One Wrong and a Rice - Part 2 The ceremony

Saturday April 21 - Wedding Morning

7:45 I'm so excited that I ended up waking up at 6:00 am. I am already abuzz with activity, checking things off, gathering stuff. At 7:45, I meet with Evelyn and
Emma at the bridal suite to get instructions on transporting the wedding dress. I see it for the first time and gasp. It's seriously beautiful. Champagne silk charmeuse, it's Badgley Michska by way of Donna Karan. A draped cross-cross v-neck with and empire waist that creates a slim and columnar shape that is Hollywood glamour at its most elegant and refined. After giving us instructions on how to handle her Precious,
Evelyn leaves for Elizabeth Arden to do her hair.

8:15 I meet with Rikel to go over all the things he will be transporting. He's tender and kind and wanting to make sure his wife to be is taken care of. Evelyn chose a winner.

10:00 I get to the chapel and go over the logistics with the person in charge of the site. She points out the rooms where the bridal party and groom's party will be sequestered. The chapel is small and intimate. J works on the ribbon that will mark where the families will sit. It keeps falling off but we decided it's more
elegant todrape the ribbon over the pew.

10:30 The photographer comes and he and his wife/assistant are awesome. J chats
up the assistant in that Southern way of his and ends up finding out her and her husband's life story. I go over the shot list with him and he and his wife come up with an order of the wedding photos.

10:45 The mother of the bride and her Aunt Doris arrive. I LOOOOOOVE Aunt Doris. She lives in Gaithersburg and is one of those warm funny ladies who everyone ends up calling Aunt Doris. We had dim sum with her last summer and she schooled us on dim
sum. The mother of the bride will be doing the bride's makeup.

11:00 The groom, officiant, and best man come and I quickly shoo them into
the groom's room. I check to make sure they have the rings and programs. Another person I love? The officiant. He's the brother of the groom and became an officiant through the Church of the Back Cover of Rolling Stone (TM Pauline). He's one of those laid back surfer types who exudes cool. I grab the programs and put them at the entrance. I also have Aunt Doris call the brothers of the bride who should have
been at the chapel at 10:45 since they will be ushering.

11:15 The rest of the groom's family arrives along with the bride's father.
Here's another reason why Evelyn picked a winner - his family rocks. They are warm and funny and totally organized. Everyone is where they are supposed to be and are already thanking me. They give MY in-laws a run for their money in the awesome in-law sweepstakes. And still, the brothers have not arrived.

11:30 The flowers come and I distribute them to the appropriate folks. I see the bride in her dress for the first time and I come close to tears. She's stunning. The dress flatters her perfectly and she looks like a goddess. Sadly though, I come in at the point where she is telling her mother/makeup-artist, "Nature is imperfect and unique Mom!" This is going somewhere great. I scurry out the door to check on the groom and get the wedding party in their their respective rooms. Aunt Doris is calling the brothers who seem to be perpetually 5 minutes away. She tries to calm me down but I will seriously kick some bridal brother ass. I assign J and the Maid of
Honor's brother to usher duty. The Maid of Honor's brother is also awesome and admonishes everyone to turn off their cell phones. At least SOMEONE's brother is responsible.

11:45 The groom asks for a lint brush. I try and get one from the bridal sequestering room and the bride asks me to clear the sequestering room of everyone except for
herself and the maid of honor. In true Asian mother fashion, the mother of the bride decides that 15 minutes before the wedding is the perfect time to bemoan the fact her daughter's eyes are not symmetrical and her eyebrows should betattooed on. The junior bridesmaids, the father of the groom and the mother of the groom all get sent to the groom's room. Evelyn's mother and Aunt Doris get sent to the vestibule. Still waiting
for the brothers and Grandpa Wrong.

11:55 I give the heads up to the groom's party to line up. I escort the junior bridesmaids, father of the groom and mother of the groom to line up at the
vestibule. I ask the mother of the bride for a contingency escort in case the brothers never show up. She conscripts a cousin. By the way, J looks REAAAALLLLY good in his suit and pink tie. I am wearing a yellow and black striped tie.

12:00 pm The prelude music starts playing and I line up the bridal party. No sign of the brothers.

12:10 pm I ask the Jessie and Phil to play one of the prelude songs again to
give some time for the brothers to show. They don't. I promptly say fuck it and line the bridal party up. I give a thumbs up to Jessie and Phil (who at this point have the patience of saints) to play the processional. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring sounds almost like a lullaby played by the French horn and marimba. The groom's mother and father go down the aisle and the ceremony is under way.

12:15 pm J and I open the doors and Evelyn and her father walk down the aisle. She looks so beautiful and everyone is standing up taking pictures of them like thepaparazzi. Rikel looks dapper in his suit and his brother the officiant looks totally hot. His voice is warm, clear, and projects to the back of the room. He asks everyone to please be seated.

12:25 pm The brothers, uncle, cousin and Grandpa Wrong finally arrive right in the middle of the reading and right before the vows. They are laughing like frat boys who just saw someone throw up on the carpet. Well if you are going to be late. I hold my breath for the exchange of rings. They go easily from junior bridesmaid, to maid of honor/best man to bride/groom. I relax as the hard part is over. I prematurely cheer as the officiant pronounces Evelyn and Rikel man and wife. Everyone else cheers when they are allowed to kiss. It's a good kiss. Sweet, loving, and little sexy. Much
like the couple themselves.

12:30 Recessional. J and I gather the families and have them line up outside the church for a receiving line as Evelyn works on her bustle. While J and nervous about the time a receiving line would take, I remember that our clearness committee
had us do a receiving line and it really made a difference. People need time to say congratulations. The guest themselves form a line for Evelyn and Rikel to walk down so they can bathe in the glow of their guests' good wishes.

12:35 J heads out to the reception to meet with the MC and check on all the
last minute details. I wrangle the families for posed photos. The photographer is friendly, directive and efficient. It's a beautiful, breezy, sunny, day and the combined Wrong Rice family look incredible. I can't stop smiling. Aunt Doris gives me a hug and thanks me for everything.