Wow. I’ve never been in a wedding before, and next June I am going to be in two!! People are getting engaged all around me. I was expecting to feel far more jealousy that I actually do, but I am genuinely happy for all of these lucky people. One of my best friends from college, Cailin, and also my sister, Nichole, will both be getting married next summer, and I will play important roles in both of the weddings.
Cailin and her finance, Clint, came into town this weekend for Cailin’s 24th birthday. It was so great to finally meet Clint, although surprisingly anticlimactic – I felt like I already knew him so well that meeting him in person for the first time wasn’t at all awkward or weird, just very natural. That’s obviously a good thing. He and Cailin seem to click so well together, and compliment each other’s personalities in a way that is rare, I believe. And since their engagement happened rather quickly, it was pretty relieving to finally see the happy couple in action, and remove all doubts about their meant-to-be-ness.
The three bridesmaids got together with the bride on Friday night with pj’s, music, bridal magazines, and a bottle of vodka. Fabulous. We got as far as selecting the color, length and cost of the bridesmaid dresses before the cocktails took precedence over the evening. There was a lot of laughing, hugging and dancing before we finally passed out (some of us in sweats and stilettos) on Lacey’s couches. It was so great to just be with the girls, no pressure from the outside world for a while. Essentially, this was our last chance to have a girl’s night with Cailin before she will be married, and I think it meant a lot to her that we were all there.
On Saturday morning, after a fabulous hung-over brunch in an Alki café, we headed to the Eastside for dress shopping. Playing out the traditional bride’s “maids” roles, we zipped, buttoned, snapped, tied, clipped and sometimes yanked Cailin into countless wedding dresses. After about two hours and two dozen dresses later, she had found “the one.” I couldn’t believe how painless the process had been! Cailin glowed in her white princess gown, and we all immediately knew without a doubt that it was the dress. Thirty minutes later, the bridesmaid dresses were selected as well, without any fighting, bickering, or disappointment. Rare, for three girls with drastically different body types!
Saturday evening was Cailin's birthday dinner at Daniel’s Broiler on the Seattle waterfront. We all got dressed up and spent three hours having great appetizers, cocktails and some of the most AMAZING food I have ever tasted!! My New York steak and mashed potatoes were to die for; they just melted in my mouth. PS, I eat crappy food way too much. Cailin was able to spend time with a lot of people who were very important to her, and I think she really had a good time. And we got to spend some quality time chatting with the happy couple before heading out on the town. Many hours of drinking, dancing, hugging and about ten million photographs later, we all stumbled home. It had been a fabulous day.
Sunday evening we headed out to Clint’s parents house to spend some final moments with Cailin and Clint before they headed back to sunny Florida. It was nice to have one final (sober) goodbye. I miss them already.
I can’t help but feel a little bit sad that this will probably be the last time we will interact with Cailin like this before she’s married. But I was so happy to spend so much time with her, and can’t stop thinking about her fairy-tale wedding. It’s definitely going to be an event to remember.
I also spoke to my sister Nichole for the first time since her engagement on Friday, and she seems ecstatic as well. I’ve spent a lot of time with her fiancé, Aaron, and I couldn’t pick a more perfect person for her to spend her life with if I tried. They are a match made in heaven, it’s completely adorable. I can’t wait to get together with her and see her ring, which I hope won’t BLIND me with it’s TWO CARATS of diamonds!!
Overall, I had a fantastic weekend. I’m so happy for the people I love. I’m a little overwhelmed by the fact that I will play a part in two different weddings in less than a month next summer, but I’m sure everything will turn out fine. Luckily, Nichole and Aaron are getting married in Oregon, so I will only have to pay for one plane ticket. But more than anything, I am excited and grateful that I have women who love me enough to allow me to take part in the most special times of their lives.
Congratulations Cailin and Clint!
Congratulations Nichole and Aaron!
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