I can't help falling in love, with you Philadelphia/Katie D.

Last week Mr. A and I headed to my “hometown” of Philadelphia, PA for the wedding of Kate and Matt. We had an amazing time in the City of Brotherly Love with two of the best friends a girl could ask for. We stayed with Sarah and her husband Gian in the city. Sarah was in my wedding and is my oldest friend. We actually met on the first day of classes our freshman year of college! For most of the trip we split our time between Philly and Springfield, where Kate and Matt live. Mr. A got to have a real hoagie and learned why I would NEVER have Texasdelphia, rode the train and used a lot of public transit, saw Independence Hall, walked around Society Hill, SAT IN TRAFFIC, drove 90 to the rehearsal because of said traffic, ran up the rocky steps, saw City Hall, saw my huge university, saw the real ghetto, ate at Reading Terminal Market and so much more. Since so much happened, this post I am going to focus on the main event, Matt and Kate’s wedding.

First I want to give you a little background on the newly married couple. Kate, was my roommate during the semester I spent abroad in Rome. Kate and I have always said our meeting was fate. Kate was supposed to be roommates with some weird girls from Maine and I was going to be in a room with a Japanese girl (who later turned out to be totally awesome) and another girl from Maine. Well they asked to switch with Kate and she walked into my room and it was love at first site. We quickly bonded, while lying about smoking cigarettes (which both of us did at the time) and lying about not liking to drink “too much”, if you know me you know how big of a joke that is. We proceeded to spend the next 5 months drunk on our balcony and becoming lifelong friends. Kate is also the reason I moved to Texas. I know you are thinking, huh? Well see Kate has a sister too, who she is very close with and Kate told me to move to Texas because family is everything and having a chance to live close to my sister again was more important than anything. Plus she promised that we would always be friends and distance would not matter (she was so right). To this day this conversation makes me get all mushy inside. She, like every one of my truly close girlfriends has changed my life. 

Matt, is a state trooper and was the friend I told you all about over a year ago that was in a horrible accident involving a drunk off duty cop hitting him on the highway. He is an all-around great guy and has been friends with Kate since they were in high school. They are both incredible friends and great people, they totally deserved the best wedding day ever! 

Well, they got it. 

Kate’s wedding was one of a kind. I had never been a part of something so big! It was like I was a spectator in a real life “My Big Fat Italian Wedding”. The wedding was 200 people, it was 124 degrees out on the hottest day on record in Philadelphia, they got married in their childhood church with zero air conditioning and Kate was 100% freaking stunning in her wedding dress and 6 inch heels. The whole day was a blast. If I could have only gotten married after her and Janet I think I would have totally taken a page out of their books. Kate was super chill, got ready at her parents’ house in the room where she grew up in. It was really touching to see her sister helping her into her dress and thinking about all the nights they spent in that room.

After a VERY hot ceremony, including the groom pulling out a hand held fan in the middle of the sermon we all hopped on a limo bus and headed into the city. They took pictures at Love Park, and I can’t wait to see how they came out! Then we all arrived at The Ben:

Source

 A really fantastic old ballroom in the heart of center city. We took pictures and drank Yuengling Lager and then headed in for the most unreal cocktail hour I have ever seen! It was nuts. Mr. A summed it up with this comment, turning to me he says, “Wow this dinner is amazing, there is so much food”. I then responded, “Oh honey, this is JUST the cocktail hour!” at an Italian wedding you do not go hungry! We then watched emotionally as the groom danced at his wedding. Something that many thought would never happen. It is a testament to all the love and support they have surrounding them and the determination of both Kate and Matt to recover fully from that accident only 17 months ago. 

The night progressed with Mr. A drinking raz and sodas and getting just drunk enough to dance with me. We made fools of ourselves and loved every moment of it. Then after a night of dancing and drinking the trooper of a bride wanted to walk to the hotel they were staying at 6 blocks away… in her wedding dress and 6 inch heels. It was awesome and she cracks me up. The party continued at the hotel until 530 am! Her friends are crazy. Mr. A and I headed home in a cab, with no air conditioning, of course, and poured ourselves into bed.

To my surprise the next day at 12 the entire wedding party was ready to go! We continued the party at the Bride and Groom’s house with a BBQ with friends and family. Kate was a rock star and hosted an event at her house the day after her wedding. I would have had a heart attack. I am totally obsessed with Kate’s house and I was super pumped to show Mr. A the house. We helped get the party with some champagne and hoagies. From what I hear when we headed out the party was just getting started. The whole crew was up late night AGAIN hanging out and drinking 12 bottles of champagne (and much more)! Mr. A and I have learned that we are in no way cool, and our friends are whimps when it comes to drinking. I will just need to go visit PA more often to be reminded of how it is done! 

Katie, you are a great friend and I could not even begin to express how much it means to me that you included me in your wedding day. I hope you had a great mini-moon in Florida and I can’t wait to relive the whole party with you again next time I come to visit.  Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. S! You guys had a fabulous wedding, and I am sure it is just the beginning of many great things to come! 

Full photo recap to come soon!