The Nest

The Things We Remember

Posted Friday, November 23, 2007 3:35 AM

“So take the photographs and still frames in your mind. Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time….”

I think I spent the entire weekend taking still frames.

I wanted to capture as many moments as I could. I knew I’d never remember everything – but that certain things would always stand out.

 

Saturday Morning (The auf ruf):

-         Seeing my family slowly make their way into the sanctuary over the course of the service – and everyone hugging everyone.

-         My grandma’s dizzy spell because she didn’t have breakfast

-         Adam’s mom’s phone ringing in the middle of services.

-         More people being in the sanctuary for our auf ruf than for the bar mitzvah.

-         The rabbi surprising us with an aliyah.

-         My mom prematurely launching into Siman Tov v’ Mazel Tov.

-         The candy that was pelted at our heads.

-         Playing bouncer after services so that only the “invited” guests came into the luncheon.

-         My mother flitting about making sure they could web cast OK the next day.

-         Barely eating because I was so busy chatting with everyone.

-         My friend Helene making a “Disney-themed” wreath for us.

 

Saturday Afternoon (The Spa Party at Trio in Thousand Oaks)

-         Having the whole place to ourselves

-         The unforgettable Pilates class where my sister couldn’t stop laughing.

-         The little gifts left in each of our labeled lockers.

-         Sitting on the patio drinking mimosas with my bridesmaids and cousin – all of us in fluffy robes.

-         Enjoying the heavenly massage (thank you Robyn).

-         Plotting with everyone how we would pull off a surprise singalong that night at the rehearsal dinner

-         Seeing the looks on everyone’s faces when they came out of their massage treatments

-         Sneaking my sister a bit of champagne.

 

Saturday Night (The Rehearsal)

-         Adam having to lie down the whole time due to his drowsy-inducing cold medication.

-         Everyone showing up five minutes late.

-         The venue coordinator (VC) not having a clue.

-         My dad’s girlfriend’s son walking down the aisle with my cousin – and the VC talking to them like they were getting married.

-         The bridesmaids walking down the aisle: Steph strutted, Elana flitted, Ali went down the Catwalk, Sammi couldn’t stop laughing.

-         Yelling at my mom that I would break her camera if she wouldn’t stop coming into the room.

-         Having to go back into the social hall and straighten everything out (we were done 30 second later) – bride to the rescue!

-         My Chicago family watching football at BJs.

-         The awesome speeches our bridal party gave.

-         Barely eating anything because I was so busy talking.

-         Seeing my friends and family LOVE the Pizookie

-         My girls singing “I Say a Little Prayer for You” – and my dad doing the “would only be heartbreak for me” line

-         Helping my mom pick out what dress she would wear the next day, with help from my sister, my MOH, her sister, her mom and my mom’s best friend.

-         Telling off some drunk people in the hallway for swearing really loud

 

The Wedding Day

-         Waking up in the morning and realizing I didn’t have my veil

-         Driving to the shul and learning that the power had been knocked out so religious school was canceled.

-         Fielding phone calls from everyone as I got my hair and makeup done

-         My mom bringing me her necklace and crying as I got ready

-         Watching the news with all the fire reports as I got ready

-         Wearing jeans and a towel to the temple because I couldn’t put my dress on

-         Getting changed in the dimly lit bride’s room – and crying when I walked in for the first time.

-         Waiting impatiently to be able to leave the bride’s room (I should have brought a book).

-         Seeing Adam for the first time.

-         Taking so many pictures that it actually hurt to smile

-         Coming into the social hall for the first time to sign the ketubbah and seeing so many loved ones smiling and crying.

-         Blowing kisses to my Zayde over the computer

-         Waiting in the social hall to walk down the aisle as one by one everyone walked on ahead of me.

-         Panicking that the musicians had the music cue wrong

-         Crying when I saw the candlelit room

-         Crying when the music for “Feed the Birds” started

-         My mother telling people as we came down the aisle “it’s OK to stand for the bride.”

-         That I didn’t trip in my dress

-         Adam having to come back to get me after going ahead up to the bimah

-         Seeing my dad leave the bimah to help Adam’s sister, who had fainted

-         Watching the faces of my Bobie and Grandma during the ceremony

-         Bobie saying “he left out a word” when Adam put the ring on my finger

-         Kissing Adam after he stepped on the glass (and got it the first time)

-          Going into the bride’s room for seclusion and having several bridesmaids try to come in … so what started as a 15 minute plan became five minutes

-         Coming into the foyer and hugging every single guest

-         Walking into the room and seeing our family and bridal party

-         Having all of our guests join us for the first dance

-         Hearing the hora was 95% “hava negilah” – but luckily there were no chairs

-         Dancing our father daughter/mother son dance

-         Doing the cha cha slide

-         Seeing Laurie’s face when we played Keith Urban

-         Disco dancing with my family

-         Again barely eating because I was so busy talking

-         Adam’s brother’s beautiful speech

-         Hugging Laurie after her speech

-         My sister catching the bouquet and my father shouting “no!”

-         The sheva brachot that we pulled off with “audience participation.”

-         Seeing the look on everyone’s face when we played Lake Shore Drive

-         Taking off my heels for my gym shoes -- -and having to put the heels back on because the dress was too long

-         Learning that everyone thought there was a wardrobe malfunction when I was having my girls help me pin up the bottom of my dress

-         The last dance: Come so far, got so far to go – and not having my groom with me until it was half over because he was helping his dad load up the car

-         Coming back to the hotel and barely being able to walk.

-         Meeting my dad and his girlfriend in the parking lot – after we changed – to transfer some gifts

-         Having drinks in the lounge with MOH and her family

-         Collapsing in bed with my new husband – and getting his cold. J

 

All in all, the entire weekend flew by. The presents are still not all put away; we do have our black forest cake in the freezer and 750+ photos to go through.

Everything I had hoped for happened – everything I had worked so hard on, magically came together.

To all who were involved in making the day so wonderful – thank you! To those who came as guests, we loved having you with us! And a special kiss for my husband, who wore a tux, let me have freakouts, and still loves me.

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