At long last, it came time to head to New Jersey for the crowning event of my trip... the wedding. I was once again grateful that the big festivities were to take place in the tristate area so I could visit another old friend and new baby en route. Doctor Friend, who was one of the CT gals that I went to Greece with last summer, recently had a beautiful baby girl. I was able to swoon my delight over my dear friend's newborn in only partial compensation for a ride to meet my other wedding attendee closer to the site.
Friday night was the rehearsal dinner. Though none of us gals were in the wedding proper, we were invited to the feast as besties of the bride. The other Blonde and I had spent the afternoon enjoying our private hotel rooms, getting the lay of the land, and then primping for our evening activity. It's always rather nice to be the one traveling from out of town, as I have long since developed an aversion to being the designated driver. The third of our bestie trio met us at the restaurant and thus the festivities began!
The wedding was not scheduled until the following afternoon, so the next morning was rather leisurely. Other Blonde and I even had time for a quick dip in the hotel pool. We ended up having brunch at the diner where we were told our dear friend first truly fell in love with her man. And then of course we stopped to buy hydrating supplies for the duration of the day. As we beautified for the ceremony, my bestie from NYC and her new amour arrived, completing our jolly group of wedding goers.
I have to say that the only downfall of the entire day was the fact that I became severely nauseous on the bus ride over to the church. The combination of insane allergies, semi-hangover, and aging motion sickness smacked me over the head and left me practically incoherent for most of the mass. Fortunately, I slowly recovered over cocktails and conversation, so the rest of the day was nothing short of fantastic. There was food left and right, from massive amounts of appetizers to a full course dinner to pastries and ice-cream sandwiches and wedding cake, all accompanied by an open bar. The venue was immaculate with a serene lake outside, resulting in stunning views and photo opps all around. I, of course, heard the classic anthem "Like A Prayer" ringing through the speakers at one point, and was able to serenade my newly married friend with the famous interpretive dance so strategically honed throughout the years. And of course all the while the king and queen of the ball looked blissful in their overflowing love.
The saddest part about the whole weekend was saying goodbye to all of my soul-friends the next morning. It rarely happens these days that I can see friends multiple times in one visit and really fall back into our friendships the way we were so blessed to do during our college years. What with weddings and babies dominating the social landscape, these opportunities become fewer and further between every year. While I was absolutely ecstatic for the love of the bride and groom, I was even more grateful and giddy for the love of my amazing friends.
