Writer's Block: Wedding bells are ringing
What was the last wedding you went to? Were you in the wedding?
Well. Nothing like avoiding what I meant to do all morning! Here's another procrastination tool! Yay.
The last two weddings I've been involved in have been for two of my nieces, both times I was a reader. In the first, I was told the day I arrived, fully jet-lagged and mentally flabbed-out, that I would be reading the poem that her parents had someone read at their wedding. I believe it was Robert Frost...yes, I found it on the vacation website I did:
The Master Speed
No speed of wind or water rushing by
But you have speed far greater. You can climb
Back up a stream of radiance to the sky,
And back through history up the stream of time.
And you were given this swiftness not for haste,
Nor chiefly that you may go where you will,
But in the rush of everything to waste,
That you may have the power of standing still --
Off any still or moving thing you say.
Two such as you with such a master speed
Cannot be parted nor be swept away
From one another once you are agreed
That life is only life forevermore
Together wing to wing and oar to oar.
Since I was actually in her parents' wedding--at age 10--this was kind of her and somewhat full-circle. I have no memory of anything at my sister's wedding except my glittery silver ballet shoes, the mint-green dress I wore, and that we seemed to be standing a LONG time.... The reading went well, though I had to PRO-JECT as there was no mike. And I wore a cotton/knit patterned dress with a denim jacket. We were all supposed to wear denim.
So that was Marguerite's wedding in 2004. The following summer, my niece Katherine got married much closer to home. Like, an hour's drive from my home! She asked me to read something from the Bible. I don't think it was 1 Corintians 13, but I didn't do a journal of it. I only remember that I could NOT look at her as I was reading--I remember looking at Alan, though--because I'd burst into tears.
I also helped Katherine shop for her wedding dress--can you say Third Circle of Hell?--and generally kept her calm through the planning process. At least, I tried, as much as I could.
I don't think I've been to a wedding since then. I don't remember.
But in less than two weeks, my oldest niece is getting married and I'm standing up with her as a bridesmaid...bridesmatron?? Anyway, I'm NOT matron of honor. That's Katherine. This is, I swear, my last last LAST wedding I stand up in, at least if it involves ANYTHING surrounding the concept of Bridal Shop! To be fair, in the 7 or 8 weddings in which I've participated, this is the very first time I've had to purchase The Bridesmaid Dress; every other one of them were homemade dresses or off-the-rack gowns or dresses. So, I can check off having the experience at least. I suppose if my son ever gets married, I may have to rescind this whole swearing-off thing if his fiance wants me in the female equivalent of a monkey suit. I'd rather go to Nordstrom's or wherever.
ANYWAY. Weddings. On my mind. A lot. Half my nieces are "done."
My real question is when any of my nephews are going to walk the plan ... er, down the aisle. The oldest is 34 now--will be next month, actually. He'll be there next week: I'll ask him. ;-) I suspect his brother won't be allowed to marry if he ever gets around to finding someone, unless some laws (which need changing) are changed.
Oh, and I should probably also mention that I have liked the choices in grooms in each of the weddings. One has had to grow on me a bit, but the others are 100% 5-star additions to the family.
Well. Nothing like avoiding what I meant to do all morning! Here's another procrastination tool! Yay.
The last two weddings I've been involved in have been for two of my nieces, both times I was a reader. In the first, I was told the day I arrived, fully jet-lagged and mentally flabbed-out, that I would be reading the poem that her parents had someone read at their wedding. I believe it was Robert Frost...yes, I found it on the vacation website I did:
The Master Speed
No speed of wind or water rushing by
But you have speed far greater. You can climb
Back up a stream of radiance to the sky,
And back through history up the stream of time.
And you were given this swiftness not for haste,
Nor chiefly that you may go where you will,
But in the rush of everything to waste,
That you may have the power of standing still --
Off any still or moving thing you say.
Two such as you with such a master speed
Cannot be parted nor be swept away
From one another once you are agreed
That life is only life forevermore
Together wing to wing and oar to oar.
Since I was actually in her parents' wedding--at age 10--this was kind of her and somewhat full-circle. I have no memory of anything at my sister's wedding except my glittery silver ballet shoes, the mint-green dress I wore, and that we seemed to be standing a LONG time.... The reading went well, though I had to PRO-JECT as there was no mike. And I wore a cotton/knit patterned dress with a denim jacket. We were all supposed to wear denim.
So that was Marguerite's wedding in 2004. The following summer, my niece Katherine got married much closer to home. Like, an hour's drive from my home! She asked me to read something from the Bible. I don't think it was 1 Corintians 13, but I didn't do a journal of it. I only remember that I could NOT look at her as I was reading--I remember looking at Alan, though--because I'd burst into tears.
I also helped Katherine shop for her wedding dress--can you say Third Circle of Hell?--and generally kept her calm through the planning process. At least, I tried, as much as I could.
I don't think I've been to a wedding since then. I don't remember.
But in less than two weeks, my oldest niece is getting married and I'm standing up with her as a bridesmaid...bridesmatron?? Anyway, I'm NOT matron of honor. That's Katherine. This is, I swear, my last last LAST wedding I stand up in, at least if it involves ANYTHING surrounding the concept of Bridal Shop! To be fair, in the 7 or 8 weddings in which I've participated, this is the very first time I've had to purchase The Bridesmaid Dress; every other one of them were homemade dresses or off-the-rack gowns or dresses. So, I can check off having the experience at least. I suppose if my son ever gets married, I may have to rescind this whole swearing-off thing if his fiance wants me in the female equivalent of a monkey suit. I'd rather go to Nordstrom's or wherever.
ANYWAY. Weddings. On my mind. A lot. Half my nieces are "done."
My real question is when any of my nephews are going to walk the plan ... er, down the aisle. The oldest is 34 now--will be next month, actually. He'll be there next week: I'll ask him. ;-) I suspect his brother won't be allowed to marry if he ever gets around to finding someone, unless some laws (which need changing) are changed.
Oh, and I should probably also mention that I have liked the choices in grooms in each of the weddings. One has had to grow on me a bit, but the others are 100% 5-star additions to the family.