On the Thursday before our Sunday wedding, we drove down to Disneyland, which was smooth sailing until we encountered massive traffic when we were about an hour away, and took another three hours to get there. However, we arrived a little frazzled but with our sanity intact to be met by Todd's parents, sister and her husband, as well as our VIP Coordinator (woo-hoo!). We checked into our room, relaxed for a bit, and then had a chill dinner at Tortilla Joe's (where we ate dinner the night of Todd's proposal!) with the family, including Todd's Uncle Chuck and Aunt JoAnne. I think we went into the Park that night, but honestly I can't remember at this point... :-)
We had a long, refreshing night's sleep, and then the next morning, Mom and Grandma arrived! Before we met up with them, we drove to Men's Wearhouse to pick up everyone's tuxes. Then, we all went to get manis and pedis at the local Aveda salon. I also got this sunless tanner/massage thing which was super-relaxing, and went a long way towards evening out my tan lines.
Grandma, Chrissie, Mom, and I in the salon:
The boys came along too, and Todd was a great sport and even let the salon aesthetician clean up his 'brows! Now that's love :-) We all then had a lunch at this great little sports bar with really gourmet food -- we had this warmed goat cheese, and soft pretzels with delicious dipping sauces - yum! Okay, maybe I should have been more concerned about fitting into my wedding dress, but hey, a girl's got to enjoy herself...That afternoon, everyone pulled together and helped us finish our place-card project, which involved cutting out and organizing about two hundred leaves in two shades of green:
When the boys returned, we all said goodnight, and Chrissie, mom, and I had a sleepover in my room, in which we watched Fawlty Towers (my fave!), talked, and just enjoyed spending time together.
That evening, we had a great dinner with Mom, Grandma, Todd's family, and my Uncle Steve and Aunt Lisa, and their two kids (and my junior bridesmaids) Taylor and Hayley, at this fabulous Spanish restaurant called Catal. We ate on a beautiful breezy terrace and it was wonderful to all be together. Afterwards, we went to Disneyland, and watched the fireworks near Storybook Canal Boats. Altogether, a magical evening.
The next day, we woke up bright and early and had our rehearsal in the Rose Court Garden. Our coordinator, Herta, and wedding planner, Traci, were both there, and it was great to see Traci again after a few months! Herta was amazingly thorough and we went through the ceremony so many times that it was like clockwork. I did get quite emotional. It was just that I couldn't believe that tomorrow, in the same time and place, I would be getting married!
Next up? Todd and I headed to our room to finish up letters to our parents and the bridal party. When we got there, we opened the door and discovered our room had been filled with colorful balloons, and on the bed was a big black and white photo of Mickey and Minnie, signed by them, saying congratulations to us! What a special touch!
After our break, Todd went on a secret errand with his best man, Brian, and later joined me and our friends down at the huge, fun pool area of the Grand Californian. We went in the jacuzzi, down the water-slide, and just waded around chatting. It was such a calm, fun time. Only after this pool-side relaxing did time seem to accelerate to warp speed. Before we knew it, it was time to get dressed for our rehearsal dinner at Naples!
I believe this is a photo of Josh plunging into the pool:
The entire Terrazzo at Naples had been beautifully set up for our Rehearsal Dinner. Long trestle tables were soon filled with delicious dishes such as the famed (at least in our household!) Quattro Formaggio pizza, various pastas, roasted chicken, and for dessert, tiramisu and chocolate torta. As it got dark, all the twinkle lights stood out even more, and the evening breezes swept through.
Marcelo pretending to chow down:
It was a fun, joyful, fantastic evening. Todd's dad, Todd, and his Uncle Chuck made speeches. I'll admit I cried :-). Everyone picked up their out-of-town bags as they left. Then, Todd went off with his groomsmen for a little apple martini-flavored fun at ESPN SportsZone, and Chrissie and I had a our brand of fun by going out shopping while leaving a note hinting at a more devious outing... ;-)
Todd and I at the rehearsal dinner:
When the boys returned, we all said goodnight, and Chrissie, mom, and I had a sleepover in my room, in which we watched Fawlty Towers (my fave!), talked, and just enjoyed spending time together.When I awoke the next morning at a chipper 6 am (ish), I couldn't wait to see (and, of course, marry) Todd!
