Getting Married

Dawn breaks over the Northwest Islands and pierces into the children’s attic where I am sleeping. All of the kiddos are still asleep (thank God).  It is an odd sensation on the morning of my wedding day as it feels like any other day. I amble downstairs where the adults are congregating around hot cups of coffee, and Ben and Pamela are cracking eggs for breakfast. Greeted by a hearty, “there he is!”, the whole family turns and welcomes me in to the breakfast table.  Outside the bay windows, the day looks perfect; calm and steady waters and sunny with not a cloud in the sky. This balmy weather is what makes the Northwest America’s greatest secret. The house begins to wake up with the smell of eggs, and pounding of children feet. Soon everyone is awake and it reminds me of that Christmas scene in Home Alone where the giant family is climbing all over each other. Again, people keep asking if I am nervous, but I feel cool as a cucumber.  Emily had texted me roughly 1000 times to make sure I shaved for the wedding. After a thorough shower and shave followed by a frantic search for my fedora (the everlasting ADD child) Ben and I set out for the park. 

I have to give a big shout out to our wedding coordinator Rhianna because (as I’m sure everyone who knows me/is reading this knows) I knew nothing about the details of the wedding (Afterwards Emily laughed at all of the calls made to the women’s house from the men’s house asking about details, directions, and check-ins). Ben, the photographer, and I arrived at the men’s cabin early, he pulled out a mini-Heineken keg and a bottle of great scotch. We toasted to the day and slowly started to dress.  Ben had been cursing me a bit because I made my groomsmen wear/learn how to tie bow-ties while I wore a regular tie. To tell you the truth I knew, deep down, that Ben would learn how to tie them and then teach everyone else. The time ticked by and my late-as-usual groomsmen slowly trickled in to the cabin. We all dressed, drank, made fun of each other and were generally merry. I sent a letter to Emily via my niece Stella and received one in return. It was filled with elegant words, and loving thoughts. The photographer came to retrieve me for the “first look”.  This was it, the moment I would get to see my bride in all of her glory. After receiving a multitude of slaps on the back, last minute ball-and-chain remarks, and manly hugs I followed the photographer who had jokingly mentioned, "I'm taking you into the woods to shoot you...". As I approached the bride's cabin the lookouts giggled. I was left in a corner of the woods on my own. The anticipation was intense. 

It was a surreal feeling standing there in the woods waiting to see my bride-to-be. I first heard my infamous nieces/train carriers giggling and then I heard her voice. As I slowly turned around I saw her in her full glory. There, in the Northwest forest I saw the woman of my dreams, illuminated by soft rays of sunshine piercing through the trees. Her dress...wow. It was a spectacular spectacular. We laughed together as she snapped my suspenders and we updated each other on the whirlwind of getting ready. After some obligatory photos we met up with the rest of the wedding party for more photos. After the photos there was some down time where I got to hang out with some Peace Corps peeps and remark on Kelly Sleight's uncanny wilderness tour and how she describes each tree's "feelings".  

Then the moment came, Rihanna frantically herded all the cats together for the ceremony. Again, everyone up until this point had asked me if I was nervous and I really wasn't. Though, it wasn't until my mother and I were lining up and she looked like a nervous wreck. At that point, I thought, "mom is nervous. Should I be nervous? Oh god, now I'm nervous!" And as the heart palpitations set in the ceremonial music began. Heart pounding and with my parents at my side I walked down the isle. What a sight. Trent was standing underneath a wooden handcrafted archway with the ocean lit by a setting sun and the Olympic mountain range as a backdrop. Friends and family were all seated and smiling. The wedding party followed and I received hugs, handshakes and high fives. Then the bride came , to the tune of La Vie en Rose. Coyly smiling, and flanked by her parents. The ceremony was a blur for me except for a few key moments. First off, Trent was amazing in giving the whole thing off the cuff. He is a true orator, people laughed, cried, and stood accidentally as he forgot to tell them to sit (shout out to Anna who saved the guests from standing for the whole ceremony). Emily and I held hands the whole time, laughing, passing secret squeezes and mouthing to each other. I thought I would get away without a tear until her father started speaking. He started to cry and as we were mouthing to one another, "don't you do it..." she asked it he was crying and as I nodded yes we both started tearing. Then we were wed! Cheers and applause as we returned down the isle as husband and wife. 

The best part of the wedding, for me, came next. We were instructed to wait behind the lodge until our guests were seated. It was just Emily and I, alone for 30mins except for the waiters with appetizers and drinks who would walk around occasionally. We laughed together and the moment was completely ours as husband and wife. Then Rihanna came and grabbed us for our grand entrance. As we walked in, the lodge erupted! 

What can I say, it was the best wedding I had ever been to. 

With an array of spectacular Northwest food including; grilled fresh caught salmon, berry pies, and superb wines. Due to the genius of our planner we ate first.  Though, to be honest neither of us were hungry.  Once people sat to eat we made our rounds.  No one had told us that weddings were a lot of work for the new couple.  We shook hands, whispered the names and facts about obscure family members to each other, and repeated many of the same stories and greetings at nauseum. It was fantastic seeing old friends and touching base with extended family. Both Ben and Anna gave great speeches which were a blur as we headed towards starting up the dance floor and general merriment for the rest of the evening. Key moments included the Horah where not only were Emily and I hoisted (me with significant effort from my groomsmen) but our parents too.  Both of our mothers were whooping and cheering as the everyone shouted and danced in circles. The evening ended with one of the most spectacular sunsets over the Olympic mountain range. With friends and family gleefully inebriated and holding each other, a sun slowly dying in the western sky in a blaze of brilliantly colorful glory, and a warm forestry perfumed breeze gently blanketing everyone, we ended our big event!