The Bachelorette Party!

"Surprise!"  Little Scotty Jr. was yelling this to me while flailing his blanket in excitement!

A few days before, my future sister-in-law called and asked if T and I would like to go out to dinner with her and TJ's brother.  Of course we said yes and I was immediately excited to spend time with them in New Brunswick.  The plan was to go to Clyde's but meet at their house "no earlier than 6:15" on Friday.  Friday came and I picked out a cute outfit and made sure T approved... of course he did!  Before we left, T mentioned how he wanted to leave gym clothes in his car... weird, but I did not probe.  I just thought he wanted to have emergency gym clothes for a rainy day.  

While driving to their house, we were talking about the eccentric menu that is offered at Clyde's and laughed about ordering antelope.  We arrived at the house and made our way up to the door.  Joan answered brought us into the kitchen and then lead us into the living room where I first saw Scotty Jr. waving his blanket and yelling, "Surprise! Surprise!"  I was caught off guard because I saw Scott holding Sammy smiling, and then I saw all of my bridesmaids (except Erica :( ) and my Maid of Honor Danielle!  I started backing up and Danielle said, "This is your Bachelorette Party!!!!"  I was so surprised that all I could do was cry (of course, would you expect anything less!?!).  After I calmed down, the girls showed me the paraphernalia that I would be adorned with for the festivities of the night complete with pink Mardi Gras beads, beautiful personalized buttons, a Bachelorette sash, and a sparkly tiara with a veil... they know me waaaay too well!  Once we all dressed up appropriately and posed for the photo op, we hopped in the car and made our way to Red Bank!!

When we arrived ion Red Bank, we walked to the restaurant Red.  The amount of attention I was getting was out of this crazy!  We entered the posh restaurant and was greeted by our waiter, Jeff, who was fantastic and funny.  The drinks were scrumptious and the food was ridiculously delicious!  The girls and I chatted up the night while eating the appetizers and entrees.  Before we left, we asked the waiter where a good dance party would be and he mentioned that Red, itself, has a nice club scene.  We filed that away but first we checled out Downtown.  The bar was nice and drinks were good but it was lacking the dancing that we were longing for.  After some time at Downtown, we ventured back over to Red where we found the true party.  We had some more drinks and started the dance party near the DJ.  Nikki mentioned to the DJ that I was getting married so he gave me a shout out and everyone began to scream!  I lost track of time because I was having the time of my life dancing with the girls.  After some time, we made our way back to Downtown to see the band.  When we arrived, the band was playing an old favorite of mine; Sublime's "Santaria."  Of course I began to dance and sing.  The next thing I knew I was up on stage with the band singing my heart out with the lead singer, sharing the microphone!  My dream came true!  I was singing on stage to an audience.  Crazy!

It was laaaaate by the time we were home and I was soooo happy.  That was the nest night out of my life!  I greeted TJ, who stayed at the house and waited for us girls to come home.  He was in his "gym clothes!"  I knew he was fibbing... but what a good fib he told!

My dress...

After 9 months... I finally tried my dress on!  These past 9 months have been torturous seeing that no bridal salon in close proximity to me (other than Kleinfeld's) had a sample of my dress to at least try on.  I had been second guessing my decision and wondering if I had made the right choice for one of the most important days of my life.  Needless to say I was anxious about the whole ordeal.  While waiting for it to arrive, I had been looking up pictures on Google and examining the dress on other brides... wrong move!  Apprehension engulfed my mind and I was sure that I made the wrong choice.  I was so focused on what other brides looked like in the gown that I forgot why I chose it in the first place. :::Flashback to Kleinfeld's in November 2010 when Randy hugged my waist and said, "You look stunning!":::  I began to feel like Elle Woods and questioned, why I would abandon my signature style?  Thinking about it now still worries me! 

The day came when my 3 future sisters-in-law, future niece, mom and I were at the Bridal Suite purchasing bridesmaids and flower girl gowns.  A beautiful woman carrying a garment bag full of white contents passed us by while commenting a phase that I will never forget but will refrain from writing until after the wedding for fear that T is reading.  While the girls were finishing up, my phone rang and the caller read, "The Bridal Suite."  Strange, I thought, since I was standing in the very same establishment.  The woman on the other end proceeded to tell me that my gown was in and I could come in and try it on when I have time.  Being the extremely detail oriented person I am, I was putting 2 and 2 together realizing that the gown that just passed me was MY gown!  We laughed on the phone after I explained the coincidence and the woman was a bit embarrassed when she realized what she had said in front of me while she was bringing to gown up to the front of the building.  In my mind I told myself, "Nothing new... I have been hearing things I am not supposed (and don't want) to hear for a while now!  Why should comments about my wedding gown be any different.  I seem to have ears of a dog whether I like it or not."  :-/  

A few days passed and finally my parents and I went to try my gown on for the very first time.  I tried to refrain from thinking of the other brides I had been studying for the past 9 months and focus on the matter at hand.  For some reason I could not shake the anxiety and I felt a mild panic attack setting in.  My parents sat in the parlor while I was behind the curtain changing into the most important dress of my life.  As I looked at it hanging up, my stomach dropped... "That cannot be it..."  I undressed, hopped in, and as my consultant fixed me up I began to feel faint.  All of the sudden I felt hot, nauseous and extremely dizzy.  I hadn't felt that way since senior year of high school when I mistakenly decided to donate my O- blood and then passed out on the table.  I told the consultant, "I don't feel very well."  She reassured me that I would be OK.  After everything was just right, the curtain opened and I took the walk to the pedestal.  Once propped up, I looked at myself in the mirror and immediately thought of TJ... I cannot wait to marry him!  My eyes welled up and I couldn't help but break down and sob in my hands.  After I hugged my mom, I felt better and was ready for the examination of the dress I chose.  It looked so different... in a good way!  Everything was just so and I could not stop staring at it.  Then my consultant "jacked me up," or so Monti says on Say Yes! To The Dress Atlanta.  After the veil was on, the original feeling of love for the dress returned and I couldn't have been happier. 

I hope TJ loves it <3