Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner

After our bachelorette spa day, Jill, Jessica, and I headed back to my apartment (where they had stayed with me the night before) and got all our stuff in the car. It was CRAZY trying to make sure I had everything I would need for more than a week! I knew Steven could bring me anything I forgot, but he had a wedding day to-do list so I wanted to make sure I remembered everything. The car was packed to the gills, but I had it all! We headed to the church, and I was really nervous! It was awkward when we first got there because everyone was there but Steven and his groomsmen. I didn't know if I should be talking to my family, his family, or my bridesmaids and of course they were sort of all in separate groups. Luckily the boys showed up about 10 minutes later and everyone chit chatted a little as we waited for the rehearsal before us to end.

 When it was our turn to go in, I was nervous that I would forget a lot of things and be clueless on the wedding day, but I absorbed it pretty well. The wedding committee wasn't super helpful, which is weird since they do 1-2 weddings a week all year except Lent! She kept saying the deacon might do this or might do that... he might say this or might say that.... and I wanted to scream and tell her that if these are my cues, I would like a little more specific information! The groomsmen were chatty and making way more jokes than I liked. I felt like the girls were the only ones listening. I was a stressed out bride! It did go pretty well though, and I was relieved when it was over because it didn't sound like anything I couldn't handle  (walk down the aisle, stand, sit, stand, walk back down the aisle). I did have a bit of a freak out moment because after the wedding committee said they were done, Steven went and talked to his guys. But then the committee members came to me asking me questions and giving me more information and I really wanted Steven there with me! He was in the entry way and I was all the way up by the altar. I was begging in my head for him to turn around so I could motion him over. When we got outside and were walking to the cars (the girls were riding together and the boys riding separately) I started crying. I think I was just overwhelmed and didn't like not having Steven right there with me during wedding related stuff. Luckily my girls got me back and track, and I sent Steven a quick text to let him know I needed him to be extra attentive to me, which he completely was the rest of the evening. It's a hard balance when you have SO many people there all for you.

When we got to the restaurant, Tir Na Nog, we were seated in the Cottage Room, which on the outside looks just like an Irish cottage. The inside is all dark, mismatched wood chairs and tables, deep red walls, a fireplace, and art work. It's funky, which we liked. Neither of us are Irish (ok I have like a drop), but we liked the feel of the room, the food was good, the price was right, AND they use all local produce which made us really happy. It was a bit weird at the beginning because the restaurant was quiet and our hodge podge group had a hard time getting going. But about 10-15 minutes in the music started (which wasn't any of our 'styles' but was really fun), and everyone started loosening up and having a good time.

Steven and I enjoyed ourselves more than I thought we would, and my dad schmoozed with the groomsmen which I thought was hilarious. The food was cottage pie, roast chicken, mixed vegetables, and um... some other stuff I forgot. Attendees, help a girl out. Anyway, it was really good! The lady who owns the place decorated and did the groom's cake. She did an NC State themed cake since that's where Steven went, so all the flowers were red and white themed and she even had State napkins. She did SUCH a good job!

I liked that it felt like Steven since, let's face it, a lot of the wedding felt like me. We practiced cake cutting with the groom's cake, and then ate like crazy because it was super delicious. We called it a night kind of early because Steven's parents had to drive back to Oxford and we were going to see some out of town family at the hotel bar. Next up.... bridesmaid slumber party post- possibly combined with the morning of the wedding :).