wedding week - the final post

So here is my last post about the wedding, since it's been almost a month now - probably time to get this up.



Thursday

We drive from the farm to North Forty where the reception will take place and most guests are staying. We reserved most of the cabins for Friday and Saturday night, with my immediate family and some friends coming in on Thursday. As it turned out, a few too many friends decided to show up on Thursday, and sleeping spaces were at a premium. The weekend's shopping (we got too much food) was done during the afternoon. The food was packed away, the accommodations were all sorted out (although I almost ended up without a spot). Then away to Whitefish we went. Kirsten's bridesmaids actually organized a bachelorette party, or at least made of list of who would be around, and invited them to eat and drink. The guys weren't as organized, but it hardly mattered. Everyone piled into cars (we had two volunteers for designated drivers - excellent) then piled into bars. I had the presence of mind to order food before the shots started coming, then no more presence of mind. More drinks appeared - I don't think I bought many. Bars were hopped. Near the end of the night, we found ourselves in a bar with live poker tables. I managed not to lose all of my money. Closing time, we all made it back to the cabins. More drinks appeared, and I remember talking late into the night and then the morning, although I don't know about what. I went to bed slightly after one of our friends woke up and left to get a sunrise picture in Glacier.

Friday
It was a late morning for me, but not late enough. The rest of the family and friends poured in (although it seemed like most ended up coming on Thursday). The morning carried a bit of stress, not helped by the hangover. Kirsten fielded some calls from her dad, who ended up unable to make the wedding (this was known to be a likely proposition, but still caused some stress). Food preparation for the evening's meal started in earnest, with my family putting most of it together. Kirsten and I, along with a few others, headed to Glacier to scout the wedding location and choreograph the wedding. Jobs had been handed out and all were accomplished. The dinner (no rehearsal) was a hit. Friends and family mingled. An uncle was costumed. Gifts were given to my aunt and uncle for their 60th birthdays, and to my mom and dad for their 30th anniversary. A game was played. People retired early, to recover from Thursday night. (Everyone, as far as I'm aware, was in by midnight).

Saturday

The morning was still earlier than I would have liked, but far better than Friday's. Pancake breakfast fortified everyone. We enlisted guest to help erect a large tent for outdoor seating, as well as setting up tables and chairs. Others put together and set up decorations. Food catered for the reception arrives. Flowers arrive. (A small relief, since I made the arrangements). Kirsten leaves to have her hair done. A near crisis - the only real one of the weekend - I realize I forgot the cord to hook up music to the sound system. Kirsten wants music. I want music. I enlist sister's boyfriend to pick up new cord. He does. Crisis averted.
The morning seems to be a lot of rushing around, making sure everything is done. Then iron and put on wedding outfit. It seems all is done, now an hour to kill before heading out for photos. Someone remembers we should eat - good call. Photos are taken. Everyone arrives. (The parking was a worry, but doesn't seem to be an issue). Group portraits are done, everyone mingles. Our lemonade stand (served by my sister and her boyfriend) is a hit. It was 100 degrees Thursday and Friday. Today it's almost cool at 85. Everyone is seated, at 3:30 the music starts. Everyone in the seats pulls out their cameras. Ceremony goes well - music, reading, vows, reading, done. Everyone is invited to wade into the lake, most do. More photos. People head back to the cabins. Kirsten and I take our time, have ice cream at the nearby park village. (They don't have root beer floats. We order a root beer and a scoop of ice cream to dump together. Now we have root beer floats.)
We arrive, reception can start. Toasts, cake, food, keg, wine, talking. People sit inside and out. More mingling. First dance, then no dance (the music was good, but people were more interested in talking and drinking than dancing). Second keg is sent for, just in time. We open presents. More talking. Some late-night dancing when friends hijack the play list. The hall is to be vacant at midnight, so the keg is moved. It was a poor location choice, some of the guests who had intended to be sleeping no longer were after the keg and its attendant loudness were relocated. The frivolity went on into the early morning. Kirsten and I retired at 3 a.m. Reliable sources tell me the keg gave out at 4:30 a.m., when the remaining partyers drifted to bed.

Sunday

I try for an early morning, but I find the work I'd intended to help with is already mostly finished. We try to find places to put all the unused food. Again a morning of rushing, as people try to pack up and say goodbye. We arrange to have lunch with a group of friends. It's a slow-moving crowd. Afterward, Kirsten and I go back to the park with our photographers. We pose for portraits in the scenery for hours. And more hours. Just before the sun sets, we set up camp.

Monday

We plan on heading to Canada (still with our photographers). I realize I packed our passports in a shipment headed back to the farm. Kirsten is worried - we only have drivers licenses. No problem. We get into Canada. Then I'm worried - we see a front moving in, with black clouds, wind and rain. There's a bear at the Waterton visitors' center. The bear crosses the road. We get back on the road, take a short hike and avoid the rain. The front blows over, sun shines. We drive to Cameron Lake. Nice. Another short walk, then back to the townsite. A few drinks at the hotel (no we weren't staying there, we camped down below). Campsite had no fires, but a lot of ground squirrels.

Tuesday

Back to U.S. We drive to Many Glacier. Then we take a short walk. Another bear is there. We see the cinnamon-colored black bear about 30 feet away, looking through a rotten log. My companions are interested in hurrying down the trail. Kirsten and I leave the photographers to the park, and return to the farm.

Wednesday

We try and figure out how to fit everything we've obtained from the weekend into our packs. It's a futile effort, although we managed to fit most of it. Two 40 pound bags each will tax the baggage handlers Thursday when we return to D.C.