Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Getting Ready for the Wedding

Friday May 22 and Saturday May 23, 2015

 

Pam, a close family friend,  has already put her wonderful pictures on facebook so this may be old news. Those of you who know me well know I don’t do facebook but I may have to change my mind since it is SO much easier than blogging and SO much quicker. 

But it may be harder for me to go back to other’s posts in future years, so here’s my version of the the first part of Carrie’s wedding week-end.  After the low 90’s heat of last week and the prediction for the same for this week, it is amazing what absolutely perfect weather they have for all 3 days of their celebration.   They are starting out charmed on their life together.

 

 

FRIDAY

 

First - the rehearsal.  We all rendezvous at the Gramercy Mansion at 2pm.  It’s an elegant house, north of Baltimore, Maryland, on beautiful wooded grounds with fantastic gardens.

 

 

 

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The wedding is outside, the weather is gorgeous, the venue is perfect.  We practice the walk down several times, the musicians play and sing.  Carrie has chosen Pachelbel’s Canon in D for her processional.  It was the song her father and I had at our wedding oh those many years ago.  Very sweet of her!  Matt does an outstanding job on the guitar.   There are many Matts in this wedding.  One is the groom.  We call him Matthew.  One is the guitarist, We call him Matt.  One is a groomsman, Matthew’s close friend.  We call him Matt C.

 

Matt and Debbie

 

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rehearsing the walk

 

 

We finish up around 3:30 and are hosted by Matthew’s parents, Joan and Bob, at their beautiful home nearby until the rehearsal dinner at 5:00.

 

 

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The dinner is also generously hosted by Joan and Bob. The company is excellent, the food is delicious, and the bananas foster lights up the room nearly as much as all the smiles.   We toast the bride and groom.

 

 

 

 

 

Our host and hostess, Bob and Joan Iwanowski

 

 

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SATURDAY

 

The big day is here.  Carrie and her girls arrive around noon at the Renaissance Salon to have their hair and make up done. Manicure and pedicure were yesterday.  I notice the wedding day thing has gotten a lot more complicated since David and I had a simple wedding, no frills, no salon, in Williamsburg in 1978.

It’s all quite exciting. 

 

The bride and matron of honor, Jessica Green Smith,  make some last minute checks.  Everything appears to be “on schedule”IMG_4814

 

 

Kate VanDerbeek and Eleanor Hemmings wait their turn for make up.  They have already had their hair done.  Looks like the bride is wisely relaxing while she can.

 

 

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Proud Mother of the Bride.

 

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Can they really make Alyssa Bowlby more glamorous than she already is?

 

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A little champagne will add to the festivities. 

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At first, Carrie and I both think the make up looks a little much but clearly they know what they are doing here.  Later…..with the dress, the hair and in the photographer’s photos, it looks fantastic.

 

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Kate and Carrie.  Friends since second grade.

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Kim works her wonders on Carrie.

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I think she likes it.

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So elegant!   It’s just fantastic Kim.

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There’s an audience, including me and my camera, for the addition of the veil.

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The salon has provided a private room for all our things and some nibbles.  Eleanor has brought delicious sandwiches.  Thank you Eleanor, I never even thought about the fact that we’d have no time for lunch.  Carrie has the best friends.

 

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Time to head out the Gramercy but not before a few more checks…..Jess, Carrie, Eleanor.  What did the bridal party do before cell phones?

 

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Time to meet the photograph and get dressed for the 6:00 ceremony. 
Everyone looks and feels fantastic. 
We are so excited.  What a great day! 


The wedding deserves its own post and that’s just what it will get.
Later! 
Maybe if I wait long enough I can use some of the amazing professional photos taken.

26 comments:

  1. Old news no matter. I couldn't wait for your photos and commentary even though I saw the Facebook photos. You are exactly right, Sherry, ther is no way to track your life sequentially in Facebook. That is why I won't give up my blog even though I use Facebook for updates in between blog posts. It works for me. Looking forward to you version of the wedding.

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  2. Yep, FB is quick and easy but you can't detail things like you can in a blog post. Like Sue, we also do both.

    www.travelwithkevinandruth.com

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  3. Your daughter is just beautiful. You must be so proud! You all deserve so much happiness, so happy the weather co-operated for you. Our best wishes to everyone.

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  4. I'm glad it went off without a hitch. Now I'll just have to be content until you give us the details. I'm not a FB user.

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  5. How wondrful that you had great weather! This time of year can be so strange in the east. Can't wait for the wedding post!! The first day was awesome:) So happy for your family! Carrie is a beautiful bride. Love her hair!

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  6. What a beautiful bride she will be. I can't wait to see the details of the wedding.

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  7. I have been holding my breath.....glad to get the update thus far, now I can breath before the wedding. It makes my heart happy to see the wonderful preparations and festivities that you are enjoying. It is a beautiful spot. Cant wait to see the rest of the big day!

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  8. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy...what a wonderful start to this SPECIAL Wedding!! Carrie just looks radiant and you and David look so proud:o)) Can't wait to see the Wedding Post!!!

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  9. Beautiful ... and I imagine the wedding was even more beautiful. I finally gave in and do some FB now ... it was the only way to stay in touch with friends who do nothing else.

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  10. Facebook has its place and is fun for quick updates. But nothing can replace the journal value of the blog!

    I'm loving watching the wedding unfold!

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  11. It all looks wonderful. can't wait for Part 2!

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  12. FB is great for some things, but the blog is so much better for documenting life's events. And this is a Biggie! You all look so beautiful. But Wow, three days to get married. Things are different now. I look forward to the wedding pics.

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  13. Very beautiful already and now to wait to see the big day. Great pictures to hold for memories.

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  14. Wow, everything looks so beautiful! Especially the bride and the mother-of-the-bride!

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  15. I am with you with facebook...not much of a fan. However, I have set it up so that all of my blog posts go to a facebook page under the GoingRvWay name (www.facebook.com/goingrvway). I use my name's facebook to post a few pictures and talk a bit about what I have posted on the blog. SO many of my family are on facebook, that this is reaching out to them, and it is linking me with a few old friends too. Not hard to set up, I use ifttt.com (IF This Than That). All free. Looks like the wedding went well....now time to rest up a bit. --Dave

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  16. Excellent ! I've been waiting for these updates.
    I knew you would do a terrific job documenting it....

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  17. I'm so glad the weather cooperated for the wedding. Everybody looks so pretty all made up. I saw the FB pictures with you in make up!!! Looking good Sherry.

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  18. Love the 'getting ready' pictures! What a wonderful day you all had. Congratulations!

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  19. What a beautiful, beautiful bride Carrie is! She just shines!

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  20. Yay! Missed you :-) It's already over but I get teary looking at the pics of Carrie and her girls getting ready for the big event - so much happiness and promise for the future. I love that she chose your wedding song as hers, although I'm not surprised :-) Can you imagine how many wedding albums that stylist is in? I've often thought that about officiates, but just realized the "prep" folks must be in a lot too. Silly.

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  21. I missed you on here too as you already know, but the pictures were so worth the wait. You are a gorgeous mother of the bride, David a handsome, debonair father of the bride and Carrie..... well no good words to describe the beauty of that beautiful bride!!! Can hardly wait to see the wedding pictures.

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  22. Oh, my goodness, Carrie looks so very beautiful!!! Altho she always does... Started crying at beginning of post... oh, no the wedding later.. well it gives me time to compose myself :) Such a lovely venue.. so very happy for ALL of you!!!

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  23. Carrie is stunning! And YOU.....my, you sure clean up to be lovely too! Kind of different than the normal hiking and kayaking attire, ya think? Looking forward to the wedding photos.

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  24. Oh, how fun!! I've been waiting for this (and since I don't do Facebook, I'm happy you blog). It looks like everything was perfect for this most special event. Carrie is gorgeous, and so are you! David looks mighty handsome, too. Looking forward to the big event. :-)

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  25. What a wonderful post, all I can say is the bride looks amazing! All the best to the special couple! :c)

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