a very married new year

DJ and I spent New Year’s Eve in Florida, at Bridesmaid Chloe’s wedding.  The wedding was at her parents’ home, and Katie and I were bridesmaids.

We left for the airport at 3:30 a.m. the day of the rehearsal.  (Yawn!)  After the rehearsal dinner Chloe asked me to arrange flowers.  You may remember that I spent 13 hours on my own wedding flowers…  We didn’t have that much time, starting late the night before the wedding, so I was worried. 

But I think they turned out just fine.  The other girls made boutonnieres while I assembled bouquets and corsages, to be wrapped later in vintage handkerchiefs.

The next day, wedding day, we spent a few hours at the salon.  My hair was not happy about the plane ride and Florida humidity, so I was thrilled to have it be someone else’s problem for the day.  Even the stylist agreed that my hair is ornery.

Chloe was a beautiful bride, although of course I have no photos of any part of the day where you might need a bridesmaid.  Nor apparently any of her new husband. 

Her mom made her dress, with a whimsical Stephanie James inspired ribbon applique on the front and wrapping around her waist. 

DJ took a quick Blackberry photo of my bridesmaid outfit.  Chloe let us choose our own dresses, and I wore an apron!  No, not really.  They had delicious barbeque for dinner, served by the bridal party.  Chloe and Matt had thoughtfully provided aprons to keep us sauce-free, sewn by the bride’s grandmother. 

My actual bridesmaid outfit was a charcoal silk J. Crew dress (discontinued now, maybe?) black fishnet tights, and purple suede wedges with a rosette thing on the toe.  Chloe’s palette was charcoal, purple, and pale yellow.  The bridesmaids ended up in a nice mix of charcoal and purple, with a punch of yellow from the flowers.

This was the hardest time I’ve ever had making an outfit.  I am boring.  I’m a turtleneck and jeans kind of girl.  I wouldn’t usually wear fishnet tights with a bridesmaid dress, but Chloe asked us to wear “fun tights” and I really did try.  Fun is hard for me, especially where tights are concerned.  And finding cute shoes that wouldn’t sink into the Floridian turf was looking impossible, until I lucked into these in TJ Maxx a few weeks ago.  Everyone looks at the bride, so I think in the end it was good enough.

It was a lot of fun, and Chloe was glowing with happiness (and champagne and candlelight…)

We rang in the new year appropriately tipsy, wearing party hats and sneaking cigarettes (even though we don’t smoke and definitely know better.)  DJ and I made friends with the photographer, also named DJ. 

New Year’s morning DJ and I trundled back to the airport, anxious to see our dog and have a nap on the couch. 

Welcome to Chicago, the captain droned overhead.  We’re a few minutes ahead of schedule, and the temperature is twelve degrees.  Twelve degrees!  Happy New Year!