The Day Of Documentation

The day of the wedding started off with some last minute errands, a coffee run, and getting ready.  Rather than joining the girls at the Mother of the Bride's Air Bnb for makeup and dressing, Mom and I decided to just do that at our place and meet up with them for a cocktail and a few photos.

After that we headed over to the venue for more photos.  The hangar looked amazing.  A group came by earlier in the morning and set up the flowers and tableware and everything fit perfectly.  I took several documentation photos before everyone else started arriving.

It was a little toasty in the hangar, but the big fans were on and there was a slight breeze, so it was reasonably pleasant.  The light stands turned out really good, too.

I found the vase I gave Juliana at the wedding shower!

The monolith looked great all set up and on the runway.  I'm really glad there were a few clouds in the sky.  Not because I wanted it to rain or anything like that, but because they look great in all the pictures!

On the appetizer table the couple had framed photos of each set of grandparents at their weddings, which was a neat idea.

After a bit Andrew, Juliana, the photographer, and other family members started arriving.  Everyone said their hellos while they figured out where the best lighting would be for all the photos.

The photographer started calling out groups for photos and by the time all the family shots were taken, other guests began arriving so we retreated to the RV that was parked back on the other side of the building for one last run-through of the ceremony and last minute details.  The countdown to the wedding had begun.

(photos by e.hunt)

Friday Work Day

Friday morning I was dropped off at the Hobbit House Air Bnb.  After a quick shower Mom, Taylor, and I went for coffee at one of my old favorites, Ugly Mugs, before heading out to the air hangar.  When I heard that the couple had decided on an old, abandoned airstrip that was now a park in the middle of East Nashville I wondered if it was one that I used to frequent in my drives around Nashville searching for blog outfit post locations.  I guess at some point when I was talking to Andrew we figured that it wasn't the same place but as we were driving there, I thought it looked familiar.

Turns out it was where I used to go!  We arrived, handed out the coffees we brought for Dad and Andrew, and got to work helping set up.  I was in charge of unpacking light strands and screwing in bulbs.  I found a cool spot on the ground in the shade while Dad and Taylor finished assembling the light pole stands.

As we worked away, the drapery was hung, tables and chairs were delivered, and the bar was pieced together.  Next on the list was to figure out how to hang said light strands.

Two strands connected together spanned quite a ways out from the door, and we determined right away that the stands needed sandbags to stay upright.  Next we tried just one strand, which still extended pretty far outside.  After the test run, it was decided to have four lines going out with two strands connected together on the outside runs, and one strand on each of the inner runs.

Things were definitely starting to come together!  At this point, we were pretty hot and tired, so we took a short, seated break before setting up for the rehearsal run-through.

People started arriving and we held a mock wedding, figuring out where everyone would stand and making edits to the ceremony as we went along.  Midway through, after a reading that had to do with birds, a bird flew in to sit on a roof pole!  We thought it was a good omen.

Soon after, Dad, Taylor, and I rushed back to shower and get ready for the rehearsal dinner.  It was taking place at a small Italian restaurant across town, and looked great with the little red flowers that Mom brought from home.

After the cocktail hour of drinks and conversation, everyone sat down for more drinks and conversation, and good food of course.

As we were all sitting there, plates cleared and waiting for dessert to be served, Taylor noticed a rorschach-like debris splotch on the table.  Looks quite a lot like the bird from earlier, no?!!

Dad got up to toast the lovely couple before they said a thank you and headed out to the next destination, a bar in East Nash where other guests were waiting to greet them, which is where we all headed after closing down the restaurant.  The first official wedding event was a success, filled with good food, rousing stories, and an optimistic air of love and happiness for the soon-to-be newlyweds.

(photos by e.hunt, and r.hunt)

The Non-Bachelorette Party

The last week of May finally arrived, meaning it was wedding time!  Mom and I left for Nashville on Wednesday (Taylor and Dad drove down the following day), arriving mid-afternoon.  We met up at Andrew and Juliana's house before going to check out our own Air Bnb, The Hobbit House.  The interior decoration was very shabby chic, but the beds and couch were comfy, there were a lot of windows, and one of the bathrooms had a lovely and relaxing open-air rain shower, which I took advantage of before being picked up by Juliana for Girls Night.

The other shower was like a canister.  Andrew and I were immediately reminded of Luke on Hoth in Empire Strikes Back.

We stopped for groceries and made an alcohol run before heading to another Air Bnb just down the road.  Juliana had invited me to come along with her and some of her oldest friends to spend a couple days away from wedding stuff right before the wedding, which was very nice and inclusive of her.  I was a little nervous, as it was going to be a lot of time spent with new people and I tend to be more awkward than normal in those situations, but her friends were very cool and welcoming (most of them already knew each other).

That night we met up with a handful of Juliana's 'in town' friends for a nice dinner out and then Robert's down on Broadway for obligatory bachelorette shots and a little two-stepping.  After that we took an Uber back over to the East side to places I was more familiar with: Dino's, a small dive bar, and 308, a more trendy, hipster bar right next door.  After a few more drinks we caught another Uber back to the house.  Juliana and Meb went right to bed but I stayed up with Dani and Jenny for a late-night talk sesh which turned into a really heavy and emotional talk about race and growing up as a minority.  I, not being a minority, just listened to their stories, but it was a harrowing tale of the bias and disgusting behavior that a lot of people think is ok.

The next day we were all pretty hungover, so we mainly sat around in between naps and a late afternoon yoga session.  One of the girls contacted Juliana's favorite yoga instructor who agreed to come over to the Air Bnb and lead us in a hour of relaxing and restorative yoga.  I had never done yoga before but I was excited to try.  The teacher didn't really take it easy for myself and the others who weren't familiar with how it works, but luckily my mat was next to Jess, who apparently is/was a yoga instructor so I just followed her lead.  I stretch everyday so it wasn't too difficult, but I don't think I'll seek it out in the future.  If I'm going to work out I want to really feel it and push hard, which is why I like running.  It was fun to try though.

After that hour of movement we were ready for dinner so we walked a few blocks to one of Andrew and Juliana's favorite Mexican restaurants to pick up some tacos and guacamole.  We made a round of margaritas and settled in around the tv, where we watched the National Spelling Bee, guessing the words and commenting on the middle school-age contestants.  When that was over, we called it a night and went to bed early so we would all be well-rested for wedding preparation activities the next day.  Juliana's friends were all unique and interesting, and I feel like I got to know her a little better just seeing her in a different surrounding, and it turned out to be a fun couple days.

(photos by e.hunt, collected from swleague.ru, and by m.byrne)