Weddings, Friends, and Hot Chicks
September 25, 2006
Gian's wedding was worth the long drive. After what was a comedy of errors to get to the ceremony, Batgirl and I made it just as the bridal procession was starting. In an event that was done very unconventionally, the ceremony was held outside in the garden of a country club with the couple exchanging vows in a gazebo. The weather at the Jersey shore cleared up just in time for the start of things, and the sun shined brightly during the short ceremony. I could see the nerves my friend was feeling the whole time he stood at the front, awaiting his bride. It was strange not to see anyone I knew, except for his father--the best man--standing at his side.
In less than a half-an-hour, Gian and his fiance became husband and wife, and the guests moved on to the back patio of the country club to begin the cocktail hour and start the celebration of their new union. That, ladies and gentleman, is what a wedding day should be about: celebrating the two people and the promise they've made to each other.
I've thought about this in the last few years after seeing so many Catholic weddings. As a Catholic myself, I think the wedding day should be more about the people involved, and not so much about Jesus, his disciples, and religion. Sure, marriage is a sacrament and an institution set forth by the church, but in the 21st century, I'm not so sure making it a long, drawn-out mass where you read from the gospel and take communion is really necessary.
Yesterday's ceremony was exactly the way I think it should be: a few short prayers, one reading, a a slightly shorter homily, and exchanging of vows and the rings, and Amen. I liked how it was not held in a church, so the pressure to have to do things "by the book" was not present. There were just enough religious undertones to preserve the traditional Catholic mass for the conservatives, but right to the point of why we are all gathering there. We are there to celebrate two people whom we care for and their promise to live as one, and not attend a weekly mass.
Beyond the beauty of the ceremony, the reception was a blast. I was extremely happy with the way Batgirl conducted herself. Right before my very eyes I'm seeing someone who thought she didn't fit in finally getting comfortable and being herself. I'll bet my friends' girlfriends got jealous of us with all the dancing we did while my buddies were off to the side with drinks in their hands for what seemed like all night. Batgirl pretty much pulled me out on the dance floor shortly after dinner ended (all the food was excellent), and had me sweating like Patrick Ewing three songs later. She even willingly went down to the hotel bar after the reception to hang out, with not a hint of hesitation. To my surprise, she's actually looking forward to seeing the group again next weekend for Tall Paul's surprise 30th bash.
On a more serious note, it was nice to see Gian's mom and dad. His dad has been battling cancer and diabetes these last few years, a main reason why he and his now-wife moved back to Jersey. What flattered me was how happy they were to see me. They knew so much about what was going on in my life, and it's a testament to how big their hearts are. They genuinely are curious about how Gian's friends are, and when they see you, they make you feel like you're part of the family. I guess it's also a revealing look at how much our friendships mean to Gian, even though he's soft-spoken on certain subjects, especially on the topic of his feelings for us.
My last thought comes from the "men are pigs" part of my psyche. There were two girls at this reception that I absolutely had to sneak peaks at over the course of the night. The first was the 5'11"+ , gorgeous maid of honor, who really looked like a model, and had what seemed like a real down-to-earth attitude. I sensed jealousy from my friends' women, even though most of them are married to my buddies (Batgirl never said anything). The other was this blond with a great rack who I actually caught checking me out from across the room during the cocktail hour. My pal Vegas came stag because his girlfriend is Jewish and was observing Roshashanah, and ended up seated at her table. When we had a chance to talk man-on-man, we looked over at the table to see her leaning over and leaving little to the imagination. Man, I gotta tell ya--it ain't easy to ignore, but if you love the one you came with, it's very possible for you to just put it out of your mind.
posted by That 30's Guy @ 6:09 AM,
