We arrived at the church a little early . . . Tracey, the beautiful bride, wasn't quite there yet. The handsome groom, "Uncle" Dan, was there, patiently waiting for the fun to begin. And he looked so sharp in his wedding day attire. He looked so happy . . . relaxed, excited.
As any mom would -- especially one that moonlights as a photographer -- I had my camera with me. Arriving early allowed me ample time to take a LOT of pictures of Meg, once we had her dressed and ready to go. She was so very excited to wear that lovely white dress. *Sigh* It was just precious.
"Meg Cinderella," she told me.
"You are? Well, who is Addie?" Addie was another little flower girl, dressed identically to Meg, just a smaller version.
"Addie Snow White," Meg explained.
And the rest of the afternoon, she repeated that to everyone. "Meg Cinderella. Addie Snow White." Those that understood her smiled and nodded . . . well, I guess everyone smiled and nodded, even those who don't quite understand the "accent" of our two-year old.
We spent about 2 hours at the church . . . taking pictures, getting dressed, running around. And then the big moment arrived -- what I'd been thinking about and anticipating. I knew there would be a point when the wedding would be near the beginning, and I would have to leave Meg at the back of the church. She would have to stay behind the closed doors, no Mommy or Daddy to help her begin her role as flower girl. I was relieved to find out a the rehearsal t
hat there were 3 'big kids' in the wedding, and Meg would be holding hands with another little girl as she walked down the aisle. I hoped that the excitement of being paired with another girl-in-a-fancy-dress would help ease any anxiety Meg was feeling as I left to to her job.
When it was time, I quietly slipped into the church (well, as quietly as my heels would allow). I didn't make a big thing about leaving Meg . . . she was all set, holding the hand of the 'big kid' that was going to walk down the aisle with her. I just nodded to the bridesmaid (the one-and-only in the wedding party), and she knew that I was going to leave. I gulped, turned, and left. I didn't look back for fear that Meg would notice me.
As any mom would -- especially one that moonlights as a photographer -- I had my camera with me. Arriving early allowed me ample time to take a LOT of pictures of Meg, once we had her dressed and ready to go. She was so very excited to wear that lovely white dress. *Sigh* It was just precious.
"Meg Cinderella," she told me.
"You are? Well, who is Addie?" Addie was another little flower girl, dressed identically to Meg, just a smaller version.
"Addie Snow White," Meg explained.
And the rest of the afternoon, she repeated that to everyone. "Meg Cinderella. Addie Snow White." Those that understood her smiled and nodded . . . well, I guess everyone smiled and nodded, even those who don't quite understand the "accent" of our two-year old.We spent about 2 hours at the church . . . taking pictures, getting dressed, running around. And then the big moment arrived -- what I'd been thinking about and anticipating. I knew there would be a point when the wedding would be near the beginning, and I would have to leave Meg at the back of the church. She would have to stay behind the closed doors, no Mommy or Daddy to help her begin her role as flower girl. I was relieved to find out a the rehearsal t
hat there were 3 'big kids' in the wedding, and Meg would be holding hands with another little girl as she walked down the aisle. I hoped that the excitement of being paired with another girl-in-a-fancy-dress would help ease any anxiety Meg was feeling as I left to to her job.When it was time, I quietly slipped into the church (well, as quietly as my heels would allow). I didn't make a big thing about leaving Meg . . . she was all set, holding the hand of the 'big kid' that was going to walk down the aisle with her. I just nodded to the bridesmaid (the one-and-only in the wedding party), and she knew that I was going to leave. I gulped, turned, and left. I didn't look back for fear that Meg would notice me.
(Of course, I had guilt about just abandoning her . . . fear that she'd 
look for me and I'd be gone. I just had to take my chances . . . I figured that the whole leave-while-she's-not-looking trick works when we have babysitters, so it should suffice here.)
I sat at the front of the church. It felt like forever until the mothers were seated and the groom's party entered the sanctuary. Then the bridesmaid came in.
And then I turned full around and stared at the back of the church. This was Meg's big moment.
I saw her little blonde head walk across the back of the church . . . I could really only see the top of her head and her bow as she walked behind the last row of pews. Then she (and her darling partner) stopped at the end of the aisle and turned toward the alter.
Together, hand-in-hand, they walked up the aisle.
My heart was so swollen with pride. I instantly got teary-eyed. I was so excited to see our little girl, all proud and strutting down the aisle. She was not taken aback by the crowd in the pews or the music of the organ. She didn't seem to mind that she was not with Mom or Dad . . . that she couldn't even locate either of us at that moment. She just walked right on down that aisle, then turned and stood near the bridesmaid to wait for her counterparts, the other kids in the wedding.
When everyone was at the alter, we stood up and welcomed Tracey, the stunning bride that she was. I couldn't see Meg at this point . . . to see her reaction to it all. Jim had the perfect view of Meg's face, and he said she was in total awe. He said her eyes were so bright, and she was completely fixated on what was going on. When the minister began to speak, Jim said Meg was glued to his every word. When we were instructed to be seated (wedding part included), Jim said Meg just hopped right into the bridesmaid's lap and didn't make a peep.
She was a total, complete angel. I couldn't make this stuff up . . . and I certainly wouldn't gush like this if it weren't true. I could not have been more proud of her, more proud to be her mom. She was absolutely perfect during the entire ceremony.
About 2/3 of the way through the service (probably 20-25 min or so), it was time for the communion, and Jim thought Meg might be getting a bit restless. He motioned her to come over to his side of the alter, and she did gladly, declaring when she reached him: "Meg have to go potty."
OF COURSE she had to go potty. We went right before the ceremony -- I think I've gotten the hang of this potty thing after nearly 6 months, so I knew to take her before everything began. Still, that does not guarantee that she won't have to go again.
Jim waved her on to me (as all father's with daughters do), and together Meg and I slipped out of the sanctuary and into the bathroom. Business was done, tights were pulled back into place, and back to the service we went. The best part was that we were able to take care of everything during the communion . . . when people are all up and about anyway . . . so it was no disruption at all.
Back to the front of the church Meg went, just in time to grab her flowers and journey back down the aisle. Except . . . when it was time to go . . . another little girl grabbed Meg's flowers, so there was a small bit of a chase as Meg attempted to recover them. About 1/2 way to the back of the church, Meg caught up with the little girl and tried to get the flowers back. Needlestosay, the other flower girl was not to keen on giving up her flowers . . . so the bridesmaid followed Meg and handed her a different arrangement.
With a few chuckles from the crowd behind them, both Meg and the other flower girl continued down the aisle in peace, each with their own flowers.
I snuck down the aisle to meet the girls, and I couldn't wait to tell Meg how proud of her I was. She had done the whole thing -- all of her flower girl duties -- with no problem at all. I couldn't have been happier or more delighted at how she reacted to the situation. What a big girl we have.
look for me and I'd be gone. I just had to take my chances . . . I figured that the whole leave-while-she's-not-looking trick works when we have babysitters, so it should suffice here.)I sat at the front of the church. It felt like forever until the mothers were seated and the groom's party entered the sanctuary. Then the bridesmaid came in.
And then I turned full around and stared at the back of the church. This was Meg's big moment.
I saw her little blonde head walk across the back of the church . . . I could really only see the top of her head and her bow as she walked behind the last row of pews. Then she (and her darling partner) stopped at the end of the aisle and turned toward the alter.
Together, hand-in-hand, they walked up the aisle.
My heart was so swollen with pride. I instantly got teary-eyed. I was so excited to see our little girl, all proud and strutting down the aisle. She was not taken aback by the crowd in the pews or the music of the organ. She didn't seem to mind that she was not with Mom or Dad . . . that she couldn't even locate either of us at that moment. She just walked right on down that aisle, then turned and stood near the bridesmaid to wait for her counterparts, the other kids in the wedding.
When everyone was at the alter, we stood up and welcomed Tracey, the stunning bride that she was. I couldn't see Meg at this point . . . to see her reaction to it all. Jim had the perfect view of Meg's face, and he said she was in total awe. He said her eyes were so bright, and she was completely fixated on what was going on. When the minister began to speak, Jim said Meg was glued to his every word. When we were instructed to be seated (wedding part included), Jim said Meg just hopped right into the bridesmaid's lap and didn't make a peep.
She was a total, complete angel. I couldn't make this stuff up . . . and I certainly wouldn't gush like this if it weren't true. I could not have been more proud of her, more proud to be her mom. She was absolutely perfect during the entire ceremony.
About 2/3 of the way through the service (probably 20-25 min or so), it was time for the communion, and Jim thought Meg might be getting a bit restless. He motioned her to come over to his side of the alter, and she did gladly, declaring when she reached him: "Meg have to go potty."
OF COURSE she had to go potty. We went right before the ceremony -- I think I've gotten the hang of this potty thing after nearly 6 months, so I knew to take her before everything began. Still, that does not guarantee that she won't have to go again.
Jim waved her on to me (as all father's with daughters do), and together Meg and I slipped out of the sanctuary and into the bathroom. Business was done, tights were pulled back into place, and back to the service we went. The best part was that we were able to take care of everything during the communion . . . when people are all up and about anyway . . . so it was no disruption at all.
Back to the front of the church Meg went, just in time to grab her flowers and journey back down the aisle. Except . . . when it was time to go . . . another little girl grabbed Meg's flowers, so there was a small bit of a chase as Meg attempted to recover them. About 1/2 way to the back of the church, Meg caught up with the little girl and tried to get the flowers back. Needlestosay, the other flower girl was not to keen on giving up her flowers . . . so the bridesmaid followed Meg and handed her a different arrangement.
With a few chuckles from the crowd behind them, both Meg and the other flower girl continued down the aisle in peace, each with their own flowers.
I snuck down the aisle to meet the girls, and I couldn't wait to tell Meg how proud of her I was. She had done the whole thing -- all of her flower girl duties -- with no problem at all. I couldn't have been happier or more delighted at how she reacted to the situation. What a big girl we have.
The rest of the evening was as exciting and perfect as the service itself. We joined Dan, Tracey, and their friends and family for dinner in Decatur at Carpe Diem. We all visited, ate . . . the usual wedding reception affair. It was quaint and simple, perfectly planned for the couple we were celebrating.
At about 10pm, 2.5 hours past bedtime, Meg SLAMMED into her (figurative) wall and began to show us all how tired she truly was. A few tears were shed, and there was a lot of "Mommy pick up Me" requests. Brilliant as I am -- and because it had worked so well the night before -- I had Megs PJs with me, so off we went to change and get ready for our departure. We rejoined the group (jammies and all) briefly to say our goodbyes, then off we went again . . . for good this time, back to Marietta, with the memory of such a wonderful night in our heads.
Sure, I spoke mostly about Meg and her role in the wedding here in this blog . . . forgive me, I'm a doting mother. Jim was a super-cool groomsman, all dress up in his tux. It was nice to see him in clothing that actually fits, since his entire wardrobe is about 2 sizes to big these days. He was smashingly handsome, as were the other attendants that stood up with him. Dan and Tracey seemed to be having the time of their lives at the wedding. The entire guest list had a blast, and we all enjoyed so much that we were a part of that day.
There you have it: the Godfather got married. Happily married to a woman I know he truly adores.
Next up? Jim's sister will probably be getting married sometime in the next 18 months, so Meg can try again at this flower girl thing . . . but that time, it might be Meg as the big kid and Kate as the little hand-holder.
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1 comment:
*sigh* Meg is the coolest toddler we know -- way to go Meg!! Great job prepping her for everything, mom :)
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