Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs DuPont!

I've admittedly waited a few weeks to write this post because it's a special one...a very special one, and I've thought very hard about how to articulate this life event.  I've thought about the right words to use every day since it's happened because I want it to be just perfect.  Even after it was complete, I analyzed over every sentence, picture and word before posting it for all of you to see!  And over the course of our 3 year marriage and the life of this blog, I've attended several weddings and hopefully documented the unique characteristics of each one of those nuptials.  But this one is a bit different, because this particular matrimonial celebration gave me....A NEW SISTER!

Garrett & Jenny selected the Queen Mary in Long Beach as the site for their May wedding in California.  It provided the perfect setting for the "nautical glam" theme that the beautiful bride was hoping for.  The perfect mix of anchors and glitter, ship's wheels and sparkles, sailors and rhinestones.  I spent the majority of my life in Southern California, and Long Beach was a neighborhood that we just never spent much time in, so we were looking forward to exploring a new area of the California coastline.  After spending an evening in LA celebrating Mike's birthday and catching up with some of our LA family, Mike and I were anxious to get down to the LBC for the rehearsal event and to see everyone that had flown in for the joyous occasion.

Over the 3 days that ensued, the sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky.  Aside from a tiny bit of a pestering wind on the roof of the boat, the setting was perfect for Jenny & Garrett to share their love in front of all their family and friends.  The festivities kicked off at the rehearsal dinner - a lovely fusion of both Candelaria & DuPont families - and each friend in between.  My parents organized a fantastic party with a fabulous menu and a free flowing bar with the world's most patient bartenders!  But what makes the rehearsal dinner particularly enjoyable are the spontaneous speeches that people recite over the course of the evening.  Aside from maybe mine...I was a little unprepared and effectively spicy after a few Cuba Libres (gotta support my peeps at Bacardi!) - another reason why I wanted to be particularly attentive to my writing here, because this post is more eloquent than any "off the cuff" speech I could have done.  As a sister, I was truly touched by all of the sweet words people had to say about my brother, about Jenny, and about the two of them together, as a couple.

Then it was time for the big day.  A day 14 months in the making.  A day that both families had been preparing for for over a year.  And one where not a single detail was out of place.   In an effort to effectively manage both parties I spent the morning with my mom/grandmother, helping them primp for the day, before I shuttled over to the Queen Mary to get ready with the rest of the sparkly wedding party.  This was my first time getting to spend some quality time with Jenny's two sisters, Jillian and Nicole - both two extremely sweet and supportive ladies who I'm happy to have met over the weekend.  And Jenny requested that we all have "big, beachy, beautiful" curls for our wedding hair, so the room was a hot box of hairspray!  Good thing no one lit a match!

More importantly, I felt honored to be a part of the special group to assist Jenny in her wedding preparations.  We got a sneak peek at the bride before the ceremony and she was beautiful....and absolutely glowing (both from happiness and from all the sparkle!).  Her lipstick had the perfect amount of shimmer, her hair was so delicately curled, her makeup was flawless, and not a rhinestone was out of place!  And it was adorable and endearing to see Jenny quietly saying her vows to herself through a few joyful tears, or silently practicing tying the rope/knot that would seal their marriage in the ceremony.

When it came time for us all to walk down the aisle (albeit fashionably late!), it was emotional and breathtaking.  I walked down the aisle, gave my little brother a quick wink, and lost it.  I'm not sure why, and I can't tell you how many people came up to me during the reception to tell me how they noticed my sniffles (ok, maybe more than sniffles), but at that moment, I was overwhelmed by how happy my brother was and how composed and calm he was about marrying the love of his life.  And as I stood next to the other bridesmaids and watched the ceremony transpire, I got the view of all 150 (or so....) people looking on the beautiful couple and who adore my brother and Jenny just as much as we do.  And that, is a pretty powerful, magical, and VERY emotional sight.

And then the reception started.  And I had SO much fun at the reception.  It's pretty ironic that Mike and I are such babies of the 80s, that we often don't know some of the cool songs and bands that occupy the top 40.  But Mike could NOT have been more excited to hear a little Pit Bull and a bit of Don Omar.  Since it was on a ship, the DuPont family came adequately prepared (after the boys enjoyed a 2 hour boat excursion during the day) with various forms of head wear including captain's and sailor hats...because we do love a good hat.  It was so great to see so many of Garrett's friends that I have known since we were just little tiny toe-headed kids in Laguna Niguel, California and also spend time with some of the new ones that I don't get to see because we're all the way out in New York.  But celebrating with my family was definitely one of my major highlights from the reception.  In fact, we stuffed as many DuPonts as humanly possible into the photo booth - and a bunch of DuPont in a photo booth is a really, REALLY, amazing sight.

ALMOST everyone stayed in town the day after the wedding so that we could all rehash the previous nights festivities over lunch and cocktails.  We spent some quality time with Garrett and Jenny at the pool on another perfect day before sending them off to their honeymoon in St. Kitts.  There are few occasions where we get to have the whole family together, so I cherish every single second that we are all together celebrating such a happy event - and I was obviously devastated when it was over and we all went our separate ways. The weekend flew by and as always I felt like there were so many people I didn't get to spend enough time with out in California...especially the bride and groom.  But at least we have another few events coming up this year where the gang will all be back together!  

I cry at weddings.  I just do.  I cry when I see a bride's dad see his little girl in a wedding dress for the first time.  I cry when I see a blushing bride walk down the aisle to her proud, proud groom.  I cry when the couple chokes up during their vows.  I cry when they have their first dance as husband and wife.  I cry during the father/daughter or mother/son dance.  And I cry when it's all over, we all go home, and I don't know when I'm going to see the happy couple, or my friends, or family next.  It's just my thing....I can barely make it through the full 2 hours of the Today Show, or one of those special interest stories on Sports Center without shedding a few tears, so weddings?  FUGGEDABOUTIT!

But Jenny & Garrett's wedding was a different level!  If you have ever experienced a sibling getting married, it's one of the most emotional experiences I've ever had - ALL KINDS of emotions.  I was sad to not be able to spend enough time with them over the course of the weekend.  I was stressed that all the little details go JUST right to ensure that all those months of hard work by both families went off without a hitch.  I was worried about getting to meet every member of the bridal party during our short time together.  I was reminiscent about my amazing wedding just 3 years prior and all the memories that we had from OUR special day.  I was concerned about my mother having to "give away" her baby boy (yes, it's not just dad's who give their daughter's away, I think it's a real thing for moms!!!  And my mom was FINE!) that weekend.  And I was anxious about having enough time in the day to help my mother/grandmother get ready and then jet over to the Queen Mary to get ready with the bridal party!

But more than any other emotion...I was HAPPY!  I was SO HAPPY to see my brother's face light up when Jenny's sparkly little figure walked down the aisle.  I was HAPPY when Jenny made the entire crowd laugh when she messed up her knot a little bit during the ceremony.  I was HAPPY when they broke out into a choreographed boogie during their first dance.  I was HAPPY that most of my family was able to fit into a photo booth for what could arguably be the most festive picture in the history of the DuPont family.  I was HAPPY that the weather was absolutely gorgeous for their wedding weekend.   I was HAPPY that we got one more day with everyone on Sunday before heading home.  But above all, I was HAPPY that Jenny and Garrett were HAPPY...because that's really all that matters at the wedding of your only sibling.   Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Garrett DuPont.  Welcome to the family Mrs. Jenny-Lynn!  We love you guys!