Burning River Wedding: Stressful Family Fomals

Family portraits made me really anxious. Having everyone together, posing for pictures, on time, dressed...all of it just seemed like a recipe for disaster. I timed things very specifically and gave every player instructions for when they were to arrive. The pessimist in me knew something would go awry.

We arrived at the site where we were to take family formals and immediately my MIL told me Josh's grandma would not be joining us for photos. To be honest, this didn't really surprise me, but it didn't help with my nerves. I quickly moved on and took pictures with Josh's wonderful family.

And Josh got some really cute pictures with his sister.

Next we moved on to pictures with my dad and brother/sisters. I struggled with whether to put these pictures up and ultimately decided against it. This particular part of the day was difficult. Here is one really cute picture that I can show.

My adorable little brother/ring bearer. He is, in a word, delightful. 

Just the most pleasant little boy in the world.

My dad, probably trying to be funny, made the whole thing uncomfortable for me. At one point (in the MIDDLE of taking pictures) he said in reference to the photographers, "Where is their tripod?" Trying to be as patient as possible, I calmly said, "They don't work with one, Dad. They don't need it." Could he leave it alone? No. "Wow. Well, they must have really steady hands. Hope they're good."

I'm sure you can imagine my, um, displeasure with this comment. I could go into a really long tirade, but out of respect for my family, I'll refrain. By the end of pictures with my dad, brothers, and sisters, I was SO done. But we still had to take pictures with my mom and grandma.

The look on my face says it all. "I'm f*cking OVER this."

Check out my mom's bling! 

It's a mega-pricey cuff that she borrowed on the cheap from the website Rent the Runway.

Oh, Grandma. Why are you holding my stomach as if I'm with child?

These are, unfortunately, my least favorite pictures of the day. I felt incredibly rushed, irritated, and generally unhappy during the 45 minutes we took these (and I know it shows on my face.) Also, I made a very specific list of photos that we needed to take and I don't feel like we followed it at all. I honestly blame myself for this. My emotions got the best of me and as soon as I felt like we needed to be done, I ended things.

Ted and Rachel asked Josh and I to post for one final picture, and I reluctantly obliged.

I can literally hear myself saying, "Are we done now?"

Also, wtf is going on with my hunchback? 

And with that, we headed inside to prepare for the ceremony.

Burning River Bride Tip: People are probably going to disappoint you on your wedding day. Handle it with as much grace as possible. No one likes a bratty bride. I tried my hardest to put on a damn happy face and soldier through everything that was happening. Although my discomfort was probably sensed by some people, I hope I succeeded in handling it to the best of my ability.

How did your family formals go? If you're still planning, what is your strategy for making them go as smooth as possible?

As always, all photos by the saints of Linczak Photography.

In-law Jackpot

On this day, the day before my wedding, I want to take a few minutes and talk about the amazing family I'm becoming a part of. Ugh, I'm crying already...

You see, somehow I got ridiculously lucky in the in-law department. Josh's parents have accepted me from pretty much Day 1. I *LOVE* them. Like big, pink puffy heart with rainbows and kittens *LOVE* them.

My future mother-in-law Nancy is incredibly kind and loving with a little bit of sass thrown in. She raised her boy RIGHT and should be incredibly proud of the job she did. Plus, this woman knows how to PAR-TAY. She even came to my bachelorette party!

This is one of the tame pictures. I don't want to embarrass her.

My future father-in-law Brian is basically Josh only 20-some years older. They are so much alike, it's scary. He is a notorious jokester with a heart of gold. He taught Josh not only how to be a man, but also how to be a gentleman. Brian has become an amazing father-figure to me and for that I will forever be thankful.

Rockin' out at a wedding last summer.

Not only did Nancy and Brian raise two fantastic children, but they are the epitome of a fantastic marriage. Over the past few years they've exposed me to something I've never seen my entire life: a married couple who, after almost 30 years, still loves each other. They are the perfect model for "making it work." Has it always been easy? Hell no. But have they always made it work? Hell. Yes. Maybe one day they'll reveal their secret.

Finally Josh's sister, Brianna, Bree, Breeze, Breezy (she has many names). I immediately loved her and while it took a bit longer for her to accept me, I know she loves me, too. Once everything was put out in the open, we became extremely close. She is everything I look for in a friend. Kind, hilarious, smart, sassy, loyal...the list could go on. She is beautiful inside and out and I'm *so* looking forward to calling her my sister (ooh and hair stylist, too!).

 Classic Em and Bree.

Oh, and not only do I love Josh's family and they love me, but my mom loves Josh's family and they love her, too! Winner, winner chicken dinner! We're so incredibly blessed and I don't know how it happened, but I must have done something right in my life to be awarded with such an amazing family.

Our rehearsal dinner is tonight and Josh's parents are graciously hosting. So here's to them! 

What is your in-law dynamic like? Familial bliss or Monsters-in-Law?

MOMMY!

(Source)

Ha! Perfect, right? 

I just wanted to take a minute to wish my mom, my future-almost-in-two-weeks-Mother-in-Law, and all of the mommies and mommies-to-be out there a *very* happy Mother's Day.

My mom, me, BM Claire Bear, and FMIL at my bachelorette party. 

So blessed to have 2 of the coolest moms on the planet!