My bride and I crashed a wedding. Well, we didn't really crash a wedding. We were invited. I gotta tell you, these kids these days. They do things different. I'll admit, I felt a bit like an outsider looking in. But I had the best seat in the house.
It hasn't been two years since Teri and I were married. Beautiful little ceremony at her parent's house. Lots of family. Lots of friends. And I knew a few people, too. My Mother-N-Law and bride busted their backsides to make things happen, and it was wonderful. They planned things. Ordered things. Bought things. Arranged things. And my Father-N-Law stood in as best man. We showed up at the appointed hour. That was our job. But we screwed that up. You know the cliche. When it came time for the ring...well, it was still in a bag on a table somewhere in the house. So we had laugh, had a kiss, and our life started as Mr. & Mrs. Informal setting, mostly formal attire, and memories for a lifetime.
Yesterday's celebration was a bit different. But things are done different today. Some folks get married on a beach. Some in the Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas. Some get married under water. Some skydiving from a plane (that is NOT a ceremony I'll be attending). Todd & Elijah chose Crystalwood Lodge. Rustic little out of the was place, maybe 40 miles from town. The drive itself is gorgeous, some tall Oregon timber, and eventually we wound up on a dust/gravel road to get to our destination. It may have been in the 90's when we left home, but the change in altitude, shade and breeze made for a pleasant seating area.
Now I'm no prude. I don't want to believe I'm stodgy. But the first thing I noticed was that this was going to be a very "INFORMAL" wedding. Somewhere along the way, I've turned into my parents. Looking around, I started thinking, "Everyone needs to get changed for the wedding!" Well, I'm old. And things are different. They WERE changed for the wedding. Shorts. T-shirts. Some with shirts and ties. Some barefoot. It was...informal. The stereo blared Cream, War, Led Zeppelin. And I've got to admit. It didn't take a minute to feel comfortable and and remember. This is THEIR day. It's about them. Todd & Elijah. And this is what they wanted. And how they wanted it. Elijah had made most, if not all, of the decorations. Her dad is a chef, and he had prepared the amazing meal for afterwards. Chicken Roulade, aka chicken rolls, Shrimp Etouffee, and three kinds of lasagna.
There were a few dogs prowling the area. Figured they were security. One dog, I believe a white poodle, arrived in, and stayed in, a pink baby carriage. There was a guy that looked like Spicoli (Sean Penn) from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. It was a very mixed crowd.
What really matters is this. A group of friends and family came together for a beautiful wedding ceremony. Conventional? Not hardly. But it is a day that Todd and Elijah will always remember. And so will those in attendance. Not so much for what it was. Maybe for what it wasn't. No, maybe for what it was. No men complaining about ties that are too tight. No ladies complaining about heels that are pinching their feet. No cummerbunds to be straightened. Just a nice relaxing time where two people started their life's journey together. It was...comfortable. And isn't that how life should be? Cause at the end of the day, they shared a dance, shared a kiss, and started their life as Mr. & Mrs...
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