A Wedding Weekend

HELLO!  

It's so good to be back on the blog!  I have missed posting.  As I have mentioned before, it is always a little sad to leave my family in the "Heart of Dixie" behind, but having the ABC blog seems to make the "goodbyes" a lot easier.  When writing on the ABC blog, I always feel connected to my family and closest friends, even though most of them are states away.  In a way, I feel like this blog gives me the opportunity to talk/share/communicate/laugh with each one of you.  For that, I must extend a huge "Thank You" for being an important part of the ABC blog community.

Ok - back to today's post!

While Bo and I were in Alabama this past weekend, I had so. many. ideas. for new post topics.  I can't wait to share them with all of you!  But before I get started on any of those new topics, I figured I would share a few precious memories from the wedding weekend.

Leslie (my first cousin) and Ben have been dating for ten years!  They were high school sweethearts, and their love has more than stood the test of time.  So much changes between the ages of 17 and 27; but Leslie and Ben are proof that true love, God-ordained love, can outlast any challenge that the world may put in its path.  The love between them seems to be simultaneously playful and profound...a beautiful combination if you ask me!  Needless to say, I felt honored to be present on their big day; and even more honored that I was asked to serve as the scripture reader during the church ceremony.

Bo and I drove to Alabama on Thursday (all day Thursday) so that we could be around for the weekends' festivities.  On Friday, my mom and I attended a luncheon in honor of Leslie and her bridesmaids. Approximately 30 women were in attendance, so it was a great opportunity to actually visit with the bride and relax while enjoying soup and salad.  Because the wedding/reception were larger affairs, I appreciated this opportunity to relax and enjoy some one-on-one time with Leslie and family.  Here is a picture of my lovely mom and I at the luncheon(!):

Since I was serving as a reader in the ceremony, later that evening Bo and I attended the rehearsal.  The wedding took place at Canterbury United Methodist Church in Mountain Brook, AL and was absolutely stunning!  The church itself is so beautiful that hardly any decorations were necessary.  Below is a candid shot of Emilie (the other reader) and I rehearsing our lines:

Afterwards, Bo and I headed over to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for the rehearsal dinner.  What a cool location!  I NEVER would have thought of doing a rehearsal dinner there, but it was so unique and perfect for Ben (who works in sports and is an avid sports fan)!  Here are Bo and I in our cocktail attire:

During the rehearsal dinner, I was able to steal a quick moment with the beautiful bride!  Isn't she lovely?! (Okay, I realize that sounded a bit like a line out of My Fair Lady, but I mean it, she is lovely!) I loved her dress and jewelry.  Oh, and yes, I do realize that I have a huge stain on my dress in this picture...Bo spilled wine on me! :(

Saturday was the big "I do!" day!  I didn't have to be at the church until 4:00 p.m., so my mom and I spent the day shopping, spending quality moments together, and working out.  The ceremony started right on time at 6:00 p.m., and thankfully I didn't cry or jumble any of my words during the reading - WHEW!  A boy's choir sang before, during, and after the ceremony and set a beautiful angelic tone for the event.  Their voices were heavenly, like little angels that came down to sing for us just for the special occasion.

After the ceremony, everyone headed to The Country Club of Birmingham for the reception.  The food was excellent, but let me tell you, the band was even better!  Az Izz sang songs spanning five decades, and every. single. one. of them was fantastic!

As for my attire, I wore a strapless Diane von Furstenberg dress that I picked up at Nordstrom Rack, and some rose-embellished heels.  I very rarely rare high-heeled shoes, but because of all their straps, these shoes were supportive and relatively comfortable (however, by 9:00 p.m. the shoes were off and I was dancing barefooted on the dance floor...I wasn't the only one to do that though)!  For the ceremony I wore a black bolero sweater to cover my shoulders, just to be sure I was appropriate...

Bo look pretty snazzy himself in his new charcoal grey suit.  I think we make a pretty good-looking couple, don't you think?!

Back to the band, there truly were awesome!  Mom and I couldn't help but dance.  We cut the rug for most of the night :)

All in all, Leslie and Ben's wedding weekend was a huge success!  Everyone I talked to had a wonderful time, including the bride and groom.  Most importantly, another sure-to-be-successful marriage had a grande debut!

Leslie and Ben - 

We love you and wish you all the best on your amazing journey together!

Up next (or sometime very soon) - a blog design post!  You are in for a wonderful surprise in this one! :)

Question of the Day:

Have you been to a wedding recently?  Did you have a good time?

Blessings,
Ally and Bo