I flew out to LA June 21st to hang out with Heather and help with last minute wedding planning. My mom also flew out on Wednesday. H, J, and B (bride, groom, and best man) picked me up from the airport and we headed to Huntington Beach (I think). J and B dropped the girls off for H's hair practice appt. When they picked us up we headed to Long Beach and met my mom for lunch at Islands. It was great, we need one of these in SWVA! We then went directly to the dress shop so I could try on the bridesmaid dress I had sent back the week before. It no longer felt like a corset! Woohoo!! From there we headed back to H's apartment and started working on wedding stuff. B and I finished shrink wrapping guest welcome/hotel gifts. Mom and I ran an errand tracking down 3 different colors of rope for the ceremony then spent the rest of the evening working on name cards and favor tags while the bride and groom went out to dinner with their families and introduced them to each other :)
Thursday morning H and I headed to Burke Williams in Santa Monica for a relaxing morning of spa treatments. J had given H a gift certificate so she could spend some time relaxing during this hectic pre wedding week. As maid of honor it was my duty to accompany her :) This is a high class CA spa. While you are there for your treatment you have access to the women's quiet room, common room, sauna, social whirlpool or quiet whirlpool, steam room, etc etc. You get a bathroom, and shoes to wear. There's fresh water (filled with fruit) and apples everywhere. Ice cold wash clothes by the sauna, steam room, and whirlpools. Anything you need to get ready for the day include highend hair products are provided! Everything except make-up. I chose the Hunter's Retreat - Your experience begins with the application of an exfoliating granular scrub rhythmically massaged onto your skin. Then, we thoroughly cleanse you with wheat stalks soaked in exotic, cleansing, essential oils. All the while cascades of warm water immerse your entire body. Cleansed and bathed again, you're towel dried as a light moisturizing oil is kneaded into your skin. There are few experiences in life as soothing.
I musta missed 'all the while cascades of warm water immerse your entire body'. It was awesome! There were about 9 showers heads above the table that came on and off. I didn't have a clue something like that existed!! Very relaxing - I suggest trying it out if you ever have the opportunity! We left my mom at H's apartment while we were gone working - she's the best!!
Thursday afternoon Mom and I headed down to Costa Mesa to the official wedding hotel so she could check in. Gotta love LA traffic!! So glad I don't live there. I met Josh's mom in the lobby - she's fun :) Mom and I went to check out the mall. Seriously it should have it's own zip code. This is part of Orange County I could live with :)
Friday morning Mom and I checked out a quilt shop she'd heard about. It was cool place, lots of interesting stuff. Lots of Jim Shore, which I love :) I also picked up some fabric, a quilt book, and some beads. The place served lunch, had live music, and even a beauty parlor!
I then caught a ride with Josh's parents back to LA. Lots more of the wedding party and guests were at H's apartment and it was a fun chaotic time of hanging out and working on last minute wedding stuff. We sent the boys our for Thai and In-N-Out Burgers. This was probably my favorite night of hanging out :) Lots of laughing.
Sat morning most of the wedding party and siblings headed to Ocean Seafood in chinatown for Dim Sum. (Just found this tidbit on the restaurant: with the highly rated Ocean Seafood restaurant which you may remember from Lethal Weapon 4 which was shot there and in Central Plaza) This was my first dim sum experience - basically you sit down and they walk around with carts of goodies trying to set plates on your table. Bad thing is it's hard to tell what everything is and they are a little forceful, so if you don't want something you need to be stern back :) Good thing is - most everything is very yummy!!! With a big group we got to try a variety of things, eat til we were stuffed, and I bet it was cheaper then breakfast at Micky D's! After brunch we all headed to Costa Mesa!
Now the pics - I'll let them speak mostly for themselves - I know you are sick of reading my boring summary!
We headed to Newport Beach for the rehersal. After the rehersal as a surprise J's sister serenaded the couple with her rendtion of Josh, The Latte Boy. It was cute!
Then we headed to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner!
I'd never been to a Joe's before, but if you have I'm sure you've seen their birthday/celebration antics. To embarass the lucky party they dress you up in crazy costumes and draw lots of attention! H LOVED this part!! haha. After getting J&H decked out they sent them skipping around the entire restaurant while we all sang 'Going to the Chapel'. It was great!!
J, H, and E all helped the staff with their line dance. I was busy taking the pictures!!
After dinner Mom and I took the scenic route back to the hotel and drove down HWY1 some. We checked out Balboa Island - what a quaint place! I'm always looking for lanscaping ideas - so I had to take a pic of this hillside.
Surprisingly - getting a bride and 5 bridesmaides ready can take up a whole day!! We took mimosas and breakfast with us to the hair salon. Here's Emily.
And Kristen....
Emily helping H with her necklace...
Josh - ain't he cute :)
Top deck of a yacht on a bay makes for an awesome wedding ceremony!
The unity cord. (No candles allowed on board)
The wedding party.
Heather & I
Mom & I
I love wedding cakes - they are all so different :)
Send Off
Sunset from the top deck
So before I even arrived at the airport for my trip home it looked like I was going to be spending all day at LAX and catching the red eye, rather then the morning flight I was booked on, due to delays. UGGH!!! To my surprise when I arrived at the airport they put my on a flight thru Charlotte flying FIRST CLASS!! Woohoo!! And I'm a dork - so I took a picture of my meal in first class!! Wish I could fly that way all the time - espeically on long flights, so much more room to get comfy and sleep!
I had a great trip to LA; a blast spending time with Heather, Josh, the wedding party, family and friends; loved sharing the day with H&J!; was glad my mom mad it out for the trip!; can't wait to hang out with H again! We've been spoiled this year!
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