Date: June 26th, 2010
I love weddings. They're one of the few times that I really feel like I can suspend my general sense of cynicism for just a few hours and watch two people celebrate a deep and abiding love. I choose not to acknowledge the divorce rate, general sense of drama at large family gatherings or inevitable drunken dancing. Why? Because there is nothing more touching than the look on the groom's face when he first sees the bride. Some of the more rom-com oriented readers may notice that my delight at weddings is eerily similar to that of the main characters in 27 Dresses. I felt that way long before the movie came out and, I assure you, a lawsuit is pending.
I've only been lucky enough to see a couple weddings in my time. My grandfather got remarried after my grandmother (mom's side) died to a lovely woman. As beautiful as the ceremony was, I mostly remember the softshell lobsters from the accompanying Maine-style cookout. Don't get me wrong, the wedding was lovely. But lobster you can peel? That's freaking impressive.
The next wedding I went to was one I got a front row seat at; in the form of being a bridesmaid. That would be my friend Alana who, among other things, was utterly breathtaking in her dress. The ceremony and reception were in Hawaii (what with that being where she lives and all) and were the kind of thing you see in movies. The reception was in this huge tent overlooking the ocean and we totally took a party bus from the chapel to the reception area. Party bus, what what?
Finally, there was Maggie's wedding. Much more traditional, but just as beautiful, Maggie got married in a huge, austere church. I was seated among friends and though I was with my boyfriend, at the time, the invite was for me. See, until this past weekend, every wedding I went to was for people I knew personally. I wondered, for a while, whether I would find the whole wedding-day-bliss thing just as enthralling when I didn't know the bride or groom.
A few weeks ago, Justin asked me if I'd like to be his date to the wedding of a friend of his from school. Having met neither her nor the groom, I realized I'd be in new territory. It was also a significantly different wedding than any of the ones I'd been to before. They were getting married under a small, delicate alter in the bride's backyard. The reception was held on the property and the whole shindig was much more personal. That is to say, there was less formality than the weddings I'd been to before.
Even so, the bride was just as radiant, the groom looked just as awestruck, and the atmosphere was just as open and loving as any other wedding I'd been to. I felt as though I'd stepped into someone else's personal moment. That was the main difference between this wedding and the others. Seeing the bride look so happy and the groom crack that wise little smile as she walked down the aisle, well, it felt almost voyeuristic. Even so, it was simply delightful to see that moment of joy in someone's life and know I was seeing the start of something beautiful.
Like I said. I like me some weddings.
No comments :
Post a Comment