Saturday, July 17, 2010

3 Things

One of my best friends, Cinda, told me at her wedding that all weddings have at least 3 things go wrong.  And that if you can just roll with those three things, everything will be okay.


She mentioned this to me in passing a few days before her wedding while the two of us were running last minute wedding errands.  Little did she know.

Cinda's 3 things:

1. Her best man, while driving across country to the wedding, had his car die.  He didn't have money to fix the car, and get a plane ticket to the wedding.  (I know!)  This was a big one, and certainly not one I could help fix.  A last minute replacement was found and things moved on.

2. On the morning of the wedding, only half of the white flowers Cinda ordered for her wedding actually showed up.  This sent us all into a downward spiraling tailspin.  What? No centerpieces? Oh HELL NO!  Her brother Andy and I drove all over the surrounding towns to every grocery store and flower shop buying up every last "white" flower they had, no matter what it was.  Then we spent the remaining hours before the ceremony creating center pieces in paint cans (such an original idea and SO Cin.. they came out beautifully!).

3. I thought we were home free by this point.  The flowers were set, and we had taken our seats.  Everyone walked down the outdoor isle and the ceremony had begun.  I was sitting on the left hand side a few rows back from the front.  Perfect viewing of my friend, the beautiful bride.  A few minutes into the ceremony, I happen to notice one of the bridesmaids (who was also Cinda's younger sister) waving at me in the unmistakable get your butt up here gesture.  Have I mentioned the ceremony had already started? I mean, the minister was talking about love, and friendship and growing as a couple blah blah blah.


 Cinda's dad had already walked her down the isle and given her away.



Cinda and her husband-to-be were holding hands and gazing lovingly into each others eyes.  Some of the guests already had the water works going.  Was she serious?  I pulled one of those famous "are you talking to me" pointing at myself gestures, then looking around and mouthing the words "me?".  I was classic that day.  She glared at me and mouthed back "YES!" and yes, you could tell she was yelling at me.  So in the middle of the ceremony, up I march to the waiting bridesmaids, trying to look subtle in my little black dress.  As if anyone walking up to the bridesmaids in the middle of the ceremony is subtle.  Turns out, Cinda's sister and her brother Andy were to do a reading as part of the ceremony, and they forgot the book and needed me to run and get it. 



Which I did, and all was well.  Can you imagine my embarrassment if I'd walked up there and she told me she was talking to someone else?  Seriously, that was my biggest fear when I casually and as circumspectly as I could, made my way up there.

Those were pretty big things.  And yet, in the end, the bride and groom still got to kiss.



Cinda's wedding was beautiful, and wonderful, and perfect.  And likely the only one who remembers these things is me, because I'm a little OCD and can't let go of some of this stuff.  So my big advice to the young couple today, is the same advice Cinda gave me.  Three things are bound to go wrong.. just embrace it.. and move on.  And you're day will be as amazing as hers.

Seriously.. Thoughts?

2 comments:

  1. Can you believe that was 9 years ago??? Man, we're old.

    Love you, too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. We are old.. when did that happen?

    ReplyDelete