Maxwell-Nelson Wedding

My big brother is married, and it could not have been more perfect.

Aaron and I arrived in Destin around midnight on Friday night after being in the car for about nine hours. The wedding party was out at a local pub and we were too exhausted to meet them, so we grabbed some wine and headed out to the beach. It was so nice being out there at night, because not only was it beautiful and romantic, but Aaron and I met on the beach at night when we were 15 years old and it was fun talking about how much we've grown up.

My mom, my cousin Kristy, and I spent most of Saturday afternoon running around Destin like headless chickens trying to get ready for the rehearsal dinner at The Back Porch. We bought about 60 pieces of linen paper and spread them out over all of the tables with pens for everybody to write messages to Chase and Adrea. I really want to see these messages, because the rehearsal dinner included an open bar, and I'm pretty sure the messages got pretty funny toward the end of the night. I think I wrote some stuff that I'd be interested to read again and maybe throw away because of sheer embarrassment.

My favorite part of the night was my brother Drew's toast. He gave the funniest and sweetest speech I've probably ever heard, and he had everybody in the room either dying out laughing or crying because it was so heartfelt. One of the stories Drew told was when Chase called him to tell him he was going to Ole Miss (Drew is a die hard MSU fan and alum. Chase later changed his mind and went to State). Drew said he got so mad that he threw his walker across the room, and then realized that was not smart because he was alone in the house and had no way of getting it. Chase and Adrea are so lucky, because they have some really close friends and I think every single person in the wedding party of 29 people gave toasts and then some more.

I'm just going to be honest here, because it is no secret to anybody who was there, but I drank a bit too much, and as a result I have about 400 pictures to show for it. I couldn't take enough pictures for some reason, and I'm pretty sure it got on peoples nerves. But I'm not going to apologize, because I have some pictures I can use for blackmail (not that I would ever do that, but you know who you are) and I also have some great pictures of my family that I never get to see anymore. So - to those who bellyached all night because I made you take ten pictures of the exact same pose - you can thank me later, because in twenty years you are going to be thankful.

Drew's toast had everybody in tears.

Aaron gave a sweet toast.

Kathy (Adrea's mom), Mom, Adrea, me, Kristy, Memaw and Judy

A few of the bridesmaids with their bride.

Daddy, Chase, Drew, Mom, Aaron, Adrea and myself

The Maxwell kids

The rehearsal dinner was so much fun. Most of the wedding party went to a local bar afterwards to continue the festivities, and that is where things start getting blurry to me, so unfortunately I can't comment very specifically on that part, but it was fun, and I do have some pretty interesting pictures to show for it (Melissa).

The day of the wedding was unusually calm. We had a bridesmaids luncheon in which the bridesmaids looked pretty impressive considering they had only slept for about 2 hours the night before.

I cannot overemphasize how perfect the wedding ceremony was. The weather was flawless, Adrea was breathtakingly beautiful, and Chase was precious with an ear-to-ear grin the entire time. The ceremony was so sweet and intimate. I want to get married again (to Aaron) on the beach.



And then there is the reception...

Great food, great band, and another open bar were the ingredients of the evening. I would like to apologize to everyone at the reception for not getting to eat the prime rib, but it was because Aaron Rice inhaled it as if he were storing food for the winter. Chase and Adrea's first dance was to Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love." It was pretty random, but Chase broke out into a dance he learned (and apparently memorized) in 11th grade show choir, so it was possibly one of the funniest things I have seen in a really long time.

A big thanks to Mr. Barry White for setting the mood for the evening.

Chase and Mom

Chase and I, and yes, his shirt was like that the entire night.

Aaron danced like this most of the night because I was dancing with my mom, Memaw, and Kristy

We danced a lot because the band was awesome and played everything from Bobby McGee to Chamillionaire. It was pretty funny watching my mom dance to "Shorty got low, low, low, low." It was even funnier that my aunt knew almost every word to it.

If I haven't made it clear, every single second of the wedding weekend was simply incredible. Chase and Adrea are honeymooning in St. Lucia right now and I'm pretty sure they are talking about how great their wedding was. Since my toast at the rehearsal dinner may have been slurred and incoherent, I would like to offer a big fat cheers to y'all, and I can't wait to see you again.

Aaron and I got back to Oxford at exactly 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, which was just in time to pick Jake up from the vet, where he got neutered, groomed, vaccinated, and boarded. Poor Jake just isn't the same, but the doc says he'll get back to normal sooner or later. Aaron went back into law school mode and I am hard at work being unemployed. I'll be going to Jackson sometime this week to pick up our patio furniture, but other than that, I don't think we'll be traveling in the near future.

I could keep going and I could show another 350 pictures, but I have a nap to take and then t.v. to watch. Aaron has chosen this lifestyle for me instead of that of an active mother, so it is on him if I gain 15 pounds. Until next time...peace.