WE DID IT!!!!!

I can't believe it's over. I mean, I was waiting and kind of praying for it to be over, but now that it is I feel....I can't name it, actually. 'Bereft' came to mind, but that's too sad. 'Speechless', but obviously that's not true since here I am writing about it.

Really, what it boils down to is that the wedding was four days of absolute fun - and I am very proud of Jake and I (and our myriad of friends and family) for pulling it off. Get ready for randomness. I've been composing this in my head for days, but there is no cohesive way to say it all - at least, not without more editing than I am willing to embark on. And so, a list of sorts.

Highlights slash Tips For A Fantastic Wedding, we'll call it.

Tip #1: Have trustworthy and reliable friends and family, put them in charge of something and then let them do it! This was the best part for me. Everyone knows weddings involve lots of jobs and everyone also knows that it can be stressful to coordinate it all. We put people in charge of everything from making the centre pieces, to setting the tables, to hiring and paying the babysitter. Not one person let us down and they all did their jobs with aplomb. Seriously. It was the best feeling in the world to know that things were going to happen whether I was directly involved or not (like the candles that were mysteriously lit when I arrived for supper). ALSO that I/we have so many friends that know us so well that I could say to my trio of friends from high school 'Can you set up the guestbook table somewhere pretty and nice?' And they DID! It was perfect! I can't list all the people that helped because I would for sure forget someone and that would be bad. All I can say is that every time I asked anyone to do anything the answer was always 'no problem' and then it got done. Amazing. Thank you thank you thank you. A huge shout-out to Kristy, who gave me the best gift in the world - a stress free wedding day. She shouldered a pretty big burden of coordinating everyone else and did a bang-up job. Kristy, you should seriously consider event planning. Everyone else, I hope you know someone like Kristy. Favourite moment: when she went zooming past me in the afternoon on a mission and said 'We're out of toilet paper. I'm going to find some.' The possibility of that happening did not occur to me, not in the slightest. But she took care of it and I didn't worry a bit!

Tip #2: Hire Corby at Evolve Catering. He was incredible. Super flexible, easy going, willing to go the extra mile (he served our dessert AND his crew were helping us put away chairs at 2:30 in the morning. FOR REALS!) Not the cheapest option (also not even close to the most expensive), but the food was good, plentiful and beautiful and was served with good cheer. He was our single biggest wedding expense and I have to say that it was worth every single penny. Thank you thank you thank you, Corby.

Tip #3: Even though it is exhausting, spend as many days as you can with your friends and family especially if they come from far away. Our wedding was really a four day event - Friday was a dinner party with Jake's family, Saturday was set up with friends and family and then a huge rehearsal dinner with more friends and family, Sunday was pictures, then ceremony, then an afternoon of games and hanging out before dinner and dance. Monday we went to Denny's for breakfast, had people over for an open house and then went to J and K's for another family dinner with Jake's fam. It was amazing. By the end we could barely hold our heads up from exhaustion, but I don't feel like it was a blur and that I didn't get to hang out with my guests. In particular those from out of town - it was so so important to have multiple chances to connect with them, and I feel like we got that. Definitely would not do it any other way.

Tip #4: If you have your computer at your wedding (we did) put someone in charge of dumping people's photos onto it before they leave for the corners of the country. We did not, and that is my only minor regret. I don't have any pictures! I mean, I will, but it would have been easier to do it then.

Highlight #1: the feeling of relief/excitement/giddyness/weight-off-the-shoulders after the ceremony was done. Sue said we collapsed into each other like we had completed a marathon, and I suppose in a way we did. It really felt like over a year of planning and doing had been building till this moment and we had arrived! It was nigh! We did all the things we had set out to do and now all we had to do was hang out! I don't know that I've ever really felt achievement like that before.

Highlight #2: The sun came out in the afternoon, around 4ish while people were playing games. It was the kind of autumn light shines in streams through the clouds and I felt like (cheesy moment!) the hand of God was with us. Really. Even Jake said he felt blessed by the weather. All the more so when you consider that on Friday it was sleeting and on Monday it was hailing. Saturday and Sunday were perfect, weather-wise. Everything went as we wanted it to. People played games and cheered each other on, the canoe had ice and beer in it, people played inside and enjoyed appetizers. More than once I looked around and marvelled to see our vision for the day in action. Hearing people get really into the games and cheer and celebrate made me feel so good. Like we had done something really right.

Highlight #3: DANCING! I danced with my friends, my cousins, my aunt and uncle at one point. It was SO FUN. My calves are still sore. Jake sure made one heck of a dance play list, that is FOR SURE. 40-50 people belting out 'Living on a prayer' and 'Life is a highway' and whatever that Journey song is that everyone knows - that is priceless. Also, 'Home For A Rest'. Gotta have that one!

Highlight #4: Pulling this kind of thing off as a crew - with help and support from our peeps. I talked about it up at the beginning a little, but it really bears repeating again - best friends and family in the world.

Highlight #5: Laughter, jokes, and genuine emotion throughout. I'm so glad our vows weren't 100% serious - Jake and I aren't 100% serious. I'm so happy people poked fun and got laughs throughout the night.

There really wasn't a part of the weekend I didn't enjoy. It was all definitely worth all the running around and getting ready. I'm so happy we had the wedding we did with the people we did. It feels like a very fitting ritual to celebrate and consecrate our commitment to each other and our communities.

So, some people have asked, now what? Do you change the name of the blog? Are you going to keep writing? What will you do with all your time?

Well, one thing at a time. First of all, we're going to start having social lives again. We're going to have people over for supper and fires and general hanging out. We're going to go for walks around the loop and go to Pine Point and Beaudry Park. We're going to do all the things we haven't been able to do since last spring. We're going to say 'yes' to people when they invite us over instead of 'We have to knock down the chimney' or 'We have to bottle 120 bottles of wine' (have half of those left, by the way. Thought you people'd drink a lot more!)

I don't think I'll change the name of this blog, since that's how this all started. And also then everyone has to find a new URL. You never know who's reading who isn't on facebook - and maybe even someone that doesn't even know Jake or I!

I will definitely keep writing. Life's adventures never end. There is always more to write about.

PLUS I owe this blog a 'before and after' post like no one's business. Maybe next week. :)

Thanks to all of you who are reading this. It is really great to write for you. Thanks for the part all of you have in making me who I am. This is how I understand God, or a Higher Power, or whatever, the most these days (besides being outside).

Just one more time, for the record - WE DID IT!!!!!! and WE DID IT WELL!!!!!!!!