PRE-WEDDING CRAZYNESS!
Thankfully took today off from work so that I could help more with the wedding. Last night we were up until about 1:30 am doing last minute things, and up again this morning early at 6:30. A lot on the plate today. We went at 10am with all the guys to go pick up tuxes and get resized. Everyone showed up except my dad who was still working until 2pm today and was just going to "wing it" with the tux. The tux guy wasn't too happy but oh well! Emmy's dad, Joe and I went last night (Thursday) to go get tuxes so ours were all set. I drove with Jonn, Harry, Steve, Ryan, and Jonathan to Tux Express and we were in and out within an hour. I decided to treat my guys to a breakfast and we drove to Misty Moonlight Diner where we had some good eats to fuel up for all the stuff that needs doing the day before the wedding.
Went back to the house and it was downpouring all afternoon. We had to keep playing puzzle master with the cars rotating them in under the carport so we could load them up without getting things wet. It is insane how much goes into a wedding! Everyone was in really great spirits and it has been a great week because Scott, Rose, Jane and Liana have all been here since Monday.
Rehearsal Dinner scheduled for 6:30 pm tonight so we needed to get checked in at Sylvanus Lodge in Hillsdale before. We had been aiming for about 3:00pm to get out of Pittsfield, but 3 o'clock came and went and we were still there trying to do last minute packing. We finally got the cars packed and had started down the driveway and Essex Street. But as we came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, we realized that all the guys were behind us, but that Emmy's parents were not following us! We pulled over and were trying to call them for five or ten minutes but no answer. Contemplated driving back up the hill, but then they finally made it to the caravan. We had to stop in Lenox at Family Flowers to pick up flowers for the big day. I wasn't expecting so many boxes! I think we had no less than four boxes of flowers, including corsages, flowers for the head table, flowers for the aisle during the service, etc.
Checked in to Sylvanus Lodge around 5 o'clock. We did not have long to "hang around" though. Emm told me that we had a meeting with event planners at Copake Country Club at 5:30 or 5:45. I changed into a shirt and pants and then hopped into the new Rav 4. (We have decided to call her Cordelia). That was another blessing. We just got the title on Thursday finally ending a 6 week ordeal. Emm's mom Mary Rose took it to get inspected, registered, etc. so that we can take it on the honeymoon.
We got to Copake a bit late, but the event coordinators whom we have never met were quick to jump into official boss you around mode. We just took it in stride and I saw that Reverend Dana was there early, so I went and talked to her for 5 or 10 minutes. I wanted to see how she was doing and also to be a good host! Well one of the ladies, I forget her name, she came over and rather rudely asked, "So Benn do you want to be part of the wedding?" I took it as my cue to end conversation and I would follow up with her later at the rehearsal dinner.
Before we knew it it was getting near rehearsal time. Our siblings and parents started showing up. The bridesmaids all made it in, and the groomsmen were here too. Copake has always done a fabulous job catering to us, especially as Steve the head chef said that we were the first official "big" wedding at the venue.
REHEARSAL DINNER
True to form it was raining, rather heavily when the rehearsal was supposed to start. In the four or five times I've been to Copake it has been raining or snowing every time. Haha! Dana took me aside with Emmy and basically said that due to the weather we should consider just "bagging" the rehearsal and "wing it" tomorrow. Looking outside I did not see how we would be able to make it out to the course and run through a meaningful rehearsal so we agreed.
Dinner was great. It was so much fun to sit with everyone and the food was great! We were at Copake until about 9 or so, after which Emmy and I drove with Rev. Dana to the Inn at Green River where she was staying. We had to check in with Deborah, the owner (and yes, it is Deborah, not Deb or Debbie because she corrected Emm's mom!). She seemed a bit weird, but then again I guess most B&Bs are weird. Just not my cup of tea. She made it a point to show us around the room and stuff and where we were staying tomorrow night as we would probably get in after she was already asleep.
After saying good night to Dana, we headed back to Sylvanus and I said good night to Emmy. I went and hung out with the boys until about 3 in the morning (maybe not the best thing to do the night before a wedding), but I hadn't seen my brothers, or Jonathan, Steve, Ryan in a long time! My cousin Andrew came up too from Tennessee for the wedding, and I was able to spend some quality time touching base with him too.
We finally headed off to bed around 2:50 or 3:00. I had to be up at 6:30 to start wedding prep stuff. And believe it or not, I was not nervous! Emm surprised me with a card and a gift of Swiss Army Victorinox cologne and Harry surprised me with Season 3 of McGuyver on DVD!! Two of the best gifts ever! | 
