🍯🌺 I survived my son's wedding (and Max got cartooned)
Published about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hey there, fellow survivor of formal family events (no? just me?),
I'm back from Wedding Chaos 2025, and I have THOUGHTS.
First, the most important update: My son is married! 🎉 The ceremony was beautiful, the bride was radiant, and somehow I managed not to ugly-cry through the entire thing (just 85% of it).
Between navigating relational landmines, dodging awkward conversations, and trying not to trip in my fancy shoes, it was equal parts wonderful, emotional, hard, and bittersweet.
But seeing my baby boy so happy made every moment of stress worth it.
Speaking of stress... let's talk about my outfit journey, shall we? For those keeping score at home:
Ordered (and returned) the infamous plum pants
Purchased and rejected TWO different shirts
Bought TWO more pairs of pants
Eventually wore the loose velvety ones that didn't require contortionist skills to get into
Rediscovered a shirt I already owned that worked perfectly
The highlight? My son actually said, "Mom, you look nice." VICTORY! (The bar was low, but I cleared it!)
Bookish News
Now, while I've been recovering from wedding emotions and fashion decisions, something exciting happened in book-land...
Max got a face!
Well, he had a face, but now he's got a cartoon face. A quite GRUMPY cartoon face. And as promised last week, I'm sharing the goods. You can also get a peek at the cartoon version of Lily, too!
This adorable art is just a taste of what's coming with the Grumpfest Kickstarter I'm planning! Think lovely hardcovers, fancy paperbacks, and perhaps some other goodies featuring our favorite grump and his sunshine.
More details coming soon as I'm still in planning mode, but I can already tell you: these are going to be PRETTY.
Since Kickstarter works by the kind of interest I can garner to my campaign page during pre-launch, essentially, the more people that visit the campaign page, the more it bat-signals to Kickstarter's algorithm, hey, this project must be really cool, we need to show it to more backers!
Anyhoo, speaking of our resident grump... after seeing my wedding photos, Max grudgingly offered his "expertise" on surviving formal family events.
You know, for the future. You're welcome.
MAX'S GRUMPY WEDDING SURVIVAL GUIDE
Map exit routes before hanging up your coat. Windows count in emergencies.
30-second conversation rule: If they're still talking after 30 seconds, walk away mid-sentence. They'll get the hint. Eventually.
"I need to check something" works for escaping anything. Never specify what. (Add "at the bar" for efficiency—two birds, one stone.)
When someone says "family drama," down your drink and immediately acquire another. Double fist if necessary.
Perfect the "I'm listening" face while mentally reviewing your fantasy hockey lineup. Occasional nodding sells it.
If cornered by a chatty relative, stage an urgent phone call. "Hockey emergency" is a valid crisis.
One sincere compliment buys 30 minutes of solitude. Choose targets wisely. Complimenting the bride works longer than complimenting the cake.
If all else fails, offer to help in the kitchen. They'll either refuse (victory) or give you a knife (also victory).
Think Max's grumpy wisdom could help with YOUR life challenges? Hit reply with your questions for his extremely reluctant advice column!
I'll force him to answer the best ones in an upcoming email. (Lily may or may not hijack his responses.)
Yours in wedding recovery and character art excitement,
P.S. If anyone needs me, I'll be alternating between napping (weddings are EXHAUSTING) and staring at Max's cartoon face, trying to decipher if he's judging my outfit choices. (He definitely is.)
P.P.S. Don't forget to preorder Grumpfest! Max says he doesn't care, but we all know that's a lie.
P.P.S.S. Don't forget the TampaFlorida Book Signing:Tickets are on sale NOW, happening July 2025! Tell me you're coming!
P.S.S. Be sure to check out MOARRR book recs and promos below!
Grumpfest
By Honey Mavryck
He’s the grump with a broken past. She’s the sunshine that might just save him—if his baggage doesn't destroy them first.
I don’t do smiles. I don’t do team bonding, calendar shoots, or charity events. I play hockey. I stay out of the spotlight. After what happened, I learned one thing: never get close enough to get burned.
Enter Wade James: rich, brooding, and as out of place in Emma's cozy world as a shark at a pool party. A rom-com cocktail of forced proximity and second chances, served with a side of beachside charm.
“I’d rather fight with you than make love with anyone else.”
— The Wedding Date
Psst! Okay, so you made it to the end, but... could you see any of the pretty pictures?
If not, you'll need to add my email, author@honeymavryck.com to your safe sender/contact list. If that doesn't work, hit reply and we'll troubleshoot together!
Affiliate link alert! If you click and buy my books through any of my links, I might earn a tiny commission—like, barely enough for a coffee. But hey, every little bit keeps me caffeinated and writing more swoony, snarky stories for you. Thanks for the support!
HI! YOU'RE RECEIVING THIS EMAIL BECAUSE YOU SUBSCRIBED FOR THEM FROM READING A BOOK OR FROM A BOOK GIVEAWAY. YOU CAN USE THE UNSUBSCRIBE BUTTON TO OPT OUT AT ANY TIME. I WOULD BE FOREVER GRATEFUL IF YOU AVOIDED MARKING MY EMAILS AS SPAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
