The Wedding

I'm finally getting around to sharing about the wedding.  It was beautiful!  I'm kicking myself for not taking more pictures.  I can't wait to see what the photographer captured.  She was so much fun and easy to work with.  Hope was the easiest most laid back bride.  (Luckily all the weddings I've been in have been this way, no certain shoes or hair and makeup.  Perfection)  She was getting ready at the church and said we could all get ready there or on our own.  My sister and I opted to have our glam squad meet us at the church so we could all get ready together. I seriously have the best friends in the world.  Brittany offered to come and help my sister and me with our hair and makeup and I'm so glad she did. (Lorie jumped in to watch Barrett when we needed a last minute baby sitter and Kristen has been my gym buddy and constant listener!  So thankful for each of them!) We looked fabulous all thanks to our "glam squad" (Brittany)!  After a couple hours of hair and makeup it was time for pictures! 

I seriously felt so pretty! My glam squad.    Before Hope was ready John arrived and I went over to the church to see him.  He was so cute.  He just smiled and smiled!  I was so glad I got to have those few minutes with him before the chaos of the day began.  It was then when I realized he had on white socks with his tux, bless his heart.  We had to text dad to bring him some black socks.  Pictures went by fairly quickly and then we had some time to kill before the wedding.  Barrett was in a mood all afternoon. We thought maybe his ears were hurting so Patrick and I ran to the CVS to get some children's tylenol.  He seemed to be better after that.   A car selfie Killing time. We decided at the last minute to go to 5:00 Mass so we wouldn't have to go Sunday morning.  It was Mom, sister, Mark and John & Hope.  It was a  nice time together before the wedding.  (Hope had changed our of her dress) I didn't bring my camera over to the church and I so wished I had.  I took this one of Mark and John after Mass.  I love these boys. While the guests were arriving we were in the cry room.  Barrett hung out with us until Patrick's parents got there to watch him.  He was all smiles at this point and so so so cute! The sweet bride with her Godson. I'm so sad I didn't get a picture of John and Hope with Barrett.  

These are the only two pictures I took with my real camera all day.  This one you've already seen.

And this one is pretty cute.  This boy loves strawberries.

Patrick's parents took Barrett home after the dances.  My mom wanted the Mother/Son dance to turn into a family dance so Barrett hung around for that.  It was a really sweet moment.  We danced and ate and just had the best time.  The food was amazing.  (Happy Catering Company if your in Birmingham)  The cakes were beautiful and delish.  My parents had the grooms cake made to look like John's truck and it was perfect. (wish I had a picture) (Posh cake design did them both).  

Before we knew it the bouquet had been tossed and bubbles blown and they were own their way.  It seemed like it was all over so fast.  I knew it would because my own wedding was the same way.  Their flight wasn't until later in the afternoon Sunday so they came and ate lunch at my mom and dads.  I got to take them to the airport, which I know didn't seem like much to them but I was so excited.  It was the first time I got to hear exactly what they thought about the whole day without anyone to interrupt them.  They were so sweet and cute talking about the whole weekend.  It was fun.  Before I knew it they were climbing out grabbing their luggage.

Sweet newlyweds headed to Disney World!
Then on the way back to get Barrett I saw this really cute couple walking in the neighborhood.  They made me smile.   When I got back to my parents house Elizabeth and Clay were there getting Champ so I was happy I got to see them since they won't been home again till Easter. She was loving on Barrett before they left and I told her the next time she sees him he'll be walking.  And then I started crying.  It was such a beautiful weekend.  I know I've said it a million times but I am so happy for them.  They are such a fun, loving couple.  I'm so happy for our family to gain another daughter, sister and aunt.  It's been a fun few years in the Maxwell family, hopefully the fun never ends.

Friday Festivities

We started the day with brunch to celebrate Hope and her bridesmaids.  We met at Another Broken Egg Cafe in Mountain Brook.  I'd never eaten there before but it was delish.  I studied the menu for a while and finally settled on biscuits and gravy.  It did not disappoint.  It was a fun morning getting to  hang out with these beautiful ladies.

Hope with her bridesmaids.

The moms.  

The Maxwell ladies.

After brunch we had an appointment to pick up our dresses from the seamstress. Well she wasn't quite finished with my moms so we had to kill some time.  We did a little shopping, I got Barrett a cute little bubble for summer and a pair of shorts.  We finally got the dresses and headed back home.  I went to the gym for my favorite class of the week with Kristen and Lorie then rushed home to get ready for the rehearsal and dinner.

This is where my picture taking slacked off big time.

The rehearsal went smoothly and before we knew it, it was time to head to dinner.  The rehearsal dinner and reception were held in the same space. 

I did manage to get a picture of my little family both nights but that's about it.  

Cousins, Friends.  These two are 5 weeks apart and have been buds their whole lives.

The rehearsal dinner was fantastic.  My parents planned a mardi gras themed meal and it was wonderful.  I put together a slideshow of Hope & John's life.  It was so much fun watching them grow up and seeing their relationship grow.  After the slide show several people shared some fun memories or words. All week I'd been thinking about what I would want to say.  When I finally decided I'd say a few words I couldn't remember anything I wanted to say.  I literally woke up at 5:00am Saturday morning thinking about all the things I wanted to say.

Since I write much better than I speak here it goes...what I should have said.

I think each of us would say that John is our favorite sibling.  He's kind, he's helpful, he'll make you laugh and he'll make you cry.  These are all characteristics he's had since he was a kid.  He would be the male lead in whatever the latest playhouse skit Elizabeth and I were putting on and in the same afternoon he'd be Patrick's assistant working on the go cart.  One of my mom's favorite Christmas gifts was the year John wrapped up an empty box with a sweet little poem about how he'd spent hours blowing kisses in the box.  Mom just cried and cried.  Then John said that he turned his box over and spilled all his kisses and had to start over blowing kisses in his box.  Mom was laughing through tears.  When he'd get kicked off the bus and Mom had to take us to school he didn't complain to much that he was usually late.  When I forgot to pick him up from school, he would call and just smile when he saw us turning in on two wheels to get him.  When I left for college he was a pudgy little 12 year old.  I left and he was little kid.  When I finally graduated and moved home he was practically a grown up.  He was in his last semester of high school and he had a girlfriend.   I didn't know much about her, I don't think he wanted us to scare her off. By the way, she apparently doesn't scare easily.  I'll be honest I didn't put a lot of effort into getting to know her.  After all John was about to move away to college and how many high school relationships work out.  As time went on it was becoming more and more obvious that Hope wasn't going anywhere.  She was always around but rarely said anything.  She probably couldn't get a word in with this family.  I watched John grow from a high school boy that had a girlfriend to a young man that was in a relationship with someone he really cared about.  I watched John become a better person and I fully credit Hope for that.  I think a spouse should make you the best version of yourself and I can see that in them.  So as you begin your life together, I want to share a piece of advice that someone shared with Patrick and I when we got engaged.  "Always put each other first.  As long as you love the other person more than anyone or anything in this world, you'll have a long happy marriage." I am truly honored to call you my brother and sister and the godparents to my son.  I am honored to be a part of your special day and I wish you both a lifetime of happiness!

His and Hers Shower

Saturday night my cousin Adam and his wife and Patrick and I hosted a shower for John and Hope.   It was the first wedding shower and we wanted to get the wedding season started right.  We invited the youngest of the cousins and their spouses and several of John and Hope's friends for a low key get together.  We had mexcian food and margaritas.  It was so much fun.  Our siblings have all been so close that we've really gotten to know each other's friends so it's always nice to get to catch up with them.

Here are a few pictures.  

Some of Hope's people

The Bride and Groom

Some of the cousins.

Siblings

Cousins and spouses

Sweet cousin-in-law, Natalie in our furs!

We had such a fun night.  I'm so looking forward to the wedding in 6 short weeks!