Sewn Together: Anticipation

After pictures, we drove over to the Anela Garden Chapel.

Once there, I was promptly seated upstairs in the guesthouse to do nothing but wait.

I issued commands to my brother, who ran back and forth from my waiting perch to the chapel in order to get things set up. Our cranes apparently didn't fit anywhere, so he divided them in half and put them on either side of the gazebo entrance. Good save, brother.

My mother pinned boutonnieres and corsages on just about everyone. Sak's great aunt is a pro, and made about five billion orchid and rose masterpieces for various family members.

(Photo by parents)

(Photo by parents)

Our photographer, Barbara, used the down time to get some classic bridal shots - the kind one imagines showing future family generations when she is older.

"See kids, Granny was capable of looking mighty respectable back in the day!"

And she also got some great shots of Sak and his family:

See why I'm glad we made the change away from the transition lens? I'm quite fond of Sak's glasses now!

Aww, brothers!

Force hug!

While outside, Sak worked quickly to get the prelude music going. Our nerdier friends were very surprised at our selections, and had a good time (and a good laugh) guessing all the songs. Sak ended up using piano versions (which he slowed down and removed "overly epic-ness" using sound editing software) of many different video game, anime and J-Pop songs. Specifically on the piano music list: Pokemon SS Anne Melody, Final Fantasy Legend, F-Zero - Silence, Kirby's Dreamland - Green Greens, Zelda Wind Waker - Ocean Theme, and L'arc-en-ciel - Ready Steady Go.  He did a good job, and I doubt anyone "not in the know" would have guessed that they weren't your typical wedding songs, since they were all nice and flowy.

As guests arrived, our friends stood around and handed out programs, bubbles and tears of allergies packets. I have no idea who asked them to do this, but I'm glad they did.

Somehow a lot of guests ended up in the waiting room building, for who-knows-what reason. Sak's family had to shuffle them all out and towards the chapel, which took a while.

And while the herding was taking place, the meltdown occurred. (What's a wedding like without one, right?) Well, this time it was Penga-Sis doing the melting. Somewhere between the beach photos and the waiting, her mood had soured, and she was a crying, scowling mess.

Was it pre-teen hormones? Anger at being taken to a beach and not being able to swim in the inviting waters? Lack of sleep?

In any case, my Dad threatened to pull her out of the ceremonial line-up. Not good.

Luckily for all of us though, we discovered the crux of the problem. Her cute little black heels, maybe an inch and a half high, were wrecking havoc on her untrained feet. We all threw out the unnecessary, "I knew you shouldn't have bought those shoes. We told you so", and considered the idea of her walking down barefoot.

Luckily again, I remembered that I had brought an extra pair of (flat) sandals with me. Since we wear the same shoe size, we (and her poor feet) were saved!

(Photo by parents) A little pre-teen angst left, but on the whole, much happier!

Crisis averted, my brother sat down to pray for my marriage, and my sister's feet.

(Photo by parents)

And then it was time to get married.

(Unless otherwise noted, all images by Terra Photography)

Our wedding week in review:

• We took care of some last minute DIY details, and officialized everything.
• We vacationed with our out-of-towners, and threw a yummy welcome beach brunch.
• Sak saluted an angry dragon during our wedding rehearsal, and we sniffed at our dinner.
• Wal-Mart crashed my bachelorette.
• The women magically transformed, and Sak tied me into our dress.
• There was a windy photoshoot on the beach.