Wedding Reviews

Tis time for fun memories.  Most of you know I study romantic comedies from classics like, “When Harry Met Sally” to recent one’s like “The Big Wedding” and whatever catches my attention.

In decades past, romance novels were practically required to have a Happily Ever After ending often portrayed as a wedding. Fortunately the stories have changed as readers’ expectations are not always favorable toward weddings. Actually, sometimes weddings are the worst! Drama! Emotions running wild! Even when everything goes great there are layers of stories behind the photos. So for your amusement I’m sharing tidbits of three weddings from the past decade when I was the mother-of-the-bride.

http://www.allisonmoanphotography.com

The Big Wedding was the most recent.  The father of the groom is a wealthy businessman with two sons and he wanted an EVENT so he paid for doubling the guest list in addition to an excessive amount of booze. The bridesmaids all loved their dresses but looking past the royal blue for the day, one woman is a CPA, another a LMT, one blond is a bank loan manager the other a beauty consultant. There’s also an optician, a cupcake baker, and a HR manager.  The men represent a broad flavor of careers from minister to stock broker, computer sales, food services, construction, and more.  The bridal party also included two flower girls, a ring bearer, and a junior bridesmaid who escorted the dog.

Adding to the story of this (above) picture, one woman is newly pregnant and kept it secret until stripping out of her dress after the pictures were done so she could breathe. Sadly, the groom’s beloved grandfather died only weeks before this event but there was a tribute shrine and tearful toasts to him at the reception.

The Outdoor/Theme Wedding happened on a Tuesday afternoon so the bride and groom could always celebrate their anniversary on the Summer Solstice. Men In Kilts! The men were all part of a competitive band in their younger days. Though this was a tight budget affair, the groom is also a professional chef so the food was outstanding. The location included a large pond with pedal boats and the bride did pedal around the pond in her wedding gown.  They had originally planned to wed in a rustic campground in the mountains but the roads were washed out during the winter and a new location had to be found three months before the day, and it was so much better! Guests came to Oregon from Ohio and Alaska and it was the only sunny day during the entire month of June.

http://www.tfkphotography.com/

The Small Wedding was the first for our family and riddled with drama; recent funerals, uninvited guests, emotional issues! Fortunately the actual event was delightful and everyone had a great time.  Even now, ten years later, we still cringe at some of the memories. The main story worth repeating about this event is that after the honeymoon the groom had a growth on his neck checked then immediately began treatment for aggressive lymphoma. Yes, he survived and has been cancer free since, they are still thriving and darling together.

It is impossible for me to look at a wedding photo and not wonder about all the stories behind the smiles. As big a deal as a wedding might be as a “rite of passage” event in our journey through life, it’s really just a party and not a HEA. The marriage deserves the celebration but it’s not an ending in any way, it’s the beginning of a grand adventure.

This is why I love reading and writing romance novels, and the requirement of studying romantic comedy films. Love happens all around us and the stories are limitless and unique!