Ashley and Brian's Wedding

You may remember me telling you last week that my friend ashley was getting married, if you don't, check out this blog post!

It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding weekend . I so enjoyed celebrating with my friend Ashley and her husband Brian. 

Both families weren't from birmingham.....so it was a smaller more intimate wedding.  It was great because I felt everyone who was there really loved these two.  Everyone danced and the food was wonderful. (pet peeve: weddings where no one will dance!)

The day was wonderful and the bride was radiant! As you can tell by these photos......

What I loved seeing was all of their "stolen moments" alone.  Here they are enjoying being with eachother while taking pics with 30 other people (although it seems they didn't realize we were there)  Brian makes Ashley better, he makes her more fun and more relaxed! (I'm sorry, ash, but you know its true....and I loved you before so I for sure love the even better version!) In fact, I was irritated (not really irritated...) when I found out she went out with the groomsmen for drinks after the rehearsal dinner. My BF and I just went back to the hotel to watch tv because we didn't think she and the bridesmaids were going....turns out she stopped by, stayed out for awhile with them, enjoyed herself and even had a drink.  Not a wild night, but a relaxed fun night.  When we heard this story, one of the other bridesmaids, Laura Ann, and I were like 'I wish we had known, we would have gone out!!"

But, despite missing out on the fun, this made me happy. He has loosened her up and I am sure she has changed him for better too.  Wedding planning stresses any bride out yet the night before her wedding, she was not worrying, but enjoying being with him and his friends (although I still maintain it would have been more fun if Laura Ann and I had come too!) 

Here is a picture of the Bride and me...dont you love her sweetheart neckline??

 Also, a sorority picture. Funny story, we sang our sorority song in a circle at the reception. Its been so long since I sang it. Laura Ann had to reteach me the lyrics. Luckilly after reading my handwritten lyrics a couple times, it came back to me!

The lovely cake...

 I loved her bridal portriat. It was taken at the perfect time of day and her dress doesn't look just white, but irridescent maybe or rainbow colored (in a good way obviously) because of the light coming through the window which falls all the way down her viel and dress.

A tiger clash grooms cake....Auburn v. Clemson. (Mrs. Pat, ashley's mom and diehard SC fan and alum) is still not over the fact that ashley married a clemson grad....but I guess, since he loves Jesus and her daughter, she has accepted it.  :) One saturday a year might be rough in the Bodie/Thompson family....I personally think they should start a yearly bet...loser does chores for the winner? or loser wears winning teams tshirt in the family christmas card?? this could be fun....

Sweet father daughter dance. :)

By the way, let me brag on my BF/wedding date.  Its usually fun to be someone's wedding date when its in town and there will be food, alcohol and dancing.  Its not nearly as fun when you have to give up your whole wkd and go to a rehearsal dinner (which was delicious and at the botantical gardens restaurant in mountain brook), entertain yourself saturday while your date is doing wedding stuff, sit by yourself at the wedding AND keep getting left alone at the wedding while your date takes pics.  I owe him a few wedding/event dates and probably some fishing. And despite the awkward moments, I think he had fun meeting people and dancing.

Also, I was extremely impressed at how well he did with meeting people.  He let my friends him a little on Friday night (Ashley flat out quizzed him) and after he realized that these were the type of girls he could tease, he teased Ashley back on Saturday.  He also danced with ashley's niece and nephew.  Words of advice to men-- 3 of the things that impress a lady: (1) interacting well with her friends; (2) being good with children, old ladies, anyone who needs extra care; and (3) being a good date to events/gatherings/weddings.  I left that wedding very proud he was my date. I haven't always felt that way after taking guy as dates for things.  So thats my dating advice to share with the men :)