Had a great psuedo-vacation this weekend, even though I am losing my mind.
So I somehow made it up to Boston in one piece after driving directly on Thursday morning from work after completing another 16 hour shift, and after finishing a round of horribly insane overnights where I got about 4 hours of sleep a day max. Got to Boston around 12pm, and took a 4 hour nap. Woke up to a phone call from Amy, which was fine since I was planning to get up at 5pm to meet them and Mark's mom for dinner.
Got to Andover at 7pm, and Amy, her husband Mark, and I were going to meet Mark's mom in Newburyport at a vegan and raw restaurant she had heard lots about. Thank GOODNESS they called for reservations, cause what do you know the place closed officially May 1 (went out a business). So we got together at a thai restaurant in Andover instead. We had a great time. I really have missed Amy and Mark and am looking forward to seeing them more in the next three years. And I am lucky, since I get along with my boyfriend's parents so much that the thought of hanging out with his mom without him since he was stuck at work didn't even phase me. There is always something for us to talk about together.
Friday was an errand day for me while Mark worked. Then I made dinner and we walked around Davis some.
Saturday was Corynne's big day. My good friend Corynne who I went to Kenya with was finally marrying her long time (12 year) boyfriend Paul. The wedding was on the Cape. I had initially suggested to Mark that we get a hotel for the night, but most of the hotels in the area required a 2 night stay at over a $100 a night. So to save money for our upcoming trip to San Fran he asked that we not get a room and save money by driving. I agreed under the condition that HE drove since it would be 2 hours back to Boston that night and I was planning on drinking.
Well, our initial plans of going to Provincetown first got a little thwarted, I was lazy and didn't want to get out of bed, plus there were supposed to be thunderstorms all morning so I figured what was the point in driving to the town and not being able to walk it with the rain. So we were a little slow to get started. So slow rather then driving with our regular clothes on to change at my friend's hotel room as planned we just got dressed up and headed out. We had to stop at Kohl's because I had forgotten shoes and Mark couldn't find his ties, so we stop there and I bought this CRAPPY non-leather pair of black shoes for $19, Mark got a nice green and blue tie. We get back in the car and THEN I realize that we had left their wedding gift in Mark's car since I thought we would be taking that car and last minute Mark wanted to take mine. We didn't have time to go back, so I decided since Corynne and Paul only live 3 streets over from us I would have to drop it off later.
So we got on the road and headed to the Cape. Stopped once almost there to pick up a wedding card. As we are getting towards the wedding the clouds started to part some. Mark was a little apprehensive about the wedding since the last couple he had been to were more formal then he liked. So we get to the yacht club where their wedding is and I keep reassuring him "This is Corynne's wedding, it is going to be laid back, don't worry".
Walking down the steep slope was quite hard in these horrible heels I had just bought, Mark offered to take my arm and I joked "You are never this romantic" to which he replied "If I don't do this you will fall on your face!"
I ran in to some old vet school friends from the class below me, the scenery and the building was gorgeous, and we headed down right away for the ceremony on the beach. The best part, the wedding favors were FLIP FLOPS and the entire wedding party was wearing them, so everyone changed in to flip flops and I only had to endure the heels for about 10 minutes as the majority of the women decided to just wear the flip flops the whole night.
The ceremony lasted 10 minutes since the tide was coming in and threatened to get all the beautiful dresses wet. Corynne's gown was GORGEOUS, probably the most fitting and beautiful gown I have seen on a bride yet. She looked stunning. And the groom as well as the groomsmen had a little bit of untraditional wear, with a brown suit for Paul and tan suits for the boys with green ties, but it was very fitting for them.
After the ceremony it was open bar and hor d'eouvers the entire night, which was a different concept then what Mark and I were used to with weddings, but it was actually very nice. They had delicious treats all night, and Mark and I were talking about how without the whole meal aspect there was no requirement for people to sit down. This kept with the very laid back environment and allowed us all to wander and mingle with everyone. After about an hour Mark realized how much fun he was having, and the thought of not drinking anymore with a 2 hour drive home seemed horrible, so he disappeared and returned 10 minutes later informing me he had called around and found us a last minute hotel about 10 minutes from the after party. The speeches from all the bridesmaids and best man were perfect. The wedding was phenomenal. I also got to chat with lots of people I had never really talked with before except for at a couple of Paul's KMO Fests he hosts in honor of his deceased brother every year, and it was great! I really got along with them all so well, as did Mark.
So we ran over to the hotel we got last minute at 10pm, got the keys, then headed back to the after party which was only a mile down the road. The after party was relaxing, almost everyone had changed and we all played beer games, listened to good music, and relaxed.
After we headed back to our impromptu hotel at 1am, which we hadn't really looked at before. I hate to say it, but it was by far the WORST HOTEL I HAVE EVER STAYED IN. It's bathroom had a leak in the ceiling so you couldn't sit on the toilet without your feet and back getting wet. We went through 3 towels throughout the night trying to soak up the water. There were spiders and bugs in the corners. The bed was a freaking rock. But it made me laugh after.
On our drive back Mark had to agree that it was the nicest wedding we have been to yet, and for me that is saying something since I have been to some great weddings before myself. I hope whenever I get married some day I can make it as relaxed and enjoyable. Thinking about all the wedding traditions gets me scared a bit too though, like isn't the bride's family supposed to pay for most of the wedding? Well with it just being my mom, that will be rough, and I doubt she can afford much. And then there is the parents' first dance with the bride and groom...who will I dance with since my dad won't be there? Well, sad things, but things I probably won't have to really worry about for years to come.
