"The countdown"

June 3, 1999

Well, we're down to the wire now. It's 9 days until the "big" day, and I'm annoyingly calm.

I had a minor scare over the caterer. It seems the wedding planner I was using is no longer with the company. Would have been really nice if someone had called me, and that's what I get for trying to be a Good Bride, and not bother people. But on the upside, the new person is wonderful. She has been helpful and patient, and saved me 15% of my costs by pointing out the old guy charged me a service charge he shouldn't have.

Ok, I know that there are more things I could have done. Our favors are simple. Hershey Kiss Roses. Centerpieces are ivy bowls with floating candles. I decided not to go nuts with extra decorations, and the church is pretty enough as it is.

The only things left to do are get my hair done, wrap the wedding party gifts, pick up my gown, get stuff to the hall, throw a rehearsal and get married!

Gotta love it :)

June 10, 1999

Rick keeps swearing he isn't nervous. Of course he isn't! He keeps looking at me like some interesting new brand of alien when I become psychotic over the details! But it's almost done now. Mom and Vinnie got in today. They ran a bit late, and I got stuck in a traffic jam going to pick up my gown.

The weather is crummy, but we need it badly. It was hot as anything until today. Now it's cool and rainy. If the rain will stop by Saturday, hopefully the grass will have greened up. Our formal photos are being done at a park, so it would be nice.

The wedding programs are giving me fits. I bought some bulletin paper from the local Christian bookstore, and designed the programs in "Word", thanks to a tip from my co-worker Darrin. The printer we have is bleeding the ink everywhere. Rick will try to print them at the office in the morning. If they don't come out, they don't. No one will even know the difference.

We have a ton of running around tomorrow, all the last minute things. Thankfully, Rick won't be working either, at least, not the kind of work he gets paid for *G*.

June 11, 1999

It dawned cool and grey today, but the rain has stopped. I checked the weather forcast, and there is a zero percent chance of rain tomorrow! How's that for answered prayers? :)

Rick and I ran all over today. Aunt Bonnie and Dave were supposed to fly in, but their flights have been cancelled, re-routed, and otherwise held up. Poor Aunt Bonnie, it's her first time flying and she was terrified! I hope they get in ok.

We had our rehearsal tonight. I was really doing fine until that point. Our Minister, Lance, said "Well Cheri, what do we do? It's your show."

Um, Mine? No, I'm just the bride, see. I walk down the aisle and say some vows, then we leave. I won't even see what everyone is doing!

Once the panic passed we were fine. Thank God for our wedding party, they are all such good friends. We somehow figured out who walks where, and who stands where. You would think it would be simpler than that :)

We had a very casual pizza party rehearsal dinner. We had fun, the wedding party opened the gifts, we think they really liked them. After dinner we went and played mini golf. I knew I would need to burn energy, so I planned it carefully.

Now there is nothing left to do but wake up tomorrow and do it! Thankfully Ricky isn't spending the night at his parents. I begged him to stay the night at home, I would never sleep otherwise!

June 12, 1999 A.M.

I actually got to sleep in this morning :). Poor Rick was awake at about 6 AM, but I managed to sleep till 8. Since we had a 5 PM wedding and evening reception I wanted to be well rested. I started my morning like any other day, then realized that Rick had written me a love letter.

He wrote down all the reasons he was glad he was marrying me, and all that was right with us. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever read, and I made sure I put it in my wedding purse for later.

We each went our separate ways, he to his parents home, and I to the motel where the ladies would be meeting and getting ready. I had only one errand to run, and that was to pick up the flowers for the wedding party. I checked into the hotel, and grabbed my Aunt and her husband to help, who arrived at about midnight last night. It gave us a chance to chat a bit before the craziness began.

When I got back to the hotel, people began to arrive. I had to shoo my mom and aunt out of the room so we could get ready. Rick's youngest sister was doing my hair for me, and the bridesmaids were chatting and having fun. I began to get nervous though, and was trying my hardest to get over it. Mom popped back in and I asked her to read me Rick’s love letter while I was being curled. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when she was done, but I felt perfectly at peace.

We were doing this because we loved each other, because we were so right for each other, and that’s what mattered. I resolved to take our best man’s advice and just have fun. After all, this was the most joyous day of our lives together.