There’s a few things we’re second guessing these days.
The first is doing a sorta DIY wedding. Our venue is bring-your-own with pretty much everything except tables, chairs and ice. This was a big plus for us, especially when it came to alcohol. Buying beer and wine ourselves and hiring our own bartender was much more budget friendly than going with an in-house service. Fast forward 14 months and we’re grumbling about loading up boxes of wine, cases of water and soda, and picking up kegs. Now we know why they charge so much more… convenience! Duh. Oh well, at least we gave ourselves time to plan this out and have help.
The second is a wedding in September. Last summer was nice and mild. I barely needed to use my fan. I even wrote about the weather making training for an October marathon much easier. That was last year and 2010 as well. This summer has been so much hotter and humid with a thunderstorm every other week.
The highs in Palms and Westwood for the past seven weeks — maybe more — have been in the upper 80s and 90s. It’s worse farther east in Hacienda Heights and Brea, the ceremony and reception locations. I’m worried a high of 97 degrees (!) will kill the party mood. I’ve been to summer weddings where I didn’t feel like dancing because it was too hot. Then I was wearing a short dress. I’m not sure how comfortable I’ll be in a long wedding gown. Ugh. I know how I get in the heat. I get cranky and sweat a lot. I’m not one of those women who “glows.” I sweat just putting on my wedding dress indoors. I am glad we didn’t choose a park location for post ceremony photos and that there is air conditioning at both locations.
While Hacienda Heights will be hot on the 15th, I’m still very happy to be getting married there. It wasn’t enough to be listed in Sunday’s church bulletin. During the announcements, Father Ricky asked the assembly to say a blessing for us in our final days of preparation. I couldn’t help but cry as he recounted the first meeting back in July. “Cindy told me she wanted to get married here despite the fire because it was her home. I was really touched by that,” he said. I meant it then. SJV has always felt like home with so many familiar faces. I definitely felt that sense of community with so many people praying for us in our home for now, the interim tent church.
And yeah, it is air conditioned.
Lotería Chicana 
I hope the weather cools off a little bit before the weekend. I can’t wait to see pictures of you and your wedding party. Even in the heat, once you put on the dress for “real” you won’t want to take it off.
Don’t second-guess you’re liquor choice! You’re smart for doing that! I wish our venue would allow us this, but nope. So we’re still deciding when to cut off/charge for bar service, but it’s definitely going to take us closer to the budget cap than I had hoped.
As a person who perpetually hates heat, my tips for you include: oil blotters, hydration, and lotsa deodorant.
I feel your pain about the heat. Here’s hoping it cools down a bit before the weekend.
oh cindy, your line ” ‘Cindy told me she wanted to get married here despite the fire because it was her home. I was really touched by that,’ he said. I meant it then. SJV has always felt like home with so many familiar faces.” got my all teary eyed. i’m in a coffee shop and my friend just asked me what was wrong, and i said “nothing. just reading about cindy’s wedding”