I attended a family wedding this weekend–my cousin tied the knot. I thought it was a lovely wedding and it reminded me how re-affirming weddings can be about the power of love. No matter how high the divorce rate or how much our world has changed, people still find each other and want to commit to each other for the rest of their lives. It makes me happy. It makes me feel hopeful that the world will continue to twirl around and our children will find someone to love, and their children will find someone to love.
I was a doofus and didn’t take a phone in with me, so I don’t have any pictures. But that’s okay–the bride was beautiful, the groom proud, and the family ready to party. We are very reliable that way.
Let’s talk about weddings: What was yours like? What’s the best wedding you have ever been to? What’s the worst wedding (no names! They may not now it was the worst). If you could have do-overs, what would you do differently in your wedding?
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, we’ve had two ceremonies and one reception so far. The gummint doesn’t want us married so we kind of have to piecemeal it from state to state.
First we had a civil union in Vermont. Our anniversary is June 21 and in 2004 we were 21 years on the 21st. We went to Vermont to a beautiful B&B we’d picked based on their advertising slogan, Get In Touch With Your Inner Bunny. We had a Justice of the Peace and a photographer held the ceremony under a big tree beside the B&B. And had a lovely dinner that night at the B&B. A few weeks later we had a lovely reception with about 125 guests back in Ann Arbor.
On December 21 of that year, we got married in Toronto. I was looking at a couple of jobs there and thought it might be easier to bring Big Bunny into the country with me as my spouse rather than some swell guy I’d spent more than 20 years with. As it turns out, the potential jobs never panned out. But we got married in City Hall (look it up, it’s really fantastic) and had a remarkable dinner at a swanky restaurant that night, where they even wrote ‘Congratulations’ in chocolate sauce on the rim of our dessert plates.
Aw! Wouldn’t it be fun to get married in every state? Well, maybe not. It would be fun to be considered a married couple in every state, though. One day!
I loved our wedding because it was so, so simple. Small group, the judge I had worked for presiding, beautiful location, and we picked out our own music and did our own vows.
The only thing I would change would be my dress. I had the chance to buy an AMAZING dress for only $99 (the bride who had custom ordered it had canceled and the lady at the shop offered it to me). But I didn’t think it fit the tone of the wedding. So I kept looking until I found a simple (albeit pretty) wedding dress. but in retrospect, the princess dress with train and all the fix in’s woulda been fun!
I think my favorite wedding was my own. It wasn’t very fancy, but we got married in our church, my very good friend did the flowers and the cake. Another good friend had made my dress, and pretty much all the important friends and family were there. We had one groomsmen that didn’t show up, but we ad-libbed and managed fine. What money we saved on the wedding went straight to the honeymoon, which, to my mind, is how it should be for very me-centric people like me.
To do it again, I would have a smaller less expensive wedding and spend more on the honeymoon. Our honeymoon was perfect. The wedding, not so much. Good memories, but there are things I would do differently now.
we did much the same! Only five people at our wedding plus the priest. But we had a heck of a honeymoon instead. And friends gave us a lovely party with cake and everything when we got home. It was perfect. Except I sort of would have liked the princess gown…. (wore a beautiful blue suit, but it’s not the same).
My wedding was sweet and lovely. I married my best friend and soulmate. He flew over from England and we married where I grew up, bare foot on the sands of Daytona Beach. My Dad, nephew, sister and her family and some friends came. My Mom refused to come. After the ceremony, I passed around one of my then favourite books, Lady Cottington’s Pressed Fairy Book. People found a page they liked and signed it and wrote a small epitaph for us. My Dad passed about a bit of pink bubbly then we all left. It was lovely, how I wanted it, and in my eyes perfect. I once apon a time wanted the big huge expensive Church wedding but as I grew older I realized it was not me. And I do miss my beach. My Dad gave us money, which I still have a dollar of, rolled up in a fancy container with sand and shells from where we married that hangs on the wall!
The worst wedding I went to was my Mom’s second marraige to my now ex step-monster. She married in a friends home. As she was driving herself to the wedding, she got cut off by some idiot which under normal circumstances would have been alright BUT her wedding cake was in the back of the car. And boy was it in the back of the car! Not only had it fallen over but it had left a trail across the back! Luckily the lady who made the cake said bring it back and I will do what I can for it. I was volunteered to run all the way across town and have her cake redone. By the time I got back, she had already married. The person who officiated had to leave early. I caught her bouquet later. I guess that is something at least!
Ti, sounds like your wedding was lovely! Very romantic and personalized, which I think is the best.
Ti, barefoot on the sand, perfect! And your mom’s wedding, oh no!
Oh yes and I found a very lovely simple watered grey silk medieval cut gown as my dress. My bouquet was my some of my favourite flowers, long stemmed pink sweetheart roses (the small ones) and lilies of the valley. My daughter stood next to us. I was so nervous and didn’t know what to do until I glanced at my husband, and he was watching me. Ours eyes locked and that was it. I could not look away. I agree. It was what I wanted for me. And I loved it!
My worst wedding memory was actually a beautiful wedding it was just that one of the bridesmaids fell and broke her middle finger just before the wedding and had this brace thing that made said middle finger about three inches longer than all the others (and therefore quite obvious when carrying the bouquet). Might have been the first time a bridesmaid (me) actually flipped off the groom and attendees as she walked down the aisle.
Awww. Poor Dee!
ROFL! I’m sure it wasn’t that funny at the time, but it makes a great party story. Hopefully the friend forgave her (Dee).
she did… thankfully
I think my worst wedding moment was my sister’s 35 years ago. I was a bridesmaid, I had to wear a bright orange, empire waisted gown and ginormous hat (it was the 70′s, so bear with me). And the reception was punch and cookies in the meeting room across from the sanctuary. In my sister’s defense, that’s the way things were done in the Panhandle. We did not know there was such a thing as a big blow out party after the wedding. But she and her husband have made up for it many times since then with some spectacular parties. And I have not worn bright orange or empire waists again!
Did you have Farrah Fawcett hair? For some reason, that is the visual that I’m getting.
Yeah, Kathleen. That’s the way I want to envision it.
By the way, K O’R, had a dream about you last night. We had to go through a haunted house video game to get out of the mall and I panicked, couldn’t figure it out, but you said to stop wimping out and follow your lead, hahaha! So, of course, we were successful and then we went to have our hair done (which is what reminded me) to celebrate. You got goth black and I went bright screaming red. We couldn’t wait to show the other Whiners.
I honestly don’t remember the hair. But it wouldn’t have mattered with that enormous hat. I will never let her live that one down!
There isn’t a worst wedding for me. I love weddings. I did have a worst wedding moment. It was the wedding of an old friend and I met with all my friends I hadn’t seen in years. We sat down and caught up on gossip, shared some thoughts on the bride (our friend) and some comments about the groom (a guy we didn’t know) and after we snarked through the pre-ceremony, we realized we were sitting right in front of the videographer, who had camera rolling throughout and probably captured some of our commentary. ACK!
Hahaha. That’s straight out of a rom com movie, Sherri. Funny.
LOL, Sherri!
Sounds like a moment not to remember. Did he erase it? Or keep it? YIKES!
I don’t know. I was too afraid to ask. But I haven’t spoken to that friend since the wedding. Coincidence? Well, she did move far away with the new husband. I just never want to know, I think.
I’ve also commented on a friend’s baby and then realized I was standing near the baby monitor. Also once talked about a family member with the baby monitor broadcasting commentary to family in the next room. I’m really good at getting myself into these situations. Beware baby monitors, cameras, and all recording devices!
Well, beware my mouth, I suppose.
Sherri I told you we must be sisters of some sort. I open my mouth and spew before thinking what I am yarping on. And it always gets me in trouble!
ROFL. That is totally out of a rom-com.
My wedding (almost 26 years ago!) was lovely. The food was great, the band was great–and as far as I know, everyone had a terrific time. I know I did! I don’t think I’ve ever been to a wedding that I’d call “the worst.” Aside from my own wedding, which is my favorite
I think the nicest wedding I’ve ever attended was that of our friends’ daughter. The church service was beautiful and the reception was at the Ritz Carlton. We spend the weekend at the hotel so we not only had a great time at the wedding (the reception was fabulous), we also had a fabulous weekend at the Ritz. Nuthin’ wrong with that!
Love the Ritz…wherever it may be!!!