My cousin got married this weekend. I was not going to be able to make it, as it would have cost me more than I could afford (right now) to rent a car and drive six hours to go be at the wedding, so I had resigned myself to sitting at home all weekend while the rest of my family was together, celebrating. Friday after work, I went to the grocery store, bought a bunch of beer, and decided to get hammered, but after I got home and ate dinner, the beer just wasn’t looking so great anymore. I figured whatever, I could drink it the next night, so I settled in to watch some movies and play around on my computer. Around 9 p.m., I got a text message from my uncle Corey who had just found out while at the wedding rehearsal that I wasn’t going to be able to make it. Well, in his mind this just wasn’t acceptable, so he asked me if I would pay for the gas if he came to pick me up, and bring me back again on Sunday. I hmm-ed for a few moments, wondering if it would be wise at this juncture to blow $200 all at once, but…fuck it! I decided that it would be totally worth it and I’ll just have to watch my spending for a couple of weeks to make it up.
Well, I had six hours to wait for Corey to get up here, so I did some laundry, got all my stuff together, sat around for a little while and then finally told Corey to call me when he got close because I was about to fall asleep. I closed my eyes, and two seconds (see: two hours) later my phone was ringing and Corey was in my ear telling me he was seven miles away and I’d better be ready to go! When he pulled into the parking lot I ran out with my stuff, jumped in the car, and began the six hour journey back. My cousin Nathan had come along to take shifts driving if it was needed, and had his iPod hooked up to the stereo, so we got on the road and he started picking out these really great driving songs. Here I am, 3:30 in the morning, flying down the highway with two of my favorite people, classic rock pumping out of the radio, coffee pumping through my veins, and at this point I’m so tired that all of this seems surreal, but I’m headed home and that makes me happy.
The drive was nothing special, really. Corey pulled over after a couple of hours and let me take over so that he could get some sleep, and I set the cruise at 65 and just went. It was a fairly pleasant drive, except for the couple of times the tiredness caught up with me, but I managed to stay awake, and the worst thing I had to deal with aside from the fog was that Nathan kept farting in his sleep, and they were the most disgusting, nose-hair-curling farts I have ever smelled in my life!
So anyway, we got back, caught a couple of hours of sleep, got ready and headed over to the hotel where everyone was getting dressed and whatnot. Charity, the bride, didn’t know I was going to be there (actually, I think only like six people did), but she was standing outside when we pulled up and I was trying to hide my face so she wouldn’t see me. She caught my eye, but I could tell by the look on her face that she didn’t register who I was, so I got out of the van and started creeping around this truck that was blocking me from her view. I kind peeked around it, and she was peeking back. When she saw me, she said, “Oooohhhhhhhhoohohohoh” and came running up to me with her arms outstretched, and BAM, the waterworks began (note: When my family and I get together, there’s always tears). So we’re standing there, arms wrapped around each other, she’s bawling and saying she thought I couldn’t make it and she’s so happy I’m there, and I’m bawling and telling her to stop crying, and then we’re crying and laughing and she’s telling me that she just finished her makeup and now she’s going to have to fix it, and I’m telling her that she still looks beautiful and wiping the tears off her face.
Well from there it was just a whole bunch of craziness, everybody getting ready, and running out to smoke cigarettes, and taking pictures, and laughing and crying. So we finally get Charity in her dress, and…well, let me explain.
Physically, my cousin Charity is a pretty girl, but not like, drop-dead gorgeous. However, when you actually meet Charity, it’s quite an experience. This girl just has…”it.” She has this smile that lights up her whole face, and these pretty brown eyes that just sparkle. There’s something about her that makes her absolutely beautiful, and on this day, the day she was to get married, she was practically glowing. Her hair was down and curled, and her veil was in place, and then she stepped into this gorgeous strapless dress and she was perfection. I’ve been to quite a few weddings and seen some beautiful brides, but this girl was striking.
So anyway, we get down to the park (yes, outside wedding) and the day was perfect. It was overcast, which was good because it was already hot so the sun would have made it unbearable, but there was a very light, cool breeze, enough to make it pleasant to be outside, not enough to disrupt any part of the wedding. Most of the pictures were taken before the wedding while everyone was showing up, so I took that time to say quick hello’s to the members of my family I haven’t seen in awhile, then grabbed a spot next to some friends and the wedding began. The bridesmaids were all beautiful, of course, and there were several of them. The little girl of the family, Michaela, was the flower girl and she was grumpy and not sure of what to do, she almost walked around the guests rather than down the aisle, but was redirected just in time and managed to make her crabby little way down the aisle, and then it was time for Charity. We all stood up, she stepped out of the tent in the back on her father’s arm, and I promptly lost it and started bawling. She wasn’t crying, she didn’t look scared, she looked ready, and excited, and heartbreakingly beautiful. As she walked up the aisle towards her groom he just stared, and tears started streaming down his face, which in turn made me cry harder, and then I was laughing because watching the wedding party, you could tell which of the bridesmaids were related to the bride as they were all attempting to hold back tears and failing miserably at it (that family trait I was telling you about earlier).
The wedding was perfect. Seriously. I’ve never seen such a perfect wedding. Kyle, the groom, made me cry even harder when they were exchanging vows – when it came to the “love, honor, and cherish” part, he looked her right in the eye and said very clearly “…to love you, honor you, and cherish you…”. I can’t express how beautiful and perfect it was except to say it again and again. It was beautiful, and perfect, and everything a wedding should be. Charity and Kyle danced back down the aisle, and then came the receiving line and time to cry even more.
The reception gets kind of blurry, I was dangerously tired at this point and all I could do to keep myself awake was to keep on moving. My night went something like this – run up to the dance floor, bounce around like a maniac with my cousins for five or six songs, head outside to get some air, smoke a cigarette, go back in to sit down and cool off a bit, run back up to the dance floor, bounce around like a maniac with my cousins for five or six songs, head outside to get some air, etc. etc. I did this for hours, not daring to drink too much because of the fatigue I was feeling, but running on pure excitement and fabricated energy. Some highlights of the night – doing the Macarena and watching my cousin Joshua get bored with it and decide to spice it up by going the wrong direction (I laughed so hard), dancing to Wrapped Up In You by Garth Brooks with several of my cousins (bride included), and all wrapping up together in a huge hug every time he sings, “wrapped up in you” (yes, we’re dorks, but we love each other and it’s one of our songs), doing the Cupid Shuffle and laughing my ass off because nearly everyone on the floor was doing a 3-count and getting messed up (the dance is a 4-count), and having a pleasant conversation with my grandfather (doesn’t happen often) in which he actually seemed to give a shit when he asked me what I was up to these days, and told me I was “looking great, prettier than a picture.”
So, that was the wedding. I went to a picnic the next afternoon, and then it was back in the car, and another six hour journey to get home, crawl into bed, and head + pillow = oblivion.
That has to be one of the greatest things I’ve read in a long time. Awesome - you had me tearing up and getting goosebumps, that’s how good. And you know, you deserved to have that experience, Blurred, you’ve been through some crap lately and it’s so great that you got to have a fantastic time with your friends and family.
What a moving account of what was obviously an unforgettable weekend! 
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Anita. It was a really great weekend, and I am so happy that I got to be a part of it. I’m SO tired today, and my legs are sore from dancing all night long, but I’m feeling very happy and content with the reasons behind these things, and don’t even wish them away. I will gladly suffer through today. And small miracle, the phones are down at work today (though my internet is still up and running) so I can just kind of sit back and relax, and help the occasional person who walks in. I’m very grateful for that, helps me to better deal with the extreme tiredness I’m feeling.
For the fun of it, our (me, Candys, Charity, Joshua, Nathan, Alaura, Margritte) song –
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74dzYsWydRc[/youtube]
Great piece and congrats to your sister.
LoL Tab, cousin (although she and her sisters are the closest I’ve got to sisters…but yeah, I’m an only).
…and thank you
Oops. It’s been one of those days. Not as hectic as your day obviously. But still. Mini-whirly.
I’m sorry to hear that, hope things calm down for you.
Just read this. Good stuff.