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34 days to go: the 3:30 PM shift bride
So, this is it. Don’t ya just want to cartwheel down it, two tons of taffeta flying flailing about like a pinwheel?
I think that there comes a point in every bride’s short lived career as a wedding planner, princess, beauty queen supreme, when she freaks the fuck out, publicly, brattily, and unapologetically over something profound – like table linens, envelope liners, or the onion in the lobster bisque. Despite my repetitions of I’m Not That Girl, and I Will Not Be That Kind of Bride, and Hey, It’s Just a Five Hour Party, I knew it was going to happen. I even joked about it. I just didn’t know that it was going to be yesterday.
And that there might be another wedding going on at the same time as mine. DON’T THEY KNOW THAT IT’S MY DAY AND MY DAY ONLY?
Well, that’s not fair, actually. I knew that the place – essentially a sprawling mansion with at least two self-contained party areas – reserved the right to fill both of them. But, I had mistakenly thought that by renting the side with the massive garden, it would become ours and ours alone, with no other weddings taking place in it until our party was drunk and on their way home.
This is me ten seconds before I found out. Hard to imagine I’d shortly be shortly sputtering, “It’s! So! Tacky! I hate it!” not caring if both of our families stood and watched my hissing, red-faced, temper tantrum.
And the sick part is: if The 3:30PM Shift Bride (me) gets what she wants – a sunny, gorgeous day – so does The 6:30PM Shift Bride, and there’s nothing I can do about it. It's not her fault, this is just the way things work in WeddingLand. We’re just a pre-assigned timeslot and a certified check to them.
Thank god for all things thigh flask!
comments (8)
Wow. Coincidence. My cousin's wedding reception was at The Manor a couple of weeks ago. Gorgeous place! Don't forget to take a picture standing IN the fountain! :)
1 | J | July 25, 2005 06:05 PM
Hi there--I stumbled across your page quite a few months ago, and this is my first time commenting. What an absolutely gorgeous site for your wedding! Enjoy your last month, I hope everything goes smoothly. (and PS. I would TOTALLY do a cartwheel down that aisle!)
2 | Jillian | July 25, 2005 08:28 PM
heh. heh. heheh
i'm giggling now only because i know i'll do the same thing whenever i get hitched. then all can giggle at me and the cycle can continue as planned.
but cartwheel, most definitely.
3 | kate | July 25, 2005 08:39 PM
just remember, you don't have to be reasonable and chilled all the time - just on the actual day...
4 | kirst | July 26, 2005 05:59 AM
It is making me hot just looking at it. where is the air conditioned room that I will be in when and if it is 95 & 100% humidity with heat indexes at 115 degrees? Oh god. I hate the summer. sigh
5 | jocelyn | July 26, 2005 11:44 AM
Now now. Fear not!
1. Jewish wedding ceremonies are short and sweet - 30 minutes.
2. If it's that hot out, or rainy, or even absurdly humid, we're going to be inside. But, I will be sad.
6 | deb | July 26, 2005 12:10 PM
While tantrums are totally justified I think you should try to focus on the fact that you will already be three hours into your wedding and probably won't notice or care what the later bride's wedding is like. Plus, you never know.. they could be fun people to mix and mingle with when your wedding ends. Don't they only allow open bars for five hours? Theirs starts three hours after yours.... perfect opportunity.
7 | Anonymous | July 26, 2005 01:48 PM
It looks beautiful. About Jewish weddings being 30 minutes, though...never at any wedding I've been to--it seems the rabbis don't like to be reigned in, and there are always too many bridesmaids. But good luck with that, honey.
8 | Esther | August 1, 2005 03:20 PM