Bridal Party 101: Nolen Deibert, Brides-Man Extrodinaire

Three for Three people...this may just last :-)
So I don't know about you, but whenever I go to a wedding I tend to wonder about the bridal party. Who are they? Where did they come from? Why in the world would they agree to wear matching outfits all day? I intend to shed some light on these important questions by profiling all of our attendants over the coming months.

He's quite excited...about everything!

The inaugural profile is of the most unique member of our bridal party, the Brides-Man. I'm generally not one to buck tradition, but the entire wedding situation didn't feel right without one of my best friends and biggest supporters standing up there with me. While JP is also good friends with Nolen, over the years he has become one of my nearest and dearest, despite the fact that he's been living half a world away in Asia for the past two and a half years. Will some people be like WTH is a dude doing on the brides side...possibly. Do we care...not in the slightest.

A Shot from the Early Years demonstrates we don't care about appearing normal at all

Nolen and I met in the infamous Regan Hall in August of 2004 when we both started college at CUA. We bonded one weekend when we were among the few students who chose not to go on the Freshman Retreat. History was made that weekend and we were pretty much inseparable for the next four years or so (minus summer and when Nolen studied abroad in Belgium). We braved USG, the Honors Environmental Science track, Pryz food, and finally entering the real world together during our time at CUA. Nolen was one of the brave souls that made a go of it in DC for the first year after college, but in order to gain valuable international experience so he can be an important diplomat someday, he moved to Korea and then China in early 2010. LUCKY FOR ME, he's headed back to the good old US of A for a couple of years to go to grad school...and help me pull this wedding off!

All three of us are INAPPROPRIATELY VERY close

So for your enjoyment...here are Nolen's answers to the best probing questions I could muster:

Interests: Filling out surveys about myself, Moving around Asia, Speaking Chinese at inappropriate moments to people who don't understand me

Favorite color: Light Urple (JW: It is very possible he meant purple...I chose to keep it like this for artistic reasons)

Note: This is definitely NOT warm milk with a little honey in Nolen's cup

When did you first know you'd have to show up at our wedding: Wait, I actually have to show up? This is going to be problematic...

Favorite Cocktail to get you in the Party Mood: A nice glass of warm milk with a little honey in it. (JW: This is absolute crap and he will pay for the answer he gave here...)

This sums up JP and Nolen's relationship fairly well

What is your favorite wedding movie/pop culture wedding moment: The marriage of the Sea Captain to his wooden mermaid on The Simpsons. (Or if we're getting sentimental, when gay marriage was legalized in DC)

Is there a song you can't wait to shake your grove thang to at the reception: Well, it's not MY grove thang that will be shaking (JW: doubtful...), but I am SERIOUSLY excited for Baby Got Back. Jill knows why...

This has got to be the only normal, attractive shot of us taken...EVER

If you could skip any normal wedding tradition...what would it be: Ugh the dollar shot dance or whatever. And the chicken dance. Oh and if you write your own vows I WILL LEAVE SO HELP ME

Chicken or Fish: Chicken, but only if it has been killed by being drowned in the ocean. SEA DEATHS FOR ALL THE CHICKEN.

The Dynamic Duo is more awkward awesome than pretty much anyone else

Any last thoughts you'd like the public to know: So since the rest of this has been fairly ridiculous, let's get real for a minute here. Jill and JP have been like mom and dad to me for the last couple of years. I've been traipsing all over the world, but it's been pretty excellent to know that Jill would be there for my 3am/3pm drunk chats, or that JP would be there for my "OH CRAP WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE" crises. So when they asked me to be in their wedding, it was a no-brainer. I'm so happy that they are making this commitment to each other, and so proud to be part of it. Congrats, Jill and JP!

Vacationing with a Boy Day 4: How to have the perfect Sea Day

Today's Towel Animal: ummmm??? is this a bear???

Today's Fruity Drink: Pina Colada to prepare for whatever the ships "Newly Wed Game"

Today's Bottle of Wine: Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay (yeah we couldn't finish it all...sue us!)

Location: Caribbean Sea somewhere between Mexico and the British West Indies

So the last two entries may lead you to believe that JP and I aren't actually able to have fun together on vacation. It's true...we had some rocky moments in Mexico, but I feel thats to be expected. Day 4 was a sea day and in my opinion absolutely perfect AND we spent the majority of it together :-) So here are my steps to having a great day at sea while on a cruise with your S.O.

1.) Breakfast: Go eat in the dining room instead of the buffet when you're at sea at least once. The food is often a little bit better and its always nice to be served food. A perk in the Liberty's dining room was that they had a HUGE juice selection (pineapple juice...in a wine glass...its awesome). The server's were a bit slow on this morning, but we were seated with a lovely couple from Georgia and we had ample time to get to know them while waiting for our food.

Totally Appropriate on a Cruise Ship...

2.) Trivia: We decided to try our hand at Country Music Trivia after breakfast. We're hicks at heart people...DON'T JUDGE!!! Honestly, this would not have been my first choice of things to do as I'm slightly anti-social. On the last cruise JP and I took with our college friends, I wouldn't touch any of these types of activities. I learned on this trip that a lot of these activities you can participate as much or as little as you want. There was very little pressure...and I like that. We didn't win...but we did have fun.

3.) Lunch: Again GO TO THE RESTAURANT! The food options are great for lunch and I had one of the best desserts of the whole cruise. Seriously...melting brownie sundae...AMAZING! The buffets are also really great...but they're also really crowded during lunch times. The dining room is quiet and you just feel a little fancier!

4.) Relaxing: After lunch I did some sunbathing both on the pool deck and on our balcony. Generally, I can't deal with sunbathing because I get really hot and uncomfortable just baking in the sun. Because the adult Lido pool was so crowded when I showed up, I was forced to go up one deck and there I made an amazing discovery. If you sit ABOVE the pool where there isn't a whole lot other than a metal railing between you and the ocean there's an AMAZING breeze. Natural AC...its phenomenal.

5.) Raunchy Newly Wed Show: I promised JP that I would go see this show with him. We had no idea if it was something we'd have to participate in or what...so I had a drink beforehand and lurked near the back before going in. It ended up being REALLY hilarious and pretty much non-participatory for 99% of the audience. Totally R-rated...totally awkward...I was TOTALY in heaven.

6.) Exercise: Totally had time to take advantage of the ships sports deck and took a mile run before dinner. Definitely made me feel less like a fatty when I gorged myself on tons of food later!

7.) Piano Bar: Really...do I even need to say more? Ok fine...blue martini!!! JP requested WAY too many Elton John songs for me not to have a few drinks

8.) The HIGHLIGHT of the day by far was the final activity we did. On Carnival, the final show in the big theater is what they call the "Legends" Show. They audition karaoke singers all week to play various entertainment legends in the show. The auditions on this night were for the show's Garth Brooks and Frank Sinatra and at first JP just wanted to watch. As we sipped daiquiris it became apparent that JP had become convinced that HE could do a better job than the people auditioning...so he audition. I got to watch JP, my future husband, sing "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra. He didn't win...which is probably for the best because as soon as he signed up I was sure he was going to throw up before he made it on stage...but he had fun and it was very entertaining. I have video...someday if you're nice to JP maybe he'll let me post it on this blog ;-)

Until next time,

Jill-ron