Some of you have been wondering about the update on the big wedding!
Click here if you don't have the history and look for the "Dearly Beloved" entry.
Well, the wedding was great. Everything was just as it should be. Monica looked wonderful and thrilled!! Aric was calm but a little nervous too. After all was said and done, you could tell they were just ready to start the honeymoon. No more to-do lists. No more phone calls to make. No more updates to the wedding party. The wedding is over and now they can just enjoy a week in the Cancun area.
Being the minister for the day, I was remarkably calm about the whole thing. Obviously being a rookie at this, it had the potential of being one of those Public Speaking 101 disasters you laugh about in college. However, God answered my prayer for peace and calmness. I did not want the focus to be on my part but on Monica and Aric. I hope it came out that way. I received some kudos after it was over with from several family members and friends of the bride and groom. One lady even said "Excuse me, Pastor?" when trying to get my attention. I laughed inside.
The most nervous I got was about 1 min. before Aric, the best man and I were to make our way down the slope (that's the big stadium seating area in our church). I had rehearsed my talk over and over so many times that I was very comfortable with the content. However, it was just getting past the first few lines that was making me nervous. Would my voice crack? Would I stumble through the words making Monica and Aric regret asking me to do this? Would the DVD of the wedding someday make it to America's Funniest Home Videos if I faint on stage? It's sorta like the way my brother Randy describes a duck - "calm on top of the water but underneath, the legs are swimming like crazy!!". That kinda described me right before the ceremony started. Once I started my descent down the stairs with Aric and his brother following, I knew there was no turning back. I told several people afterwards that I was thinking at that very moment that it would be so much nicer just to go sit and WATCH this wedding than to go up on stage and preside over it !! :) I remember giggling to myself as I had that thought.
But then the wedding started. All the parents and grandparents were seated. The wedding party was arriving couple by couple in the traditional "meet in the middle aisle" fashion before they walked up on stage. The matron of honor was so hot that I couldn't take my eyes off her!! (oh yeah, that's my wife for those that don't know!! hee hee) Then came the kids! If you have kids, it's usually funny to watch this part. If you don't have kids, it can kinda wears you out. If these are your own kids, then the "duck" feeling is magnified in you as you pray they do nothing crazy coming down the aisle. Kayla and Tyler were first. Kayla was simply walking down the aisle, forgetting to toss out any rose petals. Tyler seemed calmed. He'd done this before and you could tell. Then came Brooklyn and Colby. Brooklyn was making up for Kayla's effort by placing rose petals very meticulously in the aisle, one by one. It was taking so long for her, that Colby just kept walking. He was his own man! He confidently just walked down the aisle my himself. At the steps he panicked a little and wanted to stand by Mommy instead of his designated spot. Brooklyn finally made it down to her spot.
Then came the moment. The drums sounded and that was our cue for Aric and I to step to the front of the stage and down some steps to await the bride and her father. Then the grand music started, Mom stood up and the back doors opened. Monica looked so happy! It was great to see all of her struggles with guys come to an end at that moment. She would never have to do this whole dating thing again. It was her best day.
My part came and I got the words out "Who gives this woman to be married?". It was like in football, when you get the first HIT out of the way in the big game. After that first hit, it's just a football game. That's how I felt. I knew my lines pretty well - I just hoped that I would deliver them calmly and effectively. I wanted the funny moments to be funny. The "ahh" moments to bring a tear to someone's eye. I mentioned to someone that I was really talking more to the parents and grandparents because Monica and Aric probably heard about every other word I said anyway. I was there once. I had to go back and watch my wedding video to remember all that was said. But I knew if I could get rolling, the talk would go over well. I had my wife's blessing on it all and she was complimentary so I knew that I had the right message in place.
After talking for a while, I saw a note on my page that said "Unity Candle next - don't say anything". That was my cue to stop talking after the last line in Monica's vows to Aric. They would go to the Unity Candle without any introduction from me. I realized then that it was almost over. After the candle, we did rings and then it was time to do the pronouncing, kissing and introduction. "Wow - that was fast!" I thought to myself. Whew - I've almost made it.
It was fun to be the one to say, "Now, for the very first time, it's my privilege to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Aric Head." It was fun to know that I got to play a special part in the ceremony. It was great that our whole family was involved. That's what made it great. It was a family event that was put together by 2 strong families. Lots of help from Moms, Dads, Uncles, Cousins, Aunts, 2nd Cousins, Brothers-in-law, Sisters-in-law, etc. Everyone pitched in to pull this off. What a richly blessed day!
After Monica and Aric started the recessional, the kids were to exit next. It took a while to get Colby and Brooklyn going in the right direction. Then Kayla and Tyler were next. But then, suddenly Tyler stopped. He turned back to the wedding party and told us in his 4-year old words something about being good, and excited and he was going to get a sucker! He said "Bye!" as we waved to us all. Then he continued waving to everyone as he exited. Pretty funny stuff at that point in the game!! :)
Oh, and you are probably wondering about the picture above. This was Aunt Moni and Uncle Aric's gift to the boys for their role in the wedding. They got the costumes at the rehearsal dinner. They've worn them like crazy ever since. I did an ad-lib at the last moment and put a line in the wedding when talking to Aric about how the boys just love him. I said to him, "And that's pretty high praise coming from Batman and Superman." Maybe it wasn't the most appropriate line for a wedding but it just seemed right at the time. It got a few chuckles. Hopefully one day we can show the video to the boys and they will remember their love for superheros and how Daddy mentioned it in the ceremony!! :)
There you have it. The wedding report! Now, by the power vested in me as a blogger, I now pronounce you tired of reading this!!
God bless you all,
SJ or "Pastor Donny"
