We survived! (But the bag didn't.)

What a fun, fun time Molly & Drew's wedding was. The bride looked gorge, the wedding party was super fun and the new Mr. & Mrs. looked so incredibly happy. YEAH!

And, the survival kit got LOTS of use yesterday.

I love being the bridesmaid in charge of "fixing" people's problems. Whether it's taking care of a stomach ache, helping out with unexpected "lady problems" or chalking over a stain on the bride's dress, my self-made wedding day survival kit bag has made its rounds through nearly all of the weddings I've been in.

(Well, the contents have. The bag has been replaced a couple of times. That stuff is HEAVY.)

Let's take a gander at what was used yesterday:

• SAFETY PINS. Carrie and I each had wardrobe malfunctions and needed pins to holster our bra straps into our dresses.


• TISSUES. Molly asked for a couple of them before the loooooong trip down the aisle. She then proceeded to shove them into Drew's pocket right before they exchanged their vows. (Note: He had to take the tissues out of his pocket about 4 seconds later when they both got a little teary. Awww.)


• HAIRSPRAY & MIRROR. Duh. However, Carrie also got resourceful with the hairspray and reattached a runaway fake eyelash using some. That was crafty.


• BOBBY PINS. All of the bridemaids' hair was super cute yesterday (thanks to Kelly!), but most of the styles required a lot of bobby pins. The more everyone moved/danced, the more the supply in the bag dwindled.


• ASPIRIN. I got a killer headache right after the ceremony (I forgot to have caffeine in the a.m. -- duh), so I popped three pills (and a Red Bull... which may or may not have had some vodka in it) and was good to go.


• DEODORANT. Some of us were so cold, we were sweating. I know that sounds like it makes no sense, but it happened. Thank goodness for the cucumber scented Dove.


• EVIAN SPRAY. A couple of the groomsmen were feeling schivatz after a long day of drinking, so a few quick sprays from the Evian toner/refresher spray and they were ready to break it down. (Literally. One of the guys at the wedding was break dancing.)


• PLASTIC BABUSHKA. We didn't really need this at all yesterday (it was cold, but not rainy), but Drew put it on during pictures to keep some of us girls entertained during "down" times.

Unfortunately, the survival kit bag itself did not fare so well. As in, it completely busted open.

But I just think that means even the bag was so happy for the newly married couple that it was busting at the seams. ;)

Now I have to go see if I've got anything in there for dancing injuries. Apparently your dear Always A Bridesmaid thought it was a good idea to do the splits. On the dance floor. In my bridesmaid dress.

And I'm paying for it today.

You only love me for my dough

I know I outlined a very busy few days yesterday, but I had a change in plans tonite and ended up getting home sooner than expected. So, I took advantage of those found hours and started on Project Pep Bread.

I sometimes wonder if the only reason I get asked to be in weddings nowadays is because everyone knows it's become sort of my "thing" to make pepperoni bread for snacking on while crusing around in the party bus.

I guess it's my little "thank you" of sorts to the bride and groom for having me in their wedding. (And, to be honest, it may also be a teeny selfish ploy to win over the hearts -- and stomachs -- of any single groomsmen.)

Here's how to make pepperoni bread (whether you're a bridesmaid or not):

• THE INGREDIENTS (per loaf): 1/4 pound pepperoni, bag of shredded cheese, fresh (not frozen) dough (I usually buy unbaked crusts from local pizza joints, but grocery stores often sell fresh dough in the deli area), melted butter


• THE PREP: Coat a cookie pan with cooking spray. Knead/push out the dough to the edges of the pan (all around). Cover dough with cheese. Cover cheese with pepperoni. Roll into a "log" shape (keep it longer vs. wider... that's what she said). Make sure the seam is on the bottom before baking. Brush with melted butter.


• THE BAKING: Bake in a 375-degree oven for about half an hour (or until the bread looks golden). Let cool and cut into slices.


• THE EATING: Enjoy with a cold beer or glass of bubbly. NOTE: in the unfortunate chance that any pepperoni grease gets on the bride's gown during this stage, use a Shout Wipe to dab it out. Proven remedy.

Could not be easier. Or more yummy.

Now I just have to figure out how to resist the urge to devour the three loaves that are bubbling up in the oven right now.

(OK, maybe I'll have ooooonnnnneeee little piece... just to make sure it tastes ok, alright? Back off.)

***** U P D A T E *****

Confirmation on the delicious factor. Had two pieces once the loaves cooled last nite (for quality control purposes, of course).

The countdown is ON!

I can't even imagine how much stuff Molly has going on this week to prep for the wedding, considering I am a mere bridesmaid and feel like I'll never get everything done.

TONITE:

• Go to Jazzercise (or "cardio class," if you are a cute single boy reading this) to get my stamina up for dancing.


• Stop at Target for a couple of final supplies for the "wedding day survival kit."


• Pop into Heinen's to get the stuff to make pepperoni bread for the party bus.


• Hit up Crocker (if I have time) to get a new bra to wear for the Big Day and a bday present for my brother-in-law.


• Grab 15 minutes in a tanning booth. (I know it's bad for me. But so is feeling like a giant white blob in pictures, so deal with it.)


• Curl my extensions. (Looks like the winning hairstyle is going to be Option 1!)

TOMORROW NITE:

• Have a work thing to go to, so I probably won't have much time to do wedding-related stuff. But, I might have to bust out early if I don't get everything done tonite.

FRIDAY:

• Hit up a morning Jazzercise/cardio class to sweat off drinking from my work event and get my arms (which I will inevitably flex and kiss several times throughout the nite on Saturday) in tip-top shape.


• Make pepperoni bread (three loaves).


• Get a mani and pedi (we are wearing open toed shoes, so I MUST!).


• Attend wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner (at Fahrenheit - YUM!). BTW, this has the potential to be VERY awkward considering this post.

On the bright side, I no longer need to make a list of things I need to do, since it's all right here!

Hair Ye, Hair Ye

Heading into Molly's wedding week, I have some big decisions ahead of me: what color should I do my nails? how many loaves of pepperoni bread should I make for the party bus? And perhaps most important -- how should I wear my hair?!?!?!?

(BTW, I realize these decisions are all totally silly when considering the economic crisis, global warming and the fact that Spencer & Heidi continue to be news stories. But let's escape for a moment, shall we?)

Something to note: I own clip-in hair extensions that I have worn in nearly every wedding I've been in. (My natural length is a bit past my shoulders.) The extensions are a nearly perfect match for my highlighted hair, and they're made from real hair so I don't look like a Barbie doll. (Or like that Kim chic on The Real Housewives of Atlanta.)

I already have some ideas for what I might do on Saturday, but thought I'd ask what you guys think.

Let's take a gander.

OPTION 1: Cute low curled side pony worn on the opposite side of the bangs

OPTION 2: Cute low curled side pony worn on the same side as the bangs (the ponytail in the pic below is a bit too crimped for my taste... imagine the pony like Lauren's above)

OPTION 3: Half up, half down worn curly (note: this option may involve me clipping a small group of bangs straight back vs. down the middle as is modeled by Ms. Electra here)

OPTION 4: An homage to wildlife (yes, that is really hair formed into the shape of a bear's head)

What do you think? Really, I'd be happy with any of them (OK, maybe not the bear on the brain one -- seriously, WTF is up with that one?!?), but I'm leaning toward Option 1.


HELP!?!? Vote in the poll or leave a comment.

The countdown is on!

T-minus 11 days until my next bridesmaid duty for Molly & Drew's wedding. (I was reminded this morning when my official wedding day itinerary arrived.)

I am super excited. Why?

• I love our dresses. Steel gray babydoll/empire waist silk dupioni dress with a cute black sash. (Truth be told, I don't actually have mine yet. It's being taken in for the second time. The first time I tried it on, it was literally like I wrapped myself in a duvet cover. So it's taken a couple of rounds of alterations to make it fit. And I didn't blog about it before b/c I didn't want Molly worried that it was going to look like a potato sack on me. Now that she saw it in person last weekend, she's feeling good, so I can write about it.)


• My whole family is going to be at the wedding. Parents, sisters, brothers-in-law. Anyone who has ever seen my family in action on a wedding dance floor knows what a treat is in store. Suffice to say my father will likely be dirty dancing with my friends, and everyone will tell my sisters they should try out for So You Think You Can Dance after the wedding.


• My wedding partner specifically requested me to be paired with him. (Don't get too excited, readers -- he's married.) But, I think that means we will definitely rock the bridal party "coolness" contest since we are both loud and outgoing. And, I'm hoping, good dancers.

Oh, and I'm really happy for the bride- and groom-to-be too. But that goes without saying. :)

(Six degrees side note: I was actually supposed to get fixed up with the groom-to-be years ago, but ended up rekindling with The Divorcee the nite before I was supposed to meet Drew. See, Moll? You're right. Everything happens for a reason.)