Erin's Wedding, MOH duties

6/5/09 6:30PM Erin Townsend married Billy Perry

Erin had a beautiful wedding. She looked radiant. Her and Billy both glowed with love for one another. We all had an amazing time celebrating with the fabulous couple! I was the matron of honor for Erin. Matron...wow that sounds old! In fact, it's been just over three years since Grant and I got married. This was the fifth wedding I've been in. It all started when I was a flower girl in my Aunt Linda and Uncle Dave's wedding. I was able to return the favor by having their youngest daughter as the flower girl in my wedding! It was definitely special for me to have her stand up for me after I stood up for her parents. :) I was the bride in my own wedding and then a bridesmaid for my friend Mandy and for my friend Marin. After being in all of these weddings I've realized what it's all about...making the day and all that leads up to it as perfect as possible for the Bride. For Erin, that meant helping in any way possible leading up to the big day. Her family threw her a shower in Lake City. I went and helped her by taking notes while she opened her gifts including what each gift was and who gave it. It was fun seeing her open her gifts and meeting some of her family members that I hadn't met yet. The bridesmaids and I organized a great bachelorette party and surprise lingerie shower. We had about 12 girls total. The bachelorette party was really fun to plan and we all had a great time celebrating Erin's last night as a single woman! The day was planned with Erin in mind. Something fun and stressfree just as Erin would want it! People could come and go as they please as we had several events planned including laying out at the beach, happy hour and gifts at our suite on the beach, dinner at Bonefish (a restaurant selected by the Bride) and a night out on the town including a fun Bar Golf game that everyone could participate in. At the Bride's request we met up with the Groom and his bachelor party at the last bar of the night. Carol found a great veil for Erin and I brought a garter and Bachelorette sash that lit up! However after a few minutes with the lights blinking the battery died! I think everyone had a blast! After the Bachelorette Party it seemed like the weeks leading up to the wedding passed like days. I tried to make sure Erin was doing well and was there for any last minute details. These included picking up some sparklers for the reception and working with Nekita to get Erin a Gator garter for the garter toss. All the while the bridesmaids and I had been working on a photobook for the bride. I wanted to add some of Erin's favorite photos of the couple, so I emailed her and asked her for high resolution photos of her and Billy. I told her that I'd print them off and use them to decorate the rehearsal dinner tables. Little did she know that I really wanted them for the album! Each bridesmaid sent in photos and a personal note to the Bride. I included photos of the couple, the shower and bachelorette party. Erin's wedding theme was starfish. It worked out really well because snapfish.com had a starfish background that I was able to use for some of the pages.

It was the day of the rehearsal. I got to the hotel and met up with the bridesmaids, Erin's family and the bride. I made sure to remember the bouquet that I made for Erin with all of the bows from the gifts from the showers. We all drove to the wedding site and practiced inside since it was raining outside. After practicing a few times we proceeded to dinner at Billy's parents' neighborhood's clubhouse. I brought the photos and put them up around the room for a nice personal touch. We ate, Erin and Billy said a few words and gave gifts to the bridal party and we gave Erin and Billy the photo book. It was a fun night.

After dinner we all went back to the hotel to spend the night before the wedding with the Bride. It was nice spending some quality time with all of the girls the night before the big day! I brought a few things for Erin including some hair clips, a bracelet and two pennies...one from Erin's birth year and one from Billys. The thought was that Erin needed something old (the pennies), new (the dress, shoes), borrowed (bracelet/hair clips), blue (the Gator garter that Nekita brought from Gainesville). Erin also had a ring from her grandmother that was both old and blue, so she was all set!

The day of the wedding we got up and had breakfast at the hotel. We relaxed for a bit before heading to the salon for hair/nails/makeup. I made sure to call earlier in the week and order some lunch for all of the girls, Erin's mom and the photographer. Panera was perfect! When it was delivered I checked with the Bride to see what her sandwich/cookie preference was and made her a plate and set it aside to make sure she'd have her lunch. The salon owner had a variety of beverages and was nice enough to make a special diet coke run for us! We all got our services done and looked amazing. Erin's make up included Loyalty lipstick, which seemed like a perfect match of cosmetics and marriage!

The night before the wedding Billy gave me Erin's wedding day gift and Erin gave me his ring. At every move I made sure I had those two items! While at the salon Erin opened her gift from Billy. it was a beautiful natural white and tahitian pearl necklace and bracelet. Billy wrote a card that brought tears to Erin's eyes as she read it. Later she told me how he selected the jewelry and the special meaning of the pearls and the colors and natural beauty of the set, matching the natural beauty of Erin and of their relationship. So cute! Billy did a great job!

We left for the wedding site. On the way the bridesmaids and I made a diet coke stop for Erin, knowing that she loves fountain diet coke! I was told when she first asked me to be her MOH that one of my main duties would be to have diet coke on hand for her at all times. I think she told me this as a joke, but I wanted to make sure she had some in case she needed it!

At the wedding site we quickly started steaming all of the dresses with my steamer. We even steamed Erin's dress. We all got dressed and got Erin dressed. She looked amazing in her dress!! Erin and I took a quick minute to check out the reception room. It was beautiful. The bride then got her bridal portraits done outside on the beach. The weather was perfect! Not too hot, not too cold, not raining, but not too sunny. I think the photos are going to turn out amazing.

When it got close to Billy's arrival we retreated back into our room. Billy got to the wedding location and the photographer went to get a few photos of Billy opening the gift from Erin. Although I was not there, the photographer told me that it was a very touching moment - I cannot wait to see the pics! Billy then went outside.

Erin and Billy were going to take some photos of the two of them before the ceremony. I went outside and said hi to the Groom and asked him to look out to the beach as we got Erin to come down and see him. Erin walked out from the building towards Billy. It was so cute. He turned around as she approached him and their eyes met. What a moment!! They spent a few minutes talking, crying, hugging and enjoying each others company before going to the beach to take some photos.

Once they were done it was time to round up the bridal party and family for some formal photos. We were running about 15 minutes behind schedule, so it was important to get everyone ready to take the photos. The group photos were all taken and we went back inside while the guests arrived.

While we were at the salon the hair stylist showed me how to put Erin's veil in her hair...now it was the time to do it! Luckily the final touch went in easily.

We got some photos of just the girls while we were waiting for the clock to strike 6:30P.

It seemed to come so quickly! Before we knew it we were lining up to go down the aisle. The ceremony was perfect. The vows were personal and beautiful. Erin and Billy we so happy!

After the ceremony I spent a few minutes bustling the dress. It was an intricate bustle that we had practiced during a couple fittings. It was beautiful. We took some wedding party photos on the beach and then proceeded to the reception.

They announced each bridesmaid/groomsman pair. Then it was time for me and the Best Man. The DJ announced "and now for the first time in public..." and everyone was like, "no wait there is still two more members of the bridal party!" He realized that and announced me and David and then announced for the first time in public Mr. and Mrs. Billy Perry.

They danced their first dance as we all watched. They did a great job! As they danced I began to get nervous. I knew I had to give a toast, but wasn't sure when.

We all got our dinner and ate. Then the dancing began. We had a great time dancing. =) I asked the DJ to tell me when he was planning on doing the garter toss because Erin's garter wasn't on her yet since her dress didn't have a full skirt we wanted to wait to put it on. He said that he thought they didn't want a garter toss (it was a last minute addition). I got with Erin and she told the DJ that they had decided to do the garter toss after all. He said that they'd do it after the toasts and cutting the cake.

Next up were the toasts. David went first. He made a nice toast to Erin and Billy. Then it was my turn. I was a little nervous, and glad that I had brought note cards. I made a little joke to break the ice saying that the Best Man stole my toast, but I luckily brought a back up. I gave my toast. I think it went well. =) It was personal and hopefully special for Erin. I got some laughs from around the room and from the couple.

After the toasts Erin and Billy cut their cake.

After the cutting of the cake, me and the bridesmaids rounded up the sparklers and lighters for Erin and Billy's departure.

Erin and Billy had the reception room to themselves for their last dance. It was really a special moment. The DJ had put on their song and left the room along with the rest of the guests as Erin and Billy danced. We got all the sparklers passed out and lit them. It was kind of difficult with our lighters and with the wind, but we made it happen. I hope the photos turned out well despite the smoke!

Erin and Billy went down the stairs into his truck. I said my last goodbye to the couple as they drove off! The bridesmaids and I along with Erin's family stayed behind to help clean up and gather all of our stuff. It was a successful wedding and a really fun night. Now I am entirely jealous that Erin and Billy are on their honeymoon in the Keys while I am here...blogging and getting ready for another work week!

In summary, everyone had a great time, but most of all Erin had a great time through all of it from the showers to the bachelorette party to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding day. She's like a sister to me and I am looking forward to seeing the professional photos from the BIG day and catching up with her upon her return from the Keys!