Our Wedding, Part 6

Saying Goodbye

Our "farewell song" can be found here.

The final image I have of our wedding day: the stone steps of the Community House, fanning upward and outward, with every step packed with our family members and closest friends. The stone arches framed the scene as if in anticipation of the postcard quality it would someday hold in my memory. Sitting in the black festooned carriage, I blinked and thought "This is the last time I'll see many of them, for a long time." The tinkling of miniature bells washed over us, quiet and subdued so as not to scare the carriage horse. Their metallic sound lent a surreal quality to the whole scene: a magical overlay that crinkled and effervesced at the edges. Like some video-editing tool, it felt like the whole scene would blur and sparkle away, a transition to the next special moment.

So my parting advice for enjoying your wedding to the fullest: hold on to every second of it, enjoy every second of it, smile for every second of it. Don't let any little technical details or party-hosting issues steal the magic, because all that matters is the man in the carriage beside you and all those sweet people waving goodbye on the steps. It's a huge, beautiful day that passes before you know it.

It would be unrealistic to say that every second leading up to and leading away from the wedding was perfect. There were plenty of blunders and last-minute "oh dear goodness" moments preceding the day, but the day itself--at least to my knowledge--was exactly the wedding I had always wanted. This is not to say that no disasters occurred--oh no. The cake nearly caved in, the groom's shirt was about four sizes too large (rendering him a swash-buckling pirate without his vest and coat), a groomsman was given toddler sized shoes, one of my poor bridesmaids had to go to her grandmother's funeral the day before, and we almost forgot the fireplace decorations. But all these issues were corrected: how? Because of the amazing people who pulled this whole mammoth event together. Our parents, our friends, our families--people came out of the woodwork to help, support, and get us hitched. Without their support and love, the day would not have been what it was. Because of those people, when I remember our Big Day, I remember an overwhelming sense of happiness, fun, and love.

It's pretty amazing, isn't it, to think of all the people who love you? Who stand by your side, exuding love, kindness, and support, freely, just so two young people have the perfect "send-off." What better beginning could you hope for? Needless to say, we've been riding high on that love for two years now--and I have a feeling that it will continue for many years to come.