big blog part three...sheesh!

#101 - Ahhhhhh the wedding!! It's officially over :'( BUT SO MUCH FUN! I can't even tell you how nervous I was about my toast. I couldn't start eating until AFTER it was over because I honestly thought I was going to throw up.

Anyway, for my last maid of honor duty, Monica asked me to come up with a top ten list (our most favorite thing to do!), so I'll try to whip one up right here:

1. Day before the wedding (Rehearsal Day)...driving around the greater Milwaukee area running last minute wedding related errands and either listening to Seal or Duran Duran OR turning off the music and practicing my toast 39482930429 times. People driving next to me must have thought I was a nut with all my hand gesturing!

2. John playing with my friends Josh and Tina's son Ethan at the Rehearsal Dinner...totally adorable!!

3. Opening the door to the bridal room in the church and seeing Monica for the first time in her dress...I...freaking...died. She seriously looked like the most beautiful lady I had ever seen in my whole life.

4. Bawling like a baby for the first 20 minutes of the wedding ceremony. Monica walking down the aisle and bawling herself...Tim crying as he took her hand and walked her up to the steps, etc etc etc. I honestly had to tell myself to 'STOP IT!' three dozen times so I wouldn't look like a blubbering mess for the cameras. Ha!

5. "YOU'RE an Octopus Balloon!" and all the crazy shenanigans at the Domes, especially Guido and his Chuck Norris action figure posing for pix.

6. The limobus ride from the Domes to Whitnall high school to The Forum restaurant to the Radisson Hotel. We watched Anchorman and Old School, drank Miller Lites and took swigs from Happy Face Vodka, and drew naughty pictures on the steamed windows...my ultimate fave part of this experience was seeing Monica eat Wheat Thins in her wedding dress and tiara...hilarious.

7. Sitting up at the head table, next to my bestest friend and the most important lady of the day...and looking out to the sea of people who were all so excited this day was finally here! And then, of course, getting through my toast in one peice...whew!

8. Getting crazy choked up at the reception during "Bittersweet Symphony" part of the video montage and then later when Monica and Tim had their first dance to Chicago's "Will You Still Love Me".

9. Dancing related fun and adorableness: Tim doing his patented arm wave dance, Monica doing her patented arm pumping dance (in her wedding dress hilarious!!), Marne dragging John onto the dance floor at least three times, dancing with John to Climax Blues Band "I Love You," and seeing John ask Monica to dance at the very end of the reception :)

10. Getting Monica's txt message the morning after the wedding. I don't have my phone with me right now, but it said something along the lines of: "I got up this morning and saw the sunrise...I thought about everything, the toasts, and started to cry." Aaaaand of course that made ME start to cry!!

Man...and to think the planning only took seven months. It simultaneously feels like forever in the making and yet such a blur! But absolutely one of the best experiences of my short life. Not only did it make Monica and I even closer friends, but to be a part of something so beautiful and happy...I try not to be too big of a sap, but it truly was hard not to be emotional about the whole thing. Love.