and the slightly more detailed anniversary post...
After a long and happy lie-in we had breakfast at our favorite breakfast place, with neighborhood folks and strangers and their fabulous dogs. A walk through the park and arboretum looked ideal, but my hip was being evil after the Pirate Festival the day before (which was much fun). So... relaxing day and a quick romantic trip to home depot. *laughs*
It's amazing being with someone who I'm just happy to be with and it really hardly matters what we're doing. There was no pressure for gifts or romance- we just enjoyed each other, and that was wonderful.
The special thing we did was go to Teatro Zinzani. It's kindof like Cirque in a very small tent with dinner and genuine audience participation. Much of the cast has worked with cirque in the past. Arielists, divas, tumblers... and much silliness. This particular show was Egyptian-themed. We've been once before (Valentine's 2 years back) and it was even better this time. Th visual choreography- lighting, colors, etc. was excellent- they did a great thing of having a stage train circle the tent, had extremely good tumblers, and the arielist couple who were our favorite act before were back with a beautiful new routine. I'd describe it blow-by blow but I really can't. Like Cirque, you just need to see it. It's awesome how close it is though. It some parts of the show there are literally people doing tricks off of the tables.
I painted Topher's head in a fabulous array of blue vine/swirl-things.
Everyone was extremely nice to us. I got picked for one of the audience participation things and he didn't see I was pregnant until I got up there. Part of his thing was apparently asking if I'd ever known a man. He stumbled on that one, and I just looked down at my belly meaningfully and told him "No- I'm absolutely innocent". I got an extra souvenir of a silly ring out of that, and fun to be picked. Later a woman from another table across the way came up to us with her daughter and said I made a beautiful mom-to-be and wished me well with motherhood, saying that she's found it to be the most awesome part of her life.
I think people could just see ow happy and in love we were, and just responded to that. Extra bonuses from the waiter, the face-painting lady, etc.- just people all night. Was good to take some special time to just to fully appreciate my man.
Married or no- I cannot imagine not being with him (bar horrible tragedy). Since the very beginning, he's felt like home. We simply make each other happy, just sharing our lives. He inspires me, challenges me, supports me, adores me... and I seem to do the same for him. While I might have dreamed or hoped for something like this, I don't think I ever quite believed in it all the way before it happened. Our actual wedding seems like it was a couple months ago maybe- not a year. It was an incredibly perfect day too- surrounded by people we love, outrageousness, silliness, beauty, friendship, and completely wrapped in being together.
The cake stand and the trumpets just pushed it to that other level of unbelievable in a different way. ;)
Memories from the Wedding:
-The Trumpets: did anyone recognize the intro to the bridal music as the intro to Rocky Horror? I realize it took some people a while to catch on that the recessional was the music from the Star Wars throne room scene. When the crowd as a whole got it and laughed someone popped up from the audience and said "It took you that long?!". By that moment Topher and I were at the end of the aisle, grinning ear-to-ear.
-The explosive giggle in the audience when Topher said the part of his home-written vows that he "would be bonny and buxom at bed and at board". I told him about those being the original pagan words for the woman before the church took the ceremony over and shifted it to "honor and obey" and he just had to include them.
-The look on his face when I came down the aisle. :)
-the cute fumbling with the ring.
-George singing "Come Rain or Come Shine".
-our adorable little Pirate ring-bearer.
-being lifted and tossed by my dad during the father-daughter dance.
-the cake in it's 8 ft. Steampunk remote-controlled (and truly delicious) glory.
-having my first dance with Topher and not being able to stop kissing him long enough to dance properly. :)
-cake tasting- down the cleavage.
-the dancing- from the congress of Vienna to the masochism tango, from swing to 50's and beyond.
-Dancing the Masochism tango with George, swing with Greg, a mad Polka with Josh, and the Congress with Topher. Also leading a random congo-line to Harry Belefonte- how did that happen?
-Adam juggling knives in his renn-faire duds.
-seeing old friends I haven't seen in far too long, who live far to far away. In the ceremony, in the audience, helping... was awesome.
-seeing friends and family from all walks of life meeting and mixing- such an incredible group of people!
-looking around and seeing the work of my friends and family all around us- the decorations, the costumes, the arrangement of things. It was all beautiful, unique and incredible. Knowing that we were supported by such an amazing group of people.
...so many things- too many to mention, but all pretty wonderful.
Pictures