The (big) day that was

Wel... You know me well by now. When I say "tomorrow" what I really mean is "in two weeks or so". Sorry. Working in retail means that you really don't have a life. Sigh...
Anyway, back to our regular programming - The Big Day!

Friday, March 23rd:
8:00 AM
I slept very little and very badly, as was to be expected. I woke up quite stressed out and with the puffiest eyes ever. I had a hair and makeup appointment with mom in Santa Monica, so there wasn't even any time to feel sorry for myself. Which I was. A little.

10:00 AM
This is me, very happy about my dad taking a "before" photo (See how small that cup of tea is? Can you blame me for being grumpy?).


12:30 PM
So we got all pampered and primped, and the puffiness was deflated by some miracle eye cream I have to get my little paws on, and we were back home, to change and listen to Ben humming "It's the final countdown". Oy. On the way, my sister called to say congrats and I was very weepy. I wish you were there!

1:30 PM
The family starts trickling in! I don't remember in which order (sorry, I was in the kitchen making grub) - but mom, dad, Ant's parents with respective step parents and maid of honor Amanda. Many good photos are available here (yes, we have a Flickr group, set up by the best best man, Ben. This was a real 21st century wedding).

That's what we looked like, in the last hour and a half of our single lives:


2:30 PM
Off to the courthouse! It's a new courthouse, close to our apartment, kind of in the middle of nowhere. But it was a pretty day, we were on time and there was even time for (many) photos.


3:00 PM
I'm shaking in my 4" heels. The ceremony before us took a bit longer, but I was glad our reservation didn't disappear from the books by means of some cosmic "accident" and that we didn't forget some important something or another. Phew.
It was actually happening.

3:15-3:40 PM
When people think about courthouse weddings, they usually don't think of a warm, heartfelt, romantic ones. Ours was. The judge was a sweet lady that looked like the the witch(es) from "Spirited Away" (how appropriate, to wed two animation geeks), and she gave this beautiful speech about love and relationships and couplehood. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.


We were ten people in the chapel, and we had six cameras, hence the multitude of angles. If you flip through the photos really quickly, it's almost like a wedding video. The judge said we had a paparazzi wedding. Guess who forgot their own camera (eep!).


It was fantastic, we couldn't have asked for anything better.

4:30 PM
Back home, for some cookies and change of wardrobe, and we were off to Manhattan Beach for a extended family dinner. Hooray! It was delicious. No photos from the restaurant (surprising, isn't it?).

6:30 PM
Let the party begin! We gathered our newly acquired families and a group of close friends at the bar of Shade, a cool little hotel in Manhattan Beach (and appearantly a hip and happening south bay hangout spot). We had many drinks, lots more food, some more drinks, a wedding cake and some drinks to wash it all off. We had such a good time. I feels like I didn't get to hang out enough with everyone, but we were so glad everyone came! We had about twenty people, and it was perfect.

From left to right: Ben, Me, Ant and Kaz


Christine, our miracle hostess. She was incredible. Thank you Christina!

From left to right: Chandra, Me, Amanda and Austin

Ben giving the speech he's been practicing for a month and a half. It was great (Ben's a great guy, no wonder)

Here's the cake! I'll spare you the agony this cake caused me the night before, but miracle hostess Christine and wonder best man Ben fixed it.

Yum!


Saturday, March 24th:
1:00 AM
We actually have photos of us hanging out at home, eating Jack in the Box fries and opening presents and cards, but I'm not sharing. We were not really that drunk, just silly.

2:30 PM
Hangover food...

(Coldstone. Peanut-butter-and-chocolate something or another)

Notice the wedding ring? It really did happen!


The aftermath:
It was a shotgun wedding, planned in three weeks, with one week to prepare ourselves physically and mentally, but it was worth it 100%. It was a small, intimate wedding, with a chill, fun small party and everything worked out perfectly according to plan. We couldn't have asked for more or for anything else. Thank y'all for all the warm well wishes and sweet words - your good karma must have made it here.