4 Weddings in 4 Weekends, #3. Audrey and Jordan

I'm not going to lie.  This post is going to be a difficult one to write, not because I'm lacking material or because I don't know the wedding party very well, but because the groom is my brother.  I fear it's going to be not unlike writing about one's own hand.  I mean, what is there to say about my hand?  Right now it's sporting this Essie peachy/pink polish and it has five fingers.  But then there's the way it conducts the music I'm listening to while I run, or the time it made Thanksgiving dinner in Australia or got burned this morning on the tea kettle.  At once, I have everything significant to say and have been struck inarticulate by plunging crevasse of detail.  Similarly, this post will either be boring and short or rich and long, well, I hope if it's long that it's rich.  If it's long and boring, you should go do something else. 

For the sake of linear chronology, I'll start with the adorable picnic themed rehearsal dinner my mother dear threw.  Aunt D, Uncle T, Aunt S, Gma and Papa were in town early, so they helped us set up in the tiny church sanctuary.  I put myself in charge of centerpieces, as I was being entirely un-helpful in deciding whether the tables should be in a horse shoe, rows, or the shape of a Christmas snowflake.  Somehow I find cutting diagonals on daisy stems therapeutic.  All the tables got arranged, red gingham was everywhere, and the daisies found their way into the Mason jars at the appropriate height.

That night, we practiced not tripping on the steps, processing and recessing in the correct order, and Noah James ran through the music.  Afterwards we dined on BBQ and sipped our sweet tea.  Then it was time for the speeches.  My younger younger brother, Jarrett, was the best man, so he went first.  He'd been telling me for weeks that he was just going to tell a funny story and keep it light.  Turns out, the only shred of truth in that was he told a story.  Oh, it was a nice story. He talked all about how he knew Audrey was the girl for Jordan when she got up one morning to watch he and Jarrett play sand volleyball at 4:30AM.  Solid choice, great for the occasion.  The trouble was, as he was talking, he paused, so I looked up, thinking he'd lost his place in his notes.  Nope, that 6'1" emotional rock of a brother of mine was tearing up talking about his brother getting married.  

I'm not going to describe my crying face at this point, one, because I wasn't looking at it, and two, because it wasn't a graceful cry.  After that, I kept up the ungraceful cry as Audrey's sister, Katherine, spoke as the maid of honor about what an amazing example her sister has been to her all these years.  I was a puddle of saltwater and mascara.  

Somehow we made it out the other side of dinner without too much tear-loss-induced dehydration.  That night, all the girls stayed at the reception venue, which also happened to be a sprawling Southern bed and breakfast.  The bachelorette party got a little wild, OK, we ate Oreos and drank sparkling cider.  The next morning we feasted on cinnamon cake, quiche, fruit, and coffee.  

The weather was far from cooperative, which we'd anticipated from the forecast.  I made two trips to Walmart for umbrellas, and almost drowned in the process- but that's inconsequential.  We went from wet to pretty over the course of a few hours thanks to Mary and Kate who were on hand for hair and makeup.  Our dresses were sea glass blue/green with a hint of grey, one shoulder, ruched at the natural waist and flowing barely past the knee.  The groomsmen wore grey vests and black ties over white button up shirts.  

The wedding venue was the university chapel - classically, beautifully Southern architecture marked by towering white pillars and red brick.  The pews were decked with daisy bouquets, Audrey's favorite flower. Clusters of creamy white pillar candles stood in the window sills.  When the time came for us to make our way down the aisle, we pep talked each other about how slowly to walk and where to hold our bouquets.  

Suddenly, we were all down front, and my little brother was saying his vows, the same ones we've been saying for hundreds of years.  Lots more happy proud big sister crying.  Suddenly Audrey was saying "I do" and they were exchanging rings.  Then it was "you may kiss your bride" and "may I present" and then it was over.  All those months of emails and details and planning and showers were over.  It was a wistful happy.  Emotions tend to be like that.  They aren't pure.  They're all thrown together like a cafeteria casserole, not that I really had time to analogize emotions and casseroles... 

We took a few family photos and piled into cars to make our way to the sprawling Southern B&B.  The wooden floors and ceilings glowed a red amber, there were daisies everywhere, and lots of people talking and laughing.  It was like the best kind of summer dinner party.  I don't think people usually throw garters and bouquets at summer dinner parties, but we did that too.  The cake was the pinnacle of buttercream-y-ness.  

It had all the basics of a great wedding, minus the torrential downpour, but beyond having a great structural event skeleton, the very heartbeat of Jordan and Audrey's wedding was beautiful.  I'm so glad to have a sister-in-law, and so glad they won't be living very far away.  

And they will live happily ever after.

Much love,

Little Miss Sunshine