the Mimslyn Inn to check in and greet guests and get ready for the rehearsal and everyone was saying “it’s the bride” or “how are you feeling” and our picture was displayed in the main dining room and so many members of our family and precious friends were arriving, and it was just the most amazing and overwhelming feeling of love.

When I saw Ryan for the first time in a couple of days – he almost immediately noticed that because of the rainy conditions, there was not one but two rainbows in the sky. He hugged me and then began praying over us – asking that the Lord would give us a double blessing.

“When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me”.” 2 Kings 2:9

Our rehearsal itself was at the venue but had to be held indoors since it was absolutely pouring on Friday night! We stood in front of the huge picture window and rehearsed while the rain pounded against the window and all I could think was “please let this rain end like the weather is predicting”… I know rain on your wedding day is good luck, but goodness – this was a flood! Plus – it technically rained until around 2 AM on Saturday morning – so I think we also got the luck portion. *wink*

This was also my first time seeing all the decorations and hard work my Mom, my Mother-in-Law and my Mom’s precious friends had put in on Friday morning making the space everything I’d imagined. It all looked so stunning and absolutely perfect! I couldn’t have been more delighted and joyous taking in each moment!

Everyone arrived at Stoneyman and after a lot of chatter and people catching up, hugging, high-fiving and the like – our coordinator, the most amazing and wonderful Connie Joyner called us to attention and we ran through the whole ceremony two times in quick succession! I must admit – it all seemed a little wild to me, but everyone from Ryan’s cousin Tim to my lifelong friend Nickolee assured me that “somehow – it will all come together and happen tomorrow.”

We wrapped up the rehearsal and headed back to the Mimslyn Inn for our rehearsal dinner! We were seated at the head table and surrounded by tables of friends and family who had traveled to celebrate Ryan and I! We had a wonderful meal and then speeches were shared – Ryan’s cousin Nick made everyone laugh… and then shared some lovely words about he and Ryan’s relationship. My sister and my dear friend Nickolee had me (and some others) in tears with their words. And then to my surprise – my cousin Colton spoke up and said some words and absolutely wrecked me (in a good way). We also watched a video my Dad had put together with pictures from Ryan and I’s lives as we grew up – and then once we found each other!

It was such a wonderful time, and it was so amusing to see people who had never met suddenly hit it off and spend the night chatting and enjoying one another’s company. My ring bearer immediately befriended Ryan’s cousins Tim and Geoff, my flower girl Evelyn was making the rounds to chat with new people and all around the room – friends and family were sharing. It was such a blessing to see so many people who came to celebrate Ryan and I.

Once the rehearsal dinner was over – Ryan and I took a few minutes to exchange gifts with one another – and then he was off to spend time with his groomsmen and I visited with some family before calling it a night with my little sister. And if you’re wondering – I slept like a log. I was fast asleep by 11:00 and slept soundly without waking until my alarm went off at 6:45 and my little sister proclaimed “the sunshine is out and YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED TODAY!”