The last couple columns have been a bit sad, focused on funerals and dying. So let’s switch things to a different, happier realm: weddings.
In December, Michelle and I at- tended the wedding of a good friend. We had not been to a wedding in a few years. Part of that was Covid-related; a couple people we knew got married and really limited numbers due to precautions when the virus was running rampant. Part of it is that we’re at that stage between all our friends our age getting married (in your 20s) and kids of friends getting married (still TBD).
Weddings can come in all sizes, shapes, and forms. Michelle and I had a very traditional wedding. We got married in a church, then went to the Owatonna Armory for a dinner and dance. I remember getting the lists of people who had been invited to our high school graduation parties to help with the wedding invites, then adding our college and work friends that we’d gained since that time.
The last wedding we had been to was my youngest sister’s, about six years ago. She got married outside at a park in New Ulm. We then went to an event center for pizza and the dance. Not your traditional wedding fare, but who’s going to complain about pizza?
This December wedding was an all-in-one location. The bride and groom got married by a minister at the wedding venue, followed by everyone shifting and spreading out across the large room for dinner. Once that was done, the staff removed the middle tables for the dance.
I spent a lot of time people-watch- ing. I’m no longer at that age where I have to either race to the dance floor all the time or race to the bar for a re- fill as soon as I’m half done with my drink. I enjoy sitting back, visiting with others, and remembering stories from past weddings as I observe the circumstances of the current one unfold.
It was nice to hear a wide variety of music, including many songs from the 70s and 80s. My head nodded along, and I burst into the lyrics from time to time on songs you are required to sing, such as “Livin’ on a Prayer,” and “Sweet Caroline.” We did dance when the DJ requested folks to come out and keep dancing until he dismissed you based on how many years you had been married. Michelle and I will hit that milestone of 25 years in October, so we were out there for some time.
In visiting with some others about the topic, we discovered that among a group of us, we had noticed that churches aren’t as involved as locations as they used to be. That’s a per- sonal choice, and many of these people still use their religious officiant. Part of this might be due to keep- ing people in one spot. At our own wedding, we had to wait for everyone to get to the Armory, and one of our ushers arrived fashionably late, causing dinner to be served a bit late. And we all know that some people imbibe a bit at these functions, so I guess that cuts down on some accident potential.
After all, it’s your special day. You want to do things that you will always remember. Michelle put a lot of work into our table decorations and used M&M’s as a theme based on our ini-
tials. To nobody’s surprise, especially if you read last week’s column, we played Star Wars music as we left the church at Litomysl. Those little touches mean a lot, so whatever people want to do, as long as it makes them happy, is a-okay.
Love is a wonderful thing to watch at a wedding. It’s not just the bride and groom. There are often thanks to the parents of the newlyweds, and you can often see the way they still look at each other and how their love has inspired their children. You can hear it in the speeches given, both by the parents and the wedding party. The love friends have for one another can- not be discounted.
We have another wedding to attend in May. Two so close together! But it’s exciting to see young people enter into the same compact we did so long ago and to start on that path of life that is so rewarding. Plus, you never have to worry if you’ll have a date for Valentine’s Day ever again! (Of course, if my wife wants to see me that night, I’ll be at a basketball game. I love you, my lobster!)
Word of the Week: This week’s word is hyperacusis, which means a heightened sensitivity to sounds, as in, “Due to her hyperacusis, once the wedding dance began, she had to leave the party.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!