The Caboose Has Arrived

To top off a summer that was crazy-full of all things bridal (If my planner serves me well [and let's face it, if it's not in there it didn't happen], since March I've attended 9 weddings, 3 bridal showers, 2 bachelorette parties, 2 rehearsal dinners, an extra reception, and I ushed--Whew!) this past weekend I had the honor of attending not 1 but 2 amazing weddings. It kind of felt like I was riding the wedding train, and the caboose had finally arrived.

For the wedding of Suzanne & Barrett, dear friends from Taylor, there was the added bonus of having a slew of my Taylor friends in for the long weekend. Thursday night we girls went out on the town--or rather, the lake--for a very fun dinner cruise. Friday night we dined Italian style around a huge table, lingering long after the plates were cleared, sharing in turn how much we love and appreciate Barrett & Suzanne. Saturday evening the ladies were stunning in red and the men looked quite dashing, but Suzanne's radiant bridal glow and the joy on Barrett's face eclipsed everything else as Chuck walked Suzanne down the aisle. Hooray for weddings. :) After the bride and groom had stolen away from the reception, the rest of us decided together time was too rare to just go home, so everyone came back to my place where we relaxed until 3:30 in the morning.

Early Sunday morning I took Lynn to the airport, and then by 3:00 it was time to start all over again! Rachel & Eric definitely win the prize for the coolest wedding venue. Quite simply, I loved everything about their ceremony and reception, from the gazebo to the 4 guys playing guitar and mandolin on the side to the chips and guacamole on the veranda (eh, Bonnie, how bout that guac?!) to the paper lanterns hung criss-cross from the beams in the barn to the little pots of grass and green flowers on the table to the cheesecake to dancing to Ann Sather's cinnamon rolls on the way out the door. (You know a wedding & reception were something special when you find yourself closing your eyes and reliving the whole experience! And watering your little pot of grass, willing it to live...)

Okay, so maybe all of these weddings have gone to my head a bit. As much as I enjoyed them all, and as thrilled as I am for all of my lovely married friends, I now breathe a small sigh of relief and smile as the caboose goes rattling down the track.