Chelsy and John Maxwell 2: On to the Honeymoon Somewhere Warm

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

I've only been at wedding rehearsals in the summer and at some of them (including my own), we were decorating and getting hot and sweaty. So, I've usually worn nicer shorts or capri pants and a nicer shirt. All but one of the rehearsal dinners I have gone to were more of a family picnic and not a formal occasion. Plus my hometown can be remarkably casual. 

[molecule]

My Midwest wedding reception was in a church basement. We had a simple meal, no alcohol, and no music or dancing. We married at a small country church, and this was considered pretty typical at the time (early 90s).

[MamaJunebug]

1 hour ago, LilMissMetaphor said:

"my dad's sister and her husband"

...So, your aunt and uncle?

And from someone who claims to be grateful for the Lord's blessing of family.  What a weirdo.

I was just coming here to post that!

PSarah, way I Show you’re dad’s hand, much? “Family is second only to Jesus but ONLY THE FAMILY I CHOOSE!” - Stevovah’s Stupidity, Chapter 2, Verse 567

And it’s prolly been noted, but Jo has The Wide Stance. Of course. Those boys need their

s-p-a-c-e

after planting TWO (count ‘em!) babies. 

Oh, also: JudgyC is a poser. Socks & shoes to run to the car? You’re either barefoot or you’re not, missy.

Lastly: how remote is the Bontragers’ home that they drive 20 minutes to ... another steel building for the reception? The venues are that few, far-between and bland?

[usmcmom]

Until my daughter's wedding, I had not been involved in a rehearsal since my early twenties, when all of our friends were getting married. Each time it was an occasion where we dressed up a bit. The guys wore dress pants and a polo or button down shirt; the women wore dresses, but not cocktail dresses. 

I bought a new dress for my daughter's wedding, mainly to have something pretty that I could wear my wedding shoes with. I wanted to wear them for an evening before the long wedding day so my feet wouldn't go into shock.  Granted, we did not have decorating to do; so we might have chosen differently if we had a long night of work in front of us  

Thanks for all the responses. I find this stuff fun to talk about. 

[HereticHick]

2 hours ago, fundiefan said:

I get it, now that it’s clarified-but think it’s a very odd thing to say. But, it’s Sarah Maxwell, so I can’t expect to understand her phrases without help.

I think the last one on the left, who is sitting, is their Pastors wife & I thought I read she’s pregnant? I don’t know where-likely FJ comments? 

I think the other sitting woman is Chelsy's Mennonite cousin who lives in Canada--she's been married about 5 years & has one kid --she could be pregnant again. She's wearing a black head covering. I don't remember her 1st name but she and Chelsy are quite close.

[JermajestyDuggar]

1 hour ago, VVV said:

This was exactly my wedding in Texas (1989) as well as my sisters' weddings in Maryland (1970s), but we do have some pretty deep midwest roots.

Maybe it's a newer thing? I've been to so many weddings (more than once I had four weddings to go to in one year) from 2000 to present. If I sit and count them all out, I would guess that I went to 25 weddings in the past 17 years and most took place in the Midwest and they all had full meals. Some were back yard bbqs and some were formal with everything in between. It's probably a more modern thing to always have a meal. 

[fundiefan]

1 hour ago, nvmbr02 said:

I thought this wording was odd too. I am assuming she means the person standing furthest from the bride walks down the aisle first. But it seems like that should have been figured out in the rehearsal and everyone should know who they are walking in back of. You don't have to remember where everyone else is. 

Bridesmaids have been walking down the aisle in "opposite order" in weddings for as long as there have been multiple bridesmaids in weddings.

It's actually quite easy to think about, coordinate and do. 

My niece just got married this fall. For rehearsal proper, everyone was dressed nicely. The dinner was in a park though and it was unusually cold that evening - so  everyone changed into jeans & sweatshirts/fleece/jackets.

I think the formality of the rehearsal is kind of determined by its dinner venue, the bride & grooms preferences, and the style of the wedding itself. I've been to several and there really is a wide range of formality. 

The Maxwells don't really dress formally. Their 'best' is still...their every day. LONG skirts, comfy shoes, a few layered tops. They may have pulled out their best denim skirts and consider it good. It's who they are. They don't associate with enough of the world to see any value in anything appearance related.

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

2 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

I think the other sitting woman is Chelsy's Mennonite cousin who lives in Canada--she's been married about 5 years & has one kid --she could be pregnant again. She's wearing a black head covering. I don't remember her 1st name but she and Chelsy are quite close.

And yes it is her cousin. Her only two bridesmaids that were not sisters or sisters in law were her cousin and the pastors wife. And both could be pregnant since they are both married. 

[Markie]

Christopher's Wedding photos: I got to the chair pic and wondered why the guy was sniffing old farts off an office chair... 

[MamaJunebug]

7 hours ago, VBOY9977 said:

Fist professional picture!

If they were Duggars this would be their People magazine exclusive picture 

Now dem is two creepy staring eyes. Nathan’s eyes are nothing like that. Ick!*shudder*

[OhNoNike]

3 hours ago, Elegant Mess said:

I saw this in the gallery from Christopher's November 2017 wedding shoot.  What is up with this guy? Is he praying?  Is he crying?  Has he fainted?  Is he about to throw up?  

Maybe it’s me, but all I keep thinking is how badly that chair must smell.

[JermajestyDuggar]

7 minutes ago, MamaJunebug said:

Now dem is two creepy staring eyes. Nathan’s eyes are nothing like that. Ick!*shudder*

I know people have speculated that Nathan Bates might be getting to know Allison. Let's all think about Nathan's eyes for a minute. I don't know which couple would produce more children with eyes that can stare into your soul. 

[sableduck]

27 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

I think the other sitting woman is Chelsy's Mennonite cousin who lives in Canada--she's been married about 5 years & has one kid --she could be pregnant again. She's wearing a black head covering. I don't remember her 1st name but she and Chelsy are quite close.

It is Chelsy’s cousin.  She is a sweetheart and has specifically chosen to limit her internet presence, so I always find it bizarre when Chelsy posts her picture so freely.  I hope she at least asked Marissa.

She is the only one of her siblings to remain Mennonite.  However, she really enjoys things like amusement parks and Kate Middleton fashion blogs, so I can’t imagine she had anything to discuss with the Maxwells.

[kpmom]

So Mr. Bontrager's point in bringing up Steve's reversal is that there wouldn't be a wedding if Steve hadn't gotten the word from on high and had his vasectomy reversed?

So, is that what Sarah is telling herself when Mr. Right doesn't show up year after year? 

And yes, @MamaJunebug,there is a whole lot of manly wide stances in those groomsmen pictures.

[nausicaa]

I've been the bridesmaid in about 48 weddings in the past eight years (or at least it feels that way) and for all but one we all dressed up. Not necessarily cocktail dresses, but a nice wrap dress dress with heeled shoes and hair done. Usually the bride had bought a new white knee length dress to wear for it and sometimes got her hair and makeup done since there would be a lot of pictures. 

The only one that was casual was for a Mormon wedding in Utah where it was the "night before dinner" (cause there's no rehearsal) and it was outside in a park.

The Maxwell women definitely look underdressed to my eye, especially since the other women appear to be a bit more put together. (And can I tell you how much I absolutely hate gored denim skirts? Ugh. Get thee to a fashionable Muslim clothing site.)

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I always think the "or this person wouldn't be here today" argument from quiverfull fundies is bizarre. If the person was never born you wouldn't know what you are missing so how could anyone be sad?! Are they also sad because that one time back in 1990 they decided not to have sex and it could have resulted in another child? Of course not! Fundies are weird AF. 

[nausicaa]

42 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

The Maxwells don't really dress formally. Their 'best' is still...their every day. LONG skirts, comfy shoes, a few layered tops. They may have pulled out their best denim skirts and consider it good. It's who they are. They don't associate with enough of the world to see any value in anything appearance related.

I noticed this when they went to the symphony. They don't seem to have any "occasion" dresses (and there are plenty of modest ones on Shabby Apple and MikaRose and they could also alter their bridesmaid dresses). They just add a fancier scarf and wear a cotton gored skirt rather than a denim one. I think they've been exposed to so little that they all just dress like Teri. I do get the feeling Mary has more of an interest in fashion and putting outfits together. I also get the feeling that Steve squashes this as much as he can.

[fundiefan]

6 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I always think the "or this person wouldn't be here today" argument from quiverfull fundies is bizarre. If the person was never born you wouldn't know what you are missing so how could anyone be sad?! Are they also sad because that one time back in 1990 they decided not to have sex and it could have resulted in another child? Of course not! Fundies are weird AF. 

I think of that too. I don't have kids. Am I supposed to be mourning some specific humans that aren't here because I didn't birth them? How do I find the list? 

My family has small families. 2-3 kids from all my siblings and cousins. Who are we missing? Who are we supposed to e sad that we don't have? 

Steve & Terri were done after 8. What about the countless kids they didn't have after that, or for the time he was snipped? Do they mourn those 'missing' humans? 

That "they wouldn't be here" thoughtgt process is condescendingly stupid. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

9 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

Steve & Terri were done after 8. What about the countless kids they didn't have after that, or for the time he was snipped? Do they mourn those 'missing' humans? 

That "they wouldn't be here" thoughtgt process is condescendingly stupid. 

Oh I am sure the Maxwells have cried over the missing siblings that weren't conceived during those 7 years between Sarah and Joe. They cry over everything. Again, these people are bizarre. 

[nausicaa]

33 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

That "they wouldn't be here" thoughtgt process is condescendingly stupid. 

I don't get it either. Are they upset that they didn't get married younger so they could have had more?

And if they are, why on earth aren't they more upset that their daughters aren't married yet? That's a real missed opportunity for maximum procreation.

[sleepy_doggos]

In my area, you dress up for rehearsals. Guys usually wear a shirt and a jacket and some will wear a tie. Women usually wear a nice dress. Its not as dressy as a wedding but you still dress up a bit. It is at the very least business casual. Everyone at this rehearsal looks underdressed to me. _They are dressed more to go to the mall than a wedding reception._
 
My 4 year old nephew wore a Spiderman costume to a wedding rehearsal last summer. He as the ring bearer. 

That would include being allowed to go to the mall, which I assume the reversals are not. Unless they have tracts in hand.
They ordered 6 pairs of shoes online so Steve could choose and send some back...

[Jana814]

29 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Oh I am sure the Maxwells have cried over the missing siblings that weren't conceived during those 7 years between Sarah and Joe. They cry over everything. Again, these people are bizarre. 

I think they do. Apparently Steve at some point morned the children they could have had. 

[sleepy_doggos]

I think of that too. I don't have kids. Am I supposed to be mourning some specific humans that aren't here because I didn't birth them? How do I find the list? 

My family has small families. 2-3 kids from all my siblings and cousins. Who are we missing? Who are we supposed to e sad that we don't have? 

Steve & Terri were done after 8. What about the countless kids they didn't have after that, or for the time he was snipped? Do they mourn those 'missing' humans? 

That "they wouldn't be here" thoughtgt process is condescendingly stupid. 

My mom has said in the past she felt like she was supposed to have one more child after me, her third, and regrets that she didn't. Not sure exactly why, she explains it as some kind of spiritual 'leading'. Personally I'm glad my parents had no more because my mother already had severe chronic depression/postpartum depression + anxiety and was batshit to us kids.

 

[Rosie]

 

1 hour ago, sableduck said:

It is Chelsy’s cousin.  She is a sweetheart and has specifically chosen to limit her internet presence, so I always find it bizarre when Chelsy posts her picture so freely.  I hope she at least asked Marissa.

She is the only one of her siblings to remain Mennonite.  However, she really enjoys things like amusement parks and Kate Middleton fashion blogs, so I can’t imagine she had anything to discuss with the Maxwells.

These three women look genuinely happy and warm/affectionate.

it is striking to me, probably because it is a contrast to how people generally look in Maxwell photos.

[Themanda Duggar]

1 hour ago, sableduck said:

It is Chelsy’s cousin.  She is a sweetheart and has specifically chosen to limit her internet presence, so I always find it bizarre when Chelsy posts her picture so freely.  I hope she at least asked Marissa.

 

Although she hasn’t posted on it in over 2 years, Marissa does still have a blog, I just checked.  There  are photos of her on the internet that she posted.