and so they were wed

So one of the reasons you haven't heard much from these parts of late is that on Saturday I was honored to be a part of ali_wildgoose and emsariel's wedding, and there's been a lot of excitement and tasks and festivities leading up to it. I find it impossible, after several attempts, to write a coherent narrative of the wedding weekend, so I'll do a timeline:

Late February: Alison and Scott get engaged, and set the wedding date by the availability of the hall they want to be married in: November 10th. Ali asks her sister, erinfinnegan and me to be bridesmaids.

Late summer: Erin and I go dress shopping with Ali and find a really gorgeous spaghetti strapped floor-length A-line dress with a ribbon sash. Ali decides on a periwinkle with a white sash, to be the negative of her own white dress with periwinkle sash.

27 October: Erin and I throw Ali a bachelorette party at the generously donated flat of calloocallay and soupkills. Per Ali's request, there are 7 different cabbage dishes, ice cream drinks, and Mulan, plus Alison Jeopardy! and Apples to Alison.

3 November: marionv throws Ali a totally surprise three-location shower that starts with sushi and ends with lingerie with stops for a massage and chocolate fondue along the way.

9 November: Rehearsal at noon in an atrium so cold we could see our breath, followed by a late lunch with much onion soup and toasting. Note that the maitre d' from the hall was not there.

10 November: ( OMG Wedding )

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11 November: Brunch! Bacon! Fruit! Potatoes! Lots of goodbyes, then back to Ali and Scott's for packing and cleaning and hanging out so the party wouldn't end.

And this morning they're off on their "wedding tour" and I am cushioned from the return to real life by a quick visit from wordplay, whom I'm running out to see for lunch right now!