the McDutton wedding
When I think back on the past weekend in Philadelphia, Allentown, and Doylestown, Pennsylvania celebrating the wedding of two dear grad school friends, the McDuttons, I'm filled with what my friend Kari dubbed, "friend hangover." I had been looking forward to this wedding weekend for quite some time with such anticipation and excitement that it might as well have been my own wedding. You see, there's a bond I share with my CSAA (grad school) friends that is indescribable and impossible to understand if you're not one of us. For when two or three (or in this case close to a dozen) are gathered, hilarity reigns and love triumphs. And now that we've re-scattered across the US, I'm wondering when life will next bring us all together.
The extended wedding weekend kicked off Thursday evening with Kari, Kev, Daph and I reuniting in the Philadelphia airport and spending the night at the McDuttons joined by Caleb. It was apparent how much we all missed each other that there was not a moment of silence until we forced ourselves to rest knowing we were facing less than 6 hours of sleep. An early Friday morning run set the tone for what would be a jam packed, never a moment to spare, whirlwind of adventures.
There were some bumps throughout the weekend (the forever long tux pick up at the Country Jamboree, Hampton Inn debacle, massive amounts of travel time in the car, and my being forced to give up my "EAT LOCAL" mantra and visit not one but two fast food chains due to lack of time). But there were way more magical moments from the weekend: spending time with members of the wedding party (Eric and Erin, Jim and Shane, and Mike and Melinda in addition to the CSAA family), the intimate rehearsal dinner and accompanying speeches by the bride and groom to be, the Aldie Mansion backdrop for a gorgeous wedding, the dancing until you're dripping in sweat and cannot breathe at the reception, and the Sunday morning stroll through downtown Doylestown.
I returned to St. Louis from the weekend full of love and well wishes for the newly, married couple and full of gratitude and joy for the time spent with both old and new friends. Oh, and exhausted. But that was a given. Life is good, folks. Cheers.
The extended wedding weekend kicked off Thursday evening with Kari, Kev, Daph and I reuniting in the Philadelphia airport and spending the night at the McDuttons joined by Caleb. It was apparent how much we all missed each other that there was not a moment of silence until we forced ourselves to rest knowing we were facing less than 6 hours of sleep. An early Friday morning run set the tone for what would be a jam packed, never a moment to spare, whirlwind of adventures.
There were some bumps throughout the weekend (the forever long tux pick up at the Country Jamboree, Hampton Inn debacle, massive amounts of travel time in the car, and my being forced to give up my "EAT LOCAL" mantra and visit not one but two fast food chains due to lack of time). But there were way more magical moments from the weekend: spending time with members of the wedding party (Eric and Erin, Jim and Shane, and Mike and Melinda in addition to the CSAA family), the intimate rehearsal dinner and accompanying speeches by the bride and groom to be, the Aldie Mansion backdrop for a gorgeous wedding, the dancing until you're dripping in sweat and cannot breathe at the reception, and the Sunday morning stroll through downtown Doylestown.
Daph and I at the rehearsal dinner. Photo by Jim Cronk.
Roomie and I after the wedding.
the happy couple, the McDuttons!
the CSAA groomsmen (Caleb, Kev, and I) with Steve.
Reps from CSAA 2009 and 2010.
I returned to St. Louis from the weekend full of love and well wishes for the newly, married couple and full of gratitude and joy for the time spent with both old and new friends. Oh, and exhausted. But that was a given. Life is good, folks. Cheers.
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