Rehearsal DINNER

I loved our Rehearsal Dinner. Loved it. Loved it so much that if it had been our actual wedding, I would have been absolutely fine with it. While we were practicing at the Church, I thought to myself  "This is the  happiest I have ever been." And then we got to the restaurant and everyone was sitting down at tables and eating and laughing and I couldn't help but think that I was the happiest, luckiest person in the world.

And then about 40 minutes into appetizers, Jay got there.

BACK STORY: Jay is the reason John and I met. We knew we wanted him to be in the bridal party from the second we got engaged in the house he and John shared with friends, but he's literally on tour with a rock band. Jared Leto's rock band, to be precise. So we basically planned this entire wedding assuming he couldn't come.

Then about 7 weeks before the wedding, I accidentally ran into Jay at my favorite Sushi place in the Village (seriously) where he happened to have a 8 hour layover before getting on a plane back to Europe. "So listen, about the wedding..." he said "I know, you can't make it. Its fine, you're schedule is nuts!". "No, I'm pretty sure I can come!" I nearly died. And I called John and he didn't believe me, so then he called Jay (who at this point was on the plane) and Jay confirmed. He could probably come to the wedding.

So Jay got measured for his tuxedo in Europe and sent John his measurements. John reserved his tux and we prayed that the pants wouldn't be too short or the shoes too small. But really, I went on thinking that he wasn't coming. Because did I mention he works for a rock band and their schedules are super serious?

Well the day of the rehearsal dinner came and his flight from Germany was delayed. And he was definitely going to miss the Rehearsal and we weren't even sure if he was going to make it in time for the ceremony or the reception. And I thought to myself "Its fine, I didn't even think he was coming. Its not his fault the flight is delayed, we will see him the next time he's in the States". But then no one heard from him for about seven hours. And I kind of forgot about it because it was the day before the wedding and I was kind of freaking out.

But then about 40 minutes into appetizers, Jay got there. And he walked right in and my back was to the door and I heard someone say "Look at this guy!" and John and I turned around and saw him and I burst into tears. For like the eighth time that night. Here I am in the photo below, still crying. This was a very long tangent all to say that Jay came from Europe to see us get married and it made us super happy.

And then we had dinner and John and I thanked everyone for coming. That's finally what broke John and then we were both weeping in front of our families and closest friends. SIDE NOTE: I thought that someone had a video of us talking. In this picture you can actually SEE Alyssa recording us. It appears that anyone who did record it deleted it from their phones. If you have a video, could you send it to me? Also a public service announcement: back up your phones, people. Back up your phones!

And now here are some of my other favorite pictures from that night. Seriously, it was one of the happiest nights of my life.

Jared and I have giant heads in this picture?

Pairing up Tammy and Aaron was seriously the best decision John and I ever made. She called him Karen the entire weekend. And he convinced her to eat a pad of butter by telling her it was cheese. Hilarity the entire weekend.

Boys/Former housemates.

When we graduated from college, all I wanted was a picture of me, Jay and Becca (we all met on our very first day of Orientation at Hofstra). This picture now replaces that one as my favorite.

Friends!

AND the last picture of the night thanks to Jared!