The following week is a blur. Mowing, moving, stacking, cleaning, setting, eating, drinking, sleeping. Multiply that by 5 and you've got the week down.
In between everything, I got to spend a lot of time with the ladies contingent of the New Zealand representatives. The boys were doing heavy labor. The gentlemen were driving supplies and people to and from the wedding site. So the ladies were in charge of hospitality. Preparing meals, keeping the house clean, receiving guests, etc.
The closer we got to the wedding date, more of their family and friends began arriving. Including Caesar & Cleopatra (please refer to the addendum in Turnaround), as well as:
ENTER: Doug and Pattie
Good good people. Excellent gene pools too because they have the cutest kids!
Good good people. Excellent gene pools too because they have the cutest kids!
ENTER: The Scientist
He is so smart it's almost frightening.
He is so smart it's almost frightening.
ENTER: The Blonde Nugget
This child may perhaps be the coolest kid I've met in a long time. He is 3. He is very blonde. He is a tiny adult. He also loves butter.
This child may perhaps be the coolest kid I've met in a long time. He is 3. He is very blonde. He is a tiny adult. He also loves butter.
Wedding day rolls around and I head over to the RV that Caesar, Cleopatra, Doug and Pattie are sharing. As we pulled up, I was immediately stricken with some serious RV envy. This thing was a mansion on wheels. Complete with working kitchen, TWO giant beds AND even a straightener.
We all get ready together and drive over to tent city to begin the festivities. Pulling up to the ceremony site, I was struck by the enormous effort compiled by this group of people. What had been a field in the middle of nowhere with knee high grass, had been mowed, baled, remowed and transformed into a small city of weddingness. A massive tent, complete with draping and chandelier dominated the landscape on the crest of the hill.
It, however, paled in comparison when you took in the ceremony site. Gracefully laid out in the valley, it was flanked to the right by rolling canola fields (a cheery bright yellow flowering crop) and on the left stretched a small pond delicately framed by cattails and reeds.
I feel that I need to stress this next part:
This day COULD NOT have been more perfect. The only thing that made it more perfect were the two people that we had all gathered together to celebrate with. They don't just love each other, they are there for one another, they care unconditionally for one another and they balance each other beautifully.
The ceremony was stunning. I don't even know these people and I'm crying while they read each other their vows. Hell, its 3 months later now that I'm FINALLY writing this and I'm tearing up just thinking about it.
Their photographer? Fucking awesome. Post ceremony the wedding party slipped away to take a few photos. The photographer had 20 or so pictures loaded on an iPad that circulated at the reception. Brilliant idea because I cannot tell you how many weddings I've been to, or even been IN and not even seen the photos.This girl does some seriously gorgeous work. Want proof? Here's her website: Meg Courtney Photography
The reception was unreal. Following a short break after the ceremony where guest freely mingled amongst one another, a delicious meal started things off right. The MC's were hilarious using a scavenger hunt to release the tables to eat. After dinner came the speeches. Beautiful words that described the bride and groom in ways that I cant even do justice. Each speech was perfect in its own right, and each one captivated the crowd completely. Beyond that, energetic people, plenty of booze and a giant dance floor. You really can't go wrong. We were there until close to 3am. Captain Awesome OWNED that dance floor, line dancing and all.
The following day, post wedding clean up ensued, followed by the construction of a MASSIVE water slide ending between the arch set up for the ceremony.
Return to: "Get Out"
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