# Wedding morning ride?



## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

My fiance and I are getting married in a couple of weeks. Given my "nearly useless" status at work these days, I thought I'd entertain myself by taking a poll to see how the wise women of the women's lounge (and any male lurkers) recommend I spend my wedding morning. Relevant info: the ceremony starts at 12:30 pm and is outdoors on some xc ski/mtb trails.

The poll feature doesn't allow me to elaborate as much as I'd like on the options, so here they are in more detail:
*
Option 1:* Wake up early. Blow the equivalent of my XTR disc brakes/shifters on my hairstylist, make-up artist, manicurist, and pedicurist. After all, I'll be able to buy all sorts of new bike stuff with all the wedding gift money, right? And I'll only get married once, right? Right?
*
Option 2:* Wake up late. Dismiss all superstition and go for a quiet ride with the groom (who is definitely not an early bird). Rush around after the ride to shower, dress, and make sure my hair is at least dry before the ceremony.
*
Option 3:* Wake up early. Organize (and demand that I win-I'm the bride, dammit!) an informal race among all the mtb-ing wedding guests, then skip the shower, pull off the riding clothes, pull on the dress, and arrive flushed and a few minutes late to the ceremony.
*
Option 4:* Wake up late. Realize that I have neglected to hire a limo, so don riding clothes and ride from the lodge to the ceremony site and straight up the aisle. After all, the blue of my bike frame nicely matches the sapphires on my engagement ring. Isn't that what they mean by having a "wedding color"? Then, practice my trackstand during the vows.


----------



## gabrielle (Jan 2, 2005)

Hrm...tossup between 3 & 4 from here.

gabrielle


----------



## Christine (Feb 11, 2004)

Tough call, mainly since you *had* to mention "getting married is a once-in-a-lifetime thing." That throws me off!

So I say, get up early, go for a long, challenging ride, shower and let the experts handle the makeup/hair crap. Any wounds and bruises you get can be airbrushed so make sure you have a kick-ass time on that ride and stir up some serious endorphins in time for the ceremony!!

Then enjoy the reception without guilt. Especially since you've been riding every day up to the ceremony.........right?


----------



## catzilla (Jan 31, 2004)

Here go my experience:

Like you, we were married at the park where we were stewards of our trails for years. We opted for our Buick Roadmaster instead of a limo. We were dressed to the nines, but that didn't stop me from washing all of the makeup off just before the wedding.

"Seriously, didn't I ask the makeup dude NOT to make me look like a tranny?"

By the end of the ceremony, the Rock-a-billy band had played everything from Cash's _Delia_ to the Beatles _I Want You_. Everyone had stuffed themselves on liquor and BBQ. My dress had a foot of mud all around the bottom.

It was perfect.

That being said, though I was as cool as could be throughout the preparations, I still couldn't have ridden that morning if my wedding bra had depended on it. We opted for nature instead of flower arrangements, and personal photos instead of, well, more ****ing flower arrangements. If it rained, which it did, I figured, "Good! No point in paying for those tents if we don't get to put them to use!"

So, yeah, I was cool.

And yet, for who knows what reason, I couldn't eat. I barely slept. My stomach was in knots. I was excited, I was nervous.

If I had ridden, I would have faceplanted just mounting the bike.

Just saying, go for it. Plan on riding your ass off. By virtue of of doing what feels right, you'll be doing the right thing. But, when the time comes, if you don't have time, or don't have enough food in your belly, don't worry about rescheduling.

Besides, you already have that wedding night ride to look forward to.


----------



## Bluebug32 (Jan 13, 2006)

I'm gonna have to go with the 4th option

And please tell me you have your gift registry at a bike shop!? That's just too perfect :makesmentalnoteforfuture:


----------



## hamachi (May 9, 2006)

definitely option 4!


----------



## Capt Tripps (Jan 19, 2005)

Well if you were closer , I would loan you my "Wedding Limo" and suggest it be used for the getaway as well! 
Congrats!


----------



## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

catzilla said:


> Here go my experience:
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


Thanks for the laughs, catzilla! And the pictures--I like the one showing dirt on your dress.  It sounds like you had the right attitude to enjoy yourself.

The problem with wedding these days is there are so many darned expectations. I just want everybody to be comfortable and happy, including me and the groom! Who cares if the napkin rings don't perfectly match the cake topper? (Oops, I guess ours do match in a way, since we have neither.)

Anyway, once this is over we'll have the rest of our lives together with (I hope) many more years of fun riding, skiing, etc.


----------



## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

Christine said:


> Any wounds and bruises you get can be airbrushed so make sure you have a kick-ass time on that ride and stir up some serious endorphins in time for the ceremony!!


Ooh, I'd forgotten about airbrushing! So it's OK if I pull a catzilla and faceplant getting onto my bike?



Capt Tripps said:


> Well if you were closer , I would loan you my "Wedding Limo" and suggest it be used for the getaway as well!


Thanks anyway for the offer. We've yet to try tandem--I can just see me fuming about his steering as we ride off into the sunset. 



Bluebug32 said:


> And please tell me you have your gift registry at a bike shop!?


It's a great idea, but no, we were trying to make things easier for our guests, most of whom aren't local (and we like to support our LBS). Plus, we were worried about our elderly guests having heart attacks when they saw how much we wanted them to spend on bike parts. We did register at a nation-wide outdoor store, though.


----------



## Bikergal (Oct 10, 2005)

I like option 4 as well. What a great idea, totally original as well. You want everyone to be relaxed and this is the greatest way to achieve that. It would be something I would remember if I was a guest!! 

CONGRATS!!!


----------



## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

*a story for you*

several years ago some friends were getting married. both are mountainbikers. the bride said over her dead body would she add the stress of trying to fit a ride in the day of her wedding. she told her groom that she would prefer if he would forego a ride as well.

well, he begged and begged and finally she relented. she sent his best man and another groomsman with him with strict instructions not to let him do anythign stupid.

the three guys selected an easy, fun ride, fairly close by. this ride ends with a fast fireroad descent back to the car. the agreement was that the groom would ride sweep to prevent him from going too fast.

the ride went well. everyone had a great time. the groom kept his promise to ride carefully and behind the other 2 groomsmen. when they got to the fireroad the 2 guys allowed the groom to go in front so that he could get back to the car and get changed. off the groom went, his speed under control, and thoughts of his wedding to come later that day.

at some point the groom looked back over his shoulder to see where the other two guys were. when he looked back he discovered that the fireroad curved right and he was heading on a very straight trajectory.

'oh ****!!' thought the groom. without thinking he grabbed a big handfull of brake which promptly sent him airborne over his handlebars, off the edge of the fireroad, and into a ditch.....which just happened to have a very large rock in it.

the groom got a 10 for style points as he soared through the air but 0 points for the landing as he came down with his full 185 lb bodyweight on the rock, instantly shattering his femur.

the groom spent his wedding night in 5 hrs of surgery to pin his leg back together. the bride, as you can imagine, was less than pleased.

to add insult to injury the ditch that the groom landed in was filled with poison oak. so, not only did the groom have a shattered femur but he was also covered with a very itchy rash.

the moral of this story is: you will have many many many days in your life to go ride a bike. perhaps your wedding day should not be one of them.

the second moral of this story is: if you're going to endo onto a large rock and break the largest bone in your body, make sure you do not also land in a pile of poison oak.

rt

ps - the couple got married 6 months later when the groom was finally able to walk (with the aid of crutches) down the aisle.

pps - if you want the story straight from the horse's mouth you can either do an mtbr search on the screen name slartibartfast in 2000 or just post something on passion asking about it. slarti might crawl out of the lurker woodwork to tell the story.


----------



## Dude (Jan 12, 2004)

*The sock handled this with utmost grace*

Because I know if I had done that I would have asked the doctors to just end it now.... At least the can have the paperwork done early and they wouldn't have to deal with my too be wife later on.....

-Dude


----------



## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

*rt* said:


> ...
> the moral of this story is: you will have many many many days in your life to go ride a bike. perhaps your wedding day should not be one of them.
> 
> the second moral of this story is: if you're going to endo onto a large rock and break the largest bone in your body, make sure you do not also land in a pile of poison oak.
> ...


Yikes! I guess airbrushing the broken femur out of the pictures wasn't going to cut it. 

So, I guess I could de-stress with a short jog. Or, I could think to myself, "It's already happened to someone else, therefore _it can't happen to me!_ (I know: :nono: )


----------



## Dwight Moody (Jan 10, 2004)

alaskarider said:


> And I'll only get married once, right? Right?


Hey, polyandry is catching on.

most people I know who went through weddings were much happier doing it "their way", ways which varied from insanely traditional, to my sisters very elaborate Renn Faire affair, to a backyard BBQ with a quick wedding before the main course, to getting hitched with the JP and two friends as witnesses and then hitting the pubs.

So it comes down to "what do I want to remember" (or "we" if you're going to be generous and include your fiance in the wedding planning)?

I'd be too nervous to do anything technical or fast paced, but if my partner and I were to do an easy turn around the Green Lake bike path in the early morning before getting hitched, I'd think it was really special.


----------



## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

*rt* said:


> several years ago some friends were getting married...


Exactly the story I first thought of.


----------



## deanna (Jan 15, 2004)

shiggy said:


> Exactly the story I first thought of.


Same here.


----------



## rzozaya1969 (Nov 28, 2004)

I'm single, but I'm not sure you'll have time for everything, especially if it's an early wedding. Just take it easy on that day.

Good luck!


----------



## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

*hehe*

i kinda thought others might be reminded of the same incident. 

FWIW, it was one of the best weddings i've ever been to....both times. 

rt


----------



## IttyBittyBetty (Aug 11, 2005)

*Pre-Nup Ride*

Several years ago two of my mountain biking friends, Carmen and Lynnette, got married at a trailhead Ramada near their house in Phoenix. The morning of the wedding, they hosted a pre-nuptial ride for all their friends. They wore full-faced helmets, just in case, and we all made sure they rode with reasonable caution (they're downhillers, so "reasonable" is relative). The ride was a blast and Carmen and Lynnette had plenty of time to get gussied up for the casual ceremony. I vote for the Pre-Nup ride!


----------



## Debaser (Jan 12, 2004)

Your wedding is just too early in the day. When I got hitched, it was a requirement that the wedding start late enough that I could get a bike ride in that morning. It's a tradition amongst my friends - we've all gotten together in the morning for a ride. What better way to get rid of any jitters.

fwiw, I was the one who took a tumble. I was a little scratched up, but the tux hid it all.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=49434&highlight=whistler+wedding+debaser


----------



## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

Debaser said:


> Your wedding is just too early in the day. When I got hitched, it was a requirement that the wedding start late enough that I could get a bike ride in that morning. It's a tradition amongst my friends - we've all gotten together in the morning for a ride. What better way to get rid of any jitters.


Yeah, we didn't plan the timing well for a good ride. But, our main requirement was that our guests not be struck by lightning in one of the afternoon thunderstorms common to the Colorado Rockies.

Thanks for the link to your story. If we do end up riding that morning (RT's warnings aside, the no-ride option hasn't gotten any votes in my poll!) maybe I'll bring the camera. I think ride pictures will make a nice intro to the wedding album.


----------



## Debaser (Jan 12, 2004)

alaskarider said:


> Yeah, we didn't plan the timing well for a good ride. But, our main requirement was that our guests not be struck by lightning in one of the afternoon thunderstorms common to the Colorado Rockies.
> 
> Thanks for the link to your story. If we do end up riding that morning (RT's warnings aside, the no-ride option hasn't gotten any votes in my poll!) maybe I'll bring the camera. I think ride pictures will make a nice intro to the wedding album.


Do it.

Definately bring the camera. I've got a load of pictures and good memories from that ride. I don't share _everything _with the internet...


----------



## Slartibartfast (Jan 16, 2004)

*Speaking from VERY direct experience...*

I tried that. I f*cked it up like you wouldn't believe.

Ended up with a smashed femur, a cancelled wedding and several square feet of poison oak blisters. Spent time in a wheelchair and could not ride for two years I have relatives that still don't talk to me and a wife (6 months later) that has the ultimate trump card to any fight we may have.

I'd do it again. Well, maybe not the poison oak.

Slarts
The Bike Shop That Dare Not Speak Its Name


----------



## Maida7 (Apr 29, 2005)

oooh what a pain in the a$$ and poision oak to take your mind off the pain. and only yourself to blame and, and, and....

Maybe there should be special insurance for the pre wedding ride. I bet that afflack duck would cover you.


----------



## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

Slartibartfast said:


> I tried that. I f*cked it up like you wouldn't believe.
> 
> Ended up with a smashed femur, a cancelled wedding and several square feet of poison oak blisters. Spent time in a wheelchair and could not ride for two years I have relatives that still don't talk to me and a wife (6 months later) that has the ultimate trump card to any fight we may have.
> 
> ...


Holy cow, Slarts! I heard your story from RT, but that picture is worth more than the traditional 1000 words! I'm glad your wife still married you, even if she had to go through the whole planning process again, and that you're able to ride again.

Maybe I'll stick to a flat ride in a grassy field with no rocks or poisonous plants. That way, even if I do crash, I'll reduce my chances of breaking any bones.


----------



## Capt Tripps (Jan 19, 2005)

Slartibartfast said:


> I tried that. I f*cked it up like you wouldn't believe.
> 
> Ended up with a smashed femur, a cancelled wedding and several square feet of poison oak blisters. Spent time in a wheelchair and could not ride for two years I have relatives that still don't talk to me and a wife (6 months later) that has the ultimate trump card to any fight we may have.
> 
> ...


Does the Wife call that your "HONEY MOON" shot??

remember chicks dig scars!


----------



## rzozaya1969 (Nov 28, 2004)

Alaska... being a pragmatic more than a romantic... what do you define by early rise/late rise? And how fast can you get ready (bathe, make up your hair, make up, dress)?

I'm assuming you're doing an outside wedding and maybe not going for a very flashy hairstyle and makeup.

Things get kinda hectic on the wedding day, there's always something that needs to be done before the ceremony, something that goes wrong, something you've never planned but it turns out is escential.

Ok, how far away is the wedding site from your house? 10 min, half an hour? Are you expected to be there at 12:30? (in Mexico, the bride always come latter, but I don't know about in the States). So maybe leaving your house at 12:00 might be the time limit, maybe you can afford to leave later.

Are you doing a photo session before the wedding? Add an hour to that, probably less depending on the site and the photographer.

How long to bathe, dress, hair work, and make up? At least consider an hour, or maybe 45 minutes, but probably it would be cutting it short.

Breakfast? 10 to 20 minutes.

Even if you plan on a short ride, can you do from your front door, or do you need to drive somewhere? if you need to drive, add 30 to 60 minutes driving and putting up the bikes back (assuming you put the bikes on your car/pickup the night before, but you would need to pick the bike at the trailhead).

How much would you like to ride? If you're not doing the photo session before the wedding, it would mean finnishing the ride at 10 at most. And you would then need to rush things out. And hope for no unexpected issues.


----------



## asuperstar103 (May 31, 2006)

Love the wedding rider. That is too funny. I would choose option 4. That sounds like what would happen even if you chose one of the other options. 

http://www.superflysunglasses.com/page/851813


----------

