once a southern belle, always a southern belle: Wedding Recap: Getting Ready

Wedding Recap: Getting Ready

When planning out the logistics of the day, it made the most sense for me to book a hotel room at our main guest hotel, where I would stay Friday night after the rehearsal dinner (Brian stayed at his parents' house) and where we would both stay Saturday after the wedding/reception. Everyone went back to the hotel bar after the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, and Brian and I made the rounds to quickly see everyone and then headed upstairs-- we wanted to practice our first dance one last time (one of my favorite little memories of that weekend). I got my one last single girl kiss, and told Brian I'd see him at the church the next day (squee!). Sleep actually came fairly easily-- I have a bad habit of leaving the TV on when I'm sleeping alone, so once I found a late night Everybody Loves Raymond marathon, I was out like a light.

I beat my alarm to the punch the next morning and was wide-awake by 5am, jumping out of bed and running to the window, only to throw back the curtains and see the most gorgeous blue sky. When we chose our November wedding date, I knew that it was still New England, and there was a chance it could be warm and muggy, freezing and snowy, or perfection-- we somehow managed to luck out with perfection! Now, full disclosure, the morning of our wedding, I woke up a big jumble of nerves. The emotions of it all were completely overwhelming, and I very much experienced a few stop-me-in-my-tracks moments of "This is my last morning as Katie Fox" which sent me towards tears. Don't get me wrong-- I was so beyond happy and excited to be marrying Brian, but the sentimental part of me felt the full realization that I was officially taking that next step in my life towards being a wife, and the realness of that was something else. I spent an hour or so writing a note to each of my parents to accompany their gifts, and a note to Brian, while smiling over the "Happy Wedding Day!" texts that had started to filter in from my girls, then I knew it was time to get the show on the road.

After I had showered, dried my hair, and donned my monogrammed white button down like a good Southern girl, I met my mom and bridesmaids downstairs to head to get our hair and makeup done. For what it's worth, I did trials for both and am SO glad that I did-- I ended up changing the majority of what we did at the trials for the actual wedding day, so if you're ever debating whether or not to do a trial, DO IT. As I mentioned, I was feeling a little nervous, but the girls made sure I had a bagel (glorious, sweet carbs) and a mimosa, and by the time we were wrapped up with hair and makeup and back at our hotel to get dressed, I was PUMPED (I may have also taken a Xanax-- judge away!). I probably turned really annoying at that point, but I remember that I just kept saying "Holy moly, I'm getting married today!" and my girls would dutifully squeal (bless them all). Our photographer arrived at my hotel room around 11am, and we got started on getting me dressed!

The boys all met Brian at his parents house where he had had this big plan for "Beers and Waffles." So that was their breakfast the morning of our wedding-- beers and waffles. Our sweet little ring bearer and flower girl also got ready there, so they make an appearance in the pictures too!

A few noteworthy moments? I had a monogrammed label sewn into the back inside of my dress with the top left open so that it functioned as a small pocket. An aunt whom is very dear to me wasn't able to be there, so I had asked her ahead of time to write in a letter whatever she would have said to me if she could be there, and I would carry it in that pocket. Well, I had given the letter to my mom for safekeeping, and she got ready with another aunt in that aunt's room. Right as I stripped down to my Spanx and button-down, my mom popped back into my room to say that they'd locked themselves out of their hotel room, and the letter was inside, and then she ran out of the room. Someone stuck another mimosa in my hand, and we waited for her to reappear so we could tuck the letter in the pocket, and she could help me get dressed. It was a teensy bit stressful watching the time tick away, but they did end up getting back in the room, and before I knew it, I was in my dress!

Meanwhile, the limo driver had arrived, so we rounded up all of our bags, heels and comfy dancing shoes, and headed downstairs to the car. Now, I'm not really a girl that loves being center of attention, but I waved my bride flag and paraded through the hotel lobby like it was my J-O-B (worth it). Once we were outside and everyone but me was in the limo, the driver pulled me aside and informed me that he had no idea how to get to our church-- oh, well now that's just fabulous. So my two local girls sat at the window in the limo right behind the driver and basically directed him how to get to the church. We were a bit late, but I mean... the wedding wouldn't go on without me!

So, now that I've rambled on, here a few of my favorite "getting ready" pictures!