On October 12, 2019, I woke up thinking, "it's finally here - my wedding day." Nearly 500 days since Ryan proposed, we were about to get married on the six year anniversary of our first date, just steps away from the popular Italian restaurant where Ryan and I shared awkward but charming get-to-know-you banter while I had spinach in my teeth.
For getting ready, it was important to me for us to have enough natural light for photos. I'd looked into nearby AirBnBs, but I really wanted to be central to everything and everyone else in the hotel block, so I opted to book a suite at the hotel. With two beds, a couch, and a little balcony, we had plenty of room to spread out and get ready. Most importantly, we had a small kitchenette to suffice our snacking needs throughout the day.
One of my bridesmaids, Stephanie, stayed in the hotel room with me the night before, and it wasn't long before hair and makeup knocked on our door at 8:45 a.m. to start setting up. I began to set up plastic champagne flutes, Trader Joe's apple cider donuts, and pancake bread for my bridesmaids and family, though we didn't actually pop any bubbly until about 10ish (likely for the best!). My bridesmaid Jaime's husband scooped us up Starbucks + brought in our Publix lunch (popcorn fried chicken nuggets, sandwiches, and fruit)...talk about a life saver.
Before long, all six of my bridesmaids + my mom and mother-in-law were in the thick of getting ready. Robes and gifts had been distributed, and everyone was dressed in dusty green florals. The room smelled of hairspray, Lizzo blasted through a "beer can" speaker, and every five minutes someone mentioned "I can't believe it's finally here!"
I was so excited to get ready alongside my girlfriends - it's a big reason why I had a larger amount of bridesmaids. I couldn't imagine not getting ready with everybody, and I really wanted cute robe photos (because, duh). In truth, we were a little bit behind schedule. Everyone else's hair and makeup touchups went about an hour late, which cut into our "getting ready" photo time and made everything feel a little bit rushed at the time. By the time everyone was finished, I was already supposed to be at the venue doing my first look with Ryan. I tried not to let it stress me out, and ultimately, it didn't. I think that's what makes every wedding day unique - the unplanned twists and turns and mishaps always make for good stories.
Even so, we got a lot of great "getting ready" photos, thanks to our wonderful photographer, Emily Mathewson. If you're in Florida (or even if you're not!) I highly recommend her. She did an outstanding job, and I feel like I gained a friend in the wedding planning process!
And of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't share some "getting ready" photos from Ryan's side of the day. He looked so handsome! I felt like one lucky bride...and I suppose that now I'm one lucky wife!
I'll be sharing more in the coming weeks! Be on the look out for our first look, the ceremony, and reception pictures. I can't believe this day has already come and gone, and I love revisiting it.
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