Since February of last year I’ve been eagerly anticipating my friend Tracy’s wedding. Sadly, among my circle of friends weddings are rare events. I was even more excited to be asked to be a bridesmaid for the very first time. I’ve been a flower girl at least three times, the wedding singer a couple of times, and a hostess once – but never a bridesmaid.
The bride planned the entire destination wedding herself including the pre-wedding meetups + wedding + reception all by herself and even built a wedding website or two. She managed the creation of our drop-dead gorgeous bridesmaid gowns, hostess dresses, and her bridal gown design from initial design to final delivery from China. She was a bride on a mission and she did it all without going bridezilla on us….at least until the day of the event and then all bets were off. We feared for any uninvited guests who dared show-up at the check-in table. It did not go well for them. #lol
After our silver platform pumps had long been traded for flats and flip-flops, and our carefully made up faces began showing signs of wear…memories were still being made. That’s the best thing about weddings or any celebration. They serve as mental markers for significant events. As the years pass by it’s too easy to forget the details of things unless we make them a big enough deal that we remember the way we felt long-after we’ve forgotten what we wore or ate.
March 11th, 2018 was all about my friend Tracy and Antonio, the man who deeply loves her. It was about all the people who traveled from Oklahoma, Chicago, Dallas, and many other places to help them make their union a big deal. It was about Antonio’s 93-year old grandmother who traveled over 12 hours in a car to be there to witness their union.
For me personally, I was highly-concerned about our sleeveless dresses which put one of my least-flattering features – my flabby arms – on display. It was kinda a big deal because I NEVER wear my arms out in public. They are the exact opposite of Michelle Obama’s toned appendages and are often described as a sure sign of a woman known to have serious chef skills. I had my strategy all lined up. The minute the post-wedding pics were done I would don my sliver lacy shrug to be comfortable for the rest of the festivities. Just in case I ran into trouble with that one, I brought the cute black shrug as a backup. I was prepared but a funny thing happened on the way to the reception. I was having such a great time that I forgot to be self-conscious about my flabby arms. Neither the silver or black shrug ever made it out of the Ikea bag they came in. My big take-away for the day was to focus on being present for what’s going on in your life and don’t waste valuable time in your own head. If you don’t, you’ll miss some really great stuff!
Congratulations to Tracy & Antonio Walker #AntracioForever!