Re-Wind
Ok...the Cliff's Notes version of the weekend...
Thursday, I worked until 2, then headed out for some errands and then home to finish packing. I took a quick shower and headed over to Brandi and Nate's to drive over to Atlanta. We got there around 10 or so I think, our time. We flew out...
Friday morning at 8:40 Atlanta time. Security was pretty much a breeze-- we just had to take our shoes off and shove our carry-ons through the detector, then reassemble ourselves. We landed in Minneapolis-St. Paul around 11:45, picked up Le Rental Car and headed to pick up Nate's tux. We had Olive Garden for lunch (YUM!) and Brandi and I raided DSW for a bit while Nate picked up his tux. Then it was off to the hotel. JB was in the lobby of the hotel when we came in to check in...he and Mo, Dueff, Rhonda, Landon, Jason, Jason's Dad and Aunt all stayed there too.
The big pimpin' Subaru Tribeca, with the Medium Pimpin' Nate
Friday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. All went well-- the dinner was at a place in Owatonna, which was about 20 minutes or so away from Faribault. After that, it was back to the hotel for some much-needed rest.
Nicola and Jason, after the slideshow at the Groom's Dinner
Saturday a bunch of us went to lunch with Jason to celebrate his final hours of singledom. We went to a place called The Depot Bar & Grill, which was a really cool place. Then, Brandi and I were given the task of gathering stuff to deck the getaway car with while the guys dressed and had pictures at the church. A quick trip to Walgreen's (car chalk, ribbon, streamers, shaving cream) and the liquor store (nothing says "romance" like 6 empty Colt 45 tallboys clattering along behind your car) and we were done. We dressed quickly and headed back to the church, where Nicola and her party were finishing their pictures and the guys were killing time. Jason and Nicola were pretty much as calm as I've ever seen them-- they were both very anxious to get the show on the road and hurry up and get married!
The ceremony was beautiful-- her father performed it (he's the dean of the Cathedral they got married in) and everything was just so perfect, from the music they had chosen to the readings for the service. After some pictures with the whole party united and some family shots, everyone was ready for dinner and a little music. While everyone enjoyed the reception a few of us snuck out to decorate the car-- I didn't know that was what was going on-- I had just stepped outside for a minute, but was glad to join in. We poured out the Colt 45 "for our dead homies" as Nate put it, and tied the cans to the back and then gave the car an overall Nascar tribute feel, knowing how fond Jason is of anything Talladega-related, which is not at all. They hit the road around 9 or so and we all headed back to our hotels to change clothes and crash.
Jason and Nicola, 8/26/06
Our flight wasn't until 3:40 Sunday afternoon, so we had some time to kill after checking out of the hotel. With the airport practically across the street from it, we HAD to go to the Mall of America. We rode two of the roller coasters and did some shopping. I got to see LegoLand and we ate at Rainforest Cafe'. They had a whole store devoted to peanut butter! They also had a Lake Wobegon store, which we hit at the very end. They actually had two UAB hats in the college sports store there! And can I say how odd it was to not see a montage of red, white, orange and blue in a sports store?
Mall of America, baby!
Thursday, I worked until 2, then headed out for some errands and then home to finish packing. I took a quick shower and headed over to Brandi and Nate's to drive over to Atlanta. We got there around 10 or so I think, our time. We flew out...
Friday morning at 8:40 Atlanta time. Security was pretty much a breeze-- we just had to take our shoes off and shove our carry-ons through the detector, then reassemble ourselves. We landed in Minneapolis-St. Paul around 11:45, picked up Le Rental Car and headed to pick up Nate's tux. We had Olive Garden for lunch (YUM!) and Brandi and I raided DSW for a bit while Nate picked up his tux. Then it was off to the hotel. JB was in the lobby of the hotel when we came in to check in...he and Mo, Dueff, Rhonda, Landon, Jason, Jason's Dad and Aunt all stayed there too.
The big pimpin' Subaru Tribeca, with the Medium Pimpin' Nate
Friday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. All went well-- the dinner was at a place in Owatonna, which was about 20 minutes or so away from Faribault. After that, it was back to the hotel for some much-needed rest.
Nicola and Jason, after the slideshow at the Groom's Dinner
The ceremony was beautiful-- her father performed it (he's the dean of the Cathedral they got married in) and everything was just so perfect, from the music they had chosen to the readings for the service. After some pictures with the whole party united and some family shots, everyone was ready for dinner and a little music. While everyone enjoyed the reception a few of us snuck out to decorate the car-- I didn't know that was what was going on-- I had just stepped outside for a minute, but was glad to join in. We poured out the Colt 45 "for our dead homies" as Nate put it, and tied the cans to the back and then gave the car an overall Nascar tribute feel, knowing how fond Jason is of anything Talladega-related, which is not at all. They hit the road around 9 or so and we all headed back to our hotels to change clothes and crash.
Jason and Nicola, 8/26/06
Our flight wasn't until 3:40 Sunday afternoon, so we had some time to kill after checking out of the hotel. With the airport practically across the street from it, we HAD to go to the Mall of America. We rode two of the roller coasters and did some shopping. I got to see LegoLand and we ate at Rainforest Cafe'. They had a whole store devoted to peanut butter! They also had a Lake Wobegon store, which we hit at the very end. They actually had two UAB hats in the college sports store there! And can I say how odd it was to not see a montage of red, white, orange and blue in a sports store?
Mall of America, baby!
The Minnesota airport was not bad at all-- we had time to kill in the bar next to our terminal before the flight. Atlanta however...we sat on the tarmac for 45 minutes after we landed waiting for a space to taxi to, then had to wait almost a half-hour for our shuttle van to take us back to the car. I got home around 11:15 last night, drug my luggage upstairs and crashed.
The happy couple is back in town and went back to work today. They're honeymooning in two weeks-- a cruise!
The happy couple is back in town and went back to work today. They're honeymooning in two weeks-- a cruise!
CONGRATULATIONS YOU TWO!!!
