September 6, 2008

It was pouring.

Tropical Storm Hanna was fishtailing it's way up the east coast, and we saw the effects of it in Philadelphia. I woke up at 5 a.m. after a fitful night's sleep thanking God that we moved the venue indoors. I mentally took back everything I said and complained about when we were initially changing things.

My ability to string together coherent thoughts and sentences that morning was lacking enormously. I drove over to my salon by myself to get my hair done. I walked out hating it. I ran over to Walmart to pick up bobby pins and a different headband thing to fix it, and ran into about 6 people that I know, all wondering what the hell I was doing there.

When I got home, I retwisted and pinned, and adjusted the headband on my skull. It would do. My makeup was done, my dress and Nik's suit was in the car. I gathered up my mom and my son and we headed out.

I talked in half-sentences the whole way down, when I wasn't turning up the radio to drown out my mom's voice. A good half hour was spent being unable to speak or listen to anything. My stomach did somersaults and my heart turned cartwheels. I couldn't believe how nervous I was.

The rain let up a bit when I pulled up to the hall, and I miraculously got a spot right outside. The best man ran up with an umbrella to help me unload, while I yelled for the bridesmaids to tell Nik to go get out of site somewhere.

I sequestered myself in the dressing room and my bridesmaids filed in. They looked gorgeous. Each in a different, vibrant shade of blue, I felt incredibly grateful that each of these girls loved me enough to be there for me that day.

The officiant was late, and the Matron of Honor was late. The weather was awful now, people were filing in completely soaked. If rain on a wedding day is really good luck, we're set for three lifetimes of joy.

My mom ran back and forth instructing the DJ on the songs, and then guarded the door of the dressing room. At one point, she was chatting with me, and then turned around and was face to face with my father. They hadn't seen each other in 22 years, and I'd never seen my parents in the same room before. I'm not sure which one of us held back tears the hardest. My father and I hugged, and he told me with eyes brimming that I was beautiful. I was never a little girl who got to hear that from her father, and it'll go away as one of the most precious moments of my life.

Soon enough, the DJ struck up Fields of Gold by Sting (which has been stuck in my head ever since) and the girls began their procession down the aisle. I couldn't see out of the door without being seen, so I didn't get to watch them. I was told they were stunning.

And before I could blink, the swelling crescendo of Etta James' At Last began, and I walked down the aisle with my Uncle Dave. I laid eyes on Nik and thought I would burst into tears right there. When my uncle gave me away on behalf of my mother, I barely stifled a sob.

Nik couldn't have beamed more if he swallowed a flashlight. I finally understood what people always said about him and the way he looks at me.

The ceremony was brief, and the minister mispronounced our last name. My son was whispering and wandering the entire time, but his antics were cute and true to our family.

My voice broke a million times over repeating my vows.

We couldn't go offsite for the pictures like we originally planned, but we managed anyway. When we were announced at the reception, we did a fake Irish Jig and I laughed harder than I have in a long time.

The Best Man's and Matron of Honor's toasts were sweet and amazing and funny. Both of them, especially my Matron of Honor were rockstars all day, and I couldn't have accomplished anything without them.

The food was good (so I hear, I wasn't actually a fan) and the music was better. We smashed cake on each other's face even though we promised not to.

We danced as a married couple for the first time to Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. We cut the cake to Here, There and Everywhere by the Beatles.

I could go on for days about the little details that made my wedding perfect. But all that really matters is that we got married, and I couldn't be more excited to be Nik's wife.

Comments

[Hope]

Congratulations!

[TiA]

Congratulations! I nearly cried reading this. So so happy for you two!

[Cherish]

congrats!!

[Theresa]

you got me again: I cried at you and Uncle Dave and Etta walking down the aisle. I cried when you whispered your vows. And now I cried while reading this.
The wedding was wonderful. I am so happy for you. And I'm happy to have been able to be a part of it.

[Nik]

I can see my bulge in that picture. It's very disturbing.

[marni]

Congratulations!!! It sounds like a wonderful day... and I'm so happy for you two.