Marriage, II

So, I got married. And now there is photographic evidence!

After a bout of rainy and cool days, the weather completely threw us a bone for our wedding weekend. The day before we joined our in-town guests and, in place of a rehearsal dinner, cheered on the Yankees to a win over the Seattle Mariners (excluding, of course, the secret Boston Red Sox fans in attendance). I ate fried food and sausage and peppers. Just like any other day-before-your-wedding, no? The day of our wedding was perfection, with clear skies, warm weather, and just about the greatest forecast a girl could ask for. The ceremony and reception were beautiful, and I felt so loved surrounded by family and friends, many of whom came from very far away to celebrate with us!

Going into things, based on our budget and taste, I knew rather than a large reception we really wanted a small-party setting. We wanted to make a relaxing setting for our local and out-of-town guest to come together. And in my book a party means a party. So, we brought in a mariachi band, bluegrass music, and loads of tacos and Coke, mixed them with our great guests, and a perfect evening was made.

You can see the rest of our wedding photos here: matthewnicole.tumblr.com

Marriage

There’s something to be said for selfishness, and the past two weeks I have been nothing but. I selfishly spent a week with some of my very best friends and my family, and I married my best friend on what ended up being one of the loveliest days this spring. Then I selfishly jetted off to a piece of paradise — the first long vacation I’ve had in a long while. I wish I could tell you where I took the photo above, but I honestly can’t remember. When you’re relaxing you sort of forget where you are.

Wherein I begin planning that wedding

By most standards my engagement has been pretty short (and yet, by some, very long). I knew that from the beginning, so my train of thought went something like this: I’m getting married! I’m so happy! WHY HAVEN’T WE FOUND A CATERER YET?

I’m a very calm and rational person, you see.

I did find a venue, a caterer, and a few other things within the first two months. Then I promptly stopped. Just because. And then there I was over the weekend, with less than a month to go, finding myself upstate at my parents’ house for a bridal shower brunch to actually plan things out (do shower brunches exist, or did we just make that up?). Like where people are sitting (they’re not, oops!), and whether anyone is going to start their dresses on fire with the 300 candles that are to line the window sills and stairs (hopefully not).

Weekend Banana Bread

I’ve got to hand it to bananas. For being popular they’re a pretty terrible fruit. Eating one that hasn’t reached its prime it just about enjoyable as eating a raw avocado — you cut it open and realize you’ve ruined it. It’s awful to eat and there’s no use in waiting because it’ll stay just about as terrible. It’s such a gamble really. You almost have to form this bond, a trust with the fruit. Like you’re saying, Hey, I’m not sure if you’re ready, but I sure am so let’s make this happen. Then there’s one that far gone. As soon as you pick it up you find that mush feeling means it’s too late. You can add it to cereal. You can try and eat it. But much past that means getting smart about it. And smart, in my mind, means banana bread.

I didn’t eat banana bread much growing up. I ate something like banana bread, but with shredded zucchini and chocolate chips and a whole lotta love. It meant the bread was more moist and the million cups of sugar in the recipe meant that it was also sweet. Like sticking your tongue in sugar. Really, really good banana sugar. So I tried an alternative. It was perfection.

(Looking for the recipe I used? Try it out on Smitten Kitchen)

Letterpressing our invitations, thanks to Hemmert Studios

The Good and Bad

You see, being engaged is great. People always want to congratulate you. For the first few weeks people even always want to do things like buy you dinner. And, YOU GUYS, it was great.

But being engaged occasionally has its downsides, too. Particularly the times you have to take a whole day, travel to New Jersey, and letterpress your wedding invitations.

OH WAIT, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.