A Weekend Southside- A retro post

Last night in an impromptu Skype session, my biffle M and I were baffling over the difference between six months ago and now. Our third biffle was still engaged, we lived in the same state, we were both single and crazy, and we were baffling over what to do with ourselves over the next six months. Now we are living more than 3000 miles apart and still managing to stay invasively involved in the other's life. I'd call that success.

But in thinking over our conversation, I realized that I never posted about our weekend Southside, visiting the bride-to-be and picking out bridesmaids' dresses last April. So as almost a year has past, I feel it is appropriate to share these pictures with you.

So, so, so sunburned. (That happened before we ever got down there, she can't blame our mutual activities.)

The biffles x

The biffles drink. There's a good story about the one on the right.... Stay tuned (it's included below).

Lovely.

Even lovelier

There's something about taking pictures right next to each other: You can't see what the two people beside you are actually doing. Be careful, you might end up cheesing it while your friends do... well who even knows what.

 The night we got down to E's neck of the woods, we hung out that the family restaurant for a few hours and then went to a chill bar to hang out some more. Obviously a little photoshoot erupted, but we didn't scare anyone away. So don't worry. 

And the mason jar story? Well, I went to the bathroom for a couple of minutes, and when I came back out, I took a sip of my beer in the mason jar. Totally normal thing to do, except I spat it out. Because suddenly my beer had become very hot. I don't mean that it was no longer ice cold, nor do I mean that it was like the best beer ever. What I mean was that it was spicy, very, very, spicy. 

With utterly straight faces, everyone at the table tasted the beer when I wouldn't shut up about the weird, new taste. Every single one of them told me they didn't taste anything weird, everyone except one. This one kind soul was the last to taste the beer. He took one taste, looked at me, started laughing and just said, 'Sorry, I can't do this. That actually tastes terrible!' 

When everyone started yelling at him for giving them away, I realized that my 'friends' had put Tabasco hot sauce in my drink while I was away from the table. They all proceeded to spit out the bad taste around the table, and someone bought me a new beer. 

'Friends'! Pah!

I taught them that monkey face.

The happy couple.

The happier couple.

The really happy couple.

 

 The next day, with sore heads and dreading hearts, we went bridesmaids' dress shopping. After trying on literally a hundred dresses (I don't know how we managed honestly), we finally decided. 

At the time, I remember consciously deciding not to post these pictures because I didn't want to ruin the surprise of the dress design. But since you've already seen all the wedding photos, I think it's okay.... 

Then, it was sadly time to say goodbye. With a bug hug, we hit the road.

M showing off her muscles. It's okay, girl, we know you're strong. No need to rub it in!

Wedding Day!!! Part Two: The Big Day

This post is a long overdue follow-up and climactic ending to Part One.

After the helter-skelter of the months leading up to the wedding, after the frenziness of the pre-wedding week, after the stress, and the drama, and the moments when you thought everyone was going to break down and run away, the wedding day comes. It's still stressful and tightly scheduled. There are still mishaps and dramas. But it's important that these things happen. It's important to be so hyped up on nerves that everything is felt more deeply than normal. All sadness, pain, happiness, and laughter. The stupidest insult stabs; the most ridiculous story is believed. The slightest mishap at the altar throws the entirety of the wedding party into struggling laughter. The smallest smile from the bride and groom is reflected across the entire Church. And when the ceremony ends, and everyone can finally calm down, it takes about five hours before we're done shaking. Or before we're shaking for a different reason.

The importance of your best friend's wedding can be explained in two moments.

One moment is when you first wake up. You're on two hours of sleep and the sun hasn't come back yet. You're thinking about everything that happened and that will happen, and you're just plain nervous as anything that you'll faint in those skyscraper shoes at the altar. And as the sun comes up, two best friends join you, and you remember the sanity (or insanity) of friendship and why you wouldn't be anywhere else today.

The second moment happens when you're standing at the altar with all the bridesmaids and all the groomsmen and the Church's attention finally moves away from all of you and your massively uncomfortable shoes (men's or women's worse? We're still fighting over that one). She's walking in, and slowly everyone turns from her to the groom. Now, romantic comedies always preach to remember to see the groom's face. But standing on the altar, you suddenly discover you can't see his face. But you can see hers change as she sees him. And that'll be enough. It's priceless.

The groom's party. Don't know what us bridesmaids would've done without you guys. Thank you!

So the groomsmen were all ready and dashing...

Meanwhile, the bridal party's a hot mess

What are these buttons, E???

"I got the easy job! Switching rings though!'

'Uh, wait a second.'

'Don't look at their faces as they walk past! You'll just laugh harder'

Very impressed right now!

With candles and everything!

She was so impressive. She carried everything, and still didn't burn him!

We were the first up and last out. At least I had two people to catch me if I fainted!

The lovely mother of the bride!

'Guys, can we just go EAT yet?'

'Honey, let's show off that new dance we just invented!'

Yup, it's a match made in heaven for sure.

When did she get so tall?

The longer the night...

The weirder it gets....

A big thank you to those who shared their photos with me. I'm sorry for not posting names, but I won't ever share names on the blog without permission. But you know who you are, and when I see you in a few months, you will get a big hug from me! Or chocolate cake! Or a drink! Whichever!

Congratulations to two of the loveliest people I know.

Sti ya-mas!