5.19.12

Russ & Amber Black

5.19.12

I woke up to the sound of the alarm on my phone so I could get up and go for a run before Amber, Heather and I headed out to get out hair done for the wedding.  I started not to get up and just lay on the couch, which is where I slept.  I decided to go ahead and get up and headed outside for my morning run.  I only ran about 5 loops around the neighborhood which looped back around to Amber's Aunt Tracy's house.  I ended up running about 30 minutes.  I headed back inside to get a shower and get dressed.  So the girls headed out to Oakboro to get out hair all done up for Amber's big day.

~*~Hair and Makeup~*~

The salon we went to was in Oakboro which is where Amber grew up.  A small town where everyone know everyone.  We got there and we had to wait a little bit but not too long.  Amber got her hair done first and she changed it from what she had originally planned.  She had, I guess, started with an updo for her wedding.  She felt that the originally plan wasn't really her so she went for something more simple.  She ended up going a small side pony tail with curls.  And she added some feather headpiece in it.  It ended up looking really good and definitely seemed more like her than and updo would.  While Amber was getting her hair done, Heather was with oneof ther other stylists getting her hair curled so that the other stylist could just style her hair after she got done with me.

My hair style was more relaxed with braids, more beach themed since I'm a beach nut. it was the same hair style I used for a previous wedding I was in.  She started out by parting my hair two differnt ways; the front was a vertical part and then the second half of the top of my head was a horizontal part.  She started teasing my hair so head some height out of the back half of my head and instead of curling the back she just kind of threw it up since it was suppose to be more messy since it was a relaxed look.  Another stylist named Abby had to braid my hair since the one working on my couldn't french braid.  I did like how this time I had a braid on both sides of my head instead of one like it was at the other wedding.   After my hair was braided she started putting the rest of it up and it turned out looking really good. 

Heather had gotten done with her curling before I was done with my hair so she just hung out while I finished up, but she was about to freak about her hair.   It was a lot more curl that what she was used to and I don't sure it looked that great with spiral curls either.  The lady ended up doing something really neat with it and kind of just pinning it back and it looked really fancy.  I really like Heather's hair. 

Next was Jessie, which she started getting her hair curled while Heather was getting her's finished up.  Jessie has really short hair so the lady started curling the heck out of her hair.  Amber, Heather and I went to look at it at some point.  When I went over to look at Jessie's hair it looked horrible!  Her hair was really curly and puffy.  It would have been a wedding hair disaster.  Then the stylist that had worked on the rest of us when over and messed with Jessie's hair a little bit and it looked really good afterwards.  It's amazing how they can take something that looks really bad at first and then make it look really good in a matter of seconds or minutes.

So we paid for our hair and started heading back towards the lake.  We stopped by Amber's dad's house to pick up her wedding dress and talked to them for a little bit.  Amber's step-mom Lisa was working on the hors-deuvrs for after the wedding reception.  It was mostly fresh fruit(except the strawberries; pineapple, grapes), veggie trays and crackers and cheese.  After we picked up the dress we made our final trip back to the lake.  Amber called to make sure that Russ was at the house because as tradition goes you're not suppose to see the each other before the wedding and every girl wants to surprise the guy they are marrying with how they will look after getting all dressed up and looking special on that big day.  When we got to the house Russ was still there and Amber saw this about the time she was pulling in the driveway.  The driveway at the lake is steep and she tried to back up, but the truck wouldn't move and we ended up rolling down the driveway.  Amber was yelling at them to tell him not to look at her because she didn't want him to see her.  Of course, what does a man usually do when you tell him not to do some...he does what you told him not to.  So he looked like a deer in headlights and looked straigh at Amber.  She pouted for a little bit and then we went inside and hung  out until the Mary Kay Lady came at 12 to start doing make up.

So has many people may already know, I've never been big on makeup.  I used to wear makeup in middle school and then stopped when I hit high school.  Part of that decision came from it taking me soo long just to put on concealer, foundation, eye shadow and mascara.  I had been asked several times before my brother and Amber's big day if I was going to have my make up done.  And I could never decide if I was.  So the closer it got the harder and easier the decision started to become.  Our makeup lady, Leslie, worked for Mary Kay which is how I'm guessing Amber met her.  She came earlier than planned and started working on all the girls.  Yes, I finally had made my decision.  It was a special occassion, and that day warranted it.  So I lined up in Amber's Aunt's bathroom jacuzzi tub with Jessy and Heather to get my makeup done.  When I have makeup put on I'm not a fan of it looking like I have makeup on, except for my eyes, that doesn't bother me.  So we started with a moisturizer and then some mineral powder which is really light and looks light on the face as well so it doesn't look like you're wearing a lot of makeup. 

After getting the mineral powder put on she started working on my eyes.  She started with a light colored shadow and it looked a little light so I told her she could be more bold on my eyes, since going crazy on my eyes doesn't bother me.  So she started to go a little bolder on my eyes.  She stopped to check and see how I was liking everything.  I told her that about the eyes and that it just looked weird because I could tell I had makeup on but it wasn't too much.  She got really worried when I told her that it looked weird because I can always tellt he difference when I have makeup on even if it is minimal.  So I finally got her to continue what she was doing.  She finished my makeup and started working on my mascara and eye liner.  It ended up looking really good, especially since I'm a big makeup person!

After all the girls got done with their makeup Amber got started on getting her makeup done. She already had an idea of what she wantedand how it should look since she is also a consultant for Mary Kay. I'm sure it was relaxing for her not to have to do her own makeup for once.  So along with the make up can a mimosa that Amber had been asking for all day.  And it came in a big glass!  I loved how her eyes lite up when she got it because it was so big! I was so busy running around a socializing unfortunately I don't remember much about Amber getting her makeup done.  I do remember we were stressed out because the photographer was suppose to be at the house between 2 and 2:30.  I know Amber was already starting to get upset about it and I started to worry because we were on a schedule for us to get out pictures done before the guys so that Russ wouldn't see Amber at all the rest of the day.  I can't even tell you how stressed out I started to get because the photographer wasn't there and I just wanted their day to go smoothly.

*Pictures*

Pictures started out very stressful because the photography was anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour late.  He was suppose to arrive between 2 and 2:30pm.  I got really stressed out for Amber because he didn't end up showing up until 3pm.  He said that when he plugged in the address into his gps that it took him the wrong way and ran him into a dirt road?  We started with pictures of all of us in the bathroom pretending to put on our makeup, even though it was already done.  After makeup pictures we took some pictures of amber getting into her dress and her dress getting tightened down on her since it laced up the back.  Before she actually got to put on the dress Joseph, the photography, wanted to get a quick video of the dress blowing in the wind so we took the dress outside to hang it up.  About that time the guys come pulling up on the boat from working down at the club house where the reception was going to be.  We had to grab the dress really quick and take it back inside so that Russ wouldn't see it.  Which took longer than it should have because when you start freaking out about something everyone looks lost.  I had to distract the guys and tell them to hang out in the boat house until we got the video taken and some of the pictures that we needed to take with Amber done.  We took pictures of her dress hanging in the window, her with her dress on against the window with the lake in the background.  It would have been really neat if we could have taken her outside onto the dock to take pictures of her right there in front of the water.  We also took pictures of he putting on her shoes.  Her shoes were dyed and bright electric blue and had rhinestones on them, very pretty.  Taking pictures at the house was crazy just because the guys had come back to get ready and I had to keep them in the boat house until we were done taking pictures inside.  So I didn't get to see a lot of the pictures that were done inside.  

I also had to go check on Frankie but he's and easy drunk and Amber didn't need him drunk right before the wedding. Surprise, surprise he had had too much to drink so I went and got him some water so that he would hopefully be okay by the time the ceremony started.  After pictures at the house we headed out to the wedding site and got pictures taken out there.

We got tons of pictures done at the wedding site and even went out onto the dock, because you can just ride up to the club house that they were getting married at, and took pictures. I really liked taking pictures on the dock because we were near the water and they would make for really good pictures.  The guys had gotten ready and were on their way, but said they would hang out in the water out of sight so we could get pictures done before they pulled around.  Well, that lasted about a good 20 minutes because next thing we know they are pulling up to the club house while we are still taking pictures.  Amber crouched down and all the girls gathered around her to hide her while the boys walked up to the club house.  Joseph took pictures of her while she was like that.  Those pictures are going to turn out really cute.  So after we finally got our pictures done it was time for the boys to take their pictures and all we could do is wait.

Ceremony Jitters

It started to get close to time for the wedding to start. I was starting to get frinzied because we didn't have everyone, grandparents, in the back room with us.  They were out socializing with the people who came to the wedding.  About 30 minutes before Amber read a letter that her step-mom Lisa had written for her.  Then she read the one my brother had written.  She had already started to cry reading the one Lisa had given her, and when she started reading Russ' she started to cry even more.  Heather and I knew what the letter my brother had written said because Amber let us read it on the way to get our hair done.  I never knew my brother could be that sweet; I was truely amazed. 

Because the wedding was in a gated community Amber's aunt Tracey would call up to the gate to see how things were going with getting people through.  Apparently they weren't very organized at the gate because people were backed up out on the main road.  So we ended up delaying the wedding for 30 mintues.  The wedding was suppose to start at 6pm but of course because of the delay we started at 6:30pm. I don't know why but the closer it got to the time for the ceremony to start, the more I got nervous and I wasn't even the one getting married! We were finally organized and started to line up to start everyone's journey down the aisle, especially Amber's.  While waiting for that time I was peaking through the black plastic that was put up so that no one could see us to see who had come to the wedding.  After we lined up we finally opened the doors and took off the plastic. Slowly but surely we all started our walk down the aisle to start the wedding. I was all smiles partly because my brother was finally getting married, which for some reason was still a shock for me because I never thought my brother would be getting married that soon.  He always seemed very relaxed about the whole idea and never really in a hurry.  The other reason I had a big smile on my face was because of who I was traveling down the aisle with, Kevin.  You can't help but be all smiles around Kevin because he has a great funny personality.  So me and Kevin took our stroll down the aisle as well as all the other bridesmaids and groomsmen.  Each girl had a different colored bouquet of daisies, mine was purple.  It was nice because we got to choose which color we wanted.  Amber was really relaxed about the whole wedding.  After all of us were in place Amber started her walk down the aisle.

I couldn't see once everyone stood up to watch her walk down the aisle, which I was kind of bummed about.  When she finally got to Russ it looked like she had started crying on her way down there, but pictures I have seen don't look like she was.  The ceremony was beautiful and it was a great day for it.  The weather was gorgeous, except for the wind that kept me shivering the whole time.  The pastor that did the ceremony did a good job as well.  It added some jokes in to lighten up the mood which is perfect for Russ and Amber.  They said the traditional vows.  Right about the vows were said, and I believe after they had had their first kiss as husband and wife a guy on a boat came by and yelled, "Wooooooo Hooooooo!"  Everyone started busting out laughing and it was perfect timing.  They started they're walk back up the aisle as husband and wife and after Russ got passed all the chairs I guess Amber was saying how hard it was to walk in heels on that ground because it was very uneven.  So my brother just sweeped her up off her feet and carried her the rest of the way.  It's a side of my brother I'd never seen before.

*!*Reception*!*


The reception space was small but very nice.  The inside had a bar, glass windows all the way around, a fireplace, and a huge kitchen.  We had tables out on the balcony, inside and up near the bar.  Before heading into the reception there were snacks(veggie tray, fruit, cheese and crackers) and everyone were vultures.  We took more bridal party portraits after the ceremony.  Afterwards we all lined up on the stairs to start introducing the wedding party.  Before everyone was announced we actually had move some guests around because they were sitting at the tables reserved for the wedding party.  After getting that straightened out we started introducing the wedding party.  The parents were first, and then all the bridesmaids and groomsmen.  Kevin and I were announced first, and I know I heard to dance and have fun.  So being that I wanted to have a little bit of fun and that's afterall what a wedding is partly for, I started dancing while dodging and weaving through the cluster of tables.  Once I got to the front I got fussed at by my mom to stop dancing.  After all the wedding party was introduced(bridesmaids: Me, Holly, Jessie, and maid of honor Heather; groomsmen: Kevin, Frankie, Dustin and best man John Ryan) it was time for Russ and Amber's first dance.  I remember the song being a good first dance song for the both of them, but don't remember what the song was.  Amber then danced with her dad and it was a song by Tim McGraw.  And of course the mother-son dance which was Rascal Flats "My wish for you."  I remember this song because we had never found a song for my mom and Russ to dance to that seemed to fit Russ' personality, so it was more or less up to the DJ on that one.  Mom of course was a ball of tears because her oldest was finally married.  I never thought my brother would get married this soon, not that I thought he never would.  I just never saw it coming I guess you could say.  He was always very non shalant about the whole thing. 
After all the first dance and traditional dances, it was time to eat.  Nothing was catered.  Guys that my brother works with from Toyota(Travis, Germaine, and Slim - Slim isn't from Toyota).  They all came bright and early when we went to have our hair done for the wedding to help start cooking the food, so all the food was homemade.   Dinner consisted of lemon pepper chicken which the boys cooked, homemade hashbrown casserole, green beans, amazing bread that was cooked on the grill, sweet tea, water.  The hashbrown casserole Tracy started making after we left to get our hair done as well.  The beverages consisted of a couple types of liquor(vodka, whiskey, rum and a couple others), 4 different kinds of wine, mixers for the liquor and some soda.  After everyone ate we moved some of the tables outside to the balcony to make more room on the dance floor. 

The cake cutting was next and it was nice because Russ and Amber had a separate cake for them to cut and then cupcakes for the guests(red velvet, chocolate, and vanilla).  I think that was the best option and it was a cheaper option as well.  The baker also made an extra single layer cake for their one year anniversary.  The toasts were made by the maid of honor and best man with some funny bits and pieces.  There was plenty of dancing going on and that was fun and some good conversations.  It was a great wedding, perfect day and weather.  Couldn't have asked for anything better!

Congradulations Mr. & Mrs. Black!

5.19.12