This time next week, my sweet daughter Kara will be married. While others are happily heading into the holiday weekend, Wedding Week at Serenbe is heavy on the hustle and bustle.

The bride has arrived from Seattle. The weather is being watched closely to see if rain will make a cameo appearance. Steve, Garnie, Quinn and I are finalizing last-minute details while our dear friend, neighbor and former set designer Kristin Genet and her father, who’s visiting from Germany, wrap lights around small trees. He’s been having the best time and starts to tell us all about it with the few English words he knows, then lapses into enthusiastic German. It’s quite endearing.

And so it begins:

On Thursday, guests will start to arrive and Steve and I will host dinner for 80 at the house. Friday is the bridal party lunch at the Inn, followed by a barbecue-themed rehearsal dinner given by Micah’s parents.

Our house will become party central on Saturday morning, when all 12 members of the bridal party come over to have their hair and makeup done. The lead stylist is the daughter of the man who did the hair, makeup and nails for my wedding party decades ago.

Meanwhile, Micah and his buddies will have a soccer game in the fields.

Shortly before 6 p.m., we’ll walk from our house, across the wildflower meadow, to the ceremony site, where a trumpet player and a string trio from Woodward Academy (my and my daughters’ alma mater) will play everything from classical music to the Beatles and Allman Brothers. At one point, Steve’s cousins and their spouses—all of whom have incredible voices—will serenade the couple and their guests.

Afterwards we’ll have cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, then a sit-down dinner. Micah’s cousin, one of 8 family members flying in from Israel, will do a traditional blessing with challah bread made by Garnie’s boyfriend, Matty.

 

And on Sunday, Steve and I will host 150 at our house for a friend chicken lunch. Can’t come to the South without having some fried chicken.

I’ve been crying for weeks. Months actually. I’ve threatened to get fake eyelashes for the entire weekend. Kara’s dream is coming together and very soon there won’t be any more last-minute details to finalize. It’ll just be time to sit back, smile and watch it all unfold.