Calm down. Take a deep breath. As DH used to say, we have each other, the minister, and the church, and that's ALL we need to get married.

In our group of friends, a bridesmaid delivered a month early (two days before the wedding). Her name was on the program, but she wasn't there. It wasn't a big deal. Those of us who knew were happy for the new mommy, and the bride completely understood.

If she can't fly, I can't imagine it would be okay for her to drive. Better ask the doc on that one. I would think if it's that risky, that she probably should plan on staying home this time.

As for the extra groomsman. In our wedding, we didn't have an even number anyway. Between DH and I, there are three brothers and one sister. I didn't have enough friends to make up the difference. We had 3 bridesmaids and 5 groomsmen. The two extra men simply walked out side by side at the end. If needed, the could escort the flower girl and ring bearer out. It's okay to have an uneven number.

Just remember, you have everything you need right now, and that's the bride and groom who love each other.

Is there a Justice of the Peace close by? LOL J/K Connie. I'm sorry this had to come up at the final hour, but seems like "it's always something", isn't it. I'm surprised she's not allowed to fly still having 5+ months to go in her pregnancy, but I've never had children so I don't know the concerns. I would think, if she broke up the trip that she could come by car, but I'm sure she needs to discuss it with her doctor. I sure hope she can make it, that would answer all of your other questions, except: AND HOW did it get to be mid July here????! The answer to that is.....one day at a time my friend. :) Best of luck Connie and try to take some deep breaths every once in a while and stay off the heavy drugs and keep your fingers out of your mouth. LOL

As Indy said calm down. This is really not a life altering thing to have happen. You could list her as Maid of Honor even if she doesn't make it there. Don't sweat the small stuff. I would be worrying more about the food..lol

Everything will work out so don't stress over it. If it doesn't bother your daughter than don't let it bother you.

I too would think if she can't fly, she probably shouldn't be driving. She should run her car trip by her doctor. I don't think I'd worry about her having the baby driving, but probably the bigger concern would be her developing blood clots from sitting so long whichh can happen with pregant women and can be very serious. She really needs to run this pass her doctor. If he does ok it, he can at least give her the do's and don't of car travel when pregnant.

I personally wouldn't worry about having one extra groomsmen. Something similar happened to one of my girlfriends and about the worse problem was that the odd groomsman out had to dance with his fiance (who wasn't in the wedding party) instead of a bridesmaid for the wedding party dance.... not a big deal. In fact, I would bet a few of the groomsmen would more than graciously bow out of that dance.

Pictures can be posed so that it doesn't seem obvious. One of the men can move to an usher position and/or walk with a special aunt or grandmother instead, etc. I am sure if you read around you can find a lot of easy answers to your problems. Bottom line, no one is really going to care or probably even notice except you. I know you said DD could get another bridesmaid, but another option would be to use a flower girl. P.S. no one really cares if the program is 100% correct either. I think people understand that circumstances can change and that a pregnant woman can be told not to travel, so that sometimes the programs may not be correct and substitutions have to be made. I know it seems like everything has to be perfect, but after all is said and done, none of this stuff (aside from her missing her best friend if that happens) will really matter.

Wedding is Oct 25th. Thats 3 months and 10 days!

IndyAnna, I know you're right....but I am still worried! LOL

Summer dear girl, that JOP was mentioned by DD of all people about 6-8 weeks ago. She was ready to scrap everything we'd done so far and book a flight to Las Vegas. Thank goodness she regained her sanity! Bwaaahahaha

Nitabug, that food is going to drive me over the edge fer sure!!! I do have a sweet GF and DSIL's that will help at the reception, but still its going to be both DD's and I that need to prepare it all! Arrrgh the things you do for the ones you love!!!

Is there such thing as a perfect wedding? They always look like it to me until I'm talking with the MOB and she asks if I noticed....whatever she thought was a huge error. Plenty went wrong at my DD's reception, but people are still talking about how fun it was. Go figure! And it didn't cost us an arm and a leg, either.

My point was, try to be calm and take deep breaths. As long as the minister, bride and groom show up happy, all is well. I would be worried about the food, too. Did you just find out you'll have to do it? Do you know what you're serving? Wish we could all be kitchen helpers for you. Anyway (((Connie))).

Everything will work out! You just wait and see! I think it is so easy for us to worry about things that just might never be... you know.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our son teaches us daily that he will not be defined by his disability!

Thanks gals...I always hit the panic button first! Makes me wish I still smoked at times like these! LOL
The food at first she thought we could do it, then got some prices for catering cause we knew it will be difficult with getting Maddie, family coming and rehersal the night before and debated and got upset cause the prices were so high and then between the 2 of us somehow figured we would try and do it ourselves. I know its going to be mainly me because the bride will have less time than I will! We won't do much more than roast beef sandwiches, salad, punch,coffee etc etc. Not competely done with a menu yet. Wish you could help me, I know the KT would make GREAT kitchen helpers! :)

I will keep taking deep breaths and repeating "it will be alright"! LOL

I would go ahead have your DD's best friend's name printed on the wedding program. She would feel so honored to think you thought of her. Then at some point, someone could announce why she wasn't in attendance. Maybe someone could do a toast in her honor. OR...you could print your own wedding program as the time gets nearer and you know for sure if she will be able to attend. OR...you could get stickers in a baby theme (baby bottles, rattles, diaper pins, etc). Stick them on the program next to her name at the last minute, if they are already printed and she can't attend. Self explanatory, I would say. :)

We rent items for weddings and we have seen some very strange things be done. I think having an extra groomsman is the least strange thing I've encountered. Hang in there...remember very few weddings go off without some kind of hitch. Keep the menu very simple, so that YOU can enjoy the day too. You don't want to end up in the kitchen during the whole reception. You will miss out on so much of the fun. Enlist a few friends...or someone from the church to help out. Make things that can be taken out of the fridge and placed. Cucumber sandwiches would be great too. Maybe a deli could make some sandwiches up for you, that someone could pick up for you, at a lesser price than a caterer.

Good luck! I would be thrilled to give you a hand if I were close enough.

Wish I could help too. I knew a lot of brides when I was in school who spent their wedding day mornings helping the church ladies prepare their reception refreshments.

Now as for disasters on wedding days, my sister's roommate had that. Eons ago in Chicago, the roommate was marrying a fellow Chicago boy. Parents were flying in as were several members of the wedding party. Money had been put down with the caterer and the hall and the church. The record snowfall arrived the night before, 5 feet snowdrifts, the snow was so deep it covered the road and went up over car rooftops, airports closed, transportation ground to a halt, no one could go or come anywhere. She learned she would not get a refund, if I recall. Her dress was downtown at the shoppe along with her shoes and veil. Bridesmaids and groomsmen here and there. So, she decided to get married anyway. Someone down the block still had her own wedding veil, and lent it to her, same with a dress. They were able to get her father, stranded at the Chicago airport, to her apartment. Someone found a clergyman, and they married and had a party as best they could. She never wore her wedding finery, still at the store. They could not depart on their honeymoon. The hall was closed.

Remeber this: There are only a few essentials to seal the marriage; Everything else is side dressing. You need:

1. An authorized official to administrate the vows.
2. The bride and groom, of course.
3. Two witnesses to sign the marriage papers. This is usually the head groomsman and bridesmaid, but anyone of legal age who witnessed the vows may sign.

Next comes the interesting part.
A couple is not 'legally' married until the wedding papers have been filed at the county courthouse. There have been rare cases when this was not done and it created problems later in a couple's life. So in reality, most blissfully newly weds take off on their honeymoon before they are legally wed!

Its a good idea after the honeymoon that the couple check with the courthouse to insure their wedding has been recorded.

If you are announcing the wedding party at the reception, you can just introduce the Maid of Honor and say she couldn't be with us today as she is at home with her feet up in the final days of her pregnancy. Or something like that.

I love weddings with a twist of humor. How about having a life-sized standing profile of the PG friend so that if she doesn't show, the groomsman can carry the cutout in and stand it up where she would have been? That would be hilarious! I think most photo shops and some office supply chains can make those.