wedding of the year (2004-08-16 - 3:22 p.m.)

So I've been home for a week as of today. Yesterday was Stephanie and Remkes' wedding, ie. the reason I came home in the first place (although of course there were a lot more reasons to come home - so maybe it was more an excuse than a reason!)

And yes, of course it was a wonderful wedding. Very, very Steph and Rem. I managed to almost be late (due to relying on former roommate Steve for a ride - I should know better by now, but I never learn). What happened was I asked him to come with me and he said he'd like to, so I figured I had my ride worked out and didn't worry about it anymore. Then he called me at 2:00 - the wedding was at 3:00 - to tell me he'd forgotten he'd agreed to meet someone for dinner and couldn't come after all. Wouldn't be a big deal, except that I was now rideless and had less than an hour to arrange something. There wasn't good transit so I reluctantly started thinking about taxis, and then Steve called back and said he could drive me after all, just not stay. So he did, but he showed up late, and I made to to my seat just before Steph started down the aisle.

But. That aside, it was great. The weather couldn't have been better. They had the ceremony outside, with a baseball game going on right beside (which added a certain ambiance!) They had some of Rem's choir friends sing, and Rem sang a song he wrote for Steph and her favorite Tom Waits song, "Take it With Me" (aka "Beulah's Porch"). Both songs had great lyrics, very sweet.

The sermon was nice and short, and really personalized as the minister is a good friend of Rem's. They wrote their own vows, which weren't dripping in sentimentality (thank heavens) though Steph was still trying hard not to cry!

Steph wore a very pretty blue dress with flowers in her hair, and carried sweet peas from her mother's garden. Remkes of course wore his tux and top hat. And I wore my crazy purple-and-white vintage dress and platform shoes! After the ceremony they rode around the street on a tandem bicycle. Sadly I don't have picture of that, as my camera chose that moment to temporarily quit working... but it was great and again, very Steph-and-Rem.

Then we all got to mill around for a while, and I caught up with old friends and met some people I had wanted to meet for quite a while (notably Lesley. and Steph's cousin Jan. It was a bit odd, as I've been reading Lesley's diary all year and only just got to meet her now, and have been hearing about Jan ever since I've known Steph!) Rem's former roommate Joy also came all the way from Taiwan, as a surprise, which was wonderful. She's a really cool girl. She also brought a present from the Taiwanese kids Rem taught last year, which was very sweet (and all written in English!)

The dinner was nice, and there was an ice cream sundae bar in lieu of a). cake and b). alcohol. (Steph doesn't drink). There were the usual speeches (though not too long and not too soppy, so I approved) and then this huge 7-piece brass band came in and started setting up! This was a surprise that the bride and groom's parents had arranged. They were pretty good and played tons of ballroom stuff, and I had a great time dancing. Sadly, there weren't too many guys there who actually knew how to dance, but I managed to dance with all of them plus a few extra (we just faked it). Also danced with a lot of girls, due to the partner shortage, and taught Rem's little brother how to waltz! And I managed to get one swing with Rem in, which was perfect as that's what we did the first time we ever danced together - at the U of A Dance Club dance where Steph and I met him for the first time.

So yep, a wonderful wedding. I think it was pretty close to exactly what they wanted (though not traditional by any stretch of the imagination!) After the dancing we helped clean up the hall, and then I went out to Boston Pizza with Soccer Chris, Margaret and Lindsay. Just like old times!

Congratulations to Steph and Rem... hopefully I can post some wedding pics soon!

TOM WAITS - "Take It With Me"
Phone's off the hook
No one knows where we are
It's a long time since I
Drank champagne
The ocean is blue
As blue as your eyes
I'm gonna take it with me
When I go

Old long since gone
Now way back when
We lived in Coney Island
Ain't no good thing
Ever dies
I'm gonna take it with me
When I go

Far far away a train
Whistle blows
Wherever you're goin'
Wherever you've been
Waving good bye at the end
Of the day
You're up and you're over
And you're far away

Always for you, and
Forever yours
It felt just like the old days
We fell asleep on Beaulah's porch
I'm gonna take it with me
When I go

All broken down by
The side of the road
I was never more alive or
Alone
I've worn the faces off
All the cards
I'm gonna take it with me
When I go

Children are playing
At the end of the day
Strangers are singing
On our lawn
It's got to be more
Than flesh and bone
All that you've loved
Is all you own

In a land there's a town
And in that town there's
A house
And in that house
There's a woman
And in that woman
There's a heart I love
I'm gonna take it
With me when I go
I'm gonna take it
With me when I go

backwards ~ onwards

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Missed anything?
moved! - 2008-05-12
Sunday = time to ramble on - 2008-05-11
apparently I'm doing monthly updates these days. Sorry. - 2008-05-04
watershed - 2008-04-06
end of trip - 2008-03-31

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