Today we want to bring you in her own words, the story of Vicki, a bride who had every reason to become a bridezilla. , Although she claims in her story she became one with her family, her family states otherwise. They state that Vikki was calm and focused. As a bride, you want to enjoy the wedding process, it is a very special day. Although your planner may have done hundreds of weddings, they too enjoy seeing your day finally arriving . As Rosie Moore always says, “I am sad to see the day have gone by so quickly.” One thing she never says is, it is a shame that she could not enjoy the day, because “when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.
Read as Vikki in her own words shares her story:
June 19th, 2013. That was the date my now husband got down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. Of course I said yes. June 22nd I had gotten my acceptance letter into Pharmacy School at the University of Florida. We decided we wanted to be married on December 13th, 2014. Okay, well I wanted to get married on that date. I have a thing about sequential numbers. Back to 2013, we moved to Orlando. Two small town kids moving to a big city. We knew no one, we knew nothing of the area, and we were just down right confused. School started for the both of us, my husband started his bachelors program for computer science and I was beginning my first professional year of my doctorates program. We thought we could plan a wedding on our own. We were so wrong. That’s when my husband started doing some homework, behind my back mind you. He saw how stressed I was with school, this move, this wedding planning, you name it. He started looking for wedding planners in the area and Rosie popped up. We met with Rosie; she listened to our completely vague description of our dream wedding.
After speaking with Rosie and getting to know her, she contacted us with more information on venues. I couldn’t believe how ‘easy’ it was to just pick some venues out and go see what the venues were like. Having Rosie with us at every visit helped take stress off of my shoulders. Rosie knew what questions to ask each venue, who knew all of this went into planning a wedding?! She worked with my rigorous school schedule and we communicated mostly via email or text message. I remember having an exam one day and then going to look at a venue the next. It felt like my professors had it out for me because they seemed to enjoy posting exam grades just as I was in the middle of a tour of the venue.
There were many tears shed through the process. Many words were said, tensions were high, and my husband and I just about called off our wedding. The stress of school was getting to me. Taking 18 credit hours a semester with next to no sleep and working was miserable. I never knew just how difficult this program was going to be and I certainly didn’t expect it to run my life like it had. Rosie was a shoulder to cry on. Rosie and her husband helped my husband and me through so much. We probably would have just called it quits if we didn’t have them.
Let’s go ahead and fast forward to June 2014, six months from the wedding. Final exam schedules were posted. Just my luck, my first final exam (in my hardest class) was on my wedding day. I was destroyed. I already had the date set, I already sent out the invites to my out of state guests, and there was really no turning back. I tried everything in my power to not take the exam on my wedding day but to no avail. I knew it was going to be a tough semester; it was the hardest year in pharmacy school after all. I struggled through the semester both mentally and physically. Between packing on 40, yes forty, pounds since starting pharmacy school, I barely fit in my wedding dress. What time did I have to work out? I’m a stress eater and those carrots were not doing it for me.
The day before the wedding. The wedding day was so close. My game plan was to get checked into the hotel and immediately study while waiting for my out of town bridesmaids to get there for the rehearsal dinner. In no way does this next statement reflect on the hotel or its staff, simply the people who stayed in the room I was to check into. I waited in an extremely crowded lounge with a million tiny little cheerleaders screaming and running around. I could not study. I sat there for the next 2 hours waiting to be checked in. My family started to arrive, and of course it meant they wanted to chat. Not a problem, but I needed to study.
Cumulative final that holds my entire future at 9am the next morning. Turns out the people who stayed in my suite prior to me decided they wanted to check out late. Rehearsal started at 5pm, it was now 4pm. I still had to get my luggage taken to the room and get changed for the event. I’m pretty sure I experienced my ‘Bridezilla’ moment prior to the rehearsal. My bridesmaids were all there and ready to go for the rehearsal at 5 on the dot. My father, bless his heart, was running around with my niece, also my flower girl, and a beer in his hand. He was not taking this seriously. My husband was running late. He swears I said 6pm. His groomsmen were hightailing it to get to the hotel. We started our rehearsal late, so more time I could have spent studying, but it was short, sweet, and to the point. Everyone knew what was expected of them, and we moved on to pizza.
After dinner I returned to my room to study. No Bachelorette party here, just me sitting at the desk reviewing notes and not catching up with my bridesmaids that I only ever get to see like twice a year. My mom and bridesmaids stayed with me in the hotel room that night.
At midnight my mom gave me a package that my husband had gotten me, I opened it and there was a note from him to me and a beautiful journey pendant necklace to wear as I walked down the aisle. A start to our new journey together. My nerves got the best of me. I had my little emotional breakdown in the bathroom at 6am. I was done with everything, I wanted to get this exam over with and enjoy my wedding. My mom brought me a light breakfast after my shower and drove me to meet with a friend who was driving me to my exam. I’m so thankful she drove down from Jacksonville to take me to my exam, she was taking the same exam and was actually staying at a nearby hotel and offered to take me so I could just focus on getting through the day without crying.
I got to campus, a bundle full of emotions. I couldn’t believe it was my wedding day. I wore a ‘Bride’ sash and everything. My classmates were equally as excited for my wedding and congratulated me and wished me luck on this horrendous exam. I looked at the clock, 9am; it was time for the exam. The proctors handed out the exam. I took one look at it and wanted to cry even more. It was the hardest exam I had ever had to take in my entire life. About an hour to an hour and a half later I finished the exam. I knew I hadn’t done well on it but I prayed for at least a passing grade. I sat outside the door waiting for my friend to get out and we would be making our way back to the hotel.
I arrived at the hotel around 11:30am. The ceremony was to start at 3:30pm. I was greeted by my bridesmaids noshing on some light snacks and mimosas all around. My mom immediately gave me a mimosa and said it was time to get married. I immediately pushed the exam from my mind; I was not going to let anything ruin my day. My husband had arrived at the hotel and brought our puppy along with him; she missed her mommy and couldn’t be without me. She sat in my lap while I got my hair and makeup done. I enjoyed having my hair and makeup done by a woman I worked beside during my first year of pharmacy school; it was very casual and comfortable.
We hit a few snags. My dresses wasn’t pressed and neither were a few of the bridesmaids dresses and none of us knew how to use an iron on these types of materials. Normally I’m the biggest worry wort but I was the complete opposite of a ‘Bridezilla’. My dad’s girlfriend came to the rescue! She knew exactly what to do and immediately started grabbing irons from all of the rooms she could. She put my bridesmaids to work while I was getting into my dress. I’m not proud to admit it but it took 4 people to get me in that dress. I honestly did not think it was going to fit. I felt like an overstuffed sausage, but a gorgeous overstuffed sausage.
I remember the photographer wanting to get solo shots of me in my dress before the wedding. I did not want my husband, or my family, to see me before the wedding so we got creative. We made sure my family was not going to be by the area we were going to and I donned a bathrobe over my wedding dress. We were taking pictures and I remember getting stares from other hotel guests and hearing the little girls go by asking if I was a princess. It was a great boost to my self-esteem. We got back to the room and the girls were getting ready. Some of the snowflake brooches I had gotten for the bridesmaid dresses were broken. I wasn’t going to let anything ruin my day. We had some super glue and we went to town on those brooches.
The bouquets were delivered prior to the room prior to getting photos taken. We were missing a bouquet but Ashley, Rosie’s assistant, was on top of it! Everything was ready to go in time for the wedding. Ashley packed up my flip flops, classy I know, for me to change into after the ceremony. We loaded up into the van that was taking us to the ceremony site. I was 95% sure I wasn’t going to be able to get into the van. High heels and a bodice, it seemed impossible. Any who, I managed to get into the van. The driver initially took us to the wrong place and I was having a small panic attack. Or was it just that I couldn’t breathe? I can’t honestly remember. We were taken to the right spot and I hid behind the van even after being told not to get out. I had to get out. I was so nervous. My dad met me on the other side of the van. We were being signaled that we would be walking shortly. My bridesmaids went down the aisle, followed by my matron of honor, then my flower girl. I told my niece to toss the flower petals as she went but when she got to the end to just turn her basket upside down and drop the rest at the end, it’s what I did at her mother’s wedding when I was the flower girl. I heard the chuckles from the audience. It was time to walk down the aisle.
The music started playing and my dad offered his arm. I was shaking. Excited but shaking. He told me it was going to be okay. That was probably the longest walk of my life. Trying to remember to smile, not cry, keep my head up, shoulders back, chest out, bouquet held at waist height, not trip, heel-toe, heel-toe, don’t trip, etc. We finally made it down to the end of the aisle, my dad handed me off to my husband.
The ceremony continued, the ceremony ended, cocktail hour started, pictures were taken, and then the reception rolled around. Now that all of the hard parts were done, it was time to break it down on the dance floor. I was surrounded by my family and friends and we had a blast. It was the best night ever. And it would not have been possible had it not been for Rosie. She made sure everything was in order, took care of any issues, and made my day far less stressful than I thought it was going to be. My husband and I returned to our hotel room to get changed and met with the rest of our bridal party after everyone had left. We sat around drinking champagne and saying goodbyes as my bridesmaids took off to return home and my mom was heading back to my apartment to take care of my cat while we enjoyed our night away from home. It was a beautiful evening and I was blessed to have been surrounded by my family and friends.
Here is Vikki today…almost a year married!
Congratulations to Vikki and Chip as we so fondly call him, in your studies and in your marriage!
Photographer: Michael Anthony Photography
27 Miracles Wedding Consulting
www.27miraclesbyrosie.com
407-905-5454
info@27miraclesbyrosie.com
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