Scenes from a wedding

I'm in NY at my mom's house having gone to my aunt's wedding on Saturday and staying through Thanksgiving. The kids were ringbearer and flower girl. There is so much I could write about when I visit my family and I suspect you'll see that in the days to come. But for now I just wanted to focus on the wedding. A little background might help. My mom's sister was getting married for the second time. Her husband of 20+ years died eight years ago from a very sudden heart attack. Five years ago she met a great guy on a ski trip and they started dating. Last summer my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. During her treatment her then boyfriend, now husband, stuck by her and helped her recover. They decided to seize the moment and marry.

One other note: DH was at a conference he couldn't get out of so I was fending for myself with the kids.

Scenes from a wedding:

Cool Scenes:
My kids in their wedding clothes. Q wore a tux and C had a beautiful white dress she swore was Cinderella's. Q saw her and said "C is a princess!!" Very cute.
I fit into my dress, with a little help from a slimming slip.
Q taking pictures with my aunt. He was hiding under the train of her wedding dress.
On the way to the church in the limo the driver suddenly stopped short sending many women in satin dresses to slide down the car into a pile with Q on the bottom. He loved it.
My kids actually walked down the aisle without screaming!!!! Q walked faster than C but still made it through. C was very slow and deliberate, not smiling until the end. She took her job very seriously.
The runner down the church aisle which my mother painted with leaves, grapes, and flowers that said "Today I marry my best friend".
After the applause at the end of the service Q shouted "Do it again! Do it again!"
The beautiful pumpkins that my brother (a very talented chef) had carved with scenes of a bride and groom.
Walking into the reception with my kids who wouldn't go by themselves, but the photographer said he got a nice shot of us.
The joy on Q's face when he realized that there was a mirror on the ceiling above the dance floor.
Watching my sister and future sister-in-law and my cousin playing with my kids.
C watching everyone dancing and trying to copy them. She was so adorable. Q dancing with everyone and anyone. Man did he love that ceiling and the lights.
My aunt who used to be a drummer back in college pick up a pair of drumsticks and keep the beat for 3 or 4 songs. She was great!!!
My new uncle dancing with my grandmother (her new son-in-law) to the song "Getting to Know You". His mother died three weeks before the wedding and I'm sure that dance was hard for him.
Q falling asleep on a female cousin the last 15 minutes of the reception and C trying valiently to stay awake no matter what.

Not so cool scences:
My hair after we all were at the hair salon for hours. Not good at all. I rewashed it and did it myself later.
My mom running around getting psycho about us all being ready at the right time.
Q spilling orange juice on himself in the limo two minutes after we got in.
C saying very loudly "I have to go poopy!!" in the middle of the service just so she could get out of the church.
Trying to sing while watching the kids and hoping they behaved. I did okay but it was very stressful.
Trying to take pictures while Q and C were running around people's feet which eventually resulted in Q getting hit on the head with a camera.
C screaming for juice which I thought the reception hall would have but in fact did not.
Trying to keep C from going head long down a long flight of stairs during the cocktail hour.
Watching all the couples dance while I spent time missing DH, especially during the anniversary dance.
Some very scary people on the dance floor who had obvisouly had way too much to drink.
My aunt's only child, my cousin B, who was just a teen when his Dad died, getting way too drunk and seeming absolutely miserable.

All in all it went way better than I expected, though I was exhausted from keeping an eye on the kids by myself and am still recovering to some extent. My aunt and her new husband are off to Tahiti to sail on a bare bones sailboat cruise. Marrying one's best friend is very nice indeed.