I won't mention names here as my friend is a private person who generally prefers to remain nameless and I respect that belief. Not everyone creates a web site that basically advertises who they are and what they think. Those who know me well will know of whom I am speaking and those that don't can simply take this entry at face value.
On Saturday, October 4th for the calander challenged, my best friend (okay I have a few) finally tied the knot after nearly a year of planning and two years of dating. She had been looking forward to this day for a very long time; far longer than she has known her husband; not unlike many women. It seems all women plan and dream that perfect day, the brides maids wearing the pre-requisite unflattering dress while the bride glides down a rose covered isle escorted by her raidant father to her awaiting and very handsome fiancee (insert picture of man, any man will do for the purposes of her dream). Men, simply dred the moment, wonder if they will get cold feet and of course the endless question of whether their best man will hire one or two strippers for the bachelor party. Neither realize the amount of planning and craziness that goes into planning an event that two entire familes and a bevy of friends will attend. Well, most don't. My friend... could have planned the last Iraq war; and done a better job I might add. She took on the challenge of planning this wedding with the gusto of a general planning the taking of a major hit or bunker. No stone was left unturned, no sand dune left unsifted. The end result was a wedding that went off, as far as this man is concerned, with out a hitch; short of the one between the man and wife. She even had the rose covered isle.
There is just simply something to be said about someone who has a list for everything and everything in a list. Location, Check. Dress, Check. Date, Check. Music, Check, Food, Check. Guests, Check. Honeymoon, Check; and so on and so on. There was also the assistance of a wedding planner, but she was more like seargent major than a general. There was no doubt of the location of command and control. I don't know if the wedding went off so well because of all the intense planning or simply because weddings usually do go off with few problems and the truth is it really doesn't matter. The wedding was a great deal of fun as well as being a very emmotional and spiritual.
To see such a close friend reciting her vows to the man she loves; promising to love, honor and cherish until death do they part, well for this romantic that is simply tear jerking. I even had the pleasure of being part of the wedding party. Two roles, one as the brides appointed usher and one as the official videographer. As the usher I helped in those important final moments to make sure the wedding itself started smoothly; but more importantly I had the extream pleasure of escorting the bride's mother to her chair. A small yet pivotal role. As the videographer I have an even more important role to play. The job, to try and create a video that will be enjoyable to watch and not help them remove paint from walls. I know she isn't expecting a Martin Scorse flim, but I would like to present her with something a little better than raw video.
In the end though, just being able to participate in such an event is wonderful. Add to that the kicking reception and well the evening just couldn't have been better. I didn't get any cake though. What's UP WITH THAT?
No it wasn't the makings of hollywood drama or even a simple comedy. It didn't make the front page of the New York Times, The Dallas Morning News or local Wylie paper. It wasn't that kind of important, but important just the same. It was my best friend's wedding and that makes it important to me as well as to all her who care for her and her husband. That's why they all came together for a single evening. To bare witness as they should to the joining of two people in one of our most sacred of all institutions, marriage.
I leave you with what wrote in the card I present with their wedding gift; "May the spirits of the past and the dreams of the future be with you always."