Realizing You Really Are Grown Up.

Just a little over a month ago, at the tail end of my week vacation, I went to one of my childhood friends' wedding. I've known this kid since I was probably around 8 and our mom's also happen to be BEST friends,  so when I first heard that he was engaged it took me by surprise. I remember my mom was floored when I told her, after I saw it posted on Facebook, just because of the fact that it probably hit her as well that we're all really adults now.

One year later, it was time for his wedding -- which was very lovely actually. The bride and groom both looked just so happy and in love and ready to start a new life together which made me happy because that's the feeling I was to see radiating from the bride and groom at any wedding I happen to go to.

It was also nice to attend one of my friends' wedding because my boyfriend was finally able to see a Hispanic wedding in action. Now, just to clear things up, Hispanic wedding aren't completely different from your average, normal, everyday American wedding but there are some variations. For example, the couple had this big Mariachi band during the ceremony/mass/what-have-you that would play, and luckily, my boyfriend was blown away by it; he's now a little on board for a mariachi band at our potential wedding.

At the reception, later that evening, it was time for the dollar dance -- you know, where everyone goes up with money and pins it on either the bride or groom (one of the aforementioned customs) -- and I didn't have any cash on me, and neither did my mom or sister, but out of left field here comes the groom's mom to hand us money so we could go dance with him. And so I stood in line, waited my turn and I told him, "I guess this means we're all grown-ups now, huh?"  He said, "I know, huh?"

As always, my mother wasn't standing too far away with a camera enabled phone to snap this picture (since she's a bit technically challenged and couldn't figure my camera out).

After the dollar dance, came the tossing of the garter and bouquet. Here was another cultural variation because they men and woman (during their respective turns) run around through the tables/crowd while music plays in a snake -- everybody hold hands and runs to get tired and dizzy and eager to catch the bouquet. I was commanded to be the one to catch it by the groom's sister, which I was all for, but as soon as this girl -- which it was very evident that she wanted it -- I knew it was a lost cause. After that it was all dancing, cupcakes and candy galore.

Later that evening, of course, the "When are you getting married?" and the "I hear you're next." train started going through the wedding but, more on that later....