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I know most ladies don’t get to post pro photos from their rehearsal dinner and so on, but DH and I were very lucky because one of my Bridesmaids, Bridesmaid F, is married to a professional photographer.  We didn’t make him our main photographer for the big day for a few reasons, including that we wanted him to enjoy himself as a guest and that this was his first time at a Christian/Western ceremony, but we were really lucky because he pulled out his camera anyway, and he snapped a bunch of wonderful pictures.  <3

(All photos below are property of Studio Takebayashi, who I highly recommend if any of you ever need a photographer in Japan.)

Anyway, my recap…

The day before the wedding was a busy one, and we could only pray that it would go smoothly, considering the fact that it was Friday the Thirteenth.  My HUSBAND and I giggled over the bad planning of that date more than a few times.  Anyway, I woke up early so I could do all of the things that needed to get done, ranging from driving downtown to work to pick up my paycheck (otherwise known as the honeymoon booze money) to getting my e-ring cleaned to getting my nails done with Bridesmaid F and my MOH.  When all that was finally done, it was at last time to go to the reception venue and set up for the next day…

Here’s a picture of people arriving.  I’m the one in the red.  My mom’s in turquoise, and her friend who offered to help out is in the tan jacket.  This photo amuses me because although both my mom and her friend look grim and determined to get all the work done, I’m laughing like the sleep-deprived maniacal caffeine addict I was that day.  Seriously, if you get that much caffeine and that little sleep in you, you either end up laughing hysterically or just going on a rampage.  Sometimes simultaneously.

There was so much stuff.  So much.  This photo was taken after we had already put up most of it, but you can still see plenty of full boxes and bags in the background.  Fortunately, I had plenty of people to help, including the people in the main circle (clockwise from bottom left: my mom’s friend, my mom, Bridesmaid K’s husband, Bridesmaid K, my MOH, and my MIL) and Bridesmaid M and my step-grandmother in the background.  My awesome grandpa took care of sitting down and resting because he’s old and deserves it, dammit.

While the rest of us worked, Adorably Precocious, who was one of Bridesmaid F’s daughters and a flower girl, worked on some homework.  She’s pictured here trying to tell my grandma what it was exactly that she was doing, but since my grandpa speaks no Japanese, he only heard “Blah blah blah blah blah.”  He’s always been very good with little girls, though, so she didn’t mind.  It wasn’t until later, when she realized that he didn’t understand her, that she started ignoring him, and my poor grandpa lost his friend.  It was pretty funny.

At last, we finished, and the place looked great!  Check out this finished table!  My mom made the napkin holders, I made the centerpieces, and we worked together on the table numbers.  I’m so pleased that everything came together so well.

After two hours of hard work, it was time to go.  I went and checked into my hotel to get ready for the rehearsal dinner, but my room wasn’t ready like it was supposed to be.  It was pretty stressful, and I ended up with only forty-five minutes to do my hair and makeup and then change.  The shower I was hoping to get just didn’t happen.  I made it though, and I headed downstairs to meet DH to go to the church.

I would like to mention that my dress that night was rather special.  For the rehearsal dinner, I wore my mom’s wedding dress (after I had some alterations made).  You can read about the process and see pictures from before and after the alterations in this thread.  Anyway, my mom did not actually know any of that.  As far as she knew, I had sliced and diced her dress to use the material for parts in my shoes, purse, etc.  Thus, when she finally saw me wearing the dress, it was a big surprise…

Right as we were walking into the narthex to first practice the processional, I took off my jacket and walked up to my mom.  “Do you like my dress?” I asked.  “It’s very pretty,” she said.  There wasn’t any sort of flicker of recognition in her eyes, so I asked her if she recognized it, and I did a little spin.  The back of her dress was by far the most unique part.

Her eyes still looked blank, though, so my dad said, “Come on, Debbie.  You know this!”  After a moment, she quietly gasped, and in the smallest little voice, she said, “That’s… that’s my dress.  Oh my God, that’s my dress.”  …And that’s when the tears started.  It was a perfect little moment.

Unfortunately, this photographer did not capture the moment later in the evening when I gave my mom a framed portrait of me in her dress before the alterations.  When she looked at the picture, then at me, then at the picture, then at me, and she finally realized what she was looking at, she just laid her head on the table and started bawling.  She was only barely able to say, “This is the most perfect present you could have given me!” between sobs.  It was wonderful. 

…But I’m getting ahead of myself.  We next practiced the processional…

We had three flower girls, but only two of them (Adorably Precocious and Mini Precocious, pictured above) were able to make it to the rehearsal.  Our third one, Flower Girl A, is special needs, and she hadn’t done very well on the long drive to Dallas, so her dad (DH’s favorite uncle) had called earlier that day to say they wouldn’t make it that night but would definitely be there at the wedding.

Thus, I had to explain to Adorably Precocious and Mini Precocious alone what they would do.  Since Flower Girl A is in a wheelchair, I told them that they would have the very important job of pushing her while they walked down the aisle.  This photo is of me pretending to be the wheelchair and the two of them pushing me along as practice.  Are they just the cutest?  I love my little girls so much.  <3

After the girls finished their part, I ran back up the aisle to my dad, and we practiced our walk together.  I was laughing the whole time because he kept threatening to step on my train, just like my mom’s dad did to her on her wedding day.  At the end, he hugged me before giving my hand to my husband, just like he would the next day.

And then we practiced our Catholic mass: Stand, sit, kneel, stand, kneel, kneel, sit, kneel, touch your toes, pat your head and rub your tummy, do twenty jumping jacks, sit, kneel…  Also, check out my awesome ribbon bouquet that Bridesmaid M made for me out of the ribbons from my bridal shower!

Apparently Bridesmaid F’s husband wasn’t the only photographer, since my dad wanted in on the action, too.

During the rehearsal, we were told that at one point, the entire bridal party would stand on either side of us, just like this, and so we practiced it.  The church coordinator told us how lovely of a photo it would be.  Unfortunately, the next day, the priest forgot to ever call everyone up!  Thus, this is the only lovely photo like this we got, but it’s great, isn’t it?  From left to right: SIL/Bridesmaid EE, Bridesmaid K, Bridesmaid M, Bridesmaid EM, Bridesmaid F, my MOH, me, DH, BIL/best man, Groomsman F, Groomsman E, Groomsman W, Groomsman G, and my brother/Groomsman D. 

And, at last, “You may kiss the [not-quite-yet-a-]bride!”

From there, we left for dinner.  It was a blast! 

We toasted everyone and everything.  FIL began, but a few other people spoke, and then DH and I made our toasts.  We toasted each individual member of our bridal party, as well as everyone else who was helping out, like our vocalists and readers.  We also gave everyone their gifts right then.

Last of all, we toasted and hugged his parents…

And my parents, too.

The evening was so wonderful.  I felt like I was surrounded by so much love and support that night, and it was great to have a chance to talk to everyone.  DH and I felt so in love, and we were both so very excited about the next day. 

It was great, too, because this was the first chance Adorably Precocious and Mini Precocious had to go out and meet everyone, and they won everyone’s hearts.  They were just SO CUTE.  I had worried about them and their mom being in the bridal party because of the language barrier, but they seemed to have a great time, and I’m so incredibly honored that they came from so far away to support our marriage.  I think the most special moment of the night was when Bridesmaid F’s husband, the photographer, pulled me aside to thank me for inviting them.  He told me that he had never seen his wife as happy as she was that night, not even at their own wedding. 

The people who were with us at the rehearsal dinner were a group of some of the most amazing, wonderful people I’ll ever have the blessing to know, and DH and I had a wonderful time getting to be with them and thank them for everything.

At last, the night was over.  I had a wonderful time and didn’t want to leave, but I knew even better things were in store for the next day.

(Part 2 will come as soon as I get pictures back from our hired photographer in a few more weeks!)

The dress is beautiful! Your rehearsal looked so fun. :D

@BayStateBride:  Heh.  I even told my coworkers that that's what it was for. 

@Treejewel19:  I bought the particular one in the picture at Hobby Lobby, but I collected all of them from all over the place.  I'm also planning to sell them now that the wedding is over.