Shelby in Steel Magnolias may think she had the best wedding, but she didn't.
Because I did.
First and foremost, we're two writers and we got married in a library. A library! Second of all, one of our three wedding songs was "Wicked Little Town" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Hedwig! And third of all, we had the longest Klezmer mix in the world and when you have the longest Klezmer mix in the world, almost everyone in the wedding party can be hoisted up in the chairs to dance. Klezmer!
There have been times when we've been out with several couples, and all agree that we had the best wedding. They admit that their own wedding paled in comparison to ours in the fun department. Our wedding rocked.
We've been doing a massive overhaul of our finished basement to change it from a dumping ground to a playroom. This morning, we tackled the final space, a safety-gated area packed with computer equipment, space heaters, random photos, and silkscreen ink jars. While we cleaned, the Wolvog and ChickieNob played on their climby toy and the igloo tent, emerging only to grab garbage out of the toss pile to store away like magpies.
We found the folder from our fertility center that held all of our past semen analysis records, receipts from random procedures, instructions on injections. I found letters we wrote to the twins before they were conceived, all addressed to a nameless, faceless singleton baby. The Wolvog zipped past me holding an empty iPod box exclaiming that he "needed it" as I stared at pictures of him from his bris, a ceremony held in the NICU, attended by our parents and siblings as well as several nurses. Her hospital bracelet, the signs from their isolettes, random cards from family members telling us that the ChickieNob and Wolvog would grow. They would be okay. They would one day be helping us clean out the basement to make room for the bouncey castle that is coming for Chanukkah.
At some point, we had the brilliant idea to put on our wedding video. We sat on the floor, staring at the screen, while I watched all of our friends and family come to the library. My husband blinking back tears as he saw me. My friends spinning around me as the Klezmer music played wildly. I thought at the time that it was the best day of my life. And it was. It was one in a small series of best days. Just as a person can have more than one best friend, an oxymoron that we all know exists without demeaning any special status.
It is crazy to think about those years between the wedding and now.
I bawled through most of the tape.
The Wolvog and ChickieNob know the difference between happy tears and sad tears.
I wish my parents had a video from their wedding. You can look at still photographs and get a small sense of the day. But I think the ChickieNob and Wolvog got a sense of the word "joyous" today. My wedding was joyous. I was--and still am--so deeply in love with Josh. I love to clean with him, find the small reminders of how much we love each other. Not just the notes, but the receipts from the clinic. Both are love and I wouldn't want to be on this journey with anyone else.
I love you.
a photo of a photo of me on my wedding day
(in other words, my skin is more brown than orange, but this is what happens when you don't own a scanner)
45 comments:
No, I had the best wedding!
You look beautiful, by the way.
Just a wish for the happiest of anniversaries!
Wow, I'm misty. I wish I had a video from my wedding. But I think I'll go take a trip through the photos this weekend.
Your wedding does sound like it was a blast! Mazel Tov!
Mel,
you make a totally gorgeous bride :)
xx
J
You are beautiful!! Your wedding does sound like it was amazing. What a nice moment to share with your husband-- a little trip down memory lane. Happy anniversary to you!!!
Mel, the joy of your wedding day shows clearly through your face from your photo-you looked amazing! It's beautiful to read that your joy has only increased in the years since you've gotten married.
I feel that I must chime in and tell you that while I'm sure your wedding rocked, mine was the best in the world. :)
That's a beautiful photo of you.
Beautiful Photo, Happy Anniversary!
You look beautiful! Happy anniversary! Sounds like you and your husband are a perfect match. I can't BELIEVE you had a song from Hedwig as a part of your wedding! Love that movie and that really is a great song.
I love rewatching my wedding video as well. It's so nice to have that memory captured on film. We watch ours every year on our anniversary.
Have a great weekend together!
Wow! You look beautiful! Hope you have a wonderful anniversary!
Mel, you look radiant!!! Have a great anniversary!!
Happy Anniversary! You are a beautiful bride.
Happy Anniversary!
A lovely lovely tribute, sweetie.
Beautiful picture!! I love our wedding video and make my husband sit through it every year on our anniversary! And I love how perfectly you summed up married love.
but for the record...I had the best wedding out there ;)
LOVELY post, and lovelier picture.
:)
Happy Anniversary!
Gorgeous picture! I can't even begin to imagine what you had to do (and how long it must have taken) to get your hair that straight and sleek. Beautiful. Happy Anniversary!!
Mel,
You were a beautiful bride! The happiness is obvious. And since we've never met, it's nice to get to see you!
Hubs and I have only watched our video once -- the day after the wedding four years ago.
Happy Anniversary!
Sarah
What a beautiful bride! Happy anniversary to both of you. And yes, those ART receipts are as much a symbol of love as all the rest.
Bea
Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing this story - I am totally crying because the love you describe is so very real. Happy anniversary and many, many blessings to you.
Happy anniversary!!!!
~Carole
Happy Anniversary to you both.
Your wedding sounds like it was beautiful & you were a beautiful bride.
Wow, you are beautiful!
Mel, you look gorgeous.
I love that you got married in a library; that is so stinking cool. I love my wedding the way it was but I have to admit, if I'd thought of the library, things might have been different.
You are SO beautiful! Your story was so touching, I am crying (happy tears).
We have a wedding video but it is still in VHS! I keep telling myself i have to get it converted to DVD but I am worried the photo places will destroy it, so I haven't gotten around to it yet.
Happy Anniversary!
You look beautiful! :)
So nice now to have a face (and such a beautiful one) to go with the name.
Happy anniversary to you both!
so lovely, Miss Mel! happy anniversary.
also? you may have had the best wedding in the States but it's well known that we had the best wedding in Canada.... :)
Beautiful pic, Mel. Happy Anniversary!
absolutely beautiful!!
It's really nice to have a face to go with the words.
And I love the unique wedding venue- ours was the best(in my humble opinion) and we had it in a horticulture center- a giant greenhouse decorated with lights & pointsettas for christmas on an icy winter day.
I'm going to look at all the photos today & relish the memories!
Thanks & Happy Anniversary!!!
You're hot!!!
;)
What a beautiful bride you were! & too cool about having the wedding in a library!! Dh & I had both the wedding & reception on the university campus where we met. I haven't watched our wedding video in eons (am thinking we really need to get it transferred to DVD). Too many people I love are in there who aren't here anymore. :(
Happy anniversary!
Your wedding sounds fantastic. And what a beautiful picture of you.
What a beautiful picture:)
Happy Anniversary!!!
Oh my goodness, you are gorgeous!
Happy day darlin'.
Just wanted to say - beautiful post, and my God, woman - you're scorchingly attractive!
You are just as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside.
Happy Anniversary, Mel.
Lovely post! Thanks for sharing your wedding with us.
You look so truly joyous in that pic. And, truly beautiful, too.
I'm a little bit teary over here......and I wish people had been dancing on chairs at my wedding. How cool is that?!!!
Sounds like your wedding was perfect! The pic of you in your dress is just stunning!
Mine was too- I have to say it was the best wedding ever. ;)
Such a lovely picture--and I hope you all enjoyed reminiscing about your special day=)
Happy Anniversary!
What a beautiful picture!!! Happy anniversary to you both
Still a beauty. I actually don't know that I noticed in person how bright your eyes are! Pretty pretty lady with a pretty new phone.
Hedwig! I think I love you.
Happy anniversary!
I'm just catching up on my blog from a whirlwind couple of days and I have to say you were a beautiful bride!!
When I was planning my wedding someone told me how neat it was to see their 3 year old son watch their wedding video. He asked to watch it as much as his own kid shows. I knew that was why I had to have a video-so that my children could be a part of the special day.
Post a Comment