Wedding Addendum

Tori, you're absolutely right, I didn't post about your wedding. I was waiting for pictures, and now I have some! Not the ones I took, of course, but the ones your HUSBAND'S (weird!) father took!

I have been to several weddings this year, but this was the one I was most looking forward too. Tori and Dan got married in the Old German Church in Waldoboro, Maine, which was a beautiful place (if somewhat adamant that you not write on the walls) and very charming. By "charming" I mean that it had an outhouse. The rain held off until most people got into the church, which was good, but after that was pretty much unmerciless. The ceremony started 30 minutes late because there was an accident on Rte 1, but eventually things started, and once they did they went off without a hitch. The readers (I was one) were pretty nervous in our little box at the front of the room, but we all got through our pieces without great embarrassment to self.

The ceremony was traditional and perfect for the couple, not too flowery, and not super religious so it didn't feel exclusive. The officiant did say, as she did at rehearsal, that Tori asked us all there that day to be witnesses (not Dan and Tori) which prompted Jim (a reader) to whisper "Just Tori", causing the readers to stifle various nervous giggles, but I wouldn't have noticed if Jim hadn't mentioned it. The couple didn't write their own vows, thankfully. There's a reason someone is supposed to prompt you, folks. It's because you're either going to be a.) too shaky to be understood b.) too quiet to be understood or c.) so sappy that we wish you weren't understood. The bride put it best herself when she proclaimed that she would NOT be saying something along the lines of "Oh, Dan, you're so great, and I love you my big warm blanket of man," a quote which Allen still hasn't stopped repeating.

The reception was at the Rockland Elks Lodge, which was very surreal (for me, anyway) as I had my high school prom there, and I'm pretty sure at least one of my uncles gets hammered there on a regular basis.

The reception hall was dominated by not one, not two, but THREE chocolate fountains, into which guests dipped all matter of sweets, and then went and sat at their tables unable to move. It was so funny watching people try not to rush the chocolate the second it came on, and then for the rest of the evening you could catch people at various tables just STARING at it, like it prehistoric man staring into the flame, or, perhaps, like wedding guests in a food coma.

The event was the first time Tori, Emma, David and I were all together in years, and it was reassuring to see that everyone fell back into our old patterns. Dave used the disposible camera on the table to take pictures of odd things in the room (have you developed those yet, Tori?), Emma's eye almost swelled shut for no reason, she fell over because her dress was too long, then knocked a drink out of my hand and down the front of her dress, Dave claimed it was bound to happen and now she had gotten it out of the way so she could relax, Tori kept disappearing to smoke, I got loud and took to many pictures, and made fun of Emma too much. (Not nice!) Most importantly, we laughed and danced and talked about how beautiful the bride looked, and how handsome the groom, and harrassed them with endless photos and hugs.

(Also we made fun of the dj, who voluntarily called himself DJ Marky Mark.)

Tori's going to read this, and will mostly likely accuse me of something or other, but I have to say that she was absolutely stunning in her wedding gown, and that together with the HUGE smile she had on her face all night made everyone who looked at her say "Doesn't she look beautiful?"

I think everyone there had a great time because we were all 100% behind this relationship. And because Dan's Uncle Dick looks JUST LIKE Tim Curry. Seriously! It's crazy!

Honestly, though, I don't know of any two people more suited to one another, who are both such worthwhile people, and who deserve so much happiness.

I love you guys! Tons!