Dispatch From Wedding Central

Two weeks from tonight will be the rehearsal dinner. Night before last I had my first wedding related nightmare. I wasn't naked but my hair wasn't done and I mean, it is practically the same thing. So guess what-- remember when I told you I wasn't going to let this blog turn into --what was it-- "an all wedding all the time borefest?"

I take it back.

Because I'm going to need you to hold my virtual hand for the next two weeks.

And listen to me whine, fret, and just carry on in general. It sounds enticing, doesn't it? I can't imagine what could keep you away.  This is the week for writing the checks on balances to the reception venue, florist, caterer. What a great week for my son's college tuition AND property taxes to be due.  Clearly we weren't thinking this through a year ago when we said, "Of course, a wedding the second weekend in September sounds lovely!" But then weddings are probably like having babies...if you waited until you were ready you'd never do it.

This week we met our church hostess who will be directing the wedding. The woman is so sweet and organized she could probably negotiate an Arab/Israeli peace treaty that would actually stick. But the main thing I loved about her was that she looked at my daughter and said "It will all come together on that day and be lovely." (sigh)

I appreciated that because do you know how many wedding disaster stories you hear when you are planning a wedding? People cannot wait to tell you about the wedding they attended where two little boys got in a fistfight and punched and rolled all the way down the aisle during the vows, or the one where the unity candle caught the bride's veil on fire and her father leaped onto the altar, snatched it off her head and stomped it out. Those two are actual contributions from the father of the bride, both of which he swears are true.

I've turned to movies for a little cinema therapy and mother of the bride solidarity. I watched Father of the Bride the other night with the man who will be playing that role in real life here shortly. I can never decide which version I like best...Spencer Tracy was a genius in the role, but the Steve Martin one makes me laugh right out loud which I desperately need right now.  The scene where the bride and her brother are yelling "good night" and "I love you" across the hall on her last night at home and the camera stays on Martin who pauses and clutches his chest when he hears it...oh man, I'm there.

I'm so there.