| Jester |
01-16-2006 09:35 PM |
And now for the wedding recap:
Saturday: After my flight from Dallas/Ft. Worth to El Paso, I wait for the shuttle bus to take me the 90 miles from El Paso into Alamogordo (I would have been picked up, but my arrival just happened to coenside with the rehersal.) Anyone who has been to the El Paso airport knows there isn't much to do when trying to kill a couple hours, so i did about 10 laps around the airport.
When the bus finally arived, we drove the 90 miles in, I caught some z's and waited to be droped off at my hotel. when we drove past the main drag and all the decent and low priced hotels I began to worry. The driver just kept going. Then I saw the sign in the distance for my hotel, the Satellite. Note to all those planning trips: Don't search for hotels on-line, unless it's like a Best Western or the Hilton, cause they hyped little inn up big time.
So from the hotel, I meet up with my buddy, his fiance, her maid of honor,and the maid-o-honor's boy friend. I learn that I, since I'm not a drinker, get tobe the designated driver for the "bachlor party." This was kind of an imprombtu thing, even my pally didn't plan it. so we drove about an hour out of Alamo. to a bar called Quarters, cause you have to drive an hour from Alamo to find anything to do. Though I've never been to a bar, and I'm not much of a bar fly, I didn't mind it at first. The company was good, and my pal INK and Rusty (the MoH's BF) had a great time talking as they sipped at some drinks and me my water. All was good until the music got louder and louder, conversation got harder and harder and Russ got drunker and drunker. So with good times kinda dying down we bailed and started home. I "drove" but since I'm not gifted in the in the art of standard transmission, Rusty did the shifting, while I accelerated, braked, steered and engaged the cluch when neccsary. They dropped me off at my hotel, and INK, who by now had sobered up, drove Rusty home.
Sunday:
Around 11, we get out to the White Sands State Park to set up for the big day. We get the gazebo up where we are going to hold the reception and get to work setting up stairs and the poles for the walk way from the ceremony to the reception. While digging the post holes we break the shovle and have to do our best with the head and by hand. Then the wind picks up. We realize the cloth that the bride wants to drape around the poles wil ack like a psudo-sail and would uproot our already wobbly posts. A couple of park rangers drive up and ask how things are going and to be bearers of bad news, they are expecting 50 MPH gusts of wind. After setting up the gazebo, and weighting down things with alot of sand, we head back into town to get dressed. We dress and get back and wait for about an hour for the bride, who's day seems to be unraviling due to weather. Then the pastor and INK had a brainstorm, a little touch to hopefully brighten her day, we'd take her flowing cloth, trim it down and attach a piece to each of the walk way poles, not exactly what she wanted, but an adaptation. as we tied off the last of the streamers, the bride pulls up and we start. With the wind wipping the pastor preforms the ceremony, cutting it down so we can get out of the weather a little down in the gazebo, and go ahead with the "unity sand" ceremony down there as apposed to up on the dune where the ceremony was held. The ceremony was very nice, though not quite what Ashley wanted. With all the vail she had, it took a little while for my pally to find her face, but the kissed and i fought back the tears (I'm a sucker for these kinda moments, sue me.)
Then we went down to the gazebo and had the reception. They did the unity sand, broke out the bubbly and the Maid of Honor and I gave tosts (Mine over a nice glass of fizzy Dr. Pepper, seasoned to taste with some ultra fine white sand :P) We take a few pictures, sign the wedding certificate, and then, due to wind and limited visability, cut the reception a little short.
After that we went back into town got changed and I hung around with the bride and groom and we bonded (since I haven't seen Ink in about 6 years and I've never met Ashley). We bought Chinese, ice cream, and chips and dip. A celebratory pig out. After the massive munch fest we crashed for a few hours so that we'd be rested for the return trip to El Paso (flight departs 6:00, boards at 5:30ish, had to check in an hour prior to take off, or 5:00, had tro drive 90 miles, so we had to leave at around 2:30, just to be safe.) So after having a bag packed by the "little lady" with some sodas for the trip, we drove to El Paso and chatted on the way up, I checked in and we hung around for a little while before I finally had to just go board. We snaped some more pictures (I've still gotta get the roll finished and then I'll get it developed) and had our goodbyes and I came home.
Though it did have it's hitches due to weather, I think the wedding went off well. And if Ashley can take the stress of her wedding day seemingly falling down around her, she can handle dealing with my pal, Isaiah.
So, y'all miss me? :P
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