Wedding!

Ryan and Nichole's Wedding, Charleston, SC, October 7, 2006

I was super delayed getting into Charleston on Friday. I left on a bus from Grand Central at 12:50 and didn't arrive in Charleston until 11 PM. I read, I texted, I met this semi-drunk couple from Maine and they showed me pictures of South Africa. Saturday morning my brother and I drove to where my mom and fam were staying in the beach house. I went for a run. The ocean was calm, the weather cool...it was just what I needed.

The private ring ceremony was very intimate and beautiful. The backdrop was a marsh on Magnolia Plantation, candles, and a dog as the ring bearer. Quite possibly the funniest and cutest thing I have ever seen. Then all the peeps arrived. The hall had ivy with flowers all over, candles, and the food was delicious and very southern. Mac and cheese, with your choice of topping: lobster, bacon, chives, crab meat, the rest: salads, roastbeef, asparagus, shrimp scampi with hot sausage. And the cake was raspberry chocolate with white buttercream/coconut icing. I hardly even minded the coconut. YUM. We danced, we were marry...and since both Nichole's brother and sister gave a toast...I felt compelled to give mine. It honored my brother and his new wife, it made people laugh...and cry, I guess all in all a great toast. Lots of people came up to me afterwards and even the caterers and DJ said how great it was. Pfew. And my brother said, "You're a dork." So I think I was successful. It was quite the day. Everyone who got up to say anything about Ry and Nichole just started crying...a true testament to how much they are loved.
PS: Aside from the bride, my mom had the best dress of the night. GORGEOUS.