An overdue (and exciting) wedding update

Well, I made an offhanded comment a few posts ago about my "not so secret" wedding helpers.
I figure it's time I introduce you guys to them, although I have a feeling they may look familiar...

Yep,
Syndal, Jess, and Lo!

Now, a little bit of background so this makes sense.

Our ceremony is at 3:00 and we can't have access to start setting up our reception venue until 4:30, since it's open to the public until 6:00. The caterer will start setting up the reception area, which people can still walk through, using ropes to cordon off the area.

Clearly, this presents a problem with setting up our reception space.
Como was actually the first place we looked at but the fact that I knew it'd take some finagling to set up the space the day of, and that I wouldn't be able to be there to do any of it, spooked me.
We ultimately obviously decided that the space was just too great and we'd figure out the rest later.

Cue a few months down the road and I'd made it up in my mind that I'd just send the wedding party over to the venue after the ceremony and have them do it in an hour.  I figured with 12 people on deck it'd go super fast and it wasn't a big deal. Well, M and I had some differing opinions on this and after considering it in reality, I agreed it wasn't a well laid plan. M said his mom and her sisters would be more than happy to do it. I've been a pretty laid back bride, but a) I know M's mom, and b) the idea of having some 50+ year old ladies setting up a 26 year old's reception made me sweaty.. I just knew they wouldn't "get" some of it.

One night, Jess and Lo were over consuming wine and cheese, Syndal was off partying (just kidding- but actually she was busy) and I was telling them about this chat I had just had with M. Lauren said she'd be more than happy to help, and Jess concurred. I remember thinking, "Oh, that's a nice offer! maybe if I can't figure out what else to do,... besides I'm sure they were just saying it to be nice."

The more I thought about it, and the more I talked to, and hung out with these ladies, I knew it was not only my best option but that it'd be RIDICULOUSLY fun to have them at the wedding. If we're being honest I wanted to just straight up invite them, but we were tight on space (and felt it was maybe not ok to invite people I had met more recently vs. people we've known longer since space was an issue?) and I wondered if it would be weird to have internet people come.... then I remembered I met M on the internet and these girls are awesome and said fuck it! 

SO, one day I manned up and sent a formal email asking them to be my wedding helper peoples. They enthusiastically accepted, and I cannot WAIT to have them at the wedding! Them helping is just a perk, I'm just pumped to party with them. :) Another bonus? Since it's like, socially frowned upon and shit to invite people to showers and the bachelorette party who are not coming to the wedding.. NOW I get a green light to invite them to those things! Even though I wanted to anyway, ha!

So there you have it. The girls will be setting up the few things we have at the church (which I'm still debating doing at all), setting up the reception (which honestly won't take long. I'm keeping it simple, streamlined, and there will be copious amounts of diagrams and directions to make it as easy as possible for them!), then taking a break to dine, drink, and dance, and then picking up the decorations at the end of the night to haul out. I already know I won't be able to thank them enough.

Eek!