Days 3 & 4

Well well well.

So to catch up Saturday most of everyone arrived.

Sunday we had the bachelor/bachelorette parties.

Monday monday we...Well the girls went on their cruise that had been originally scheduled for Sunday night but was switched due to rain.

We left in the morning and had a pretty awesome time---it was a really fun thing to do, totally relaxing but a new experience with lots of interesting things to see. We were on a big boat that took us out to find manatees and dolphins (the latter which was seen most often). The sky was a threatening gray that hovered off in the distance teasing us with pockets full of rain. A young married couple operated the boat and drove us around pointing out various types of birds and fish. They took us to a small island and 'parked' on the beach. We got to walk out and pick up shells and see horseshoe crabs and conk shells. It was pretty interesting but was known for active rip tides off its shore. A few people swam and then we headed back onto the boat and went back to town.

That night was the rehearsal for the wedding. The location was on a beach located near the end of the peninsula we stayed on. Laura and Rob picked out a spot that would be good to hold the ceremony, we ran thru everything once and then played in the water as the tide went out and left small lakes and sandbars.

The rehearsal dinner was good. The people who operate the hotel (Mango) the adults/parents stayed at cooked us food, some cold green bean dish, potato salad thingy, and make-your-own-sliders.

The day of the wedding started with the whole wedding party and all the guests going to breakfast again at Mango. After that we took photos on the beach and then a few girls headed out to get their hair did. By this time, the sky had lets loose its buckets of rain and continued throughout the day, flooding most of the peninsula.

The wedding party took photos when the sky cleared on a pier and then headed to the beach for the actual ceremony. Oh, but before that stopped at Kilwins and got ice cream. Glen spilled ice cream down his shirt and Angela somehow on her skirt. Good times tho.

The wedding started a few minutes early as dark clouds were moving in. Mist was falling as the bridal couples stepped down the 'aisle'. It wasn't until Captain Jon asked for us to lower our heads in prayer and asked Gods blessing that 'the heavens opened' and everyone sought out umbrellas. For the rest of the ceremony the girls huddled under paper parasols and the boys stood non-caringly in the rain. The rain continued off and on throughout the rest of the ceremony but it was a really good time and was a beautiful ceremony.

The reception was at a restaurant called Nervous Nellies. It was good. Num num num num good.

Photos later. We're all about to collapse from exhaustion.

Day 2 - Bachelorette Party

Today was spent mostly lounging. The weather was once again HOT, and around lunch time all the girls and boys headed down to the beach. Around 3pm we started a boys vs. girls sand castle building contest, racing the 30 minute time limit and the arrival of impending clouds of doom in the not so far off distance. The rain however, started before we finished and both castles melted away and photo evidence disappeared so saying who really won just may be this years biggest mystery.

The girls were bent on going on a 2 hour cruise that night for the bachelorette party, but the rain however, never ceased and it was moved to Monday morning. Instead they went to a local restaurant named Beached Whale which boasted good food, but alarmingly rude service. After that, the girls headed back to their rooms and waited for the boys and went and took photos in their new shirts (see below).

The boys...I think they ate somewhere and did something. Not quite sure. "wandered aimlessly"-the groom puts in.

We're off! more laterrr....

Day 1 -- Arrival

Today begins the wedding festivities!! It has been a long day of arrivals in Ft Myers, Florida. Arriving today have been Monica, Erin, Courtney, Jessi, Laura, Robert, Laura's parents and sister Sarah, Robert's parents, & the Janson family. Tomorrow will bring even more people, finally ending with Beth and Andrew Bell on Monday.

The weather is hot and muggy here in Florida!! Perfect for perfect wedding hair, if you like huge and outrageous. The early arrivals (Monica, Erin, and Courtney) spent most of the day at the beach. The ocean boasted a temperature of about 85 degrees!! Our "hotel" is located on a tiny peninsula and the stretch of beach located a few short blocks away is about 1/3 the size of most other beaches. It made it seem all the more crowded however and the girls found a small open spot near the cement wall that sectioned off the business' from the beach area. Next to them was a rather large, extended family who were themselves surrounded by coolers and food. It was drama from the first moment we laid down. Erin was sitting closest to the group, with only a large trash can between them. About 20 minutes into settling in, a member of the nearby family started yelling, "She's going to puke, she's going to puke. Get her to a trash can!" Erin looked up and running at her was a young bikini'd girl rushing with rounded cheeks and pursed lips toward the trash can, her face lit a light shade of green. Another voice called out for people to move away, Erin pulled back a corner of her towel towards her and went back to reading her book, now all the better for the soundtrack of harsh vomiting nearby. When that little episode was done and her family started to gather around her offering water and napkins, another vigilant member of their group said, "that guy over there is video taping Chrissy puking!" The family all turned faces towards the suspect, who sat against the stone wall some ways down in a bright orange shirt and the offending camera clutched tightly in his hands--pointed in our direction. The group continued to warily watch the man, who tho found out, was still nonchalantly videotaping those scantily clad kids and teens around him. When he moved away from the wall to better capture a group of girls passing him by, one of the fathers of the large group got angry and went after him. The man saw the father coming and calmly moved away down the street, continuing to videotape. The family watched on, commenting on how shocked they were at the mans behavior and wondering what website this video would show up on; they easily and quickly dubbed him 'The Pedophile'. The father was gone a long time after The Pedophile. About 15 minutes after he disappeared, about 7 people came out from the water carrying a 15 year old girl who displayed two bloody feet. They set her down right near Erin and Courtney, the former who was facing the scene and had full view of the flapping piece of flesh from the right foot. The three girls gave forth a half hearted attempt to look like they weren't paying attention to the third bit of drama happening thanks to the large family, discreetly turning off their ipods and gazing down at their laps instead of studiously reading the books laying there. The girl meanwhile, was screaming and crying and wailing. Longgg story short, she stepped on something sharp in the water and after her foot was bandaged, the family decided to pack up and head home. They left and most of the rest of the beach emptied.

The rest of the day was spent eating and hanging out in the hotel room, walking around the town (Which, by the way, is stuck in the 80's/90's---all the clothing sold at stores boasted that era, every song in every restaurant and business was something from 30 years ago. Even the colors of the buildings looked like something from Full House or easter {lots of reds, teals, light pinks})

Rain is forecasted for the rest of the week, but the locals say that it just means that there will likely be rain somewhere in the county, however it's a quick spell and moves on without much fuss. So far we haven't had any problems.

Bachelorette party is planned for tomorrow night. Should be fun and we'll post photos after!!

For now, here are photos of the rooms where the 10 girls are staying!! (2 levels, a million patios/decks, 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, spiral staircase and pinball machine!)