Keeping Kate: #jkandmykala2014

If you've not realized it by now, I am a bridesmaid three times this summer. Wedding #2 is officially over as of this past weekend! As much as I really did enjoy it, I am glad to be headed downhill in my wedding countdown (my feet are pretty pleased as well).

This weekend was especially important, however, because it was the wedding of my precious baby brother, two years my junior. My sisters are five and ten years older than I am, so the three of us were never close growing up. Today, I have two very unique relationships with both of them (they're so different, so my relationships with them are as well), while the two of them couldn't get along to save their lives! It's actually quite humorous sometimes, I must say! But my little brother was born just a few months after I turned two. Growing up, we were the best of friends. I didn't care that my older sisters never wanted to play with me; Joe Keith always had time for me and I for him. I suppose our close relationship is why his fiancé-turned-wife MyKala, wanted me to be a part of their day. I couldn't have been more honored!

My History With the Girlfriends:

I'm sitting here thinking of at least seven of them. There were maybe two that I was actually nice to. I was the meanest big sister. Ever. I was awful to them. I hate admitting that now because Joe Keith was never anything but nice and welcoming towards all the guys I brought home. He would always want to talk guy stuff with them, checking them out I presumed, but he was always polite. But me? I couldn't be bothered with all these silly little girls. There were maybe two or three in the end that I actually approved of, and I'm glad that he married one of them :)

JK and MyKala

It's a little odd for the groom, but the wedding location and style was allllll my little brother's doing. He has said since he was about 15 years old that he would marry at Montrose Antebellum Home in Holly Springs, MS. Honestly, I think my new sister-in-law wouldn't have minded a simple, backyard wedding, but my brother, being the popular, attention-loving thing that he is, said he wanted a big, fancy wedding at this gorgeous house! So that's exactly what he got!

Google images

The weekend began with a rehearsal dinner in the style of a crawfish boil Friday night (again, my brother's doing!) You can't be from the South and have never attended a good crawfish boil, but it definitely doesn't mean you have to actually like crawfish... I like them okay, but I get so sick of peeling them! I make the husband do it for me :) We also had shrimp, fried chicken, pasta salad, and several delicious desserts my aunt had made for the occasion.

Shrimp is the best!

My husband stood over the crawfish table for two hours.

Even our pastor had to get in on the crawfish!

A couple of weeks ago, my cousin and I decided to throw the bride-to-be a quick, impromptu lingerie shower after the rehearsal in one of the bedrooms upstairs. Needless to say, she was super surprised! Was it awkward buying lingerie for your brother's bride? Nah! I had fun with it. Other women in our family contributed as well; she got some cute, sexy things!

Wedding Day

Eric and I started with a breakfast at IHOP before my hair appointment at 12:30 with Jessica. She did the cutest, braided half updo, but it totally messed up later on with the weather and rain :( The lovely Claire from Amy Head Studio in Oxford came to Holly Springs to do mine and mother's makeup... We can always count on Claire to make us look fabulous.

Pictures began at 3:30 and lasted until five. I can't wait to see them!! People began to arrive and fill up the ceremony area around 5:15. There were soooo many people there, which made me happy. My brother is just one of those people who knows and loves everyone; just like my Dad! They're two of a kind! As we were waiting with the bridesmaids for the wedding to begin, my five-year-old flower girl niece, Cherish, and I got reeeeally hungry, so we dug into the fruit and cheese tray in the dining room :)

     The ceremony was absolutely beautiful... it was also short and sweet, which made it ten times better! MyKala rode in the horse she's had since childhood, and my brother nearly cried when he saw her. How did the emotional pregnant girl keep from crying? I thought of my former boss's face the entire time.

     There was a reception in the side yard of the house after the ceremony, where we dined on BBQ (my current craving), salad, a potato bar, redneck caviar dip, and two amazing cakes! If you look closely behind the cows on my brother's cake, my aunt put chocolate chip "poop piles!"

The weather had been funny all day, but at about 7:30, the bottom fell out and it poured and poured and poured. Luckily, all first/last dances had been done, the bouquet and garter tossed, and all guests had been greeted and fed. As my brother and his bride were preparing to leave for the night, he told me the rain was the best part of the reception. "I been ready to go for an hour!" he told me. I just laughed and hugged him goodbye and told him I loved him more than I could ever tell him. I'm so happy for him and am praying for a fulfilling, happy, Christ-centered marriage throughout his life. He may now be a married man, but he'll always be my precious baby brother.