The seating plan for dinner is conveyed by a giant map. Instead of reading your name at a specific table, you look for a little photo of yourself. And then you take your little photo of yourself home with you, because it is a fridge magnet.
She has thought of everything.
I find our photos surrounding table eight. When we arrive, the family we are sharing it with is already seated.
Man: Hi.
Me: Hi!
Man: This may be a bit of a forward question, seeing as we've never met -- but why is your photo a picture of a tomato?
I smile. She has thought of everything.
**************
It's 10:30. The wedding party and guests boogie in the big tent. I stand off to the side with sleeping Alice on my shoulder.
The band is going back and forth between modern music and traditional Cape Breton tunes. Henry doesn't care whether there's a back beat or a fiddle bow -- he's here to break dance. I see the occasional hand or foot fly above the crowd. During one of his special moves that requires twitching on the ground, he is nearly stomped on by the square dancers.
I step out into the dark night. My eyes take a while to adjust to see the billions of stars overhead. I'm walking with my eyes pointed up. I nearly stumble on a cobblestone.
I walk out to the grass and the band has moved on to a slower song. I'm slowly turning around, picking out constellations, and wishing Alice were awake so I could show them to her. I sway back and forth, because that's what dads do when they have a sleeping baby on their shoulder.
I realize that between the swaying and the turning it looks like I'm slow dancing with an infant.
Then I see the very drunk couple making out 20 paces away.
I'm going back to the tent.
**********
It's even later. We're saying our goodbyes. I want to say something helpful to the groom.
Groom: You're leaving? We hardly got to see you guys!
Me: It's your wedding! You're a celebrity! You only get to have snippets of conversations, then ride the wave to the next one.
Groom: Exactly.
Me: Listen -- I just wanted to say -- weddings are lots of fun. Marriage is even more fun.
Groom: Really? (he smiles) That's great, 'cause I'm having a fabulous time.
6 comments:
You are SUCH a romantic :-)
This has been a very nice wedding tho' I agree. Thanks for sharing!
I agree Dave, fabulous wedding with lots of planning... my lil munchkin also made a dash for the bride in between being uncharacteristically cranky and loudly protesting my husband's efforts to reign her in over by what I imagine are those very same trees! I managed to pay attention to the ceremony and was treated to the most romantic I have ever attended. It's good for the heart to see a couple so much in love :) Wish I could have met you and your lovely family!
Cape Breton weddings ARE awesome. I had one, and it wasn't even in Cape Breton.
Jordan -- this one was in Moncton.
Dave, you have captured so many fabulous moments for us. Thank you. Thank you and your lovely family for joining on us on our day - and for dancing by the trees and under the stars. And thank you for our pinata! Give Janey a big hug for us - we'll cook up big batches of sausages & cookies for her next time you visit & she's well enough to enjoy them without tears! Oh, and glad someone asked about the tomato - I knew it was the right choice! :)
There was no doubt. Thanks for thinking of everything, Jenna. May your marriage be as fun as your wedding.
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