Weddingbee Blog

Who’s ready for some Turtle wedding recaps?? Well…ready or not, here they come!

Rewind back to July 9, 2010: I was an absolute nervous wreck and had been feeling this way for some time. For the last couple of weeks, if anyone brought up a wedding-related concern to me, or even looked at me the wrong way, I would burst into tears and cry, “I hate the wedding!!”

It wasn’t marrying Mr. Turtle that I was so worked up about. It was whether my bridesmaids and I had time to finish the programs and how my makeup would turn out after my trial the day before that had made me just a little nervous. I remember being afraid that people would forget to show up to the rehearsal, and that a groomsman would forget his suit. An hour before the rehearsal, I still hadn’t finished the slideshow I was working on for the rehearsal dinner or the thank you cards for the wedding party. Our programs did not even work out how I’d planned, and despite my amazing bridesmaids staying up nearly all night with me in our hotel trying to finish them, I had to send my dad and brother to Kinko’s to copy off something that would “at least do the job.” I’d been in such a hurry all day long that I barely had time to get ready for the rehearsal and ended up going with wet hair! Where was the calm and collected, polished and poised bride that I had envisioned? This was not how I had pictured myself the day before my wedding, and when I got to thinking about that, I would start crying all over again!

But the tent frame was set up. The tables had arrived. The rehearsal was about to begin, and this thing was happening no matter what kind of mood I was in!

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And meanwhile, my gorgeous girls were waiting happily inside the house for their cue.

BIL Turtle (left) and Brother Turtle (right) hung out in the backyard.

So did Groomsmen C and J. They were oblivious to any stress that existed and were just genuinely excited to be there for us!

Mr. Turtle and I stressed out as all our beloved friends and family tried to understand where they were supposed to be and what they were supposed to be doing.

Can you tell I felt a little better as soon as our DOC, Danae, stepped in and started directing everyone?

Mr. Turtle waiting inside with his mom

Walking down “the aisle” with my dad…so surreal!

At this moment, Mr. Turtle and I began to realize that in just 24 hours this would all be happening for real!

As the rehearsal drew to a close, our pastor and DOC assured us that all rehearsals feel a little disorganized and that tomorrow, everything would be perfect! When everyone else headed off to the rehearsal dinner location, I hurried into the house, hoping to finish our slideshow and thank you cards! (You may judge me for this, but I am so not usually a procrastinator! No matter how hard you work, there are going to be a few things that you just run out of time for!)

Would I be able to finish the slideshow and thank you cards? Would I finally relax and enjoy the rehearsal dinner? Find out in the next post!

So far, have all of your wedding-related events turned out how you’d hoped? Do you find yourself leaving things for the last minute?