my wedding adventure. (photos below courtesy of tim hass, picture-taker extraordinaire)

let me back up a second. our wedding photographer, being the great guy he was, decided to take photos of me and my bridesmaid dressed in our wedding finery up on Rainier. this was one of the Best Things Ever because to know me is to know my love for that mountain. so friday morning K, Skittles, J and i got into pa's truck and headed up to Rainier. J met up with Skittle's stepma and pa while we 3 girls took over a family restroom in the new (uglier) visitor's center and changed into our dresses. it was the first time i'd been completely tied into the dress and the corset made me feel claustrophobic. it didn't help that people banged on the door every 2 minutes, wanting our fantastic corner of the world. we were already feeling a mite shameless as we'd had to beg for a parking spot near the inn as the lots were full and the closest parking was 2 miles down the road.

we were to meet the photographer, Steve, at 2 pm. he was an hour late (due to heavy tourist traffic and terrible parking availability) which wouldn't have been so bad, but i was in a wedding dress. and i don't particularly like being the center of attention. the 2 together made for a very disagreeable combination. i was quite uncomfortable with all those eyes on me. people kept approaching me- some telling me how nice i looked, others laughing and asking if the groom had stood me up. i avoided eye contact as much as possible, more likely saving my ego but hurting feelings along the way. self preservation at all costs, right? J and Skittle's folks had rejoined us and were scouring the parking lots to find him. at last Steve arrived, J went to the inn to listen to his Zune and the others came to help.

being a model was exhausting. Steve had a lot of locations for us to go to, and we'd be in the same location with a variety of poses. partway through i told him i could feel my skin sizzling, but he'd found so many great spots, we carried on regardless. notable: getting kindly reprimanded for stepping off the trail behind the visitor's center, and also going to Christine Falls, my favourite locale.

Steve had also found a pretty little waterfall which he had me stand next to barefoot so it wouldn't be so slippery. i asked if he'd take photos of K and Skittles next to the fall as well, and i moved toward where Steve pointed. sadly, i didn't hear him warn me about the muddy bits and i couldn't see around my big dress, so i stepped on a patch of slickness, slipped on my butt, and started sliding toward the water. i was able to stop myself with my feet, but before i could stand, Steve jumped over the bush and planted himself right in the middle of my dress doing 2 things:
-pushing me down toward the water again, being held away from the edge by his bootly anchor
-leaving a large muddy boot print in the middle of my dress.

so very sad. but he thought he was saving my life, and that, above all else, was the kindest thing anyone had done for me.

but the poor dress. we also (at the end of the photos) went hiking into the woods where he had me pose and sit among thorns and thistles. the payoff was brilliant. if fact, the images are here:
http://hsh-photography.com/Clients/Joe_Danielle/Wedding_Photos/index.htm
he had a great eye, and of course i couldn't be mad about the dress as he'd made the gesture to save my life, to keep me from slipping off into the falls. yet- the dress.

Steve followed us back to the house. J and Skittle's folks had already taken off and given ma a head's up re: the dress. K called her to confirm. by the time we got home, ma had a team gathered to clean the dress bit by blessed bit. it took them hours.

of course i was sunburned. i'd gambled and lost. the women gathered there became a flurry of aloe and lavender, and the burn reduced. poor Steve had to overhear many versions of the boot story as everyone wanted to know what happened. J's family as well as mine gathered from the far corners of the earth and met for a barbecue and rehearsal dinner. J's best man and his wife were there as well, and it was a goodly yet productive gathering.

saturday- up early. there was a flurry of activity at the house, and of course there were nails and hair and make-up. the temperature reached an uncharacteristic 92 degrees, so we sweated through the preparations. at 5pm, my bridesmaids and i put up balloons and got back at 5.30pm. of course ma was panicked because i needed to get cinched into that corset. we managed to dress, despite a plethora of door knockings and disruptions.

finally i was dressed and everyone was outside. pa waited for me by the back door and then walked me down the aisle to canon in d. cheesy? perhaps. but it was my kind o' cheese.

the entire walk down (which felt like an eternity) i kept thinking: "is it too late to back out now? what about now?" if pa hadn't been on one of my arms anchoring me down, i don't know what i would have done. my stomach was a flutter of nerves, but i looked ahead, forced a smile on my lips, and saw J up there, all grins. i felt much better a) knowing he was at the end of that aisle and b) knowing he was probably as nervous as i was.
i finally made it to where J waited for me. and what are the first words he says when he meets his wife-to-be?

"didn't i see you in the never-ending story?" (yet i personally loved the tiara, and i think i looked smashing in it).

my uncle officiated, we had our readings, and the ceremony went fine, despite our inability to figure out which finger the rings belonged on. we kept switching them throughout the ceremony, as those around us tried to get our attention to switch yet again.
















we had a receiving line and it was so lovely getting to meet friends and family i hadn't seen in forever. i wish i could have prolonged that for hours- we didn't get much chance to mingle after dinner as of course there were photos and things to take care of. but oh, how i loved having all those wonderful people there. tim (the photographer whose lovely photos grace this blog) took many candid shots, my face twisted into various conversations that have now been encapsulated in those images. so fantastic.











after the receiving line, J and i went inside- i stripped off that horrible girdle, tights, and boots to put on a pair of white flip-flops. he and i then snuck around to the back and ran through the banner my brother and his wife had made.
he and i cut the cake, ate dinner, gave an irish toast with the mead Skittle's stepma had made us, then snuck out front for photos.



(photos of family below)








we then had our first dances (after the first couple's dance, J threw me over his shoulder and carted me away) while some of the folk blew bubbles at us. then the bouquet and garter toss. the band came on, and it was dark enough for the tiki torches. magical.

i have to say, ma and her pals put on one fantastic show. the wedding was beautiful from the first to the last, and that was due entirely to her efforts and those who contributed. it was memorable, and made more so by those who took photos for us so that we could keep those memories.


what a brilliant day.