Wedding Bells!

Well lets start at the beginning shall we? Really that is the best place to begin. Not so long ago I had just returned from the land of Eire and was less than welcome in the 804 so I did what any self respecting 23 year old would do and moved BACK to Colonial Williamsburg, went back to my old job and lived.... well that was the problem I had nowhere to live.

My very kind employers let me live in their b&b but it was never meant to be permanent and I really needed a place to live. Unfortunately for me the cost of living in Williamsburg is out of control and my little Euro's savings was dwindling... enter in my red headed hero. Through an intricate and random connection I was asked to meet with a potential roommate at a local Barnes and Noble to see if we would be compatible. It was exactly like going on a blind date and all I wanted to do was impress this girl and have a place to live. She walked in and I was instantly in love... and it was mutual :)

Her name is Beth Shatto and we immediately bonded over how much boys suck and how there is nothing to do in Williamsburg. It was fate. She is a redhead and brilliant and she loves corny Zac Efron movies. We were perfect roommates. During a strange transition in my life Beth provided comfort, advice, Taco Bell and a place to sleep. Rent was affordable, all of her kitchen appliances were Hello Kitty and pink but most of all she was a kindred spirit. We were both young, single girls in the revolutionary city and we had a blast.

Eventually I was given an opportunity to move into an adorable (and free) cottage and I no longer lived with Beth but she still remained one of my best friends. We saw each other through Internet dating, through Marines, through Valentines Days and through High School Musical premieres, she is objective and opinionated and is the big sister God forgot I needed.

I am telling you all about my amazing friend Beth because she just got married this weekend, and Gus and I made the quite amazing journey to the nuptials. Beth met a boy at her sisters wedding who was different than all the other rude and ridiculous boys she had been in the habit of dating before. His name is Ellwood Bobby and he is smart and insightful and the perfect compliment to her red headed madness. Oh and he loves her very much. They were engaged on New Years and in that time bought a house, moved to Toano and this weekend officially started the next chapter of their life together.

Beth and Ellwood got married at their hometown of Mechanicsburg, PA which is about 4.5 hours from Williamsburg which would have been an easy, breezy trip. However, as you all recall I just moved to Nowheresville, USA which means that driving to the wedding was now a 13.5 hour trip. You read that correctly. Since you read all of the above you understand that I could not miss this wedding. It was simply not an option. Nevermind that I have no money and Gus has no time it had to be done. So Friday morning we set off on our adventure to the altar (not like that!).

The drive is very long. Very. Very. Long.

We went through Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio and then right into PA. Oh after our 2 hour wrong turn through West Virginia. Sigh. We arrived at 3:30 Saturday morning, and let me tell you that spending that long in a car with someone is the true test of love. Or patience. Or something I don't know but we arrived and were able to talk in complete sentences so I would say we were a success.

While the drive was long it was well worth it. The wedding was beautiful and it was important to see biggie come full circle. I could not help but sit in the beautiful church she got married in and reminisce about the days of eHarmony and how boys in the bar would buy us drinks because they thought we were sisters. It is easy to be very cynical about relationships, Beth and Ellwood moved pretty fast but standing up there watching them giggle/cry throughout their vows it just made sense. They had a traditional reception, everyone had a blast the cake was delicious and the bride was radiant. Everything that you could ask for out of a fabulous wedding.

It was great to see my friends from the burg and have a bit of a reminder of myself as the independent, crazy girl who met and befriended Beth. Since I have moved I have felt very detached from what I consider 'my world' but this wedding was a reminder that your friends never really go away, they change and move and their lifestyles change but they are still at the core the same phenomenal people you fell in love with :)

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman, I am so excited for you both and I cannot wait to see what the next chapter brings for you guys. No babies though. They cry alot. Seriously.

Also, thank you to Herman Diggs whose incredible night time driving ability and endless patience made the 26 hour road trip possible. It is not many men who could literally spend a day in a car driving with me. We will always have our fountain bevs, deer carcasses and Cracker Barrel signs darling and as always you win:)

This crazy massive cross that was in Indiana on the way to the wedding. You could see it from forever away and you can't see it in the picture but there is a HUGE sign that says "The giant cross welcomes truckers!". Oh what you see on 70 East!

Gus snapped this picture really quick. It is a atv with massive deer horns on the front which seems incredible dangerous and clearly redneck. It does not help that the trailer is also filled with propane. Like a disaster waiting to happen right dad?

The beautiful bride and groom. Her dress was like this massive poffy princess dress that was sparkly and gorgeous. It was funny though because the more she danced the hotter her legs got so towards the end of the night she was walking around flashing mad ankle. We called her the 17th century porn star :)

the new Mr.and Mrs. Hoffman. So flippin cute!