Mo+Boy Tie the Knot: Hours Before Showtime

When our photographer showed up at 2 PM sharp, my hair and makeup were already done and I was picking up trash from lunch while The Runaway Bride was airing continuously on TBS. I think "wedding" and see visions of white peonies, velvet furniture, a gaggle of bridesmaids, someone very official holding a clipboard and a headset, perhaps a harpist, and a large window streaming in light so that the bride can bask in its warmth before she goes and whispers those romantic two words: "I do".

I was running around without pants on trying to finish my tuna roll. The magic was seriously lacking, and in an attempt to lend some bridal magic to the room, I staged this shot of my shoes and jewelry. I find my attempt a little pathetic and a little funny, but hey, now I have this shot of my shoes and jewelry!

[You might recall that I bought these shoes first. And then I lusted after these shoes. And then I had to return the first pair of shoes...it was just shoe mayhem. Two weeks before the wedding, I tried these Kate Spade shoes on and it felt like walking in slippers. I wear them all the time now.]

[Time to get into THE dress!]

[I'm carefully trying to take the tags off. You can also see the strap that the seamstress added to keep the dress up so that I could hug people. So...while I was playing with my dress...]

[My Mom was putting some makeup on. This gallery of lipsticks belong to her, and she tried each one on before committing.]

[My sisters were gabbing in the room next door while putting their makeup on.]

[And then they got a phone call from the boy. Note the very serious look on my sister's face, which can only mean one thing--uh-oh.

He forgot his tie. The tie that we found on clearance at Bloomingdale's, the tie he was so picky about that I had to return another one, the tie that he unfortunately left in the top dresser drawer at our apartment. Noooooooooooooooo! My sisters were supposed to help me into my dress and drive me to the venue, but instead they had to go back to La Jolla and grab that tie.]

[In the meantime, my mother and mother-in-law helped me into my dress, which was not easy since it had to go over my head, and the newly added back strap made it extra difficult. They knew I was disappointed my sisters were not there for this moment, but were in such a good mood and were sweet about it. My Mom just said to me with a big smile, "Well, guess we get to help you!"]

[And help they did. I was in my dress, my hair and makeup were intact, and all I needed were my shoes.]

I checked myself out one last time before we headed out, buttoning the rest of the lace from my bustle.

And then I very carefully shuffled to my car, 5 minutes behind schedule.

[Photos by Jessamyn Harris and Sheri Tennison Berg for Jessamyn Harris Photography]