Wedding Rehearsal

Right after I left the bridal brunch I raced home to nurse Brittlynn. Kye didn’t have school that morning so Zach had spent that time watching the kids and loading up the last minute stuff. While I nursed he packed up the stuff we needed from Britt’s room for the trip then I loaded her up as soon as she was finished. I picked up Mom and we got on the road (Zach and Kye stayed home until after Kye’s nap then they headed down as he doesn’t do well napping in a new place if he has to go down RIGHT when we get there). Mrs. Charlotte had printed instructions for me for the drive and I couldn’t find them ANYWHERE. Thankfully she was heading down the same time we were so we met up and I followed her!

When Casey and Jordan first got engaged I was beyond thrilled and wanted to help in anyway possible. Casey really wanted to get married on a plantation but was getting frustrated with the lack of options and availability for their wedding date. She asked me to help look for stuff (the entire Parker family thinks I’m an internet wiz which is kinda funny) and I ended up finding Honeylake Plantation. Seriously, it was the PERFECT location. It’s in Florida but it’s only 45 min away and it was beautiful. It was everything Casey was wanting and more and it worked out great with their budget as a lot of it wasn’t opened yet (it didn’t get finished until November) so when they booked the place gave them awesome deals!!! I was SO excited when I got to go see it myself. I have been counting DOWN the minutes until this amazing wedding 🙂

Honeylake has these great cottages on property where we all stayed. Yes, it’s a plantation but, no, these cottages were never for slaves or anything like that (Casey was hardcore about making sure she didn’t get married somewhere that once used slavery). They were adorable and HUGE. It couldn’t have been more perfect! Courtney, Brad, Colt and Payton stayed in one side then there was a kitchen/living area in the middle and we stayed on the other side. It was more than enough space and we talked about all of us coming back again for a visit. We really, really loved it!

Aren’t the rooms pretty???

YES! I remembered to get a pic in the hotel room this time 😉

Britt napped at 1 (well she actually fell asleep on the way down there so she didn’t nap so great but she went down at 1 regardless) and I got ready. Then I nursed her at 3 and the boys arrived so we got situated with everything. The rehearsal was at 5 and Casey came over to our cabin around 4:15ish for me to do her makeup. 

Back when Casey was first engaged I was pretty obsessed with wedding talk and when we were going through stuff I mentioned about someone doing her makeup. I told her if no one else could do it that I would. Turns out, no one else could so she asked me if I’d mind doing it. It’s a really big compliment that she asked me because that means she must like how I do my own makeup right??? Well, ya’ll know me. I’m a perfectionist and I had NEVER done someone’s makeup before. NEVER. I was freakkkking out about it. 

Casey and I went to the MAC counter at the mall and they applied her makeup and walked me through all the steps. Thankfully when I was engaged I did the same thing. Mom and I went to MAC and they showed us how to do everything, I bought everything they used and Mom took notes. Then Danielle did my wedding makeup. I have been basically doing my own makeup the same way they taught me back when I got married and it’s pretty much how she showed me to do Casey’s so I was feeling good about it. We decided for my trial run to be for the rehearsal. I know, my first try was the day before the wedding. Talk about cutting it close! I was like shaking when I put it on her…it’s a BIG DEAL. I mean your wedding day only happens once and if your makeup is screwed up you’ll forever look at your pictures and want to stab the person who made you look like a clown. Am I right???

I did FINE though…I think she ended up looking pretty for the rehearsal but even better for the actual wedding (which is when it really counts), we changed up a couple things from what the MAC girl told me to do and I ended up doing her eyes a little more like mine for the day of. I guess you can judge for yourself but I thought I did good, especially for someone whose never done it before 🙂 Plus with a pretty girl like Casey you can’t really screw up!!!

Practicing under the beautiful tree!

Casey with two of her best friends Melody and Jenna

Anyone who has ever been part of a wedding knows how crrrrrrazy the rehearsal is. It’s always slightly hectic. That’s expected. Well when you add kids to the mix it’s even crazier! I didn’t bring Brittlynn (she stayed back with Mom) as her roll in the wedding was pretty simple and she really didn’t need to practice. Kye was the ring bearer for the big day and I never once was worried about how he would do. I was more concerned about Brittlynn and Colt pulling her in the wagon than I was Kye. I mean he’s always so good and obedient and I knew he’d love the spotlight.

Then we had the rehearsal.

Oh my word. My child. I came to the rehearsal totally calm and confident in Kye’s performance at the actual wedding. I left terrified. He was not himself at all. He was beyond whiney and clingy and pouty. He said “I want mommmmmy” like a thousand times. Zach and I ended up taking turns HOLDING him most of the time. SO unlike him!!! I don’t know if all the new people there freaked him out, if he was tired from Zach having to wake him up early to leave, if he was nervous or whhhhat but it was not a good situation!!!

Playing with Payton

The coordinator trying to prepare the kids

Colt practicing with the wagon

Flower Girl and Ring Bearer!

THIS is how he looked the entire time!!!

ugh I cringe just remembering!!!

The rehearsal, overall, went well. Originally Zach and I had planned on letting Kye tag along to the dinner. It didn’t start until 7 but he doesn’t go to bed until 7:45 now so we thought he’d enjoy some family time then we’d walk him back to the cabin (so awesome that we could WALK to EVERYTHING from our cabin, loved it!). Well after his lovely attitude during the rehearsal we decided he did not need to attend the dinner. He went back to the room and hung out with Mom and Britt while we went to the dinner. I’m pretty glad we didn’t have him come because it was FANCY! Def more an adult only type thing which was nice and we were able to better enjoy ourselves and the family without worrying about him breaking something 😉

All done rehearsing!

The rehearsal dinner was held in the same building that the reception would be in the next day. It is a HUGE mansion with tons of different rooms and spaces and a ballroom. SO beautiful. When we walked up a bunch of the family was gathered on the porch and it was nice to see everyone together again! It’s sad to think that this is the last Parker wedding for a long time to come. Family events like this are always such a great time!!!

The food was pretty awesome for the rehearsal dinner. I literally cleaned my plate!!! It was the perfect sized space for the event as it was crowded enough to feel cozy and intimate but large enough to not feel cramped. We sat with Pepe (Mrs. Charlotte’s Dad…and yes we call him “Pee-Pee”) and Mrs. Brenda (his wife) and with Courtney, Brad and the kids. We ate and saw a super cute slideshow video with tons of pictures of Casey and Jordan through the years. Sidenote: But those type videos are WHY I take so many pics of my children. I CONSTANTLY think about what pictures they will choose for their wedding slideshows…I know…I’m random. 🙂 Anyways. After the video people took turns speaking.

For our rehearsal dinner we had a legit roast where people made fun of us (someday I’ll blog about our wedding weekend…it was quite the EVENT!) but this was more of a say-nice-things type of deal. I didn’t plan to speak but you know how when a teacher asks if there are any questions and no one raises their hand? I hate that moment so I would always raise my hand and make up a question to ask just to fill that void. Well, I ended up being one of the first people to hop up! I figured I’d get the ball rolling ya know? I am NOT funny so I didn’t go that route I just talked about how much we love and adore Jordan and what a wonderful husband, provider and father he’s going to be and about Casey. How thankful I am for the bond we share and that I truly feel like she’s my sister. I got a little choked up (I am right now too writing it, because it is SO true. I think the WORLD of Casey and Jordan!!!). Zach spoke too, and Courtney pretty much bawled through hers haha

Someone made this for Casey and Jordan…it’s of “their tree.” The one where they were going to be getting married under. Everyone signed it during the rehearsal dinner and they had it on display during the wedding reception. I think it’s so neat because they can have it on display in their home and always be reminded of everyone who was there to support their big day. We had a large picture of us that everyone signed around and we now have it in our bedroom. I read it ALL the time so when I wrote on theirs I tried to make the words I said meaningful (Zach wrote something silly and even said “ge-ge-get it!” so typical). I tried to give a little advice as I like re-reading the advice ones on ours 😉

Zach and Trey

Rockin’ our purple!

Daniel was one of the groomsmen and he was hilarious. When I met him he went on and on about my name because it’s also his girlfriend’s name. I asked him to take the above picture of Zach and I and then I asked if he and his girlfriend also wanted a picture together. I always offer this and you would assume people would either say no, or say yes and hand you their camera. Instead Daniel said yes and had me take it with my camera. It cracked me up because we don’t know them AT ALL so how did he think he’d get the picture?!?! Maybe he’s a blog reader haha

I’m VERY thankful I whipped out my camera during the rehearsal dinner. The actual wedding day was SO nuts that I didn’t get to get nearly the amount of pictures that I normally would have done. A lot of the times when I get my camera out at Parker stuff Mr. Rusty always says “don’t put this on Facebook or that blog thing” but this time HE was all about the pictures. It was really sweet and I think he was sentimental about his baby girl getting married and about it being the last time the huge fam will be together at an event like this for awhile.

Zach, Jordan, Casey and Me!

Jordan, Courtney and Casey (Brad had gone ahead and taken the kids to bed)

Love this! Morgan and Jordan 🙂

The ladies

The parents of the BRIDE!

I’m so blessed to truly love my mother in law

This was a beyond precious moment. Mr Rusty wanted a picture of Big Daddy with his two sons (which was precious in itself that he wanted that picture!). When I went to take it Big Daddy was so cute. He couldn’t figure out what to do with his hands (a very Anchorman moment!). The best part about it was the hand decision making made him smile. Big Daddy REFUSES to smile in pictures so it’s always a goal of mine to capture that grin of his whenever I have my camera out. It may just be a hint of a smile, but it’s there. We need to get this one printed off for sure!

Mr. Rusty, Big Daddy and Steven

Zach with Austin and Cole (two of Steven’s sons). Yes ladies, I believe both of these cuties are SINGLE. Those Parker genes make for some hotties huh?

Haha this also makes me laugh as I’m sure it brings Zach back to childhood. Trying to get a pic with the boys and Casey busts it up. It’s what little sisters do right!?!

We wanted to get a picture of the next generation of Parker men…and another funny moment occured. Austin, Cole and Jake are Steven and Debbie’s sons. Jake is actually named after Big Daddy. And boy was that name fitting! When Debbie and I were taking this picture Jake was like “what do I do with my hands?” It cracked us UP!!!

Big Daddy reading all the signatures on the tree

Austin, Debbie, Steven, Cole and Jake

Two generations of Parker Men (wish Kye had been there for a three generations picture!)

ALL of us (minus Brad and the kids) Zach, me, Austin, Steven, Debbie, Cole, Jordan (one day prior to being a legit family member), Casey, Mr Rusty, Mrs Charlotte, Little Mama, Big Daddy, Karen, Courtney, Barry and Jake!

one more 🙂

The whole evening was wonderful! Jordan’s parents did a wonderful job putting it together. I really love that this wedding truly was a blending of two families. Jordan’s parents are GREAT. They had such sweet things to say about Casey and you can tell that they love her. Couples aren’t always so blessed to have both sides of the family be happy and excited about their marriage. It was awesome that literally every single person in that room loved Casey and Jordan and couldn’t wait to see them walk down the aisle!