Jessica's Wedding

It’s hard to believe it has been a month already since Jessica and Austin’s wedding! What a weekend! First of all, getting home was not as easy as I’d planned! I booked a flight directly into Gainesville after work on Thursday. These flights are more expensive but save on time (in theory). Well my flight from New York to Charlotte was delayed 2 hours so I would have missed my connection to Gainesville. I was rerouted through Washington D.C., and then to Jacksonville, and then I still had to have my parents drive 2 hours to pick me up! It was a disaster! Instead of being home at 9:45, I was landing in Jacksonville after 11. So annoying!

I came into town for my oldest friend's wedding - we have known each other since we were two years old! Jessica and I both went to Brentwood, where we were in school together until 2nd grade when I transferred to Talbot. We met again at Gainesville High School although not becoming close friends until we were seniors. We stayed close throughout college and after, the rest is history! I knew Austin in high school and then after college I worked for the same company as him in 2008 - Charles Perry Construction, which does a lot of the corporate construction in Gainesville - UF, churches, hospitals, etc. I was really excited when they started dating in 2009, and was not all surprised when they were engaged a year later!

Celebrations started Friday! We started early, with meeting Jessica, Katie, and Jana at 9 to get our nails done – hot pink of course. I wore a little sundress and apparently didn’t look at the weather forecast because the night before a huge cold front had come through Gainesville (in my defense, it’s not typical for November!). Next we had our Bridesmaids’ Luncheon at the Gainesville Country Club, where I got to see Jessica’s cousins Kimber, Kelli, and Angie, who I’ve known since high school which is crazy! And Kimber’s girls, Kylie and Camryn. I couldn’t believe how big they were! They were teeny tiny when we were in high school! The luncheon was really fun:



After that though I needed some warmer clothes so we made a pit stop at the mall before the Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner! The rehearsal was the most productive of any rehearsal I’ve been to – it was a more complicated ceremony with standing, sitting, and filing in and out a couple times, so it was a good thing we rehearsed! Jessica wore a stunning bright turquoise dress at the rehearsal and looked amazing, I want to steal this dress! Her faux bouquet was cute too, it’s one tradition I really love with all the bows from your wedding gifts making a ribbon bouquet that you practice with at the rehearsal.



We relaxed back at the house, the rehearsal dinner was casual and fun, great food, followed by an early bedtime! Jessica, Caroline and me slept all in a row in a king size bed for Jessica’s last night as a single lady!

The next morning we had hair and makeup done, mine was a little bit different than my own style which I was excited about – I gave free reign to the stylists! Jessica looked amazing, she wore her hair half up and half down in soft curls, so pretty! After that, we were ready to head back to the house to get ready. We did ALL the wedding party pictures before the ceremony, which was great. We did the girls and guys separately, Jess and Austin had their first moment together, then the whole group. We took a LOT of pictures (and tequila shots) as we started celebrating! So much laughing and dancing before the reception, that’s how you do it!



Jessica looked so amazing, I just couldn’t stand it! After all our pictures were done, we started watching the Florida game in the TV room, it was too funny that Jessica got completely into the game! Once it was time for the ceremony, we boarded the party bus (that’s right) to the church. I had not been in the church yet but it is gorgeous! It was actually Austin’s first construction job with Charles Perry Construction, and Jessica’s family goes there, so it was the perfect place for them.



The ceremony was beautiful, and since there was some sitting everyone could see Jessica’s HOT PINK satin shoes! Anyone who knows Jessica knows she is classic but with a splash, and the hot pink shoes could not have been more her! We had quite the hunt for them over the summer… luckily we found them for the day! After the ceremony we headed back on the party bus to the Weingart house for cocktail hour. There I was reunited with Nate and one of my closest friends, Janeen and her husband Ryan. They are also expecting a girl in MARCH! Expect more blog posts on that later! We took some great photos down at the koi pond in the backyard/gazebo, here are my two favorites:





The cocktail hour was at the pool and I was able to see my mom and tons of family friends before the reception. We had a fun entry into the tent – and it was a TENT in the backyard. There were 3 chandeliers, buffets, heaters, not your average tent! One of my dad’s friends was the DJ, so I made sure to put in good requests. Our wedding party dance song was Taio Cruz “Dynamite” – you can see below I taught one of the ringbearers to “put your hands up in the air” during the song! TOO CUTE!



There were 18 of us in the wedding party plus Jessica and Austin – we put the PARTY in wedding party! I’ve known most of the group since middle or high school, so it was really fun to be reunited and celebrate with everybody. It was really fun to see Janeen & Ryan too, it's also weird to think they have been married almost 3 years! Crazy!



Lastly, four of us from high school were reunited! It’s hard to believe 9 years ago we were seniors – the ’03 girls! Here we are now at Jessica’s wedding – time has FLOWN and I am so thankful to still be close to these amazing women – Janeen, Ashley, Jessica, and Me!



It was an amazing weekend – so much fun celebrating Jessica and Austin and I could not be happier for them! It was a blast to be there for their day.