Virginia Trip

Last weekend we flew to Virginia for Doug and Tory's wedding weekend.  Doug is one of David's friends since second grade and David was a groomsman in the wedding.  I also knew Doug at Stratford and at UT.  Doug met Tory in Austin a few years ago and she is from a small town about 45 miles southwest of DC called Warrenton.  She grew up attending the Virginia Gold Cup every year.  It is a steeplechase that happens every year the first weekend in May.  I think she always wanted to have her wedding reception at the race so they made that happen.  David and I arrived at Dulles airport around 11:15pm Wednesday night.  We rented a car and drove to Warrenton and stayed at the Hampton Inn for one night.  Since some of the guys were playing golf on Thursday, we had to arrive Wednesday night so David wouldn't miss the tee time.  After a nice brunch at the Warrenton IHOP, we drove to the Poplar Springs Inn, which is where the entire wedding party was staying for the weekend.  It only has about 20 rooms and the Pegler-Jones wedding had every room.  We got to the inn around noon and the guys were not leaving for golf until 1:30 so we looked around the grounds.  We walked to The Manor House, which is the historic building next to the inn that has a restaurant where the rehearsal dinner and wedding after-party were.  We also located the spa, where I would be visiting that afternoon for a pedicure!  If David was going to leave me to play golf twice during the trip, I figured I would indulge in a pedicure.  The spa did not do prenatal massages otherwise I probably would have enjoyed one of those as well.  So while the guys played the longest golf round ever (they were gone from 1pm until almost 9pm), I went for a run, had a pedicure, and relaxed in the room.  That night the Jones' hosted a casual dinner of hamburgers and such by the pool for those that had already arrived.

On Friday, the guys had an 8am tee time so David left around 6:45.  I woke up around 8 and went for a run and then 3 of the wives (Hilary, Ellen, and Adrienne) and I went for a walk.  After our walk we drove to Warrenton (with Kelly too) and had some lunch at a cute wine bar/restaurant.  We sat outside in the rooftop seating since the weather was so nice.  After lunch we walked around the main street and looked in some of the shops.  Many of the shops were selling hats like the one below to wear to the gold cup.  (this was a lady at the gold cup...people go all-out in their fashion choices).



The rehearsal dinner was at the Manor House on Friday night.  We sat at a table with Tim and Melissa and Ryan and Kelly.  Tim and Ryan both went to high school with us and were both in our wedding.  Ryan and Kelly live in Denver so I have gotten to know Kelly well over the past 3 years.  The food was good.  We had a choice of two different salads, filet mignon or grouper, and melon sorbet or lemon mousse.  The grouper was tasty.  But in my opinion, dessert is not dessert unless it has a choice of something chocolate.  That's not to say I didn't order and eat the sorbet, but I had to track down a chocolate chip cookie at the hotel after the dinner was over.  They showed a really cute video of pictures from Doug and Tory's childhood and throughout he years.  David gave a heart-felt toast that consisted of telling stories about the 3 fist-fights that he and Doug have gotten in throughout the years.  It really was a sentimental toast.  He did a great job and even got a little choked up during it.  I lasted until around midnight and walked back to the inn with Kelly.  Midnight is not too bad for a sober pregnant lady.  :)

We left for the wedding at 9:45 am on Saturday.  The ceremony was at the small church that Tory's parents attend, which was close to the site of the gold cup.  After they were pronounced husband and wife, we loaded up on the buses and rode to the Gold cup.  The reception was in a large white tent complete with a band and open bar.  We arrived around noon and soon after Doug and Tory had their first dance.  Then they opened the food buffet.  

The races started around 2 and lasted until about 5, one every 30 minutes.  Each race was about 2.5 miles - 4 miles.  There were about 8 horses in each race.  Here are some pictures with views of the countryside where they raced in the background. 

David and his mom

It was wonderful weather the whole afternoon.  I heard from someone that last year at the Gold cup it was 95 degrees.  I am so thankful it was a comfortable 75 degrees this year!

Me, Kelly, Abby (Tyler's wife), Melissa (Tim's wife)

Me, David, Tim, Melissa, Ryan, Kelly, Tyler, Abby

 Bridal party pictures next to the winner's circle

We left the Gold cup on the buses around 6:30pm.  We had one hour to "rest" and change clothes before the after-party at the Manor House.  They had a buffet of mini sliders, taquitos, guacamole, and more.  It was delicious!  For dessert they served a hodge-podge of chocolate mousse, pound cake, and some kind of french toast bread-pudding like thing, which was actually quite tasty.  They hired a DJ outside on the patio and everyone danced.  Austin liked the loud music because he sure was kicking alot

On Sunday, I went for a run and we packed up, said goodbyes to Doug and Tory, and gave huge thank-yous to Doug's parents.  They did so much to make the whole weekend so special for Doug and Tory and all of their friends.  We ate lunch with a few other couples at Chili's of all places on the way to the airport.  Some of the guys were craving Chili's greasy food due to their hangovers.  I think I was one of few feeling good that morning.  

It was such a fun weekend and also a nice little get-away for David and me before Austin arrives.  Congrats to Doug and Tory!