Hi, my name is Megan and you might not know me personally, but the most important thing to know about me is that I’m one of the two asses behind the name of Heather's perfume, “Candy Ass" and I’ve been dreaming about this day since Babs – as I call her – and I were babies! We met when we were in preschool, and she’s been my sister from another mister ever since.
From playing with barbies, killing it at Donkey Kong and Mario Kart, and swimming our days away when we were kids, to surviving 90% on phone calls and text messages while managing businesses and kids, life has changed a lot since then. But some things have remained the same: Babs, you are still the same strong-willed, fiercely independent person you were back then. You've always known who you are and what you wanted. When you met Keil I knew things were different. HE was different! I say that you, Babs, were the first love of my life, so I was never going to let you settle for a man that didn’t deserve you; none of these friends sitting here would have! So standing here today makes me so damn happy because Keil and Babs, you bring out the best in each other. Its been beautiful to watch your relationship grow. Keil, you make Babs shine in a way that no other partner has, and for that I thank you.
As I sat writing my Maid of Honor speech a number of weeks ago, I realized just how much I had been looking forward to this wedding since my best friend in the entire world and I were babes. It didn't disappoint!
Last Wednesday I dropped Gwenie off at school, and jumped on the road heading West through the mountains. I could probably write a whole post just about the 15 hour solo drive - the first I've ever made like that, with no little companion in the back seat - but lets see if I can sum it up: It was amazing to drive through these mountains I've grown to love, catching up on podcasts, and just enjoying the journey without worrying about anyone else. There were no snacks to pass or toys to pick up, and no "I'm boreddd" pronouncements to ignore. I stopped when I had to get gas, using the bathroom at those stops, and eating the things I had packed for the journey. Not to say there weren't lonely moments, and I definitely wish I could have switched off with someone to give my eyes a break about 13.5 hours in, but as I drove down a Eastern California highway after darkness had fallen, and watched thunderstorms put on a light show to both the North and South of me... well, I knew there was something pretty magical about the solo journey.I arrived late, so headed straight to the AirBnB I was sharing with one of the other bridesmaids, and tried to get some sleep. I was up pretty early the next morning. A combination of a different sleep environment, the hour time difference, and excitement for the days ahead! Yvone woke pretty quickly too, and we headed out to pick up some groceries. After that it was finally time to go over and see my girl!!
We got to squeeze, I got to see her new apartment, and we got to chat a bit... but it wasn't just a lazy day. Nope, Yvone and I got to work!
We made all the centerpieces ourselves to help Babs out, and figured out the logistics for everything else that still needed to be done. Then that night it was time for the Bachelorette festivities. There was dinner and a special show. It was late to bed that night too, but we had another busy day to follow!
Friday we picked up the sound system, handled a bunch of last minute details and supply getting, I grabbed Gwen and Trav from LAX, and we hit up the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Then it was back to the AirBnB where Babs and I slept next to each other like we did the night before my wedding. It made me wistful, but oh so excited.
Saturday, Wedding Day, dawned early. Yiv and I were up at 5:15am to let the hair and makeup people in, and we all got to work. We did hair and makeup in the AirBnB until about 7:30 when we switched over to the venue to eat breakfast, finish our looks, and put on our clothes.
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| This was not the final result, but I had to stop here and enjoy my 80s rocker hair... 👅 |
Those ladies were geniuses, and I'll admit, I felt pretty damn good!!
Heather was great and pretty damn chill all morning, even as wedding time came... and passed just slightly! Oops.
Still, when it was time to walk down the aisle, the delay didn't matter. She was stunning, literally making her groom pull in a breath and utter, "Wow" - while needing to dab his eyes.
I was more then tearing at that point, and for the rest of the ceremony, so no shame!
It was a beautiful ceremony, with amazing vows, some of the best ring exchange vows I've heard, and this amazing show of new family unity:
(Yes, those are smoke bombs!)
I will share some professional pictures when they come out and I get permission, but please click through here to look at some teasers... they are AMAZING!
When all was done with the ceremony, the guests headed off to the reception venue while the bridal party got pictures done. Then we headed over as well for some really great food with a pretty killer view!
It was a low-key reception in some ways, there was no dancing, not a lot of the traditional stuff (no cake cutting or garter tossing)... but it was full of amazing personality just the same. A personalized playlist, gorgeous cupcakes, and a speech from the groom's sister, and the Maid of Honor... 😘
After seeing Babs tear up just a moment or two in, I bawled through a good portion of it, but I managed to make her laugh, so I'm happy.
Gwen made a friend in her new "cousin" Sai (Heather's new stepdaughter!), and it was amazing to see them play together.
I've always imagined that we would have babies playing together. 💗
At the last minute, Yvone, KJ, and I snuck out to give Heather's car a little decorating, then it was time to see the couple off!
Everything I'm writing here seems so inadequate to describe all of the emotions running through me over these days. This girl is my sister, and Keil is such an amazing guy, so to say that I was thrilled for them doesn't even cover it. There was so much love, so much color, so much excitement, and such an amazing feeling of relief that the day was finally here and the work was done!
After we got back to the AirBnB, to strip down, clean up and start packing. Trav realized at that point that we didn't get a picture together, so Gwen snapped a quick one for us!
We left early Sunday morning, with me waking everyone at 7am, and being completely packed and out the door before 8am. The ride home was shorter (plotted drive time - 14.5 hours) and longer (sooo many stops to peee!), with us arriving at almost 1am (we lost an hour in the time change). It was amazing to have Travis available to drive the last two hours for me, and fun to have him see this drive that Gwen and I have done multiple times now. Driving the Southern Utah desert area at twilight might be one of the most beautiful drives, and this time did not disappoint. There were cotton candy skies in front of us, a fiery display behind us, and a thunderstorm way in the distance lighting up the darkening clouds in beautiful flashes. It was a pretty magical end to an amazing long weekend.
There’s an anonymous quote that says, “Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale.” Now I don’t know that anything in Babs’s life has been ordinary, and we all know that fairy tales in the traditional sense aren’t real – there are no fairy godmothers making our dreams come true – but love like this is as close to a fairytale as we get in this world, it imbibes life with a little bit of magic. The best marriages are found when a couple is a team, when there is mutual respect, and when there is so much love; plus the willingness to really work on your relationship and put it first. Thankfully you guys have all the ingredients for a beautiful marriage.
This group has traveled from far and wide to make it to this celebration, and you are all here because you mean a great deal to the bride and groom. Please, join me in raising our glasses to the happy couple. To a long, beautiful, colorful life together! Cheers!
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~ Meegs