Loralee's Wedding: Part 3

Rehearsing the moment he's been waiting for since he heard "It's a girl."

Weddings are all about the anticipation - you hear they're engaged (YAY!), you wait for the date to be set, you hear the various plans, you go to the showers (not me, I was too far away - tear), you wait for the date to arrive and time moves so slowly - until the last few days. The last few days go by in such a blur that suddenly you're wondering what happened and how it is possible the wedding is over.

The bridesmaids (with me behind the camera & Rosey - Maid of Honor - still coming down the aisle)

Sister-friends

Mindy, Loralee, & me

Thursday was a blur of people arriving. As I mentioned earlier, family started to pour in that day, as well as all the bridesmaids. It was the beginning of a million joyful hugs (which should be the title of any gathering of family & friends...). Friday seemed relaxed until the last few hours before the rehearsal when there was a flurry of people getting ready (ok, so it was mostly the women who were flurrying). I was especially flustered as I prepared to leave my babies for the evening (yes, I left them in the capable hands of my parents - but I haven't left them much, so it was still a little hard).

Lucas rehearses marrying his sister...

The rehearsal was surreal. At the rehearsal you were suddenly struck with the feeling that the much anticipated event was actually here. Lucas was officiating the wedding. It was his first wedding, and as such this was his first rehearsal. He learned a few things - if there is a runner, always have the people who will unroll the runner practice at the rehearsal & no matter how many times the mothers successfully light their candles before the wedding, they will have trouble with the candles during the wedding (I think it is a law of physics or something). Important lessons.

The moms practice lighting the stubborn candles.

We woke up bright and early the morning of the wedding and the girls all got ready to go and get their hair done. The mood was festive & fun at the salon - lots of stories and laughing. I must confess I thoroughly enjoyed the girl time - away from the babies. The mood started to turn a little worried as time started to pass. The guys who were doing our hair were perfectionists...which meant that they spent a lot of time on each girl's hair. By the time they got to the last bridesmaid, it was an hour after we were supposed to be at the church...and about 30 minutes after we were supposed to have started pictures. The good news is that these things happen, and everything always works out (which it did). Ultimately, I think we all enjoyed the pre-party.

Mama Miller & her girls.

The bridesmaids get in touch with their wild side.

Rosey gets her groove on at the salon.

And then there was the final rush before the wedding - those last few hours where everyone is putting on dresses, taking pictures, touching up makeup (obviously I spent my time with the girls, not the guys...). And then it was time to line up for THE WEDDING!!!

All she needs now is the dress!