Pretty sweaty, but pretty dang happy. I'm gettin' married!
From super yogi to dancing bride: man, it was the best day of my life! Beautiful photos via Joelle.
On the morning of August 7th, I woke up with the sun. Jittery and sleep deprived, with a tummy full of nervous energy, I rolled out of bed to pull on my stretchy shorts and slingback yoga shirt. I paced around the kitchen, searching the cabinets for a quick and light snack to down before leaving for class.
But even after a Luna bar and sip of coconut water and a few laps around the apartment, I still felt fidgety and restless. Checked the time. Washed my face. Threw on my flip-flops and sunglasses. Grabbed the yoga bag and headed downstairs, careful to close the door quietly so I wouldn't awaken my sleeping best friend bridesmaids.
A beautiful day was waiting outside. Stillness in the air, clarity in the breeze, sunshine. Clear skies. No worry for rain, I realized, smiling.
My thoughts brought immediate relief: we'll for sure be able to have the wedding outside! Whew. One less thing to think about there, I told myself, keeping a quick pace toward the studio. I hop-skip-walked my way down the street, taking in the path before me and scene surrounding. I wanted to do my best to remember every moment as best as I could.
And I knew I needed the yoga -- the relief of the hot room, the release, the sweat -- something (anything!) to center my mind around and distract me from the rest of the day to come.
I met up with Joelle, my now-cousin and then-photographer, a talented and lovely lady who I had a blast taking pictures with all weekend. She had generously agreed to meet up at the crack of dawn for some pre-Bikram photos in the Hot Room...and even after a practically-all-day bride-only shoot throughout the streets of Evanston the day prior. We were both pretty tired and a little sunburned, but so hyped up on all the love, creativity and time with family of the week that we couldn't wait to start snapping some shots and hang out again. Even if it was super early.
Joelle was a definite comfort along the way. I'm so nerrrrvous right now! I exclaimed, a bit surprised sounding. I wasn't even sure where all this apprehension was coming from. I figured I'd wake up calm and cool as a cucumber, but here I was shakin' and quakin' on the inside.
Of course you're nervous! Joelle gushed, laughing at my slightly antsy antics down the sidewalk. You're getting married!
I smiled, nodded. She had a point!
Plus, I had spent the whole week bustling around like a crazy person, finishing up little tasks, putting together last minute wedding favors, cleaning my room for the guests about to arrive, trying to breathe deeply enough throughout it all, and of course (unfortunately), missing yoga class most of the days.
Oh, and missing my Mr. Hubs all week too!
Yeah, they never tell you that the week leading up to your wedding is actually sort of a lonely time -- romantically-speaking, anyway. I mean I definitely saw a lot of my family and had some unforgettable times with them while we were eating out, adventuring around, playing with my nephew, drinking Jamba Juice, drinking beer at the pub across from the hotel, questing for new furniture, running things between apartments, making calls, and setting stuff up for the ceremony and reception.
I mean, it was a crazy time!
So no wonder, as I arrived at Bikram Yoga Evanston to slink down the ever-familiar stairs while smelling the ever-familiar slightly-musty but sort-of-fresh scent in the basement, I felt a wave of relief.
Ahhhh. I'm here. Finally. It was a little like getting home after a long vacation where you do a lot and get super tired and sun-drenched and lazy, but you don't do your yoga so you end up craving it like crazy by the end of a week. (That's actually exactly what happened during the Hubbymoon, ha, and I encourage you to read that post sometime here! It's a bit long, too, so be warned :)
So anyway, I get home, er, to the home studio, and Stuart (because he's awesome, even when he's tired because it's ridiculously early in the morning) lets us in early to snap some photos. I pose with the colorful mats and Super Woman poster. I set up the mat and towel in my favorite spot. Do some stretches. Some warm up backbends.
I'm creaky. The muscles are tight, the bones crackly. I roll my neck around in little circles, realizing the stress that's sitting in there. Alright, let's do this.
Joelle heads out after some misty-eyed views of the heat (Wow, they do make it crazy in here! she exclaimed as her camera lenses fogged immediately upon entering the Torture Chamber). Now it's just me and the heat. Me and the stillness. Me and my Monkey Mind tryin' to tell me why I need to be worrying about all the little things going on today.
And then the other yogis start showing up. The room gets full, calm, quiet. One of my favorite teachers -- a lady with a big smile and an even bigger heart -- leads us into the class. Pranayama is like a gift, opening up my body and lungs. Half-moon and awkward feel good -- pretty strong considering my slightly fatigued body.
In case you were wondering, it's an "S" -- self-designed by my sexy and talented husband -- for our last name, Stroud. We got 'em about a year ago after our engagement. Like a permanent way of saying "I love you," a little reminder of how big a commitment that is. And YES, you could see my tattoo during the wedding, too! Speaking of tats...I'm hoping to get a new one. Will be postin' about it soon!
After the warm up, I'm all shakes through the Standing Balancing Series. These are my favorite postures, but so challenging on the days when you just can't seem to find your balance. The Wedding Day was definitely one of those. The knee locks out, but wobbles all over the place and can't seem to stay put. The mind wanders. The foot cramps and skirts around on the towel.
You fall out, you get back in.
You keep going and before you know it, you've made it through class, oh good, oh finally, sweet sweet relief in the AC as you gulp down some VitaCoco and hit the showers.
It was, without a doubt, the best way to start my day and in many ways, the only way to start my day. A dream come true:
I practiced Bikram on my wedding day!
Pre-aisle yoga means no Bridezillas allowed!
What's funny is I don't remember a whole lot about specifics of the class -- how I did in the postures, the funny things the teacher said, the yogis around me. I do remember the feeling of relief and the eventual calm that washed over me as I continued in the 90-minute meditation.
And then as soon as I left class to walk home (and swing by the farmers market for some fresh blueberries, of course!), I felt the crazies come back -- but at least they were the good crazies.
The I'm about to see everybody I love in one place and cry with joy while I say my vows to the Love of My Life and God watches and sailboats float by and the breeze picks up the bottom of my dress and flutters it around the grassy backyard ground...well, you see what I'm saying. The really good kind of crazies.
The wedding was spectacular. Beyond dreamy. I burst into tears the second I stepped out of the Art Center building to walk down the aisle of white chairs up toward that beautiful flowery arch. My dad and I laughed with tears in our eyes all the way there. I couldn't help it: it was everything I'd imagined for so, so long...and then some.
And then it was just me and Josh, and the rest of our life standing before us.
Our living promises.
Our people. The wind in the trees.
The presence of our God surrounding the moment, holding us together in love and purity and truth.
And then -- holy moly guacamole -- we were MARRIED! We had the Big Kiss and Big Hoorah and everything! It was so much fun. Seriously dudes. Your wedding day is just. so. fun. Highly recommended. And you finally get to sit back and enjoy all of the hard work and dedication you've put toward the event.
What was great, too, is I didn't even have to know what was goin' on! People just came up to me to talk and hug and catch up, and then I'd be ushered one way to take pictures, then another way to eat some tasty foods (well, one bite of them before talking more ha), then onto the beach for more pictures, then back to the Art Center for toasts and dancing. The Hubs and I had such a blast performing our little routine a friend had taught us (he does ridiculous competitive ballroom dancing and is super talented)!
I bustled up my bustle, threw off the high heels, and boogied! Ha. Oh, and Dad and I had the father/daughter dance (he sang every time the chorus played to "I Loved Her First," this hilariously cheesy but awesome country song.) Pretty sure the whole room loved it.
We ended the night with a blowout send-off: sparklers (lit by Tiki torches) and a limo, complete with "Just Married" sign on the trunk and balloons and rose petals inside! Many thanks to the groomsmen for putting it all together :)
It was so much fun, so much joy, so much love in the span of a day. I'll never forget it.
And I'm pretty stoked to say that I started the day the right way: with some Bikram.
