Before we knew it, it was 3 months later, and we were getting married. We were getting married in BC, because Brody is the greatest and he knew it meant a lot to me. We were going to drive out there a week before the big day to help prepare everything. I want to avoid focusing on my regrets from my wedding because it was ultimately perfect, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't regret not helping my mom more. She had put so much work into making my wedding beautiful, straight off of my Pinterest board, and I decided to show up the week before to "help."
Anyways, about a month before our wedding, Brody and I realized that we needed somewhere to live once we were husband and wife. We made this realization a bit late, because by the time we found the basement suite we settled on, we were in fact settling. It was a tiny one bedroom basement suite in Southwest Calgary. I moved out of my room at the James' house and moved into our suite by myself. It was my first time actually living alone. I was scared to sleep at night, but loved the freedom. It was nice that Brody and I could finally have our own space with privacy. So we moved me in, and I got settled into our first home.
One week before our wedding day, we got in the car and drove to Abbotsford. It was the first of many road trips to Abbotsford and it is not for the faint of heart. I'm sure people who have driven farther will laugh at that.. but it felt very long. At least I had good company and we had a lot to talk about.
We stopped in Kelowna to stay the night with Manda and Ethan. It was around this time that I developed the world's juiciest zit, right under my nostril, and it was not budging. But we had a fun night with Manda and Ethan before we continued our trek the next day.
The next few days consisted of shopping trips, sunset walks, a hair appointment and a visit to Krispy Kreme.
Brody loves Krispy Kreme.
Two nights before the wedding, Brody's whole family came into town, along with the best man and some of Brody's other friends. My siblings and I went on a date to go see Seussical, put on by a middle school (which felt like a full circle moment. If you know, you know). After the show, I came back to the church where everyone was starting the set up for our reception. I knew tensions would be high over the next few days as things started to get set up and people started to arrive. I wasn't expecting it to affect me so much. I have always been very aware of my parents emotions. So when my mom wasn't calm, I started to spiral.
The next day, Manda threw me my bachelorette party with all of my bridesmaids. We went to get our nails done, went for lunch and I was showered with gifts in preparation for the big day.
When I got back to the church building, the stress was at a peak. So many bodies and opinions and everyone asking my mom what to do and where things need to go. It was in that moment that I realized, she really had planned the whole thing.
Brody had gone to pick up some of his groomsmen from the airport about forty-five minutes away. I was left with the team that was helping set up, or not helping. Luke also came to me and told me that he was not sitting with the groomsmen, his mind was made up and it was the end of the discussion. That was the thing I needed that was going to make me crash out. I picked up the phone to call Brody and asked him where he was and when he would be back. "We're just going to head back to the airbnb for lunch" he told me. I told him that I was about five seconds away from losing my mind and killing everyone and he had to get here right away. He came right away and I melted into a puddle of tears. I don't do too well around stress, but Brody's calming presence and positive attitude reminded me of what this time was all about. It wasn't about who's sitting with who, who's getting along or not getting along, but Brody and I getting married.
Despite the ups and downs, it did all come together and we left the church that night feeling excited, grateful and confident that it would all work out. I was marrying my soulmate the next morning and nothing else mattered. We ended the night with pizza at my parents house with both of our families. I decided last minute to spend the night at my grandparents house. This is something I actually still regret. My reason behind it was because we had so many people from our of town staying at our house, that I was not convinced I would sleep well. I don't think that's a good enough reason and I should have soaked up every last second with my siblings and parents. But I showed up to my grandparents house to a made up bed, a quiet house and a cup of warm milk. My grandma has a way of making everyone feel at home in her house. I was pretty sure I wouldn't sleep at all that night, and I was right, but I had to get my beauty sleep for the most important day of my life.
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