abattyref's biography
My girls:
They are all maids or matrons of honor instead of bridesmaids because I want them all on equal ground in the planning process. They all have busy schedules, so I didn't want the responsibility of the shower and bachelorette party to fall on one person.
Yvonne - my friend since kindergarten. We were joined at the hip in elementary school, I had more sleep-overs at her house than any of my friends. Her mom and dad are a second set of parents for me. She moved 30 miles away in 6th grade and we lost touch. We became friends again in high school when she and her mom would drive those 30 miles each week for our Girl Scout meetings. I was her MOH when she got married in 2002. Even though we don't talk to each other every day, or even every week, we still have a bond that allows us to pick up right where we left off. I couldn't have asked for a better friend.
Jackie - my younger sister. It was a given that she would be one of my MOHs. Growing up, we shared a bedroom and we didn't have the greatest relationship. Aside from being 6 years apart in age, we have very different personalities. After I moved out, we grew closer and became a confidnant for each other. She really surprised me with how she stepped up for the wedding. She organized our spa day and my bachelorette party dinner with Yvonne. I never knew she had those organizational skills.
Kristen - we were almost forced to become friends when her DH and my DH began working together and became friends in 2001. She was busy in grad school, I was busy finishing my BFA and working, neither of us really had time to make a new friend. ;-) It turned out that our boys became great friends and we ended up following suit. Even though she lived in Virginia when I was planning my NorCal wedding, she was supportive and helpful via phone and email. She was my therapy (other than PW). Her DH will also be a groomsman, and their toddler will be our only ring bearer.
Veronica - we became friends back when she was 10 years old and our families were involved in our local soccer club. Her dad was DH's and my referee coordinator. DH asst coached her soccer team one year. When she became a referee too, we all traveled together for tournaments. We became great friends. She began dating my brother after a few years of excessive flirting. Unfortunately, after dating him for 5 years, she called it quits 6 months before our wedding. The way she broke up with him was shallow and mean and made me want to fire her from the wedding. When I expressed these feelings to my bro, he was awesome and said that what happened between them shouldn't affect my wedding or my friendship with her. He convinced me to leave things be. In the end, what happened between her and my bro pretty much ended our friendship. We are just aquaintence now, but we'll never be as close a we once were.
FI is a only child and has chosen four of his best friends. Two will be flying in from our of state. One is my brother, who is also making our wedding cake.
The guys will be wearing black suits. FI and I haven't been able to agree on shirt, tie and vest colors. I would like the classic white shirt with FI in a black or striped tie and the GM in burgundy ties. (all the boutonnieres will be burgundy orchids) FI doesn't like wearing a white shirt, (he says it makes him feel like he's on a job interview), so he wants to wear a burgundy shirt and a black tie. I'm having a hard time picturing it... but, I've decided that I don't want to stress about it, so I've told him it's his decision. I'm going to just let him surprise me.
UPDATE: FI will wear a black striped tie at the ceremony with a white shirt. All the GM will wear burgundy ties and white shirts. At the reception, when I change into my Chinese gown, FI will change into a black dress shirt and a red tie with gold dragons on it. It's a little bit cheesy, but it will still be fun.
My girls will all be wearing black, tea-length dresses. I've left the style and cut of the dress up to them. They will be carrying 6" clutch style bouquets of black magic roses and burgundy gerbera daisies tied with a black satin ribbon.
I've purchased red reversible pashmina shawls for all of them from eBay seller rickierainbow.
They were only $14.99 plus shipping... so each ended up being around $18.
