The weather couldn't have been more pleasant for the festivities. I had my doubts about how everything was going to turn out for various reasons, but everything seemed to go swimmingly. Their sealer was pleasant and didn't hijack the ceremony to take the focus away from the bridge and groom, there was a decent turn out at the reception, everything looked nice and everyone seemed to get along just fine.
For all of their eccentricities and quirks, Amanda and Matt really are two of the sweetest people. Without missing a beat in pronouncing the words of the actual sealing ceremony, the temple worker passed Matt's father some kleenex who then separated the tissue to hand to the kids. Matt wiped his own tears and then handed the tissue to his bride. It was darling. While I may think they're so goofy, they are kind-hearted and that will carry them a long ways.
As with any of the Reid family weddings, the boys took every opportunity to capture their favorite wedding moments that didn't involve either bride or the groom. I forgot my camera because I barely made my flight, but Dave and Mike have some good shots. It made me laugh to look through the photos that they got because you could look through the 50 or so pictures and not have any idea who actually got married. We concentrated entirely on getting our own fabolous, and sometimes irreverent, pictures. What else are you supposed to do when there is a Nativity scene with lifesize figures hidden away from most of the public view? Well, that is except for the major freeway that runs north-south along the entire state of California. There were some winners in there.The words of the sealing ceremony always blow me away. Always. It's amazing the promises that are given. Nothing else even comes close to matching it in power and meaning.
Here are some thoughts I had about weddings:
- People from Orange County getting married down in the San Diego temple are jerks. Unless it was your childhood fantasy, you're a jerk. Even if it was you're still walking a fine line. What's wrong with getting married in Newport? It's just so convenient and just so much easier. But what's even worse are the people who...
- Get married on a Friday. Seriously? I have to get off of work now to make it to your wedding? I guess the thought could be that they didn't want to take away anybody's Saturday, but still...what a hassle. Yeah, I know you're reading this thinking to yourself...but hey! I got married on a Friday. Maybe you can be a little more understanding about Dave and I almost missing your sealing because we had to get through LA-Orange County traffic because it was a stinkin' weekday. Even worse still are the ones who...
- Get married on a holiday weekend, mostly the ones with the Monday holiday attached like Memorial Day or President's day. Not so much Thanksgiving because it's an even longer weekend, and you also have some others coming up, but those holiday weekends from February to June are few and far between. If people have to use their long weekend to travel for the wedding, even worse still.
- I hope my eventual wife doesn't want too much traditional stuff. What's the point? We're going to be doing a wedding on a budget so unless she's ballin' out of control there's no way we can even come close to resembling a traditional wedding when it comes at 1/4 the cost or in some cases, 1/10 of the cost of other weddings that people outside of the church have. And speaking of which...
- Isn't it kind of funny that non-members spend so much on weddings when they're so likely to fail, and we spend so little when ours have a higher probability of succeeding? If you're outside of the church it's possible that you're going to have a few, but if you're a Momo getting sealed, your success rate is especially high and you'll probably only have one wedding in your lifetime, but you'll spend next to nothing on it, comparatively.
- Back to traditional stuff...can I say how much I hate the garter/bouquet toss? Loathe is a more fitting word actually. I don't know any single guy or girl that ever wants to participate in that part of the wedding, and when you're getting older and still single, you're already conscious enough as it is about your singleness when you're attending weddings anyway. You've already got enough people making comments as it is at the wedding and reception saying things like, can you believe he/she got married before you? Did you ever imagine that happening? Hell no I didn't. For criminey's sake, she's seven flippin' years younger than me. I came home from my mission and she was still in junior high. You really think I saw this one coming? So when are you going to get married? Have you thought about getting married? Why haven't you gotten hitched yet? I say most of this to be funny because I'm not actually that uncomfortable with my single state right now, but yes, I actually did get all these questions yesterday. I went through my not-married-yet crisis about 2 years ago and I've either actually since gotten over it or at least tricked myself into thinking that I have, but in these kinds of settings with those kinds of questions there's no way I can avoid feeling at least a little self-conscious about my marital status. Anyway...I digress, that particular tradition (garter/bouquet toss) isn't our (LDS) tradition anyway, so why do we do it? Because other people do? Lame.
- For a little while, I thought Greg and Laura had too many gimmicks at their wedding, but for some reason it all clicked for me this weekend. The reception is supposed to be a celebration, but it can pretty easily turn into a boring ward social if you're not careful. I hope mine isn't one that people are just sitting through waiting for it to finish. And now that I think about it, my favorite part about Greg's wedding was when they made all the groomsmen and bridesmaids dance. My favorite receptions all involved dancing - Doug and Kristen's Fresno reception had dancing, Tyson and Jen's, Greg and Laura's. I guess Jake and Brooke's, and Steve and Jenna's did too. Duly noted.
- None of my family will be able to attend the sealing because they're not members, but I don't want to do a ring ceremony either. Still haven't seen anything, or heard of anything that feels like a suitable substitute. Let me know if you have any ideas.
- I have a bunch of wedding related hook-ups. My parents are tailors so they can alter any clothes that need fixing. My mom can even sew the wedding dress, and my dad has a bunch of tuxedos at his store. I know two jewelers who I have pretty close associations with that would both probably help me out in getting a ring. I even know a videographer, who until this weekend, I didn't think I was close enough with to ask for his help but he said the next time he comes down it better be for my wedding. And there are other people here and there I know of that can help out with other things. If only there were a girl to get married to...
- Last week I met with my bishop for the first time since I've been up here for tithing settlement so we chatted for a few minutes just getting to know one another. He has a very direct approach which sometimes can be kind of refreshing. He asked if I had a temple recommend, and then if I wanted to get married. Then he asked if I was dating anybody, and I told him no. And then he told me that I should go to the temple and ask the Lord if it was time for me to get married, and then to start asking out the cute girls in the ward and narrow down my choices. I thought it was funny just how matter of fact he was about it.
Anyway, it's bed time. Congrats to Amanda and Matt. And to all a good night.
11 comments:
Because the only people who truely appreciate the garter toss and the boquet toss are 12 year olds- I found that the best thing to do at any wedding was to pretend I cared-I would fight little girls for the boquet- which made it fun for the bride- and it made others laugh. When you're in your late twenties / early thirties it's easier to own it.
Did you tell those peeps that it's probably because you like boys and it was just outlawed in California? :)
Agreed--Friday weddings are LAME. Seriously, what's the purpose? Just do it all on Saturday. Don't be greedy.
I think that works better when there aren't only 2 guys fighting for the garter. The groomsmen all ran into the bathroom once they saw the direction the reception was moving.
No, I didn't tell them. I failed to mention that the biggest reason I don't like the garter toss is that I actually am disgusted by something that was on the bride's thigh and not the groom's, and that I can't catch the flowers instead.
You caught me.
Ringing the season w/ snow, and actually waking up to a surprise White Christmas are two totally different things. Don't under-rate the awesomeness of the White Christmas. Growing up in Denver, I luckily have experienced the 70 degree vs. snow, and snow makes it all better.
Also, I got married on a Friday and it was awesome. I'd do it again. I'd get married on a gosh-darn Tuesday and add a trampoline and slip-n-slide to the bounce house if I had to do it over. Would I be pissed if a friend got married on a Tuesday? Probably. But that's because I'm a hypocrite.
ungoetiv
I've had several White Christmases before and really, it's not a big deal to me. Going out and playing in the sun is a suitable replacement. Taking out my new bat and hitting some balls at Northwood Park worked just as good as anything else I could have done.
I forgot you got married on a Friday too. I was actually referring to Laura. But you're a jerk too. Although for yours, I don't think I had a real commitment at that time to work so I don't think it bothered me as much as when she did it. And at least you got married in Newport.
ummmm... am I the only one that thinks that video is INSANE?!?!?
first off, Amanda got married, holy cow!
and second, i am with you about the jerks getting married in SD temple. even worse are when people in LA want to get married in the SD temple.
and you are a jerk. And I don't really care if you were annoyed about my wedding being on a Friday. Could you possibly believe that living in a city like LA where people get engaged YEARS in advance that possibly all places to have reception are completely booked through the summer and the only option was Friday. And it saved us like $1,000 having it on a Friday. And it helped out with my sealing room situation w/ having invited too many people and I was hoping I would have some no shows (unfortunately I am too loved and everyone took the day off)
and need I remind you that you DITCHED out on my my reception to go to Magic Mountain?? you will never be forgiven for that.
Oh WHATEVER Laura! You skipped out on Dave's reception to go gambling, and I can only imagine the excuse you'll come up with to miss mine.
I did immediately regret planning that Magic Mountain day though as soon as I had gotten up there. I had told Becca to take the day off to meet us up at Magic Mountain with Chris and Greg, who both happened to be visiting that weekend, and she drove up through like 3 hours of traffic to make it up there. That was a bad move all around. That traffic that day really was pretty bad. I still can't believe we made it to the sealing.
i think i'm ignorant about your christmas day travels over your life, but when and where have you been treated to a white christmas? i'm assuming u have been in the OC for most, and south of the equator for two. I guess I don't know you as well as I thought?
i'm going skiing in a week and that makes me happier than you can imagine!
Lake Tahoe and Big Bear several times. Mammoth a couple of times. Utah once. Colorado once. I've had a number of White Christmases, and while those are fun, I have no problem having it be 70 degrees and sunny on December 25th. I guess I like them both about the same.
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