Ginny, Jane, and anyone else who wants to know about my sister's wedding in three weeks (eek!):
My sister and I share our father, but I was born six years before her and my parents split up shortly thereafter and my mom & I moved back to the Washington, D.C. area, where she was from. My dad met my sister's mom (hereinafter referred to as ESM - short for Evil StepMother) and they got married and lived in Reno. I started going to visit my dad when I was six; I would go every summer and one or two Christmases. My sister Amanda was born the second summer I visited my Dad (I think). They had two other kids, Justin, then Lindsay. When I was 11 I moved in with them in Reno. When I was 14 I moved out (making a very, very long story short) and back to my mom. I didn't even speak to anyone in my Dad's family until I was a freshman in college. That Christmas we reconciled and I spent the holiday with them. I visited them a couple times a year. My Dad and ESM got divorced my senior year in college. My Dad got remarried to Lynn, who gets her real name because she is a wonderful person and my salvation with all the wedding planning drama. Amanda (the bride) met Brent a few years ago and I absolutely LOVE him and I love them together.
SO, the wedding will be at my dad's country club in the suburbs of Phoenix. It's a lovely venue facing the SanTan Mountains, on a golf course, and the reception will be held in the outdoor patio of the clubhouse. It's a beautiful setting and it will be absolutely lovely... if a little boring by my admittedly oddball standards. :-) My sister is very concerned with what people think and what is traditionally "done" at weddings, and very uninterested in using any sort of creativity. Everything will happen basically exactly the way you would expect it, and you can bet you will be hearing Pachelbel's Canon at some point in the evening. Which is fine, and only annoying because she is so afraid of disappointing anyone or causing any waves. I think she might be on to something, though: there is SOOO much potential for drama, it might be a really wise idea to play it all as carefully as possible.
(Begin Theme to Days of Our Lives)
Potential Drama -- If you don't like soap opera, stop reading now:
1) Lindsay acts like she hates Amanda and doesn't want anything to do with the wedding, other than complaining about everything and being as offensive as possible around the guests (filthy mouth, very negative, abrasive personality, generally very unhappy person). It's all a defense mechanism but disturbing nonetheless. Sad. Amanda is worried that Lindsay will cause a problem and ruin the wedding day.
2) ESM and I haven't spoken in something like 4 years. I don't give up on people and I don't believe that most people are truly evil or past redemption -- but this is the exception. This woman poisoned my life until I finally got the courage and strength to let go of the relationship. I tried to reach out to her on a professional level when Amanda asked me to be her MOH, just to make things easier on her (Amanda). Didn't work. She'd rather have her poison and drama. Amanda is afraid she'll cause a problem with me and ruin the wedding day.
3) Amanda's aunt (we'll call her Shirley) is pissed at my Dad (her brother) and is threatening to cause a scene at the wedding. Amanda is afraid she WILL cause a scene and ruin the wedding day.
Anybody wanna come hide behind the palm trees? :-)