It was 4pm and finally time to put on my gown.
"I think I'd like to dress alone," I told them.
The morning had been filled with my closest friends and family sharing in loving words, beautiful wardrobes, and of course mimosas - I just needed a moment.
I realized I hadn't tried on my dress since I received the package in the mail months ago - I had picked it out from a store online, ordered it, decided it fit perfectly and that was that.
I pulled the dress over my shoulders and it was the same as before, except now my hair and makeup were done and this time... I was getting married.
My Mom finished the last zip of the dress and Sandy fashioned my veil - the one she made special just for me. Hannah handed me my lip color, Christopher gave me extra hair pins, and Amanda made sure I took along my flask - she had given it to me as a gift a few hours before. All these items were placed in my clutch made from my Moms old wedding dress - another creation of Sandy's.
As it turned out, the embellishments on the tops of my shoes snagged the bottom of my dress, so Kathryn lent me her flats.
"I hope I can still dance in these!" I told her.
Lassen hugged me, Cassie held my dress from the wet pavement on the walk to the GRAM, and then I took a photograph with all the Kladder women.
"Four beautiful daughters," Mari said.
We watched everyone arrive from the third story waiting room, and boy did you look fancy. And then my Mom gave me one last hug and everyone left. I waited and watched another wedding party off in the distance of Rosa Parks Circle take their photographs. It calmed my nerves to watch them smile. And then it was time.
The moments that followed probably played out differently for you than they did for me. Like when Katie opened the doors to where you were all standing and I was surprised by the amount of people, even though I was the one who emailed our final headcount.
Or the moment when my Dad messed up his only line of the ceremony and it totally broke the ice. Thank goodness.
Tears welled up in my eyes, even though I'm not a crier. And when Reverend Than read aloud our lists of 12 reasons why we love each other... my #9: 'he has the hair of Matthew MacConaughey'... you all giggled, because you know it's true.
And then we were married. You cheered and clapped and it felt amazing.
After photos were done we had a moment to ourselves on the second floor gallery. I watched from above as you ordered cocktails from the bar and snuck donuts from the dessert table.
Then the video played and listening to you laugh was like... I don't even know... it was amazing. We smiled at one another, completely giddy that you loved it - or laughed like you did anyway. The assistant coordinator tried to take away our drinks before we walked down the stairs - everyone makes mistakes.
And THAT, was a moment. To see you all again, but this time from above. If you ever get the chance to descend from a grand staircase amongst a crowd of beautiful people... we totally recommend it.
For dinner we served urban BBQ, which was sexy food in my opinion. Sexy food = anything you can eat with your fingers. If you ate with a fork and knife you did it wrong.
Since Saturday you've mentioned my Dad. Yes, I was slightly embarrassed. No, I was not surprised.
And then we danced, which was all Jeff by the way. He didn't ask for much in planning our wedding, but our first dance being something other than normal was all because of him. And then you danced. Oh boy did you dance. To the sounds of dueling pianos. It. Was. Glorious.
Before the night was through you hoisted us in the air like a scene from a movie, except we're not Jewish. But... whatever, "Mazal Tov!"
In the morning we decided... we aren't sad it's over, but we are extremely joyful it happened. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
{ Mrs. Kladder }
