When people ask what my favorite part of the wedding was, the first thing that always comes out of my mouth is the after party.
All photos personal.
I mean, with a group like that to tag along with, how could it not be?!
Now of course I loved the ceremony and our first kiss. I loved hanging out with my girls all morning. I loved our first look, and dancing the night away. But the after party was the first time all day that Foxy and I weren't the sole focus. We weren't hosting anymore. We could just do our thing, and everyone else could do theirs. And, you know, I could actually imbibe in a full drink (or five).
Take note of those pictures for a hot minute. First off, that is not the alcohol making me red as a tomato. That's the sunburn I got during the ceremony due to my lack of sunscreen application. It got progressively redder throughout the reception, but came out in full force at the after party. Whatever, I didn't have any more fancy pictures to take, I'll take it. So future brides, let this be a lesson to you: if you're having an outdoor wedding.. wear sunscreen!
Secondly, I decided to ditch the whole change-into-a-little-white-dress thing I was toying with a few months prior and just rocked my gown all night. And why not? I mean, when the hell else am I ever going to wear that thing?!
And I have to say, I was rather proud that I was able to keep it on all day, and more importantly, have it stay in place, despite all the dancing and dipping that went down. A few friends even asked me how the heck it was staying up, and I simply did not have an answer for them. Other than the fact that it was taped and sewed to my body, and I didn't even want to think about how to take it off later. #foreshadowing
Anyway! Once the reception was officially over and everyone had dispersed, Foxy and I made our way over to the Laurrapin Grille just a few blocks away where a decent amount of our friends and family had already commencing imbibing and enjoying themselves.
We were even eventually joined by Scott, one of the ah-mazing bartenders at our wedding.. turns out that his boyfriend manages and bartends at the Laurrapin! He and I were actually chatting it up a bit at our rehearsal and reception, so of course he joined in on the post-wedding shenanigans!
He even snuck a video of a few of us jamming out to some CRJ at the bar. So we're obviously Facebook buds now.
The best part is clearly my friend Mark-0 getting his groove on, too.
As for Foxy, the after party scene was decidedly his time to let loose. While I was pretty ok with all eyes on us throughout the day, he was very much not a fan. He's more social in intimate settings, if that makes sense. So when the wedding was over and our whole crew pretty much took over the Laurrapin, he was much more in his element!
Let's just say... there were a lot of shots consumed by all parties involved.
Like picklebacks. (I still just don't understand those.)
And.. something white and creamy. (Ha! That's what she said.)
And car bombs.
And car bombs with MOH Copper's dad. #normal
Needless to say, everyone seemed to be having an awesome(ly drunk) time. We clearly weren't the only two people who wanted to cut loose that night!
I don't know. Puppet..?
If you can't tell.. this is Foxy's "yeaaa I'm getting a bit tipsy" face.
To be honest, everything is kind a blur at this point. (Are you surprised? No.) However, I distinctly remember bonding with Foxy's brother. And when I say bonding, I mean harassing him with hugs. Because when I learned the man didn't like hugs and mush and all that fun stuff that I dole out like candy on a daily basis.. well, you know. I had to keep it coming.
Besides, I think he was one or two sheets to the wind at this point, so he didn't mind much.
Funny story: Starting around midnight, guests slowly started to filter out, leaving just myself, Foxy, and his brother to close out the bar. Somewhere around 2am (and many an interesting conversation later), we made the short walk back to the Vandiver.
At this point, I was feeling relatively ok. Tired as all hell seeing as I'd been up and moving for a good 21 hours at that point, but otherwise ok. The boys were a different story.
About 10 minutes after we got back to our room, Foxy had to hit the bathroom. I'll let you use your imagination on that one. I took this time to start figuring out how to get out of my dress.. except I couldn't. Brideslady M seriously sewed that thing on - namely, the fabric around the zipper was sewn together, so the zipper couldn't come down unless the thread was cut apart. I knew I wouldn't be able to cut it myself (not for lack of trying, trust me), so I had to ask Foxy. I had to have my currently sick and not-exactly-sober new husband cut me out of my wedding dress.
Cue panic.
Not to worry though, everything was obviously ok! He was a champ with his coordination skills and my dress suffered barely any damage. It now resides safely in a ball in a plastic bag in my closet, because no, I have not gotten it cleaned or pressed or whatever yet. No judging.
As for Foxy's brother? Word has it he woke up on the bathroom floor.
And thus, I'd call the after party a hit! ;)
Are you having an after party once your reception is done? Do you think you'll rock your wedding dress all night, or do a quick change?
Miss a recap? Catch yourself up!
It's Wedding Week! - The week of the wedding started out pretty hectic, but we made it through (relatively) unscathed.
We're Cool People (who had to deal with a slight change of plans) - On Friday, we made our way to the venue, had a relatable moment on the radio, and learned about some last minute changes that we made an effort to take in stride.
Practice Makes Perfect.. And Crabs Don't Hurt, Either - After most everyone was settled in on Friday evening, we had our rehearsal followed by the best dinner ever - a Maryland crab feast!
Rise and Shine! - Wedding morning was soon upon us, and I woke up at the crack of dawn ready to get prettified.
Pretty Women - Over the course of the next several hours, myself and the girls hung out, got our hair and makeup done, had a photo shoot, and drank champagne.
Dressing Up - Soon enough, it was time for me to slip into my dress!
Dapper Dudes - At the same time, Foxy and his guys were ironing and getting into their suites - and Foxy was opening his wedding day gift!
The First of Many Looks - We had our first look, and both felt so much better after being able to see each other for the first time that day.
A School Bus Photoshoot - Our vehicle of choice for the day was a school bus, which we turned into a photo op both inside and out!
Smiles and Sun - The photos continued by the lighthouse and pier.. with sunglasses and a few funny stories along the way.
ALL The Family - We then met up with family at the lock house for even more pictures, and I started getting a bit antsy and having problems with my dress.
And Then There's Us - I kinda-sorta-maybe forgot all about couple and bridal pictures. Thank goodness for our amazing photog reminding us!
Final Touches - Slight chaos then ensued in the minutes before the ceremony started, consisting of me getting sewn into my dress and the boys getting their bouts pinned on at the last minute.
And So It Begins - The guests arrive, the wedding party lines up, and the ceremony space is revealed - complete with programs, white knots, and bubbles!
All I Want Is You, Will You Be My Bride? - The time had finally come - we all made our way down the aisle while my stepdad and stepbro played and sang a beautiful, acoustic version of "All I Want Is You".
Take Me By The Hand and Stand By My Side - In other words.. the ceremony!
Bubbles and Bustles and Beverages, Oh My! - Bubbles are blown, my bustle is tied in, and cocktail hour commences with lots of love, hugs, and drinks.
The Guestbook - The final version & reveal of our fingerprint guestbook - and some tips, should you want them!
I'd Do Anything For You - The reception kicked off with our oh-so-intricate first dance sway to Wake Up by Coheed and Cambria, which our guests joined in on halfway through.
Make 'em Laugh, Make 'em Cry - Which is exactly what we did, thanks to our bestest friends' amazing and beautiful toasts.
Food & Details - All the details about our cocktail-style reception and rustic decor.
Good Times, Bad Touch - Our guests got down with their bad selves on the dance floor with a lot of finger pointing, interpretive dance, and.. our very own rendition of Bad Touch.
Faux-to Booth Fun! - We said no to veggies and yes to a sorta last-minute DIY photo booth!
Tatted Up - One of the most fun and unexpected features at the reception was our temporary tattoos that many guests ended up sporting proudly all night!
Let Them Eat Cake! - Foxy tried to commandeer the cutting, but we got things under control with a delicious, non-smashing cake exchange and some champagne.
Say That You'll Stay - Before I knew it or was really even ready for it, the last song of the night came on. Foxy and I danced it up and relished the moment, but were eagerly anticipating the next part of the night.. the after party!
