Wedding 2

We got dressed in the morning (no ass bustle!) and got Rabito ready in his new Vegas-style leash and collar combination. At 9:45 we got on our bikes - mine decorated with white garland and white plastic flowers and Tom's decorated with Rabito riding over his shoulder. I got to Bakkerswinkel first and saw Snapper standing outside, keeping a lookout. He waved at the people inside and they came flooding out with big smiles and congratulations.

Holly had asked everyone to bring a decorated champagne flutes for Tom and I and we were given hysterical ones set in clogs. At 10am sharp, we went up to the wedding hall, when we met our officiant, Raymond Vreede, who seemed like a nice man, and saw the room which was more conference style than grand European room. It was funny and perfect. We took our seats in front of Raymond and proceeded to get married! Tom and I had emailed him the story of how we met from both perspectives, and a bit of our history together since living in Amsterdam. there were some comedy moments and it was so great to be able to laugh and giggle through the ceremony as the guests laughed and giggled too. So not a stodgy formal wedding! Then Raymond read the speech that Tom had written about why he wanted to marry me, which was beautiful. I cried. Then I read my speech about why I wanted to marry Tom, only going rogue a few times. I cried.

After the speeches, Raymond asked us to stand, look at each other and say our "I DO's" and at this point I was fully grinning and crying. When we both said yes, Raymond banged a lucite gavel and POW we were married. And then we kissed and kissed and put on rings, signed papers and were official.

I could not imagine ever having a more perfect ceremony. It was funny and moving and unexpected and completely right for Tom and me.

wedding 1

I typically find writing to be the best way of describing anything, but it seems woefully ineffectual at this moment, when I try to describe my wedding day.

First, it was so much fun. From the minute we woke up, we were giggling like little kids on Christmas. The lead up to Tuesday wasn't without moments of stress, like when I tried on my dress on Sunday and realized, that when the sides were taken in, an ass bustle of sorts was created from the excess fabric. Instead of freaking out about the dress, I instead freaked out about the state of our dressing room (filled with my clothes and shoes all over the place) and went on walkabout to clear my head. When I got back two hours later, the dressing room was spotless. Tom is amazing.

Or on Monday afternoon when I had to take flowers as big as me home on my bike while rushing to get Tom money in time for him to buy champagne at the wine store before they closed at 6, meanwhile I need to pick up my (hopefully) non ass-bustle dress at the tailor before HE closes at 6 and there was so much to do at work that I had a mini meltdown, culminating in "I have to leave RIGHT NOW!!!" But the fine people I work with calmed me down, pointed me to Holly, who took Tom money, suggested I ask if a taxi would take the flowers to the house (they did) and led me into the conference room where there were bubbles and bon bons to celebrate. So nice and so surprising that I cried.

Or my wedding pixies who tried so hard to anticipate/glean/pry what I wanted out of the day and I was frustratingly vague because I only knew that I wanted it to be mellow and about the marriage, not about anything else but couldn't. quite. articulate. that. And then last Thursday Tom and I decided that of COURSE we should have the reception at our house instead of a local restaurant and told the pixies not to worry, we had everything under control. After everything they did and tried to do for us, we were like the mean kids in a John Hughes movie. But baking for the post-wedding party was completely stress reducing and I made a killer chocolate cake that made me super proud. And I made us a wedding cake that I fell in love with because it was odd and delicious.

Bride again

I get married on Tuesday. Five days away and I have the first cheek pimple I've had in 15 years brewing under my skin. Everything is done - my dress is being altered, the rings are bought, the plans are made. Now I just need to run a half marathon on Sunday, decorate my bike with giant white plastic flowers on Monday and get to town hall by 10am on Tuesday.

All I want is to marry Tom. The rest is gravy. I have never been more excited for anything in my life, and I am so, so, so happy that we are combining forces to be together.